Two faculty members from The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, Jonathan Klamkin and Sriram Krishnamoorthy, have been recognized by the Compound Semiconductor Week (CSW) Award Committee, earning international honors for contributions that continue to shape the future of advanced semiconductor technologies. 

Compound Semiconductor Week is widely regarded as one of the premier international gatherings in the field, bringing together researchers and industry leaders who work on the science, technology, and applications of compound semiconductors. Klamkin, Krishnamoorthy, and other recipients were recognized during an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the 52nd International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors (ISCS) and the 37th International Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials (IPRM), conferences that have long served as leading forums for breakthroughs in photonics, electronics, quantum devices, and advanced materials research. 

Klamkin, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the university’s world-renowned Nanofabrication Facility, received the Indium Phosphide and Related Materials (IPRM) Award for his “pioneering contributions to indium phosphide (InP) and gallium arsenide (GaAS) photonic and electronic materials and devices.” 

Klamkin works on photonic integrated circuits, optoelectronic devices, and advanced semiconductor platforms for communications, sensing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, quantum technologies, and defense applications. His research has helped to advance new approaches for integrating compound semiconductor materials onto silicon wafers, a development viewed as critical for scaling next-generation photonic and electronic systems.

“I am truly honored to receive the IPRM award,” said Klamkin, whose previous honors include NASA’s Early Career Faculty Award, as well as the Young Faculty Award and Director’s Fellowship from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). “Receiving the news of this recognition was a proud moment. The award reflects the wonderful mentors, colleagues, researchers, and engineers I’ve worked with throughout my career.”

Krishnamoorthy, an associate professor of materials, received The Young Scientist Award for his “significant contributions to gallium oxide epitaxial growth and high-performance power electronic devices.”

His research explores next-generation semiconductor technologies based on gallium oxide and related materials for high-power electronics, radio-frequency devices, and energy-efficient systems capable of operating in extreme environments. His group’s work spans semiconductor epitaxy, device fabrication, and materials engineering aimed at enabling faster, more efficient electronic systems for applications ranging from electric power systems to aerospace and defense technologies. 

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the compound semiconductor community, especially by an organization that has long represented some of the field’s most important scientific and technological advances,” said Krishnamoorthy. “This work has been possible because of outstanding students, collaborators, and the uniquely interdisciplinary semiconductor ecosystem we have at UC Santa Barbara.”

The awards continue UCSB’s long history of leadership in compound semiconductors, a field in which campus researchers have helped to drive major advances in LEDs, high-frequency electronics, power devices, photonics, and quantum technologies. Krishnamoorthy is at least the eighth UCSB faculty member or alumni to receive the Young Scientist Award, while Klamkin becomes the fifth to receive the IPRM Award.

“We congratulate both Professor Klamkin and Krishnamoorthy on these well-deserved honors from their peers,” said Umesh Mishra, dean of The Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering and a former recipient of the ISCS’s Heinrich Welker, Quantum Devices, and Young Scientist awards. “International recognition from one of the field’s premier organizations underscores both the global impact of their work and UCSB’s longstanding leadership in compound semiconductor research.”

UCSB electrical and computer engineering professor Jonathan Klamkin, third from left, receives the 2026 Indium Phosphide and Related Materials Award during Compound Semiconductor Week 2026 in Kumamoto, Japan. The award recognized Klamkin’s pioneering contributions to InP and GaAs photonic and electronic materials and devices.