Professor Ken Grattan OBE FREng elected Institute of Physics Honorary Fellow

Professor Kenneth TV Grattan OBE FREng, School of Science & Technology at City St George’s, University of London has been elected an Institute of Physics 2026 Honorary Fellow for distinguished contributions spanning more than four decades, achieving international recognition for influential research in innovative photonic and optical fibre measurement, sensor and instrumentation techniques.

Professor Grattan received his award of Honorary Fellow at a ceremony held in Glasgow last week.

The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics, and the leading body for practising physicists, in the UK and Ireland, and an Honorary Fellowship is the highest accolade it presents.

An Honorary Fellowship is presented to reflect an individual’s exceptional services to physics. Every member of the IOP’s celebrated community of Honorary Fellows has contributed significantly to the advancement of physics through a range of means, and serves as an ambassador for physics, physicists and the IOP.

Reflecting on his election as Honorary Fellow, Professor Grattan said:

I am delighted to be honoured with the Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Physics and join a small group of highly distinguished scientists, including Nobel Laureates in my field of applied optics. It has been a pleasure to work with the Institute over many years to organise conferences and meetings in the optics and laser field and to promote this important area both nationally and internationally.

City St George’s has a long and distinguished history in this area, going back to the highly applied work in optics of Dr Walmsley and Dr Drysdale in the early part of the twentieth century and which continues to the present day through our research activity in fibre optics and sensing.  I thank my colleagues at City St George’s for their support which has resulted in this award.

Congratulating this year’s new Honorary Fellows, Paul Howarth, IOP President, said:

Our award winners represent the very best of physics. Through their curiosity, expertise and dedication, they are expanding knowledge, driving innovation and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Physics underpins so much of the modern world, from healthcare and clean energy to advanced technologies and our understanding of the universe. The achievements we celebrate today demonstrate the extraordinary impact that physicists have in research, education, industry and beyond.

On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I offer my warmest congratulations to every one of our award winners. Their contributions strengthen our discipline, benefit society and show what can be achieved through a career in physics. I hope they take great pride in this well-deserved recognition and that their success encourages others to follow in their footsteps.

Find out more

Read the full IOP article about Professor Grattan's election as Honorary Fellow.