Dr. Stephen Y. Chou is the Joseph C. Elgin Professor at Princeton University. He is also the founder and founding chairman of the board of three startup companies—Nanonex Corp., NanoOpto Corp., and Essenlix Corp.—and a co-founder of BioNano Genomics Inc. Among his numerous awards and honors, he is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (2007), a Fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (2013, inducted during the academy’s second year), and a recipient of the IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award (2004), the IEEE Nanotechnology Pioneer Award (2014), and the Nanoimprint Pioneer Award (2015). He is also a Fellow of the Packard Foundation (1999), IEEE (2000), AVS (2010), ISNM (2010), and OSA (2011). Two of his technologies have been recognized by MIT Technology Review as part of the ‘Ten Emerging Technologies That Will Change the World (nanoimprint and nanochannel DNA analyzer).

Over the past four decades, Chou’s pioneering research has spanned several fields, including nanofabrication, a broad spectrum of nanodevices (electrical, optical, magnetic, and biological) and their applications, bioengineering, and medical diagnostics. As a serial entrepreneur, Chou founded, built, and led three startups to transform some of his inventions and visions—such as nanoimprint and iMOST (instant Mobile Self-Test)—into new industries and significant commercial products that have made a direct and substantial impact on society and the economy. He has authored over 700 journal and conference papers and is the primary inventor of over 400 patents.