Paul R. Prucnal

Paul R. Prucnal is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University and an Associated Faculty member in the Princeton Materials Institute (PMI). He directs the Lightwave Communications Research Laboratory, where he leads cutting-edge research in photonics, optical communications, and neuromorphic computing.

Education:

• Ph.D., Columbia University, 1979
• M.Phil., Columbia University, 1978
• M.S., Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, 1976
• A.B., Math and Physics, Bowdoin College, summa cum laude, 1974

Professor Prucnal's research focuses on ultrafast optical techniques with applications to communication networks and signal processing. His group investigates several key areas including physical (optical) layer network security, optical code division multiple access (CDMA), nonlinear optical signal processing for ultrafast networks, optical cancellation of RF interference, and the development of photonic neurons that operate a billion times faster than biological neurons. His work bridges the gap between photonics device physics and neural networks, pioneering the field of neuromorphic photonics.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward neuromorphic photonics and brain-inspired optical computing. The research spans from fundamental optical physics to practical applications in secure communications and ultrafast signal processing, with emphasis on photonic neural networks, optical encryption techniques, silicon photonics implementations, and optical systems that emulate biological neural functions.

Scientific Awards:

• National Academy of Inventors Fellow (2017)
• The President's Award for Distinguished Teaching, Princeton University (2015)
• Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching, Engineering Council, Princeton University (2015)
• School of Engineering and Applied Science Distinguished Teaching Award, Princeton University (2009)
• Fellow of the OSA (1997)
• Fellow of the IEEE (1992)
• Rudolf Kingslake Medal and Prize, SPIE (1990)

Professor Prucnal has mentored numerous graduate students including Eric Blow, Eli Doris, Thomas Ferreira de Lima, Yusuf Jimoh, Hyuma Umeda, Yuxin Wang, Ben Wu, Lei Xu, and Jiawei Zhang. His research has been supported through collaborations with government and industrial research laboratories, focusing on next-generation optical signal processing, computing, and communications systems. His lab has produced significant innovations including graphene-based laser neurons and optical implementations of biological neural processing.

The Lightwave Communications Research Laboratory offers students opportunities to work on innovative projects at the intersection of photonics, communications, and neural computing. Current research includes developing photonic neurons for machine learning applications, optical security techniques for fiber networks, and neuromorphic photonic systems that emulate visual, auditory, and motor functions found in biological organisms.