Anderson named 2026 Packard Fellow 

The fellowship provides nearly a million dollars in unrestricted funds over five years to advance materials that control light and quantum information.

Assistant Professor Chris Anderson of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been named a 2026 Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Anderson is one of just 20 early-career scientists, mathematicians and engineers selected nationwide in 2026, each of whom will receive $985,834 in unrestricted funds over five years to pursue their research.

Anderson's group discovers and engineers materials that unlock new ways to control light and quantum information. From single photons, electrons and nuclei to quantum phase transitions, they probe the physics that inform materials design. Anderson's group translates these discoveries into devices that interconnect quantum computers, protect qubits from noise and enable powerful sensors. Broadly, they push the limits of energy and information control for emerging technologies and advancing the frontiers of science.

Anderson is the only 2026 fellow recognized in the category of materials science or nanotechnology. He is also the first faculty member from Illinois Grainger Engineering to receive the Packard Fellowship since Professor and Racheff Faculty Scholar Pinshane Huang — also of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering — earned the award in 2017.

“I'm honored and grateful to receive this fellowship. The flexibility of this funding lets our group pursue creative—even wacky—ideas that could open entirely new directions in science and technology. That freedom to explore is what makes university research so exciting and fulfilling,” Anderson said. “I'm also thankful to my mentors, colleagues and team at Illinois, whose hard work and support made this recognition possible.”

"Chris Anderson is exactly the kind of scientist the Packard Fellowship was created for: creative, fearless and focused on problems that will define the next generation of materials for quantum technologies," said Paul Braun, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. "This recognition reflects the exceptional quality of Chris' work and the strength of materials research at Illinois. We are thrilled to see Chris join the Packard community."

"The Packard Fellowship is among the most prestigious early-career honors in science and engineering, and Chris Anderson's selection speaks to the caliber of our faculty and the impact of their research," said Rashid Bashir, dean of Illinois Grainger Engineering. "We are proud of Chris and excited to see what this support makes possible."

Since 1988, the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering have supported transformative work, giving Fellows the freedom to follow the science wherever it leads. Fellows decide what their research needs, whether that is new equipment, another researcher on the team, travel to a conference, or child care during the demanding early years of running a lab. That flexibility lets Fellows test novel ideas, follow unexpected findings, and lead research that drives real-world impact. The fellowships were inspired by David Packard's passion for science and engineering and his commitment to strengthening university-based research in the United States. Recognizing that the success of the Hewlett-Packard Company, which he co-founded, grew from breakthroughs in university labs, the foundation launched the program 38 years ago. 

"What is exciting about supporting researchers at this early stage of their career is that some of their most important discoveries are impossible to anticipate," said Richard Alley, chair of the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering Advisory Panel. "This year's Fellows combine deep expertise with the curiosity and ambition to take their fields into entirely new directions."

Packard Fellows have advanced scientific understanding across disciplines, from fundamental discoveries about the natural world to advances in medicine and technologies that have become part of daily life. Fellows have gone on to receive many of the field's highest honors, including Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and Physics, Fields Medals, Alan T. Waterman Awards, Breakthrough Prizes, Kavli Prizes, and elections to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Each year, the foundation invites 50 universities to nominate only two faculty members for consideration across all disciplines. The Packard Fellowships Advisory Panel, a group of 12 internationally recognized scientists and engineers, evaluates the nominations and recommends Fellows for approval by the Packard Foundation Board of Trustees.

The full list of 2026 Packard Fellows is available through the foundation’s website.

Illinois Grainger Engineering Affiliations

Chris Anderson is an Illinois Grainger Engineering assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and is affiliated with both the Department of Physics and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is a member of the Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center, the Materials Research Laboratory and the Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Lab.

Rashid Bashir is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of bioengineering in the Department of Bioengineering. He serves as dean of The Grainger College of Engineering and holds the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering appointment.

Paul V. Braun is department head of Materials Science and Engineering. He holds the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering appointment. 

Pinshane Huang is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She is the associate director of the Materials Research Laboratory. She holds a Racheff Faculty Scholar appointment.