Ph.D., Electro-Optics and Photonics, University of Dayton
M.S., Electro-Optics and Photonics, University of Dayton
B.S., Mathematics, Morehouse College
B.S., Physics, Morehouse College

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PI, PRISM Research Group 

Faculty Researcher, Materials Education and Research Center

Biography

Dr. Joshua Burrow received B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Morehouse College, as a MBRS-RISE and MARC U-STAR research scholar. He then earned a M.S. in Electro-Optics from the University of Dayton, focusing on light-matter coupling in terahertz metamaterials. Dr. Burrow later completed a Ph.D. in Electro-Optics & Photonics at the University of Dayton as a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow, conducting research on the design, fabrication, and characterization of nanopatterned chalcogenide phase change materials. During graduate school, he served as an executive board member of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and the lead co-founder of the NSBP Student Leadership Development Summit, thereby demonstrating his commitment to leadership and service in the physics and engineering communities.

Dr. Burrow is currently an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Morgan State University, where he is also associated with the Center for Microelectronics. His research focuses on ultrafast imaging and spectroscopic measurements of exotic materials, chip-scale optoelectronic design and development, and clinically testing equitable physiological monitoring technologies. His work spans topics such as biophotonics, nanophotonics, and advanced optical instrumentation, with an emphasis on low dimensional materials, addressing health equity and optical computing through engineering innovations.

Before joining the faculty at Morgan State, Dr. Burrow was a Hibbitt Postdoctoral Fellow at Brown University, where he worked on the development of a patented pulse oximetry technology in the PROBE Lab led by Prof. Kimani C. Toussaint, Jr., demonstrating advancements in noninvasive physiological monitoring and clinical validation of innovative medical devices. Dr. Burrow is also an Optica Ambassador, advocating for diversity and inclusion in optics and photonics and mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers in the field.

Academic Positions

• Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2025 – present
• Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Engineering, Brown University 2025 – present 

Other Professional Employment

• Brown University, School of Engineering, PROBE Lab, Providence, RI, 2021 – 2024

Other Professional Activities

• Faculty Researcher, Center for Research and Education in Microelectronics, 2025 – present
• Visiting Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Brown University, 2025 – present
• Founder and Co-Chair, National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and National Society of Black Physicists (NSHP) Student Leadership Development Summit, 2023 – present

Research Interests

• Low-dimensional optical materials: developing new processes for the growth uyof a wide range of materials including chalcogenide phase change semiconductors, transition metal oxides, topological insulators, and semimetals
• Ultrafast optical spectroscopy and microscopy: establishing high spatial and temporal resolution characterization techniques to provide a feedback loop for growth optimization and study transient processes  
• Translational biomedical photonics: developing and deploying advanced biosensors; physiological monitoring devices, and wearables for next-generation digital health systems enabled by AI for a wide range of patient populations
• Quantum optics and materials: strongly interacting light-matter systems for applications in communications, computing and sensing 

Research Areas

• Optics
• Photonic Materials
• Nanoscale Light-Matter Interactions
• Ultrafast Spectroscopy
• Photonic Integrated Circuits
• Optoelectronics

Recent Courses Taught

• EEGR 305 – Electromagnetic Theory and Applications (SP25)
• EEGR 460 – Electro-Optics (SP25)
• EEGR 645 – Optical Engineering (SP25)

Selected Publications

• Riad Yahiaoui, Joshua A Burrow, Sirak M Mekonen, Andrew Sarangan, Jay Mathews, Imad Agha, Thomas A Searles, "Electromagnetically induced transparency control in terahertz metasurfaces based on bright-bright mode coupling", Phys. Rev. B, 97(15) 155403 (2018)
• Jonathan R Thompson, Joshua A Burrow, Piyush J Shah, Jonathan Slagle, Eric S Harper, Andre Van Rynbach, Imad Agha, Matthew S Mills, Artificial neural network discovery of a switchable metasurface reflector,” Opt. Express 28(17) 24629-56 (2020)
• Mbaye Diouf, Joshua A Burrow, Kimani C Toussaint, Jr., Nature Phys. 19(3) 314-6 (2023)
• Rutendo Jakachira, Mbaye Diouf, Zixi Lin, Joshua A Burrow, Andrew Howes, Teniola Oguntolu, Robert Carter III, Shira I Dunsiger, Kimani C Toussaint Jr, “Single-wavelength, single-shot pulse oximetry using an LED-generated vector beam,” Opt. Express 30(15) 27293-303 (2022)