Initiated by journal Light: Science & Applications, the 2021 Rising Stars of Light Final Competition was live hosted on iCANX talks on 8th and 15th Oct. After two sessions and six hours online, the Committee members - Prof. Aydogan Ozcan from University of California, Los Angeles, Prof. Chennupati Jagadish from The Australian National University, Prof. Andrea Alu from The City University of New York, Prof. Hui Cao from Yale University, Prof. Lan Yang from Washington University in St. Louis, Prof. Min Qiu from Westlake University and Prof. Chaoyang Lu from University of Science and Technology of China - selected Prof. Qifan Yang from Peking University as the First Prize, Prof. Peter Mcmahoon and Prof. Jonathan Albert Fan as the Second Prize winners, Prof. Carlos Rios from University of Maryland, Prof. Lingyan Shi from University of California, San Diego, Dr. Maxim Karpov from EPFL and Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology as the Third Prize winners.

Rising Stars of Light, initiated by Light: Science & Applications, is a worldwide campaign for the most shining young scientists in optics-related topics. Since 2018, it has been hosted for three years and received worldwide recognition with more than 6,000,000 audiences. In 2021, Rising Stars of Light was highlighted as a featured event by UNESCO’s International Day of Light.

Between 16th May 2021 and 16th July 2021, Rising Stars of Light were open to nominated applicants from world’s leading young scientists who can only be qualified until they submit their achievements, publications & patents, future research plans and being nominated by a world’s leading scientist in optics.

After the nomination, application, and selection by the Committee members, 10 final candidates - Prof. Igor Aharonovich from University of Technology Sydney, Prof. Jonathan Albert Fan from Stanford University, Dr. Maxim Karpov from Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology, Prof. Howard Lee from University of California Irvine, Prof. Peter McMahon from Cornell University, Prof. Abdoulaye Ndao from Boston University, Prof. Carlos Rios from University of Maryland, Prof. Lingyan Shi from University of California San Diego, Dr. Kai Wang from Stanford University, Prof. Qifan Yang from Peking University - stand out and each gave a 20-min speech on iCANX.

After a tough selection, the winners are announced at the beginning of this news and the below rewards go to:

· First prize winner: Prof. Qifan Yang will win USD 3000 (before tax)

· Second prize winners: Prof. Peter Mcmahoon and Prof. Jonathan Albert Fan will each win USD 1500 (before tax)

· Third prize winners: Prof. Carlos Rios, Prof. Lingyan Shi, and Dr. Maxim Karpov will each win USD 1000 (before tax)

· Candidates awards: Prof. Igor Aharonovich from Prof. Howard Lee from University of California Irvine, Prof. Abdoulaye Ndao from Boston University and Dr. Kai Wang from Stanford University.

All the awards winners will each win a coupon of waiving publication fee in Light: Science & Applications (valid until 2023).

Congratulations on the abovementioned young scientists and we expect their future researches to bring fundamental changes to the optics community and contribute to the wellbeing of humans.

Acknowledgements to the strong support from:

1. 2021 Rising Stars of Light Committee: Prof. Aydogan Ozcan from University of California, Los Angeles, Prof. Chennupati Jagadish from The Australian National University, Prof. Andrea Alu from The City University of New York, Prof. Hui Cao from Yale University, Prof. Lan Yang from Washington University in St. Louis, Prof. Min Qiu from Westlake University and Prof. Chaoyang Lu from University of Science and Technology of China

2. All the nominators and applicants of 2021 Rising Stars of Light

3. Hosts: Alice Zhang, professor from Peking University; Liangcai Cao, professor from Tsinghua University; and Chenzi Guo, editor from Light: Science & Application

4. Initiators: Co-Founder and Deputy Editor in Chief of Light: Science & Applications, Prof. Yuhong Bai, Light: Science & Applications’ Editors Assoc. Prof. Chenzi Guo, Prof. Wei Chang, Assoc. Prof. Guang Zhang, Yang Zhao, volunteer Guangwei Hu (postdoc from National University of Singapore), and all the staff members who have been supporting 2021 Rising Stars of Light.