UB’s Paras Prasad receives prestigious IEEE award

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Paras Prasad, executive director of the Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics at the University at Buffalo, is the recipient of the 2021 IEEE Photonics Society William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award.

The award recognizes “an exceptional single scientific contribution which has had a significant impact in the field of lasers and electro-optics in the past ten years,” according to IEEE.

Prasad was selected “for pioneering contributions in multiphoton processes in molecular materials and developing technologies that advance biophotonics for multiphoton imaging and therapy.”

Prasad, PhD, is a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the departments of Chemistry, Physics, Medicine and Electrical Engineering.

He is an internationally known expert on the study of light. He has over 850 publications and four monographs, and his work has advanced the understanding of light-matter interactions and expanded their applications in the interdisciplinary frontiers of nanophotonics, biophotonics and nanomedicine. Prasad has mentored numerous students and researchers that have become leaders in the fields of optics and photonics.

A prolific inventor and researcher, Prasad has received numerous awards for his lifetime achievements.

“Professor Paras Prasad is one of the world’s most influential leaders in the field of multiphoton processes in a variety of interesting and useful materials with numerous applications in biophotonics, imaging and therapy,” said Nader Engheta, PhD, the H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who nominated Prasad for the 2021 William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award. “Paras has been a brilliant trendsetter and an innovative pioneer in various areas of light-matter interaction.”

With regard to the transformational nature of Prasad’s work in the field, the nomination narrative states, “His pioneering innovations gave birth to the rapidly expanding field of two-photon technologies, a profound demonstration of transforming something viewed as impossible to reality. Among these applications, he demonstrated 3D microfabrication of photonic circuits, high-density 3D data storage, and two-photon photodynamic cancer therapy.”

At UB, Prasad has worked with colleagues to develop or study a wide range of new materials that could advance technology in health care and other fields, ultimately improving lives around the world. Among other recent projects, Prasad is leading a team in developing materials that could be used to monitor brain activity and better understand brain function.

The IEEE, which stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of technology. The association is a leading authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics.

To learn more about IEEE or the IEEE Photonics Society William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award, visit the IEEE Photonics Society website.