Awards
Fellow, International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering, 2021
Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering, 2020
SPIE PRISM Award for Industrial Innovation in Healthcare, 2020
Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2019
Microscopy Today Innovation Award, One of ten best microscopy innovations, 2019
SPIE Biophotonics Technology Innovator Award, 2019
SPIE Photonics West Start-Up Challenge, First Place to PhotoniCare, 2018
Edmund Optics Start-Up Award to PhotoniCare, 2018
Fellow, Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), 2017
Entrepreneurial Excellence New Venture Award, 2017 Champaign Economic Development Corporation
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Technical Achievement Award, 2016
iBIO Propel Chicago Innovation Showcase Business Plan Competition, 2015
Diagnostic Photonics, Inc. – First Place
PhotoniCare, Inc. – Second Place
Andrew T. Yang Research Award, Department of ECE, 2015
Excellence in Research Award, Carle Foundation Hospital, 2014
Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), 2014
Innovation Transfer Award, Illinois Office of Technology Management, 2014
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2013
PhotoniCare, Inc. start-up awards: Chicago Innovation Mentors, NSF I-CORP, Research Park I-START, 2013
Hans Sigrist Prize, 2012 International prize on selected topic of Diagnostic Laser Medicine
Bliss Professorship of Engineering, 2011
Fellow, IEEE – Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2011
Innovate Illinois, State-wide small business competition runner-up
for start-up company, Diagnostic Photonics, Inc., 2010
Invitee, National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Conference
Seeing the Future with Imaging Science, 2010
Paul F. Forman Engineering Excellence Award, Optical Society of America, 2009
For dedication and advancement in undergraduate research education
Fellow, SPIE – International Optical Society, 2009
Fellow, Optical Society of America, 2009
Provost’s Campus Achievement Award for Promotion Dossier,
Campus Committee on Promotion and Tenure, 2008
Incomplete List of Instructors Ranked as Excellent by their Students, 2008
National 4-H Alumni Award for Illinois, 2008
Visiting Professorship, Raine Medical Research Foundation, 2007-2008
Engineering Council Award for Excellence in Advising, 2006 & 2007
Elected Senior Member, IEEE, 2005
University of Illinois Alpha Chapter Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)
Outstanding Alumni Award, 2005
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
Early Career Achievement Award, 2005
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Young Alumni Achievement Award, 2005
College of Engineering Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence, 2005
National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2004
College of Engineering Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence, 2003
MIT Technology Review’s Top 100 Young Innovator in the World, 2002
Xerox Faculty Award for Outstanding Research, 2002
Whitaker Foundation Fellow, 2001
Resident Physician Research Award, College of Medicine, UIUC, 2001
Young Faculty Award, American Association of Anatomists, 2001
Graduated cum laude, Harvard Medical School, 2000
Soma Weiss Research Award, Harvard Medical School, 1999
New Focus, Inc. Student Travel Award, 1998
American Association of Anatomists Travel Award, 1998
Coherent Laser Group Conference Travel Award, 1995
Brooks Air Force Base Outstanding Civilian of the Year Armstrong Laboratory, 1992
Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Outstanding Armstrong Laboratory, 1992
Armstrong Laboratory Director’s Award for Excellence, 1991
Air Force Scientific Advisory Board’s Superior Laboratory at Brooks Air Force Base, 1991
E.C. Jordan Award for Bioengineering Research, 1990, Univ. of Illinois
Senior 100 Honorary, 1990, Univ. of Illinois
Graduated summa cum laude (Highest Honors), 1990, Univ. of Illinois
Norman R. Carson Outstanding Junior Electrical Engineer In the United States, 1989
Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Electrical Engineer, 1989, Univ. of Illinois
National Society of Professional Engineers Scholar, 1986