Kivshar, Yuri (1959 - )

Summary

Yuri Kivshar is a world leader in nonlinear physics, nonlinear photonics, and physics of metamaterials. He has made significant contributions in nonlinear localized modes in optical systems, optical solitons and vortices, the study of localization in discrete systems and nonlinear effects in plasmonics and metamaterials. His interests include nanophotonics and optics of composite metal-dielectric plasmonic structures with subwavelength light confinement, optical metamaterials with strong nonlinear response, and nonlinear nanophotonics. In 1993 Kivshar was appointed Fellow in the Optical Sciences Centre at the Research School of Physical and Engineering Sciences, Australian National University. He established the Nonlinear Physics Centre (NLPC) in the School where a major focus is on nonlinear optics and nanophotonics research. Kivshar has received a number of awards for his research, including the Harrie Massey Medal (from the Australian Institute of Physics), the W.H. (Beattie) Steel Medal (Australian Optical Society), and the Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture (Australian Academy of Science).

Details

"Professor Kivshar has established himself as a world leader in nonlinear optics, a subject of central importance to the development of photonics. For this work he received in 1995 the International Pnevmatikos award for research in nonlinear phenomena. He has developed the theory of self-trapped beams (spatial solitons) for alloptical nonlinear switching devices and also the first nonlinear theory of stability of multi-parameter nonlinear solitary waves. This has been applied by others to many different physical problems. He has worked closely with several experimental groups in verifying many of his predictions." [from https://science.org.au/about-us/academy-fellows/discover-our-fellows/yuri-kivshar 2026-08-25]

Chronology

1981

Education - MSc, National Kharkov University, Ukraine

1984

Education - PhD, National Kharkov University, Ukraine

1986 - 1989

Career position - Research Fellow, Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering, National Academy of Science, Ukraine

1989 - 1990

Career position - Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering, National Academy of Science, Ukraine

1990 - 1991

Career position - Visiting Professor, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain

1991 - 1993

Career position - Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow, University of Düsseldorf, Germany

1993

Life event - Settled in Australia

1993 - 1994

Career position - Fellow, Optical Sciences Centre, Research School of Physical and Engineering Sciences, Australian National University

1994 - 1999

Career position - Senior Fellow, Optical Sciences Centre, Research School of Physical and Engineering Sciences, Australian National University

1995

Award - Pnevmatikos International Award for Research in Nonlinear Phenomena

1996 -

Career position - Associate Editor, Physics review E

1998

Award - Medal and First Prize in Physics, National Academy of Science, Ukraine

1998

Award - Pawsey Medal (jointly with Igor Bray), Australian Academy of Science

1999 - 2010

Career position - Professor, Nonlinear Physics Centre (NLPC), Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University

2000 -

Award - Fellow, American Optical Society

2000 -

Career position - Head, Nonlinear Physics Centre, Research School of Physical and Engineering Sciences, Australian National University

2001 -

Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science

2001

Award - Centenary Medal for service to Australian society and science in nonlinear optics and photonics

2002 -

Award - ARC Federation Fellow

2002

Career position - Deputy Director, Centre for Ultrahigh-bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), Australian Research Council

2005

Award - Walter Boas Medal, Australian Institute of Physics

2006 -

Award - Fellow, American Physical Society

2007

Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science

2008

Award - Peter Baume Award, Australian National University

2010 -

Career position - Distinguished Professor, Australian National University

2012

Award - Fellow, Institute of Physics (United Kingdom)

2013

Award - State Prize of the Ukraine in Science and Technology

2014

Award - Harrie Massey Medal and Prize, Australian Institute of Physics

2014

Award - A.A. Lebedev Medal, Rozhdestvesky Optical Society, Russia

2017

Award - W.H. (Beattie) Steel Medal, Australian Optical Society

2025

Award - Matthew Flinders Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science

Related entries

Published resources

See also

• Robson, Alexandra K.; Production Manager and Editor eds, Who's who in Australia 2019 (Southbank, Vic.: AAP Directories, 2018), 1788 pp. Details