Eric Fossum Named 2026 Recipient of IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal

Professor Eric Fossum is the 2026 recipient of IEEE's Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal. (Photo by Catha Mayor)

Eric R. Fossum, the John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies and vice provost for entrepreneurship and technology transfer at Dartmouth, has been named the 2026 recipient of IEEE’s Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal for the “invention, development, and commercialization of the CMOS image sensor” that revolutionized digital imaging around the world.

Fossum joins a distinguished group of some of the world's most renowned engineers and scientists selected by IEEE to receive the organization's highest honors for their contributions to technology, society, and the engineering profession. 

The prize is awarded annually by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the largest technical professional organization in the world dedicated to advancing technology for humanity.

Eric Fossum and the team that invented the CMOS image sensor, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Fossum led the team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory that developed the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor during the early 1990s, an innovation that dramatically miniaturized cameras used in space missions onto a single chip. The "camera on a chip" sensor subsequently made digital photography and imaging widely accessible worldwide. 

Today, the CMOS sensor is integrated in nearly every smartphone, as well as in well as countless other devices including webcams, medical imaging devices, and automobile cameras.

Fossum will formally receive the medal at a ceremony in New York City in April 2026. Named in honor “father of Japanese microelectronics,” the Nishizawa prize also comes with an honorarium, which Fossum plans to donate to STEM-related charities. 

Fossum co-founded Photobit Corporation to commercialize the CMOS sensor, serving as CEO, before the company was acquired by Micron. He also served as CEO of Siimpel Corporation, which developed MEMS-based camera modules with autofocus and shutter functions for cell phones. More recently, he served as chairman of Gigajot Technology Inc., which he co-founded with two former Dartmouth PhD students to develop and commercialize quanta image sensors, which they developed at Dartmouth.

Fossum joined Dartmouth's engineering faculty in 2010 and helped launch the PhD Innovation Program, the nation's first doctoral level program focused on research translation and entrepreneurship.

Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2011, Fossum holds 185 US patents. He is an IEEE life fellow, a National Academic of Inventors fellow, an Optica fellow, and a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Throughout his career, Fossum has earned numerous accolades for his work, including the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering in 2017, the Emmy for technology and engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2021, and most recently the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Biden in 2025.

Along with its medal honorees, IEEE also announced its Class of 2026 Fellows earlier this month. Marla Dowell, executive director of EDGE Consortium and a visiting professor at Thayer School of Engineering, was named an IEEE fellow for her contributions to precision measurement that has enhanced laser safety in communications, manufacturing, and life-saving cancer therapies.

In her current role at EDGE, the multi-university consortium co-led Dartmouth and Indiana University, Dowell is leading national efforts to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor workforce by aligning academic training with industry needs. She has served in leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Commerce and at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and has represented the nation on national and international standards committees and advisory board.

Dowell has earned numerous awards, including the Allen V. Astin Award, the Arthur S. Flemming Award, and the Presidential Rank Award as a Distinguished Executive. She is a Fellow of AAAS and SPIE.

“These honorees exemplify the ingenuity, scientific excellence, and global impact that define our organization and inspire the next generation,” said IEEE President and CEO Kathleen Kramer. “Their work continues to shape a better and more connected world.”