On October 8, 2026, physics professor Svetlana Malinovskaya was recognized as a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) for her work within the society’s Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics.
The American Physical Society Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (DAMOP) was founded in 1943 as the Division of Electron and Ion Optics; DAMOP is APS’ oldest division. Consisting of 3,200 members, DAMOP has been known to contribute some of the most consequential scientists and researchers to society, such as Anne L’Huillier, who won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz for their work in optical physics.
Malinovskaya has been a member of APS for 26 years, joining the society in 2000. Since then, Malinovskaya has contributed consequential research in quantum science, ultrafast optics, and quantum control. Malinovskaya started her research career at Novosibirsk State University in 1985, and she has worked as a postdoctoral fellow and research lecturer at universities such as Harvard, the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor before joining as an assistant professor at Stevens in August 2007, becoming a professor at the university in September 2021.
Regarding her student researchers, Malinovskaya develops relationships with her lab assistants not only as a research dynamic but also as a family one too. For research dynamics, Malinovskaya stated that building the next generation of researchers is not only about building the physical concepts and phenomena, but also about showing how and why to advance their knowledge. Malinovskaya warmly compared new researchers to small cats. Because all researchers are starting at the same moment, she noted that they develop questions, theories, experiments, and results from the base question, helping them grow through their research.
Outside of the laboratory, conferences, and thesis building, the connections that Malinovskaya builds with her researchers are lifelong. Malinovskaya stated that her graduates are successful and have jobs in their respective fields, with most of them in Manhattan and some of them in Princeton. Malinovskaya acknowledges that the development of her personal relationships with her graduates is a huge transformation in their knowledge. “There is no achievement without difficult times, without struggle, without showing your character,” Malinovskaya noted. “If you demonstrate the strength of character to face challenges, to struggle, to push yourself, and to persevere, you can overcome difficulties and achieve your goals.”
Malinovskaya is currently working with researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to explore how quantum physics can make communications more secure and detect attempts to intercept information.
