About

Prof. Nicholas Xuanlai Fang

Chair Professor of Photonics Innovation, Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

  • (2004) Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of California – Los Angeles
  • (1998) M.S. Physics, Nanjing University
  • (1996) B.S. Physics, Nanjing University

Employment

  • 2025 – present
    • Chair of Photonics Innovation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, HKU
  • 2023 – present
    • Codirector, Central User Facilities, HKU
  • 2022 – present
    • Global STEM Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, HKU
  • 2018 – 2022
    • Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
  • 2017 – 2019
    • Project coordinator and Principal Investigator of multiple international collaborative projects and industrial sponsored research project, including HKUST-MIT Consortium project
  • 2017 – 2018
    • Visiting Professor(sabbatical), Southern University of Science and Technology
  • 2016 – present
    • Co-Founder and Chief Scientist (consultant), Boston Micro Fabrication Company
  • 2014 – present
    • Co-Editor in Chief, Frontiers in Optics and Photonics
  • 2011 – 2018
    • Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
  • 2009 – 2010
    • Affiliate Faculty, Institute of Genomic Biology, UIUC
  • 2005 – 2010
    • Assistant Professor, Beckman Institute, UIUC
  • 2004 – 2010
    • Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Sciences and Eng., UIUC

Awards

  • Top 2% Scientists for consecutive 5 years (2025)
  • 2025 Brillouin Medal from the International Photonics Society (2025)
  • NUSS Distinguished Visiting Professorship, National University of Singapore (2023)
  • Fellow of Optical Society of America (2021)
  • PRISM Award (2021)
  • Top 10 Emerging breakthrough technologies of the year (2015)
  • Fellow, International Society for Nanomanufacturing (ISNM) (2013)
  • ASME Chao and Trigger Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (2013)
  • ICO prize/Ernest Abbe Medal, by the International Commission for Optics (2011)
  • d'Arbeloff Career Development Chair, MIT (2011)
  • Cambridge Who's Who Professional of the Year in Higher Education (2010)
  • Xerox Faculty Award, UIUC (2010)
  • SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineers Award (2009)
  • NSF CAREER Award (2009)
  • MIT Technology Review Magazine's 35 Young Innovators Award (2008)
  • UIUC Engineering Council Award of Excellence in Advising (2007)
  • ASME Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal Award recipient (2006)
  • Outstanding PhD Student Award, UCLA (2003)