Weigang Hou – Optical Sensing – Best Researcher Award 

Published on by AMO Physics

Prof. Dr. Weigang Hou began his academic journey with a strong foundation in Engineering and Communication Systems, earning his Ph.D. in Communication and Information Systems from Northeastern University (China) between 2009 and 2013. His scholarly journey also includes impactful international experiences serving as a Research Assistant at City University of Hong Kong (2012–2013) and a Senior Visiting Scholar at Eindhoven University of Technology in 2019. These early academic pursuits laid the groundwork for his later breakthroughs in Optical Sensing, optical networks, and integrated systems.

💼 Professional Endeavors

Over the course of his illustrious career, Prof. Hou has held several prestigious roles at top-tier Chinese institutions. He is a Professor and “Wenfeng Guomai” Scholar at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications and was appointed as Deputy Director at the Intelligent Communication and Network Security Research Institute (2020–2025). In 2025, he became the Executive Vice Dean of the Intelligent Wireless Optical Communication and Chip Research Institute at Northeastern University and assumed a dual professorship at the State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications. His work spans cutting-edge Optical Sensing systems, data center optical networks, and security-aware architectures.

🔬 Contributions and Research Focus

Prof. Hou's primary research focus lies in data center optical networks and Optical Sensing technologies, addressing challenges in transmission-computing coordination, cloud security, and laser interconnect metasurfaces. His contributions include the development of an intrinsic coordination mechanism between optical networks and computing, advancing risk-aware virtual machine embedding, and innovating in optical metasurface chip design. These innovations are not only theoretical but have also been translated into practical applications in China’s state-owned enterprises, achieving multi-million-RMB economic benefits. His research solves long-standing NP-hard problems by unifying spectrum allocation with computing resource optimization—laying the foundation for the next generation of Optical Sensing and communication technologies.

🌍 Impact and Influence

Prof. Hou's influence extends across academia, industry, and national strategy. He has played a pivotal role in China’s "Eastern Data, Western Computing" initiative, contributing to major infrastructure policies. As a National-Level Young Talent and a recipient of top honors like the IEEE Ucom Young Scientist Award and the Science Exploration Award, he has become a driving force in Optical Sensing innovation. His guest editor roles in SCI journals and recognition as a top 10% reviewer worldwide underscore his academic reach. Prof. Hou’s public science lectures such as the RISTA Frontier series that attracted over 22,000 views demonstrate his dedication to scientific dissemination and community engagement.

🏆Academic Cites

Prof. Hou's published works have achieved ESI TOP 1% HIGHLY CITED STATUS multiple times across high-impact journals like IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics and IEEE Systems Journal. His best paper accolades, particularly in the realm of Optical Sensing and intelligent diagnosis systems, have solidified his place among the most cited researchers in his field. International patents such as the one co-developed with Huawei highlight the applied value and global relevance of his academic output.

🌟 Legacy and Future Contributions

Prof. Weigang Hou’s legacy is built upon two decades of continuous innovation in Optical Sensing, communication, and computing integration. With his leadership in forming young scholar teams under the NSFC Innovation Research Group, his impact is poised to extend well into the future. He continues to mentor rising talent, as evidenced by his students’ achievements in national and international competitions. His future work promises to explore deeper integrations of optical technologies with artificial intelligence and edge computing creating secure, efficient, and scalable systems for national and global infrastructure.

📘Optical Sensing

Prof. Hou has transformed the landscape of Optical Sensing by bridging theory with practical implementation in large-scale data networks and healthcare systems. His work in Optical Sensing not only addresses long-standing computational bottlenecks but also ensures higher security and energy efficiency in smart grid and communication infrastructures. Through ongoing innovation, Prof. Hou is expected to remain at the forefront of Optical Sensing research, shaping the future of global communication and sensing technologies.

✍️ Notable Publication

📘Nonvolatile optical phase shifter-based coherent neural network accelerator for efficient matrix computations and inference tasks

Journal: Optics and Laser Technology

Year: 2025

Citations: 0

📘CPDM-PCNN: A compact and power efficient photonic Convolutional Neural Network accelerator based on Dual-function Microring Resonators

Journal: Optics and Laser Technology

Year: 2025

Citations: 0

📘A 3–8 decoder of terahertz metamaterials and its sensing application

Journal: Diamond and Related Materials

Year: 2025

Citations: 0

📘Convolutional neural network for detecting fiber-bending eavesdropping attacks in optical communication systems

Journal: Optics Express

Year: 2025

Citations: 0

📘Key Concealment and Distribution Encryption Optical Communication System Based on Amplified Spontaneous Emission Light

Journal: Guangxue Xuebao / Acta Optica Sinica

Year: 2025

Citations: 0