2007 Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Fellow Award

Citation: For contributions to acousto-optic, liquid crystal, and micromirror device applications in photonic signal processing and controls

IEEE Society: Lasers and Electro-Optics Society (LEOS)

International Commision for Optics (ICO) 2001 International Prize in Optics and 
2001 Ernst Abbe Medal  from Carl Zeiss Foundation-Germany
http://www.ico-optics.org/ico_jan02.html#Riza
ICO Prize Related Distinctions:

• First South-Asian Origin Scientist to Win ICO Prize & Abbe Medal

• First Caltech Alumnus to win ICO Prize & Abbe Medal

• First Student-Ph.D. Advisor  Team to Win ICO Prizes (Advisor: D. Psaltis, ICO Prize 1989)

• First Grand Advisor (Psaltis ICO 1989)-Advisor (Riza ICO 2001)-Riza Student Team (Sarun Sumriddetchkajorn ICTP-ICO Award 2005) to win ICO based international awards.

Optical Society of America (OSA) International Traveling Professor Award 1999. 

Fellow  of the Optical Society of America (OSA), March 1998
Citation: For pioneering and sustained optical inventions in photonic control systems for phased array antennas 

Fellow  of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), March 1998
Citation: For specific achievements in the area of photonic information processing systems, including the invention of scanning acousto-optic interferometers, wideband acousto-optic signal processors, liquid crystal optical switches and programmable lenses.

2004 LaserFocusWorld Commendation Award for Excellence in Technical Writings August 2004.

Panel Member OSA A. Lomb Medal Committee 2005-2007.

Panel  Member IEEE LEOS Distinguished Lecturer Award Committee 2005 and 2006.

Scientific Advisor to Government of Netherlands NRO Panel on Top Research NRC Institutes, 2003

Vice President IEEE for Lasers and Electro-Optics Society (LEOS) 2002-05

Founding Advisor, IEEE LEOS UCF Student Chapter 1996-2002

Recipient as Chair of the 1999 IEEE LEOS Chapter  of the Year award

Recipient as Chair of the 1998 IEEE LEOS Most Innovative Chapter  award

Recipient as Chair of the 1997 IEEE LEOS Most Innovative Chapter  award

Recipient as Chair of the 1996 IEEE LEOS Highest Membership Increase Chapter

Senior Member IEEE 1994

General Electric Company Corporate R & D Three Patent Medals ( 1994 Gold, 1993 Silver, 1991 Bronze Patent Medals) Gold is for 20 patents.

General Electric Company Corporate R & D Publications Award 1994 (over 75 publications)

General Electric Company Corporate R & D New Start Research Award 1990

International Society for Optical Engineering:SPIE Student Award 1987

Caltech Scholarships 1984-89

Illinois Institute of Technology Alumni Association Academic Achievement Award 1984 (Amongst top 3 seniors in Graduating Class of Entire University)

Elected Member  Phi Eta Sigma 1982 (Freshman Honor), Tau Beta Pi 1984 (National Engineering) and Eta Kappa Nu 1982 (Electrical Engineering) Student Honor Societies

Illinois Institute of Technology Merit Scholarships 1982-84

Double Distinction in Advanced (A) Level Mathematics, Cambridge University (U.K.) Overseas Higher Senior Cambridge Program 1980.