Our Mission

We are on a mission to develop advanced photonic technologies that connect optical science, computational intelligence, and bio-inspired design. We create optical systems, materials, and experimental platforms for applications in nanophotonics, optical information processing, radiative cooling, and energy-efficient technologies.

We are committed to delivering rigorous scientific solutions, reliable experimental design, and technical support for partners working at the frontier of photonic engineering and applied optical science.

About Us

CognOptix Photonics Studio is a research and development studio specializing in nanophotonics, bio-inspired photonic materials, metasurface-based optical systems, and optical neural computation. CognOptix brings together interdisciplinary expertise in optical experiment design, nanofabrication, precision system fabrication, automated instrumentation, computational analysis, image processing, and machine learning. The studio supports projects ranging from fundamental optical research to applied photonic material and system development.

Our work bridges engineered photonic systems and biological materials. We study how natural organisms have evolved optical and thermal-radiative properties in response to environmental challenges, and use these insights to inspire novel materials and structures for photonic engineering, radiative cooling, and sustainable technologies.

Founder

Cheng-Chia Tsai, Ph.D., is a nanophotonics scientist and engineer whose work spans photonic engineering, optical computing, bio-inspired materials, and energy-efficient technologies. Through CognOptix, Dr. Tsai aims to translate advanced optical science into practical research and development solutions for emerging applications in intelligent photonic systems, radiative cooling, and interdisciplinary optical technologies.

Academic Background

  • 02/2022 | Ph. D in Applied Physics, Columbia University, United States

  • 05/2019 | M. Ph. in Applied Physics, Columbia University, United States

  • 05/2015 | D. of Eng. Sci. in Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, United States

  • 02/2011 | M. S. in Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, United States

  • 06/2006 | B. S. in Physics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Professional Appointments

  • Founder / Principal Scientist, CognOptix Photonics Studio, Taiwan (06/2026 – Present).

  • Director of Research and Development, MetaRE Inc., NJ, United States (10/2022 – 08/2025).

  • Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, MA, United States (07/2022 – 09/2022).

  • Director of Research and Development, MetaRe Inc., Fort Lee, NJ, United States (07/2021 - 06/2022).

Collaborators

Nanfang Yu

Associate Professor

Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics
Columbia University
New York, NY, United States

Naomi E. Pierce

Hessel Professor of Biology

Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA, United States