Tongcang Li elected 2027 Optica Fellow
2026-10-28
Tongcang Li has been elected a 2027 Optica Fellow. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)
Optica has announced their 2027 Fellows class on October 23, 2026. Tongcang Li, of Purdue University, was elected a fellow for pioneering contributions to nanoscale optical quantum sensing using spin defects in two-dimensional materials and levitated optomechanics. Li is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science and in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also director of the Center for Quantum Technologies, a National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center. He will be honored at an upcoming Optica conference.
"Congratulations to the 2027 Optica Fellows,” said Gisele Bennett, Optica's 2026 President. “These members exemplify excellence in our field. Their election by their peers is a testament to the significant contributions they have made and the impact of their work. We thank them for their dedication, service, and continued commitment to advancing our field."
Optica fellows are members who have served with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics. Optica has elected 116 members from 23 countries to the Society’s 2027 Fellow Class.
“My research explores how light interacts with matter at the atomic and nanometer scales, with the goal of developing highly sensitive sensors and new quantum technologies,” said Li. “In particular, my work recognized by Optica focuses on optical detection and control of single nuclear spins in atomically thin materials, as well as using laser beams to trap and control microscopic particles for ultrasensitive measurements of forces, torque, motion, and other physical phenomena.”
Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, is the Society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the field. Founded in 1916, it is the leading organization for scientists, engineers, business professionals, students and others interested in the science of light.
“Becoming an Optica Fellow is a tremendous honor and an important recognition of our research,” said Li. “I am grateful to my students, collaborators, mentors, and colleagues, whose invaluable contributions and support over the years have made this achievement possible.”
About the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University
Purdue’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has a rich and long history dating back to 1904. Our faculty and students are exploring nature at all length scales, from the subatomic to the macroscopic and everything in between. With an excellent and diverse community of faculty, postdocs and students who are pushing new scientific frontiers, we offer a dynamic learning environment, an inclusive research community and an engaging network of scholars.
Physics and Astronomy is one of the seven departments within the Purdue University College of Science. World-class research is performed in astrophysics, atomic and molecular optics, accelerator mass spectrometry, biophysics, condensed matter physics, quantum information science, and particle and nuclear physics. Our state-of-the-art facilities are in the Physics Building, but our researchers also engage in interdisciplinary work at Discovery Park District at Purdue, particularly the Birck Nanotechnology Center and the Bindley Bioscience Center. We also participate in global research including at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, many national laboratories (such as Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fermilab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Stanford Linear Accelerator, etc.), the James Webb Space Telescope, and several observatories around the world.
Written by: Cheryl Pierce, Purdue University College of Science
Contributors: Tongcang Li, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science and in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Photo by: Purdue University/John Underwood
Source: Optica.org