Biography

Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang, the M. Parker Givens Professor of Optics, was the Director of The Institute of Optics (2012–2017), a foremost institution in optics and optical physics research and education of the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

Prior to joining the University of Rochester, he pioneered world-leading research in the field of ultrafast laser – based on terahertz technology and optical physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, New York (1992-2012). At RPI, he was the Eric Jonsson Professor of Science, Acting Head at the Department of Physics, Applied Physics & Astronomy, Professor of Electrical, Computer & System, and Founding Director of the Center for THz Research. He is also the co-founder of Zomega Terahertz Corp.

Prof. Zhang received 29 US patents; authored and co-authored 24 books and book chapters, 330 refereed papers; delivered 500 colloquia, seminars, invited conference presentations, and 200 contributed conference talks. His H-index is 98. (Last updated from Google Scholar 06/2024).

Education

Ph.D., Physics, Brown University, 1986 (advised by Arto V Nurmikko)
M.S., Physics, Brown University, 1983
Physics, Peking University, 1981

Teaching Course

OPT 265: Introduction of Lasers (Last offered in Spring 2024)
OPT 465: Principles of Lasers (Last offered in Spring 2021, now by Prof. Postigo)
OPT 479: THz Phenomena and Technology (Last offered in Fall 2024)
OPT 492: Ultrafast Science & Technology (Last offered in Spring 2019, now offered as OPT 466 by Prof. Guo)

Professional Appointments

Editor-in-Chief, Light: Science & Application (2020-2023)
Editor-in-Chief, Optics Letters, OSA (Optica) (2014-2019)
Director at Large, OSA (Optica) (2014-2016)
Director, The Institute of Optics of the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY (2012-2017)
Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Jet Propulsion Lab, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA (2005)
NRC-CIAR Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Canada (2004)
AFOSR- SRPF Fellow, Hanscom Air Force Base, Middlesex County, MA (1993-1994)
Visiting Scientist, Columbia University, New York City, NNY (1987–1991)
Visiting Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (1985)
Honorable and Adjunct Professor at 14 Russian and Chinese Universities

Honors and Awards

IRMMW-THz Society Exceptional Service Award (2023)
Foreign Member of Russian Academy of Sciences (2022)
Humboldt Prize (2018)
Australian Academy of Science Selby Fellow (2017)
IRMMW-THz Kenneth Button Prize (2014)
The International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) Fellow (2014)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow (2013)
OSA William F. Meggers Award (2012)
IEEE Photonics Society William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award (2011)
Rensselaer William H. Wiley 1866 Award (2009)
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship (2004)
The World Innovation Foundation (F.W.I.F.) Fellow (2004)
Heinrich Rudolf Hertz Lecturer, RWTH, Aachen, Germany (2003)
The American Physical Society (APS) Fellow and lifetime member (2002)
Optical Society of America (OSA) Fellow Lecturer (2001)
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow (2001)
Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE/LEOS (1998-2000)
Rensselaer Early Career Award (1996)
Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar Award (1995)
NSF Early Career Award (1995)
K.C. Wong Prize, K.C. Wong Foundation, Hong Kong SAR, China (1995)
NSF Research Initiation Award (1992)

Doctoral Dissertation

“Optical Study Of Exciton Localization Phenomena In Semimagnetic Semiconductors And Their Multiple Quantum Wells“
Brown University, May 1986 (ProQuest, ProQuest document ID: 303393352).

Publications

Two most cited:

1. Ferguson, B., Zhang, XC. Materials for terahertz science and technology. Nature Mater1, 26–33 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat708

2. Q. Wu and X.‐C. Zhang , “Free‐space electro‐optic sampling of terahertz beams“, Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 3523-3525 (1995) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.114909