Mário Silveirinha, Técnico professor (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering – DEEC) and researcher at Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT) was named fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and the Optical Society (OSA).
“The idea of my nomination came from professor Nader Engheta, (University of Pennsylvania), who is a major figure in the field of electromagnetism and optics”, shares the Técnico professor. “I am truly honoured and pleased to see my work recognised by colleagues I admire very much”, stresses professor Mário Silveirinha.
The American Physical Society Fellowship is a distinction awarded each year in specific fields. The Técnico professor is now part of the Division of Laser Science (DLS), “for pioneering and seminal contributions to the theory of metamaterials and plasmonics, in particular for the development of the concepts of near-zero index materials, and of nonlocal homogenization of metamaterials”. “These topics have attracted a lot of attention over the years due to their potential applications in several domains”, stresses the IT researcher.
Professor Mário Silveirinha joins the two Técnico professors (Department of Physics) who are also APS Fellows: professor Luís Oliveira e Silva and professor José Luís Martins. “Science carried out in Portugal has considerably stepped up in the past decade, both in quality and in quantity, and this distinction is just one more example of that”, said professor Mário Silveirinha.
Each year, both the OSA and the APS elect no more than 0.5% of total members for their Fellowship programs.
APS was created in 1899, when 36 physicists set up a society to promote the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics. Physical Review and Physical Review Letters are some APS journals. The APS created this fellowship program to recognise those who made advances in physics through original research and publication, or innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology.
Since its founding in 1916, the OSA has been the world’s leading champion for optics and photonics. The organisation currently services 395,000 customers and 23,000 members from more than 100 countries. This recognition follows a highly competitive election process, acknowledging candidates “for serving with distinction in the advancement of optics and photonics and making distinguished contributions to education, research, engineering, business and society”.
Professor Mário Silveirinha is also a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) since 2015. In 2019, he was distinguished by the Institution of Engineering and Technology with the A.F. Harvey Prize.
