Jun Ye

Class of 2026-27

JILA Fellow, NIST Fellow and Physics Professor Adjoint
JILA and Department of Physics
The National Institute of Standards and Technology and University of Colorado Boulder

As a world-renowned leader in physics, Jun Ye has made significant contributions to the study of light-matter interactions, including frequency metrology, ultracold matter, and the control of continuous-wave and ultrashort-pulsed light fields. His work focuses on developing tools in quantum technology and precision measurement.

Ye’s career is particularly marked by his development of the world’s most precise optical atomic clock, as well as his pioneering work toward the first thorium-229 solid-state nuclear clock. He has also advanced optical frequency combs, enabling precise studies of atomic and molecular structures, including the creation and study of quantum gases of molecules.

He received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.

Ye is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America (Optica).

He is a recipient of the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Herbert Walther Award from the German Physical Society and Optica, five gold medals from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Lise Meitner Distinguished Lecture and Medal, and the U.S. Presidential Rank Award (Distinguished).

He has authored two books, 27 book chapters and more than 400 peer-reviewed articles. He holds five patents.

Ye will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.