Rajesh Menon, professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). NAI Fellowship is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.
Menon is an expert in the field of advanced optics, developing lenses and optoelectronic devices that can operate at the nanoscale. The wavelengths of visible light are larger than the features of nanoscale objects, so researchers like Menon must constantly innovate new ways of resolving images at smaller and smaller sizes.
And at the smallest scales, on the level of individual atoms, light and matter become intertwined. Menon’s research there enables materials with exceptional photonic capabilities, guiding, splitting, and shaping electromagnetic waves as they propagate along 2D surfaces.
As Chief Technology Officer of spin-off Oblate Optics, Menon applies his fundamental research to cutting-edge optics manufacturing. Oblate’s custom lenses give industrial lasers the precision they need for cutting, welding, and 3D printing applications.
Menon, who is also Fellow of the Optical Society of America, a Fellow of the SPIE, and a Senior Member of the IEEE, is one of 170 Fellows to join the NAI in this year’s class.
“This year’s Class of NAI Fellows represents a truly impressive caliber of inventors. Each of these individuals are tackling real-world issues and creating solutions that propel us into the future. Through their work, they are making significant contributions to science, creating lasting societal impact, and growing the economy,” said Dr. Paul Sanberg, FNAI, President of the NAI.
The full list of 2024 Fellows can be found here.