Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. Prof. Ooi's inventions in the areas of "semiconductor photonic integration and optical sensors are relevant to communications, health, energy and agriculture," the organization continued. "His [research] has helped improve the quality of life for many…His recent invention in [fiber sensors] solves the longstanding challenge of downhole sensing for the oil and gas industry…[and] his invention on distributed...[fiber] sensors has found a unique solution for the early detection of red palm weevil[s], an unresolved issue…that destroyed millions of palm trees, especially high value date trees, since 2011". Awarded while at KAUST.