Professor Ahmed Zewail
There hung a sign on the door of his study room that read, Dr. Ahmed. He recalls his mother hanging it there when he was still far from becoming a doctor. Who could have ever thought then that this sign will have such a strong impact on a young chap's personality that one day he will actually fulfill his family's dream. He didn't just fulfill their dream but shined like a star on the skies of knowledge in a way in which very few, if any, from the Muslims of his generation have.
His passion for hard work together with Allah's blessings paved his path for success and he became one of the highly acclaimed scientists of his times. Looking into his valet of rewards reveals numerous honorary degrees, prizes, and awards. The most important recognition that he received was the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Indeed, Allah's promise is true - have strong faith in Him, work hard within His prescribed boundaries, and you will be rewarded in this life and in the life hereafter.
This great scientist, Professor Ahmed Zewail, was born on 26 February 1946, in Damanhur - located at 60 km off Alexandria, Egypt. His childhood was enjoyable, most of which he spent on the banks of the Nile, in the city of Disuq. The area is famous as the home for ancient learning and heritage. He is the only son, along with three sisters, in his family. His father was a government employee, who was liked and respected in the society. His mother, a good-natured person, took good care of her children. She had a great influence in his life. His parents wanted to see him obtain a high degree and, some day, work in the university as a professor.
Right from his childhood Ahmed enjoyed reading and topics related to physical sciences were his favorite. Studying mathematics, mechanics, and chemistry always gave him special satisfaction. He hated subjects that required memorization. Even though chemistry did require some memorization, he was fascinated by the mathematics of chemistry .
After finishing his high school, Ahmed Zewail went on to study in Alexandria University. There he joined the faculty of Science, which matched exactly with his interests. Four years later, when he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science, he was appointed to the University position as a demonstrator ( Moeid ), to carry on research toward a Masters and then a Ph.D. degree, and to teach the undergraduate students at the University of Alexandria. In teaching, he was successful to the point that, although not yet a professor, he gave "professorial lectures" to help students, after the Professor had given his lecture. He enjoyed explaining science and natural phenomena. As for the research, he finished the requirements for a Masters in Science in about eight months and had the degree in his hands by the year 1969. He had started to think about his Ph.D. research (called "research point") just after one year of being a Moeid and after corresponding with many universities he got a scholarship in University of Pennsylvania, in USA.
Arriving in the States was not very easy. He felt as if he had been thrown into an ocean that was full of new knowledge, culture, and opportunities and he had to learn how to swim in this, else he would drown. His determination and hopes were much stronger than these difficulties; nothing could come in his way to success. He succeeded in getting high grades in the University, which put him into the limelight. He put enormous effort in his studies, used to work day and night, and at the same time had undertaken multiple projects. The research for his Ph.D. and the requirements for a degree were essentially completed by 1973, when another war erupted in the Middle East. He had strong feelings about returning to Egypt to be a University Professor but then, thinking about the limited research facilities there, he postponed the plan.
Soon after getting his Ph.D. in 1974 from University of Pennsylvania, Ahmed moved to Berkeley. This new place had everything that he needed for the REAL learning. Here he had the opportunity to benefit from the labs that were well equipped with all the latest technology. He also got the opportunity to work and have scientific discussions with the researchers there. During that period, he also wrote some research papers, alone and in cooperation with others. That was the time when he did a practical research work in the field of laser technology as well.
Ahmed Zewail's aspirations had now started pushing him towards applying for teaching positions in the top most American universities. He did not have to wait very long to get what he wanted: in 1976 he joined Caltech as Assistant Professor of Chemical Physics. There he found a diverse and stimulating work environment that was ideal for his professional growth. Over the years, his research group has had close to 150 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting associates. Many of them are now in leading academic, industrial, and governmental positions.
Dr. Zewail was promoted to the post of Associate Professor in 1978, Professor in 1982, Linus Pauling Chair Professor of Chemistry in 1990, Professor of Physics in 1995, and the Director of the NSF Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (LMS) in 1996. He is an elected member of national and international academies and societies. He holds honorary degrees from famous universities such as Oxford University, American University in Cairo, Pennsylvania University, Université de Lausanne (Switzerland), Universita di Roma "La Sapienza", (Italy), etc. He is also the author of numerous books and research papers.
His honors also include more than 100 Prizes and Awards, Orders of Merit, and Orders of States from around the world. These include the Robert A. Welch Prize, Wolf Prize, King Faisal Prize, Benjamin Franklin Medal, Peter Debye Award, and the E. O. Lawrence Award. From Egypt he received the Order of the Grand Collar of the Nile, the highest state honor, and postage stamps were issued to honor his contributions to science and humanity. The 1999 Nobel Prize that he received in Chemistry was for his pioneering developments in the field of femtoscience, making it possible to observe the movement of the individual atoms in a femtosecond, a split second that is a millionth of a billionth of a second.
Professor Ahmed Zewail is presently living in USA and still working for CALTECH. His family includes his wife (Deema), two sons (Nabeel and Hani), and two daughters (Maha and Amani).
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