Chen Chen Wins SPIE Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship

Chen Chen, a graduate student in Electrical Engineering, has been awarded a 2021 Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

Chen is a PhD Candidate in the lab of Fengnian Xia, the Barton L. Weller Associate Professor in Engineering and Science. The prestigious scholarship, for which Chen receives $4,000, is awarded for potential contributions to the field of optics, photonics, or related field. His current research focuses on thin-film infrared optoelectronics based on both emerging and traditional semiconductor materials. He has authored or coauthored more than 10 journal publications and has also delivered many talks in international conferences. Most recently, he was the lead author of a study in Physical Review B. He actively participates in outreach activities to promote science education in the New Haven area.

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 255,000 constituents from 183 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2020, SPIE provided more than $5 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources.