Eggleton awarded Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year

10-Sept-04

On Tuesday evening, Professor Ben Eggleton was recognized with a major award at the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science in Canberra.

Professor Benjamin J. Eggleton, Research Director of the ARC Centre for Ultrahigh-bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems was awarded the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year. The Malcolm McIntosh Prize of $50,000 is awarded to scientists who are thirty-five years of age or younger, and is designed to both honour excellent research and to highlight that early-stage career scientists are producing world-class research.

During his PhD, Ben conducted pioneering research in non-linear photonics – showing that one laser beam can control the flow of another laser beam – the light equivalent of a transistor. Then, working at Bell Laboratories, he developed a device which dramatically improved the carrying capacity of long range optical cables and eliminated a $100 million bottleneck for Lucent.

Now as a Federation Fellow he is working on the fundamental science. Just as the transistor and microelectronics transformed communications and human society in the 20th century, “light” transistors and microphotonics will revolutionize the way we communicate in the 21st century.

Prof. Ben Eggleton's biography and background.