Boon Ooi
- Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Principal Investigator, Photonics Laboratory
Professor Ooi is a pioneer in optoelectronics and photonic integrated circuits development, particularly for optical communications and sensor applications. His work has led to the successful commercialization of semiconductor lasers, broadband light sources, and optical sensors
Biography
Boon S. Ooi (FNAI, FIEEE, FAPS, FOSA, FSPIE, FInstP) is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at KAUST. He previously held faculty positions at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) from 1996 to 2000 and Lehigh University (Pennsylvania, USA) from 2003 to 2009. From 2012 to 2020, he served as the Director of the KACST-Technology Innovation Center at KAUST.
Professor Ooi has trained more than 40 Ph.D. students and 17 postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have secured prestigious fellowships and awards from organizations like the UK Royal Academy, Marie Curie, Humboldt, IEEE, OSA, and SPIE. He holds 45 issued US patents and 21 international patents, many of which have been licensed to leading optics and photonics companies, driving commercialization success.
He has received numerous accolades, including the 2024 Sang Soo Lee Award (Optica/OSA and OSK), the 2023 Khalifa International Award (UAE), and multiple paper awards. Professor Ooi is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Photonics Technology Letters and has previously held editorial roles with Optics Express and IEEE Photonics Journal.
Beyond his academic achievements, Professor Ooi is actively engaged in professional service, having served on key committees such as the IEEE Fellow Committee and the SPIE Fellow Selection Committee. He chaired the IEEE Photonics Society Distinguished Lecture Selection Committee in 2024.
Research Interests
Professor Ooi’s research focuses on high-speed optoelectronics, optical wireless communications, and distributed fiber optic sensors.
Professional Profile
Service Contributions
- Service to the Discipline or Profession
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Editor-in-Chief: IEEE Photonics Technology Letters , 2022 - present
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Associate Editor: IEEE Photonics Journal , 2009 - 2015
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Guest Editor-in-Chief: Light: Science & Applications , 2024
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Associate Editor: OSA Optics Express , 2017 - 2021
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Associate Editor: IEEE Photonics Journal , 2018 - 2020
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Awards and Distinctions
- Sang Soo Lee Award, Optica/OSA and Optical Society of Korea, 2024
- Technical Innovation of the Year Award, Oil & Gas Middle East, 2024
- Khalifa International Award, Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 2023
- The International Date Palm Innovation Technology Excellence Prize, National Center for Palms and Dates (NCPD) , 2022
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Electronics & Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1994
- Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)
- Electronics & Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1992
Related Media
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Our lab designs and develops light generating, detecting and manipulating devices and systems that can be applied to optical communications, energy, and environmental and agricultural monitoring.