J. Stewart Aitchison

J. Stewart Aitchison is a Professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, holding the Nortel Chair in Emerging Technology. He serves as Associate Scientific Director for the Network Centre of Excellence, IC-IMPACTS, fostering Canada-India research collaborations. Aitchison co-founded ChipCare Corporation, developing portable HIV monitoring systems, and previously directed the Emerging Communications Technology Institute.

He received a BSc (1984) and PhD (1987) in Physics from Heriot-Watt University, UK, followed by a postdoctoral position at Bellcore. His research focuses on:

• Nonlinear optics and plasmonics for optical signal processing
• Micro/nano-scale photonic devices and integrated circuits
• Optical biosensors for healthcare applications (e.g., HIV monitoring)
• Algal biofilm photobioreactors for sustainable energy

His 250+ publications emphasize semiconductor waveguides, quantum optics, and lab-on-chip systems, with recent work advancing polarization management, entanglement generation, and point-of-care diagnostics.

Awards & Fellowships:

• Fellow of Royal Society of Canada, Royal Society of Edinburgh, AAAS, OSA, and Institute of Physics
• Professional Engineering Ontario Research Medal (2016)
• IEEE Photonics Society Distinguished Lecturer (2016-2017)
• University of Toronto Inventor of the Year (2012)
• NSERC Synergy Award (2006)

He leads the Aitchison Group, supervising over 60 PhD/Master's students in photonics and microfabrication. His team collaborates globally and utilizes the Toronto Nanofabrication Centre. ChipCare, his spin-off, secured $7M+ funding for blood-testing platforms enhancing healthcare in remote communities.