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Shanhui Fan

b. 1972

Chinese American electrical engineer and nanophotonic structures researcher

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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)

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Important facts

Born
1972, Zhengzhou
Birth century
Known for
Daytime radiative cooling, Photonics, Solar cells
Education
University of Science and Technology of China, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Employers
Stanford University School of Engineering, Stanford University
Awards
Adolph Lomb Medal; IEEE Fellow; Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering; R. W. Wood Prize; William O. Baker Award for Initiatives in Research
Also known as
Fan Shanhui

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

· Wikipedia: Shanhui Fan

· Wikidata: Q56808939

· DBpedia: Shanhui Fan

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/.

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