Dr. Richard Allan Soref is a distinguished Research Professor of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Boston where he continues his pioneering work in photonics research. Having earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1964, he established a remarkable career spanning prestigious institutions including MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, the Sperry Research Center, and the United States Air Force Research Laboratory where he served from 1983 before transitioning to academia. Dr. Soref joined the University of Massachusetts Boston to remain near family while sustaining his technical research endeavors, bringing decades of groundbreaking experience to the academic community. His career exemplifies the seamless integration of theoretical insight with practical engineering applications that has defined modern photonics research.
Widely recognized as the founding father of silicon photonics, Dr. Soref pioneered the development of silicon-on-insulator waveguides which have become the industry standard for integrated photonic circuits. His seminal work demonstrating free-carrier electro-modulation effects in silicon laid the theoretical foundation for modern silicon photonic modulators and switches that now enable high-speed optical communications. Dr. Soref's visionary approach focused on discovering and exploiting unique optical properties of semiconductors, particularly within group IV elements, transforming how researchers approach integrated photonics design. His theoretical contributions have directly enabled the scaling of silicon photonics technology from millions to billions of devices, revolutionizing data center communications and optical networking infrastructure worldwide.
Dr. Soref's exceptional contributions have been recognized through numerous prestigious honors including induction as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2016 and designation as a Lifetime Fellow of the IEEE in 2002. He received the IEEE Group IV Photonics Conference Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and multiple distinguished service awards from the United States Air Force recognizing his decades of impactful research. Throughout his career, Dr. Soref has maintained a strong theoretical focus, preferring to collaborate with experimentalists while concentrating on the underlying physics and mathematical frameworks. As an active research professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston, he continues to influence the next generation of photonics engineers and shape the future trajectory of integrated optical technologies through his ongoing theoretical investigations and mentorship.
