Prof. Kishan Dholakia Elected Fellow of Australian Academy of Science for 2026

"The honor reflects his international leadership in photonics and contributions to the science of light."

Prof. Kishan Dholakia Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science

Prof. Kishan Dholakia has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science for 2026, recognizing his international leadership in photonics and foundational contributions to the science of light. He is the 2025 South Australia Scientist of the Year and Director of the Centre of Light for Life at the University of Adelaide, also holding a professorship at the University of St Andrews.

Recognized as a pioneer in biophotonics and optical physics, Prof. Dholakia's work includes foundational advances in optical trapping and precision measurement, as well as biomedical applications in imaging, diagnostics, and therapeutics. His research focuses on using light-based technologies to study biological processes at molecular, cellular, and tissue scales.

"I am deeply honoured, and this recognition is a shared achievement with my collaborators and research teams worldwide. Their dedication has been central to my work." — Prof. Kishan Dholakia

Academy President Prof. Chennupati Jagadish AC noted that this year's cohort demonstrates the depth of Australian science and the path from discovery to impact, adding that the scientists' work is "rewriting the textbooks" and has changed the world.

• At the University of St Andrews, Prof. Dholakia helped establish the Centre of Biophotonics, which attracted over £10 million in funding and advanced optical imaging and biomedical science.
• In Australia, he leads the Centre of Light for Life at the University of Adelaide, contributing to positioning South Australia as a photonics research hub. The centre includes over 20 researchers.
• He has supervised more than 55 PhD students and trained over 100 postdoctoral researchers.
• He was appointed full professor at the University of St Andrews in 2003 at age 36 and currently dedicates about 75% of his time to research.
• Honors include the SPIE Dennis Gabor Award, the Institute of Physics Thomas Young Medal, the Optica R.W. Wood Prize, and the Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award.

The Australian Academy of Science Fellowship is one of Australia's highest scientific honors, awarded for outstanding contributions to knowledge and discovery. This election underscores Prof. Dholakia's contributions to photonics and his role in building international research networks across Australia, the UK, Europe, Asia, and the United States.