Research Excellence
Queen’s physics researcher recognized for work leading to the next generation of computing
February 18, 2025
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Bhavin Shastri, recipient of the 2025 Sloan Research Fellowship, researches light-based computing and photonics.
Bhavin Shastri (Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy) has spent the beginning of his academic career developing techniques that harness the power of light to overcome the limitations of traditional computing. Now, he is being awarded a 2025 Sloan Research Fellowship in physics, one of the most prestigious recognitions for early-career researchers in North America.
Granted annually by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation since 1955, the fellowship recognizes exceptional scholars in seven scientific disciplines: chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics. The fellowship is highly competitive, with more than 1,000 researchers nominated each year from 51 academic institutions across the U.S. and Canada and only 126 awarded. Past recipients have gone on to win 58 Nobel Prizes, including last year’s physics laureate, John Hopfield, and Canadian optical physicist Donna Strickland (2018).
“Being named a Sloan Research Fellow is an incredible honour. This recognition is a testament to the exciting possibilities in photonics and computing, and the outstanding research environment at Queen’s and our international leadership in physics.”
– Dr. Bhavin Shastri
Shaping the future of light-based computing
Dr. Shastri is a leading researcher in neuromorphic photonics, a field inspired by the brain’s ability to process information in parallel. His work explores optical physics, nanophotonics, and neural networks to develop faster, more energy-efficient light-based computing systems.
Like neurons transmitting signals across complex networks, neuromorphic photonic systems use interconnected light-based components to achieve high-speed, low-energy computing. By replacing electrical currents with light, these systems overcome traditional computing’s energy and processing limitations.
Dr. Shastri also leads his own lab at Queen’s, which is affiliated with the Centre for Nanophotonics and the Network for Ultrafast Computing with Light on Emerging Unconventional Semiconductors (NUCLEUS), a pan-Canadian photonic computing program. NUCLEUS aims to pioneer Canada’s first formal training program in photonics, bringing together AI and quantum computing. As part of his lab, he is mentoring and training the next generation of researchers. Since joining Queen’s, he has supervised 23 graduate students and 27 undergraduate students, guiding their research development in photonic computing and its wide-ranging applications.
The Sloan Research Fellowship supports advancement of the Queen’s Strategy’s pillars of research excellence, global impact, and student-interconnectedness. It also adds to Dr. Shastri’s many notable achievements as an early-career researcher, which include his position as a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Neuromorphic Photonic Computing, his membership in the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists, and his recognition as one of Science News' 2024 "SN 10: Scientists to Watch."
Dr. Shastri using a microscope to study light-based computing and photonic systems.
Fostering scientific leadership
The Sloan Research Fellowship has a long history of identifying future scientific leaders. Dr. Shastri is the fourth Queen’s researcher to receive the Sloan, with the most recent awarded to David Fleet (1996). In 2024, 126 Sloan Research Fellowships were awarded, with only four presented to researchers from Canadian institutions. Dr. Shastri was nominated by Arthur McDonald, 2015 Nobel Laureate in physics and Queen’s professor emeritus.
“Dr. Shastri’s selection as a Sloan Research Fellow highlights both his exceptional research and Queen’s growing leadership in nanophotonics, advanced computing, and AI. His work is not only advancing our understanding of these fields but also laying the groundwork for future technological breakthroughs.”
– Dr. Arthur McDonald, Nobel Laureate
Learn more about Dr. Shastri’s research.
