Shanhui Fan
Chinese American electrical engineer and nanophotonic structures researcher
About Shanhui Fan
Born 1972. Shanhui Fan is a Chinese and American electrical engineer, academic and university teacher, known for Daytime radiative cooling, Photonics and Solar cells.
Shanhui Fan (; born 1972) is a Chinese-born American electrical engineer and physicist, with a focus on theoretical, computational and numerical aspects of photonics and electromagnetism. He is a professor of electrical engineering, and a professor of applied physics (by courtesy) at Stanford University. He is the director of the Edward L. Ginzton Lab and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy.
Education Fan did his undergraduate study in physics from the University of Science and Technology of China from 1988 to 1992. He completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1997, after which he continued as a postdoctoral researcher in the same group at MIT. His advisor was John D. Joannopoulos.
Career Fan joined Stanford's faculty of electrical engineering in April 2001.
In 2012, he was a visiting professor of physics at University of Sydney.
Since 2014, Fan has been the Director of the Edward L. Ginzton Lab. He was appointed Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy and courtesy professor of Applied Physics through January 31, 2021.
Fan's research areas include nanophotonics, photonic crystals, metamaterials, topological photonics, plasmonics, solar cells.
, Fan has been granted approximately 57 patents.
Selected works Coupled Mode Theory For Optical Resonances:
Modulation Induced Non-Reciprocity:
Daytime Radiative Cooling:
Awards and honors R. W. Wood Prize, Optica (2022), "For foundational discoveries in photonics, ranging from resonator, topological, and non-reciprocal photonics to energy applications including the discovery of daytime radiative cooling based on a new kind of energy source." Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (2017) Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher in Physics (2015–) Fellow, IEEE (2010), for “contributions to nanophotonics”. Fellow, SPIE (2010) Fellow, the American Physical Society (2008), for “contributions to the theory and applications of nanophotonic structures and devices, including photonic crystals, plasmonics and meta-materials. Fellow, the Optical Society of America (2008), “For many deep and creative contributions to physics, analysis, and novel devices in semiconductor, dielectric and metallic optical nanostructures”. The Adolph Lomb Medal from the Optical Society of America (2007), “For fundamental work in nano-photonic structures”. The William O. Baker Award for Initiatives in Research (previously the NAS Award for Initiatives in Research) (2007), “For innovative research on the theory and applications of photonic crystal devices”. David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowship for Science and Engineering (2003) National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award (2002)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Shanhui Fan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Shanhui Fan's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Shanhui Fan?
Chinese American electrical engineer and nanophotonic structures researcher
When was Shanhui Fan born?
Shanhui Fan was born in 1972 in Zhengzhou.
What is Shanhui Fan's occupation?
Shanhui Fan is an electrical engineer, academic and university teacher.
What is Shanhui Fan known for?
Shanhui Fan is known for Daytime radiative cooling, Photonics and Solar cells.
What nationality is Shanhui Fan?
Shanhui Fan is Chinese and American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shanhui Fan. https://biography.guide/shanhui-fan/
MLA: "Shanhui Fan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shanhui-fan/.
Chicago: "Shanhui Fan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shanhui-fan/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC