With a long and successful research career in photonics and optical fiber communication, and with over 650 scientific publications, Peter Andrekson has laid the foundation for a research field and established a leading research group, with significant societal impact. For his meritorious activities at Chalmers, he is now named the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Gustaf Dalén medal.
The list of Chalmers alumni who have received the esteemed Gustaf Dalén medal over the years includes prominent names such as Björn Rosengren, Pernilla Wittung Stafshede, as well as the Spotify developers Martin Lorentzon and Ludvig Strigeus. Now, Peter Andrekson, Professor in photonics and Head of Division at the department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, joins this distinguished group as he is the recipient of this year’s Gustaf Dalén medal.
“I wasn’t expecting this, as I’m aware of who has received this medal in previous years. Of course, it’s an honor and it feels great that the work I have been carrying out over the years is appreciated,” says Peter shortly after receiving the news.
The Gustaf Dalén medal is awarded annually by the Chalmers Engineers’ Association in memory of Gustaf Dalén, a Chalmers alumnus, inventor, and Nobel laureate. Peter Andrekson receives the medal for his extensive and successful research career in photonics, specifically in optical fiber communication. The discipline lies at the intersection of optics, solid-state physics, and electronics - a research field he has built from the ground up, while leading a prominent research group. His work has primarily focused on developing experimental techniques for signal detection and achieving enhanced speed and precision.
Andrekson has supervised over 25 doctoral students to graduation at Chalmers and continues to be highly regarded as a mentor. He also holds the position of a Council Professor appointed by the Swedish Research Council since 2016 and is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), a fellow of both IEEE and Optica, and a Wallenberg Scholar since 2012.
Among his more than 650 publications, the Chalmers Engineering Association specifically highlights research results related to low-noise parametric amplification in optical fibers and communication in space, where precision, speed, and sensitivity are crucial parameters – a field that still occupies Peter’s research interests today.
“Currently, one of my main focuses is researching a special type of optical amplifier that doesn’t introduce any additional noise, unlike all other known optical amplifiers. Within this field, we are world leading, and there are many potential applications. It’s both stimulating and interesting to work on,” says Peter.
The official award ceremony will take place during the Chalmers Engineering Association’s spring meeting, followed by the recipient’s traditional Gustaf Dalén lecture in early 2025. And even though the news of the award is still fresh, Peter believes that the lecture will revolve around space.
“I haven’t had a chance to think about the lecture yet, but it will likely revolve around communication using light over short, long, and very long distances - for example, to and from Mars,” says Peter.
Learn more about the Gustaf Dalén medal here.
- Full Professor, Photonics, Microtechnology and Nanoscience