Advancing Nanophotonics and Metamaterials Research

Dr. Michele Cotrufo, Assistant Professor at the Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, USA, was awarded with the 2024 ISSNAF Young Investigator Franco Strazzabosco Award. 

Dr. Cotrufo earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics from the University of Bari (2010) and the University of Padova (2012) in Italy. He then completed his Ph.D. at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, where he investigated innovative light-matter interactions in nanophotonics. Following his graduation in 2017, Dr. Cotrufo conducted postdoctoral research at UT Austin and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center in New York City before joining the University of Rochester in 2023.

Dr. Cotrufo’s research focuses on metamaterials—engineered materials with unique optical properties beyond those found in natural substances. His work has diverse applications, including analog computation, electromagnetic nonreciprocity, spontaneous and thermal emission control, and efficient quantum light generation. He has authored or co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to two book chapters, and holds three patents as a co-inventor.

Dr. Cotrufo’s achievements have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Rubicon Fellowship from the Dutch Research Council in 2018, supporting young scientists in international collaborations, and the MDPI Photonics Young Investigator Award in 2023.

Below is the jury's statement recognizing Dr. Cotrufo as this year’s awardee.

"Dr. Michele Cotrufo is awarded the Franco Strazzabosco Award for his research on light-based analog image processing and computing. His research holds the promise for a more sustainable future in terms of energy-efficient data processing, with implications for a wide range of technologies, from self-driving cars to neuromorphic computing and efficient data centers"