04 Feb Newton Medal 2026: Professor Mark D Fairchild
Newton Medal 2026 Award Talk
The Newton Medal is awarded every two years since 1963 by the Colour Group (Great Britain) and recognises distinguished workers in the field of colour science. We are pleased to announce that Professor Mark D Fairchild has been selected as recipient of the Newton Medal 2026 for his exceptional scientific achievements, educational impact and service to the international colour community.
The Newton Medal 2026 award talk will be held online on Wednesday 4 February 2026 with Professor Fairchild to deliver his Newton Medal Lecture “Seeking Improvements in Color Specification”.
Venue
This event will be held online via Zoom. Registration is free and available through Eventbrite. Once you register, you will receive the Zoom link and joining instructions via email.
Please note: If you have an Eventbrite account, please register using the same email address associated with your account to ensure smooth access to your ticket and Zoom link.
Programme (Greenwich Mean Time zone)
17:30 Welcome and introduction
17:35 Newton Lecture
18:35 Virtual medal presentation
Professor Mark D Fairchild: Résumé of research achievements
Mark Fairchild entered Rochester Institute of Technology as a freshman in the Photographic Science program and graduated four years later with B.S. and M.S. degrees from that program, which had been renamed Imaging Science. He was a research assistant to Prof. Franc Grum in the newly formed Munsell Color Science Laboratory. Upon completion of his B.S. and M.S. degrees, he joined the Department of Color Science at RIT and currently holds a tenured faculty position in the Program of Color Science (PoCS) and Munsell Color Science Laboratory (MCSL). He undertook a Ph.D. program at the University of Rochester’s Center for Visual Science, while continuing his work at RIT, earning that degree in 1990. From 1996 to 2008, he was Director of the Munsell Color Science Laboratory, overseeing significant growth and the move to Color Science Hall, which has been renamed the “Munsell Color Science Laboratory”. In 2010, he was appointed Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education of RIT’s College of Science. While continuing his work as Associate Dean, he resumed leadership roles in colour science in 2013 by becoming the Director of MCSL and founding Director of PoCS. In 2017, Mark became founding Head of the Integrated Sciences Academy within RIT’s College of Science while remaining Director of PoCS and MCSL, which became part to of the Integrated Sciences Academy. The Integrated Sciences Academy is a novel academic unit that houses multidisciplinary science programs and promotes multidisciplinary research and education. In 2024 RIT awarded Mark its highest academic title, Distinguished Professor.
Professor Fairchild has been conducting trailblazing research in the areas of colorimetric measurement and standardization, colour vision, colour-appearance modelling, digital colour reproduction, image quality, and computer graphics. He has authored more than 400 papers, presentations, and technical reports in those areas. He has also supervised the graduate research of over 60 M.Sc. or Ph.D. students. The third edition of his book, Color Appearance Models, was published in 2013, following on the publication of the successful second edition in 2004 and first edition in 1997. Mark is also co-editor of the 2016 Handbook of Color Psychology. His most recent book, Munsell Trees: A Season of Leaves and Colors, combines interests in photography, color science, and nature.
Newton Medal 2026 Lecture: ‘Seeking Improvements in Color Specification’
Abstract
Color specifications have evolved from the definition of metameric matches for an average observer (CIE XYZ), through color spaces designed for color difference measurements (CIELAB, DE2000), to color appearance models that account for visual scaling and perceptual effects such as chromatic adaptation in a more robust way (CIECAM16). Research over the last half-century has advanced in rather small evolutionary steps of our standard color systems. Perhaps it is time for a “mutation” in the system to allow transition to novel approaches to practical color specification. This presentation describes the potential for advancements in colorimetry, and thus color communication, based on a different overall approach.
While there are a variety of advancements to be considered, the following are some that will be discussed. Improved color matching functions based on cone fundamentals and visual physiology are available. In addition, methods exist to characterize and implement individual differences in color matching functions. Once metameric matches are specified with improved color matching functions, more physiologically plausible methods of accounting for chromatic adaptation, and degree of chromatic adaptation, such as the weighted geometric mean method can be applied. These chromatic responses can then be used to create improved correlates of appearance such as G0-weighted lightness and brightness metrics that automatically incorporate the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect. Further, descriptors of other dimensions of color appearance (e.g. hue, saturation, chroma, colorfulness) can be derived independently rather than relying on the concept of an overarching single three-dimensional color space. Lastly, specifying color differences can be accomplished unidimensionally, as they are perceived, rather than striving for a single overall delta-E metric (i.e. curing mononumerosis!)
While these concepts, as outlined, might never be combined into a single new standard system of color specification, considering different and varied approaches can certainly lead to some significant improvements worth seeking.