Embedded Files
September 2025: Check out our invited talk at the ICEAA conference (International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications) to be held in Palermo, Italy. Details below:
Nasim Mohammadi Estakhri, Nooshin M. Estakhri, “Zero-Reflection Funneling and Sculpting of Optical Waves Through Non-Magnetic Metasurfaces,” September 10, 2025.
September 2025: Check out our invited talk at the 19th International Congress on Artificial Materials for Novel Wave Phenomena-Metamaterials to be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Details below:
Ponthea Zahraii, Saman Kashanchi, Nooshin M. Estakhri, and Nasim Mohammadi Estakhri, “A Deep Learning Framework for Prediction and Inverse Design of Nanoscale Optical Forces near Gradient Metasurfaces,” September 1, 2025.
September 2025: Our group has been awarded the Fowler Engineering Rapid Fund for Faculty-Led Student Research. Looking forward to all the exciting student-led projects.
August 2025: Our group will have four presentations at the upcoming 2025 SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference in San Diego, CA:
Statistical signatures of quantum coherent two-photon backscattering (Link)
Coherent backscattering from finite and wavelength-scale disordered structures (Link)
Machine learning-driven prediction and inverse design of optical forces near gradient metasurfaces (Link)
Sub-diffractive near-field hot spot generation by metasurfaces (Link)
May 2025: Hazel received the M.S. degree in electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) during the graduation ceremony. Congratulations Hazel!
April 2025: Kaizad Rustmoji joined our group as a research associate. Welcome Kaizad!
April 11 2025: Hazel presented exciting new results on coherent backscattering (CBS) during the Fall 2025 Graduate Student Scholar Symposium. Well done Hazel!
February 2025: I’m excited to be teaching the first-ever course on Quantum Technologies at Chapman University’s School of Engineering! Looking forward to introducing quantum concepts into the engineering curriculum and inspiring our students with this cutting-edge field.
January 2025: Congratulations to Hazel for receiving a travel grant from Chapman's" Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education" to attend the upcoming APS Global Summit! Well done Hazel!
March 2025: Congratulations to Hazel, Luke, and Ponthea for wonderful APS Global Summit presentations!
March 2025: Our group will have four presentations at the upcoming APS Global Summit 2025 in Anaheim, CA:
Distinct statistical properties of quantum two-photon backscattering, by Nooshin.
Coherent Backscattering Characteristics in Multiple Scattering from Finite Disordered Media, by Hazel.
Machine learning-assisted characterization of optical forces near gradient metasurfaces, by Ponthea Zahraii in collaboration with Nasim Estakhri's group
Optimal Design of Plasmonic Nanotweezers with Genetic Algorithm, by Luke Valerio in collaboration with Nasim Estakhri's group
January 2025: Congratulations to Hazel for receiving the Research Excellence grant from Fowler School of Engineering for Spring 2025! Well done Hazel!
December 5 2024: Connor presented his work on Coherent Backscattering (CBS) during the Fall 2024 Student Scholarly Symposium. Well done Connor!
October 30 2024: I am presenting our work on long-distance entangling gates at the upcoming SQuInT Annual Workshop:
Title: “Short-range and long-range entangling operations in three-qubit quantum dot spin systems.”
October 11, 2024: Our work on “Long-distance photon-mediated and short-distance entangling gates in three-qubit quantum dot spin systems,” is now published in Physical Review Research as Editors' Suggestion!
July 2024: I am presenting our work on coherent two-photon backscattering at the upcoming Gordon Conference on Quantum Science:
Title: “Coherent Two-photon Backscattering.”
May 31, 2024: Check out our invited talk at the Photonics North on Near-field Hot Spots Using Patterned Metasurfaces:
Date and time: May 31, 8:30 AM PST
Session: Nonlinear Optics, Nanophotonics , and Plasmonics
May 2024: Connor received the B.Sc. degree in computer science during the graduation ceremony and will continue in our group as a graduate student. Congratulations Conner!
April 2024: Lupe, Conner, Kevin, and Ryan joined our group as undergraduate researchers. Welcome to the group!
March 2024: I am presenting our work on coherent two-photon backscattering at the upcoming APS March Meeting:
Oral presentation: Monday March 4, 2024, 8:48-9:00 AM, Session A54: Fundamental Light-Matter Interactions: “Coherent two-photon backscattering and quantum interference in multiple scattering of entangled and classically correlated light.”
January 24, 2024: Preprint of our recent work on “Coherent Two-photon Backscattering and Induced Angular Quantum Correlations in Multiple-Scattered Two-Photon States of the Light,” is now posted on arxiv!
November 1, 2023: Check out my interview about my group's research at Fowler!
September 6, 2023: Our group was represented at the 2023 Faculty Research and Creative Scholars Expo!
August 1, 2023: I joined Chapman University a Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, with affiliation with the Physics program!
July 25, 2023: Preprint of our recent work on “Long-distance photon-mediated and short-distance entangling gates in three-qubit quantum dot spin systems,” is now posted on arxiv!
July 6, 2023: I am teaching at C-Tech^2 summer camp, run by Virginia Tech's Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED).
June 30, 2023: Our paper on “Adaptive Plasmonic Metasurfaces for Radiative Cooling and Passive Thermoregulation,” in collaboration with the group of Nasim Estakhri at Chapman, is now published in Editor's Showcase: Frontiers in Photonics!
May 2023: Check out our two invited talks at the URSI International Symposium on Electromagnetic Theory (EMTS) on
1) Theoretical 2D Surfaces for Arbitrary Near-field Control
Date and time: May 24, 14:40 PST
Session: S16.2: Theoretical Advances in Electromagnetic Metamaterials
2) Deeper Insight into Absorption Anomalies of Singular Nanoparticles
Date and time: May 26, 9:40 AM PST
S20: Metamaterial-inspired Extreme Electromagnetics: Scattering and Radiating Structures and Their Applications
April 21, 2023: Our paper on “Region-specified inverse design of absorption and scattering in nanoparticles by using machine learning,” in collaboration with the group of Nasim Estakhri at Chapman, is now published in Journal of Physics: Photonics!
March 2023: I am presenting our work on long-distance entangling gates at the upcoming APS March Meeting:
Oral presentation: Wednesday March 8, 2023, 16:00-16:12 PST, Session Q74: Semiconducting Qubits I: “Long-distance entangling gates in three-qubit quantum dot spin systems mediated by microwave photons.”
December 23, 2022: Our paper on “Emergence of coherent backscattering from sparse and finite disordered media,” is now published in Scientific Reports!
August 2022: I am teaching at the 2022 VT/C2QA Quantum Information Science High School QISE summer school! Read a nice article by Sophia and Ed on the topic here!
July 2022: I am teaching at the BEE camp (Black Engineering Excellence at Virginia Tech) QISE summer school!
June 2022: I am teaching at C-Tech^2 summer camp, run by Virginia Tech's Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED).
February 28, 2022: Check out our invited talk at the TMS 2022 on Extinction properties of singular plasmonic nanoparticles:
Date and time: February 28, 8:30 AM PST
Session: Functional Nanomaterials: Functional Low-Dimensional (0D, 1D, 2D) Materials 2022 — Low-Dimensional 0D Nanoparticles & Plasmonics
January 2022: I was highlighted in the 2022 SPIE Women in Optics Planner! Thanks SPIE for the recognition.
Dec 1, 2021: Preprint of our recent work on “Emergence of coherent backscattering from sparse and finite disordered media,” is now posted on arxiv!
November 2021: I am presenting our work on the emergence of CBS from finite media at the upcoming OSA Frontiers in Optics conference:
Poster presentation: Thursday November 4, 2021, 14:00-15:00 EDT, Joint Poster Session III (JTh5A): “Emergence of Coherent Backscattering from Specific Realizations of Coherent Wave Scattering in Disordered Media,” OSA Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science.
September 23, 2021: Check out our invited talk at the 15th International Congress on Artificial Materials for Novel Wave Phenomena-Metamaterials on Self Duality: From Symmetry Protected Transmission to Extreme Wave Funneling and Zero Backscattering:
Date and time: September 23, 14:30 EDT, Session: Symmetry aspects in metamaterials
July 26, 2021:I have successfully defended my PhD at the University of Michigan!
July 21, 2021: Check out our invited talk at the META 2021, the 11th International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics on Interplay of Absorption and Scattering in Metal-Dielectric Cylinders: Extreme Refractive Index Limits and Response Sensitivities:
Date and time: July 21, 18:10 CET
Session: 2A30 Light-Matter Interactions in New Materials and Meta-Architectures.
April 26, 2021: Our paper on “Tunable quantum two-photon interference with reconfigurable metasurfaces using phase-change materials,” is now published in Optics Express!
January 14, 2021: Preprint of our recent work on “Tunable quantum two-photon interference with reconfigurable metasurfaces using phase-change materials,” is now posted on arxiv!
August 2020: I am presenting two papers at the upcoming OSA Frontiers in Optics and Quantum 2.0 conferences in September 2020:
Oral presentation: Monday September 14, 2020, 20:30-20:45 EDT, Metasurfaces (FM7E)
“Switching Quantum Interference with Phase-change Reconfigurable Metasurfaces, ” Photonic Integrated Devices and Applications, OSA Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science.
Poster presentation: Monday September 14, 2020, 18:-18:30 EDT, Joint Poster Session IA (JM6A)
“Reconfigurable Metasurfaces for Rapid Control Over Quantum Interference Using GeTe as Phase-change Material,” Quantum Electronics, OSA Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science, [ as part of the OSA Quantum 2.0].
December 11, 2019: I have been selected by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for nomination in the Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship Program! The Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship supports outstanding doctoral students who have achieved candidacy and are actively working on dissertation research and writing.
December 6, 2019: I have been selected as the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering's nominee for the Susan Lipschutz, Margaret Ayers Host and Anna Olcott Smith Awards! Any doctoral program at the University of Michigan may nominate only one student for this combined competition.
October 15, 2019: Check out the news article about my selection as a Rising Star in EECS 2019 to attend the Rising Stars workshop at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign here.
October 10, 2019: I will be presenting my research on controlling quantum interference with structured media, at the upcoming Engineering Research Symposium at the University of Michigan (Friday, November 8th 2019 ).
September 3, 2019: Our paper on “Controlling quantum interference using metamaterials,” is now available online through SPIE digital library . In this work we show how to optimally gain quantum programmability by using lossy, asymmetric beam splitters. We then present a novel platform of metasurfaces to physically attain such level of control.
August 7, 2019: I have been awarded the Rackham Conference Travel Grant to attend the upcoming Gordon Conference on Quantum Control of Light and Matter, to be held in Newport, RI.
July 27, 2019: I have been selected as a Rising Star in EECS (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) in 2019 to attend the intensive Rising Stars workshop at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
June 19, 2019: Check out my interview with EECS @Umich about my recent Helen Wu award from Rackham graduate school here.
June 2019: I have received the O+P 2019 MKS Instruments Research Excellence Award. This award is to support my participation in the upcoming SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference.
May 2019: I have been selected to attend the “2019 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Quantum Control of Light and Matter” and the associated “Gordon Research Seminar (GRS)”.
The goal of this biennial prestigious conference is to bring together theorists and experimentalists pushing the frontiers in this diverse field at the intersection of AMO physics, physical chemistry, quantum information science, and applied mathematics.
February 2019: Our abstract on "Controlling quantum interference using metamaterials" has been accepted to the SPIE Optics and Photonics Conference, Quantum Nanophotonic Materials, Devices, and Systems, to be held in San Diego, CA on August 11-15, 2019. Visit my poster presentation on August 14, 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm @ San Diego Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A.
February 2019: I have received the Helen Wu Award from Rackham Graduate School (in the amount of 8000$) for the 2019-2020 academic year. Helen Wu, for whom the award is named, was a Barbour scholar who received her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1953. This award is to honor her life and career and help future generations of graduate students.
February 2019: I have been selected as an honorable mention for the 2019 Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding GSIs. Four winners and 10 honorable mentions were selected from 98 nominations in the college of Engineering. [2019 winner announcement].
December 2018: I have been selected as the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering's nominee for the Barbour Scholarship. Barbour Scholarship is among the oldest and most prestigious awards granted by the University of Michigan, offering funding to female students from Asia and the Middle East since 1917.
November 2018: I have been selected as one of the finalists for the 2019 Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding GSIs, selected from 99 nominations in the college of Engineering. The Award winners will be announced after another round of competition.
October 2018: Nobel Academy has announced the Physics Nobel Laureates of 2018! My academic grandfather, Prof. Gerard Mourou (my PhD advisor's advisor) won the Nobel prize this year for his work on CPA! I am very proud to be part of this family! You can find the announcement here, and the EECS@Umich coverage here.
September 2018: This semester I am serving as graduate student instructor for the course "Introduction to Electronic Circuits" offered for entry-level electrical engineering students. I am very excited to be involved in the introduction of the beautiful field of electronic circuits to the next generation of electrical engineers.
May 24, 2018: I have successfully defended my proposal in front of the committee. My PhD proposal is on investigating the "Quantum Light Propagation and Scattering in Disordered Media".
September 2017: This semester I am partially serving as the graduate student instructor for the course "Classical Optics" offered for electrical engineering and physics graduate level.
May 2017: Our paper "Controlling Light Transmission Through Highly Scattering Media Using Semi-Definite Programming as a Phase Retrieval Computation Method," has been published in Scientific Reports! [Link].
Highlights in news outlets: Phys.org, EECS Michigan, Mitechnews, Technology.org, Michigan Engineering, Michigan News.
Please see Research for more details.
April 2017: Our paper on "Controlling Light Transmission Through Highly Scattering Media Using Semi-Definite Programming as a Phase Retrieval Computation Method," has been accepted for publication in the Scientific Reports journal! [preprint].
April 2017: I am now member of Tau Beta Pi honor society.
December 2016: I have been selected as the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering's nominee for the Barbour Scholarship. Barbour Scholarship is among the oldest and most prestigious awards granted by the University of Michigan, offering funding to female students from Asia and the Middle East since 1917.
September 2016: I have presented my research work on "Investigation of Quantum Light Propagation and Scattering in Disordered Media," as part of C-PHOM All Hands Workshop, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
May 23, 2016: I am presenting my research on "Wave Propagation and Scattering in Random Media" as a part of C-PHOM Graduate Student Presentation Series, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
November 2015: I have been selected as one of Michigan's top nominations for the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship. The HHMI International Student Research Fellowships are designed to facilitate the research training of outstanding international predoctoral students in the biomedical and related sciences, including physical and mathematical sciences (Participation is by invitation only).
November 2015: I have presented my research work on "Quantum Light Propagation," as part of IRG2 Workshop, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
October 2015: I have been selected as a nominee from the EE program to compete with other graduate students to earn University-level nomination for the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship.
September 2015: I have been selected as the College of Engineering featured graduate student! You can find my brief biography here.
August 2015: I have successfully advanced to Doctoral Candidacy.
June 2015: I have presented my research work on "Quantum Light Propagation," as part of 4th year MRSEC Site Visit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
April 2015: I have been elected as the social co-chair to the executive board of Optics Society at the University of Michigan (OSUM).
March 2015: In collaboration with the Society of Women in Physics (SWIP), we have organized an exciting physics demo day at Slauson Middle School!
October 2014: I have successfully presented my research plan and passed my qualification exam. I am grateful to my qualification committee to make my qualifying exam an opportunity to learn and discuss my research.
September 2014: I have presented my research work on "Quantum Light Propagation," as part of C-PHOM All Hands Meeting, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
June 2014: I am attending the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing 2014, October 8-10 in Phoenix, AZ. I have received a travel scholarship through gEECS (Girls in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) at the University of Michigan to support my participation.
April 2014: I have been elected as the outreach co-chair to the executive board of Optics Society at the University of Michigan (OSUM).
March 2014: I received first rank among all graduate engineering students in the College of Engineering (Fanni), University of Tehran, as well as first rank among all graduate students majoring in "Communications" in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran. I was honored and awarded by the College of Engineering Dean during the 73nd graduation ceremony of College of Engineering (Fanni).
August 2013: I have started my PhD in Optics and Photonics, at the University of Michigan!
May 2013: I was recognized as distinguished graduate student in the Second Academic Festival of the University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. The Academic Festival honors distinguished students and faculties through the past academic year.
March 2013: I have been awarded the University of Michigan, EECS Departmental Fellowship and Graduate Research Assistantship Award. The EECS department offers full financial support to few outstanding PhD applicants in recognition of their strong academic records. Thank you fellowship committee for providing me with such a great opportunity.
March 2013: I have been awarded the University of California, San Diego, ECE Departmental Fellowship. This fellowship is the highest form of recognition of the past achievements and future potentials of PhD program applicants in UCSD and is offered to few students with exceptional qualifications. The offer was respectfully declined.
March 2013: Please check the following presentation at the 2013 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI National Radio Science Meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA, July 7-12, 2013, discussing my research during Master's studies at the University of Tehran.
Oral Session 407.10: Numerical Methods I, Time-Domain Analysis of THz Detectors Composed of Electro-optic, Dispersive, and Anisotropic Crystals Date/Time: Thursday, July 11, 08:00 - 11:50 .
March 2013: I have successfully defended my Master thesis at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran. My thesis titled "Analysis of Wave Mixing in an Electro-optic Medium" and represented my research in the Photonics Research Laboratory, University of Tehran.
March 2011: I was recognized in the 70th graduation ceremony of College of Engineering (Fanni), University of Tehran, for my top rank in my undergraduate program. I was honored and awarded by the College of Engineering Dean.
September 2010: I started my Master degree at the University of Tehran! I am majoring in Fields and Waves.
Summer 2010: I have been named as an Exceptionally Talented Student in the University of Tehran. I have been encouraged to pursue graduate studies (PhD program) in Iran by offering admission to any EE department in Iran without participating in any requisite entrance exam.
December 2009: I received my Silver Medal in the 14th Nationwide Scientific Olympiad for university students in Electrical Engineering from the Iran's Minister of Education during the awarding ceremony.
August 2009: I achieved 2nd rank and awarded “Silver Medal” in the 14th Nationwide Scientific Olympiad for university students in Electrical Engineering major. This Olympiad is the most prestigious competition among university students in Iran and held annually with more than 13000 participants from all over the country. I received my medal and certificate from the Iran's Minister of Education in the awarding ceremony.
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