Housing and Development Newsletter
“I am so honored to receive the Queen Elizabeth Prize for my contributions to solid-state lighting, which provides tremendous benefits for humanity by providing energy-efficient lighting and displays,” Nakamura said.
Short for “light-emitting diode,” LEDs have become ubiquitous in our modern lives, replacing energy-guzzling incandescent and florescent lightbulbs in homes, public spaces, commercial businesses and vehicles.
“Their innovations have resulted in a 10-fold increase in energy efficiency of lighting and displays over conventional technologies,” said Steven DenBaars, fellow materials and electrical and computer engineering professor at UCSB and, with Nakamura, co-director of the campus’s Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center.