Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Dean elected Optica Fellow

Professor Thas Nirmalathas, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, has been elected as a 2026 Optica Fellow in honour of his contributions to the design and demonstration of high-speed, indoor optical wireless networks and enabling photonic technologies.

Founded in 1916, Optica is a society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving and dissemination of knowledge in the fields of optics and photonics.

Professor Nirmalathas is one of 121 new Fellows across 23 countries, each recognised for their contributions to optics and photonics.

“I’m deeply honoured to be among an esteemed cohort of experts and innovators in the field,” Professor Nirmalathas said.

“Thank you to Optica for providing the platform to celebrate the work of so many talented people. I also express my deep gratitude to my colleagues for their support in the crucial work we do.”

The fellowship recognises Professor Nirmalathas’s contribution to innovative system technologies and network architectures of future optical wireless networks with capacity to offer wireless connectivity at several gigabits per second.

Professor Nirmalathas' passion for research translation and entrepreneurial spirit have led to extensive contributions to his discipline across the globe.

His research achievements span microwave photonics, optical-wireless network integration, broadband networks, photonic reservoir and edge computing, and scalability of telecom and Internet services.

His fundamental contributions have shaped the progress of microwave photonics, which seek to exploit the interactions between light waves and microwaves, to realise innovative systems and applications.

His collaborative research into energy efficiency of Internet and telecommunications services, in collaboration with industry partners, led to the development of ITU industry standard.

Professor Nirmalathas and other Fellows will be honoured at Optica events throughout 2026. See the full Class of 2026 Optica Fellows here.