John Fourkas Named SPIE Fellow
The honor recognizes his pioneering contributions in optics research, education and service
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Photos credited to: Kent Nakagawa.
University of Maryland Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor John Fourkas was named Fellow of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. The prestigious recognition celebrates Fourkas’ transformative work in the field through innovative research, teaching excellence and professional leadership. Fourkas joined 46 other scientists, engineers and business professionals selected internationally for this year’s fellowship.
“Almost all my research is in optics, spanning from scientific advances to optics education and international outreach. I feel honored to be recognized for my efforts in the field by SPIE, an organization I have been a member of and supported for many years,” said Fourkas, who has a joint appointment in the Institute for Physical Science and Technology; holds the Millard Alexander Professorship in Chemistry; and serves as associate dean for faculty affairs and graduate education in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.
With over 175 refereed papers, 15 book chapters, 15 patents and as a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Optica and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fourkas is an internationally recognized expert and leader in the field of optics and photonics. His contributions revolutionized how scientists can observe and work with materials at the microscopic level.
Fourkas helped pioneer new ways to use light to build tiny structures—smaller than a human hair—for use in medicine and electronics. Applications of his research include 3D printing of surfaces with specific features measuring as small as one-twentieth the wavelength of light. The tiny topography of these surfaces can influence the behavior of living cells such as immune cells and bacteria, causing them to move, change shapes and respond differently to various stimuli. He was one of the first scientists to apply concepts from superresolved optical imaging to photolithography.
Adjunct Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry John Petersen, who nominated Fourkas for SPIE Fellow, noted a 2009 breakthrough paper Fourkas published in Science that showed how to combine two different colors of light to create these extremely small structures.
“That innovative work led me to reach out to him in 2011, starting a long-term collaboration. Since then, we’ve developed an even more advanced technique using three colors of light that can create features up to 20 times smaller than what’s produced by more traditional methods,” Petersen said. “I am confident that John will continue to advance our field and make a lasting impact.”
Beyond the laboratory, Fourkas plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of optical science through his extensive efforts in education and service. For over 20 years, Fourkas served as an editor for leading scientific journals in the field, including an 18-year tenure with The Journal of Physical Chemistry and four years with Frontiers in Nanotechnology. Fourkas continues to provide guidance through the peer review process, serving as an expert reviewer for nearly 100 different journals and funding agencies, foundations and prize committees.
Fourkas’ commitment to education and maintaining scientific rigor extends globally, particularly in Brazil, where he conducts numerous workshops to support emerging scientists. As faculty advisor to UMD’s Optica student chapter, Fourkas mentors young researchers, helping them navigate technical challenges and career development. He has also been instrumental in establishing programs that support graduate students and young faculty members through his leadership role in the American Physical Society’s Division of Laser Science.
In 2016, Fourkas helped launch UMD’s Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The program connects researchers at the two institutions and currently funds over 120 participants, including 21 graduate students.
Fourkas was formally honored at SPIE Advanced Lithography and Patterning 2025 in February, where he also presented his team’s latest research. He hopes these recent advances will transform the semiconductor industry, a rapidly growing sector with higher demand.
“We’ve been working on techniques that can use visible light to do the sort of semiconductor lithography—essentially ‘printing’ circuitry for a microchip—that more expensive extreme ultraviolet light is currently providing,” Fourkas said. “If this is successful, it means we can possibly drive down the cost of production for cutting-edge integrated circuits significantly, perhaps even by tenfold.”
Fourkas joined UMD in 2005, following a decade as a faculty member at Boston College. He received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Stanford University in 1992 and his B.S. and M.S. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1986.
