Michal Lipson, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, has received a 2010 Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists from the New York Academy of Sciences. The award recognizes highly innovative, impactful and interdisciplinary accomplishments in the life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and engineering.

Lipson is a pioneer in the field of nanophotonics, where beams of light traveling through microscopic waveguides on a silicon chip replace electronic circuits. The technology has the potential to revolutionize telecommunications, computation and sensing.

Four faculty members and three postdoctoral fellows were selected for the awards from among more than 150 nominations by a jury of 58 leading scientists after two rounds of reviews. Faculty winners receive up to $25,000 in unrestricted funds.

Winners were announced at the academy's seventh annual Science and the City Gala Nov. 15 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

The Blavatnik Awards were created in 2007 by the Blavatnik Family Foundation to acknowledge the excellence of the most noteworthy young scientists and engineers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. 
"Encouraging and supporting young scientists is critical if we are to successfully address society's challenges," said Len Blavatnik, director of the foundation and chairman of Access Industries. "Unlike awards that honor scientists late in their careers, the Blavatnik Awards are designed to recognize and reward promising young scientists early in their careers when they need it most. These brilliant young scientists represent our future and our hope for a better world for all."

The New York Academy of Sciences, based in New York City, is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing science, technology and society worldwide since 1817.