UC Santa Barbara distinguished professor and Nobel Laureate Shuji Nakamura has received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford, one of the world’s most prestigious academic honors.

Oxford conferred the degree on Nakamura during its annual Encaenia ceremony on June 24, recognizing him among nine distinguished honorands whose achievements span science, culture, politics, the arts and sport. The 2026 recipients included former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoğlu, Nobel Prize-winning biochemist Katalin Karikó, tennis icon Billie Jean King and Nakamura.

Oxford Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey said that the university’s honorands “have each reached the highest levels of achievement,” adding that their contributions reflect the power of ideas and creativity to make an enduring difference.

Nakamura, a distinguished professor of materials and of electrical and computer engineering, was recognized for his pioneering work in gallium nitride semiconductors and the development of the high-brightness blue light-emitting diode. His breakthrough helped make efficient white LED lighting possible and transformed lighting, displays, optical storage and other technologies used around the world.

Nakamura shared the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes, which enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources. At UCSB, he co-directs the Solid State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center (SSLEEC), where researchers continue to advance semiconductor materials and devices for lighting, power electronics, energy efficiency and sustainability.

“It is a great honor to be recognised by Oxford,” Nakamura said, describing his career as “one continuous pursuit, harnessing light.”

He added that what matters most is inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers to take on the hardest challenges, including clean and abundant energy.

The Oxford honor further underscores the global impact of UCSB Engineering research and Nakamura’s continuing influence on technologies that improve lives around the world.