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Ahmed Zewail

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Ahmed Zewail
أحمد زويل
Zewail in 2010
Born
Ahmed Hassan Zewail

(1946-02-26)February 26, 1946
Damanhur,Egypt
DiedAugust 2, 2016(2016-08-02)(aged 70)
Pasadena, California,U.S.
Resting place6th of October,Giza,Egypt
NationalityEgyptian
CitizenshipEgyptEgypt
United StatesUnited States(naturalized)[3]
Alma mater
Known forFemtochemistry
Awards
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions
ThesisOptical and magnetic resonance spectra of triplet excitons and localized states in molecular crystals(1975)
Doctoral advisorRobin M. Hochstrasser

Ahmed Hassan Zewail(February 26, 1946 – August 2, 2016) was anEgyptianandAmericanchemist,[4]known as the "father offemtochemistry".[5]He was awarded the 1999Nobel Prize in Chemistryfor his work on femtochemistry and became the first Egyptian and Arab to win aNobel Prizein ascientific field,[4]and the second African to win a Nobel Prize inChemistry.He was theLinus PaulingChair Professor of Chemistry, a professor of physics, and the director of the Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology at theCalifornia Institute of Technology.[6]

Early life and education

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Ahmed Hassan Zewail was born on February 26, 1946, inDamanhur,Egypt,and was raised inDesouk.[7]He receivedBachelor of ScienceandMaster of Sciencedegrees in chemistry fromAlexandria Universitybefore moving to theUnited Statesto complete hisPhDat theUniversity of Pennsylvaniaunder the supervision ofRobin M. Hochstrasser.[1][8]

Career

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After completing his PhD, Zewail didpostdoctoral researchat theUniversity of California, Berkeley,supervised byCharles B. Harris.[1]Following this, he was awarded a faculty appointment at theCalifornia Institute of Technologyin 1976, and eventually became the firstLinus PaulingChair in Chemical Physics there.[1]He became anaturalized citizenof the United States on March 5, 1982.[9]Zewail was the director of the Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology at theCalifornia Institute of Technology.[10]

CFP_members_with_Dr._Ahmed_Zewail
Zewail with his colleagues at theZewail City of Science, Technology and Innovationin 2012

Zewail was nominated and participated in President Barack Obama'sPresidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology(PCAST), an advisory group of the nation's leading scientists and engineers to advise the President and Vice President and formulate policy in the areas of science, technology, and innovation.[11]

Research

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Zewail's key work was a pioneer offemtochemistry[5][12][13]—i.e. the study ofchemical reactionsacrossfemtoseconds.Using a rapidultrafastlasertechnique (consisting ofultrashortlaser flashes), the technique allows the description of reactions on very short time scales – short enough to analysetransition statesin selected chemical reactions.[14]

Ahmed_Zewail_1986
Zewail in 1986

Zewail became known as the "father of femtochemistry".[15]He also made critical contributions inultrafast electron diffraction,which uses short electron pulses rather than light pulses to study chemical reaction dynamics.[16]

Political work

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In a speech atCairo Universityon June 4, 2009, US PresidentBarack Obamaproclaimed a new Science Envoy program as part of a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world."[17]In January 2010, Ahmed Zewail,Elias Zerhouni,andBruce Albertsbecame the first US science envoys to Islam, visiting Muslim-majority countries from North Africa to Southeast Asia.[18]

Ahmed_Zewail_(2010)
Zewail in 2010

When asked about rumors that he might contest the2011 Egyptian presidential election,Ahmed Zewail said: "I am a frank man... I have no political ambition, as I have stressed repeatedly that I only want to serve Egypt in the field of science and die as a scientist."[19][20]

During the2011 Egyptian protestshe announced his return to the country. Zewail said that he would join a committee for constitutional reform alongsideAyman Nour,Mubarak's rival at the 2005 presidential elections and a leading lawyer.[21] Zewail was later mentioned as a respected figure working as an intermediary between the military regime ruling after Mubarak's resignation, and revolutionary youth groups such as theApril 6 Youth Movementand young supporters ofMohamed ElBaradei.[22]He played a critical role during this time as described by Egyptian Media.

Awards and honours

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Zewail's work brought him international attention, receiving awards and honors throughout most of his career for his work in chemistry and physics. In 1999, Zewail became the first Egyptian to receive a scienceNobel Prizewhen he was awarded theNobel Prize in Chemistry.[7]Zewail gave his Nobel Lecture on "Femtochemistry: Atomic-Scale Dynamics of the Chemical Bond Using Ultrafast Lasers".[23][24]

In 1999, he received Egypt's highest state honour, theGrand Collar of the Nile.[1]Other notable awards include theAlexander von Humboldt Senior Scientist Award(1983), theKing Faisal International Prize(1989),[1]theWolf Prizein Chemistry (1993), theEarle K. Plyler Prize(1993), theHerbert P. Broida Prize(1995), thePeter Debye Award(1996), theTolman Award(1997),[1]theRobert A. Welch Award(1997),[1]theLinus Pauling Medal(1997), theFranklin Medal(1998) and the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement(2000).[25]In October 2006, Zewail received theAlbert Einstein World Award of Sciencefor "his pioneering development of the new field of femtoscience and for his seminal contributions to the revolutionary discipline of physical biology, creating new ways for better understanding the functional behavior of biological systems by directly visualizing them in the four dimensions of space and time."[26]Zewail was awarded theOthmer Gold Medal(2009),[27][28]thePriestley Medal(2011) from theAmerican Chemical Society[29]and theDavy Medal(2011) from theRoyal Society.[30]

In 1982 he was named as a Fellow of theAmerican Physical Society.[31]Zewail became a member of theNational Academy of Sciencesin 1989,[32]theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciencesin 1993,[33]and theAmerican Philosophical Societyin 1998.[34]Zewail was elected aForeign Member of the Royal Society(ForMemRS) in 2001.[2]He was also elected as a Fellow of theAfrican Academy of Sciencesin 2001.[35]

Zewail was made a Foreign Member of theRoyal Swedish Academy of Sciences.[1]In 2005, the Ahmed Zewail Award for Ultrafast Science and Technology was established by the American Chemical Society and theNewport Corporationin his honor.[36]In 2010 the journalChemical Physics Lettersestablished the Ahmed Zewail Prize in Molecular Sciences.[37]In May 2010, Zewail gave the commencement address atSouthwestern University.[38]TheZewail City of Science and Technology,established in 2000 and revived in 2011, is named in his honour.[7]

Honorary degrees

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Zewail was bestowed honorary degrees by the following institutions: University of Oxford,UK (1991); The American University in Cairo,Egypt (1993); Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven,Belgium (1997); University of Pennsylvania,US (1997); University of Lausanne,Switzerland (1997); Swinburne University of Technology,Australia (1999); Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport,Egypt (1999); D.Sc.Alexandria University,Egypt (1999); D.Sc.University of New Brunswick,Canada (2000); Sapienza University of Rome,Italy (2000); University of Liège,Belgium (2000);[39] Heriot-Watt University,Scotland (2002);[1] Lund University,Sweden (2003); Cambridge University(2006);[40] Complutense University of Madrid,Spain (2008);[41] University of Jordan,Jordan (2009);[42] University of Glasgow,Scotland (2011);[43] Yale University,US (2014).[44]

Egyptian national honours

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Egypt

Foreign honours

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France

Lebanon

Sudan

Tunisia

United Arab Emirates

Personal life

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Zewail and his first wife, Mervat, were married in 1967, just before leaving Egypt to attend the University of Philadelphia. He had two daughters with Mervat, Maha and Amani. They separated in 1979.[45][46]

Zewail married Dema Faham in 1989.[1]Zewail and Faham had two sons, Nabeel and Hani.[47][48]

Death and funeral

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Zewail died aged 70 on the morning of August 2, 2016. He was recovering from cancer, however, the exact cause of his death is unknown.[49][50][51]Zewail returned to Egypt, but only his body was received at Cairo Airport.[45]A military funeral was held for Zewail on August 7, 2016, at the El-Mosheer Tantawy mosque in Cairo, Egypt.[51]Those attending included PresidentAbdel Fattah el-Sisi,Prime MinisterSherif Ismail,al-Azhar Grand ImamAhmed el-Tayeb,Defence MinisterSedki Sobhi,former PresidentAdly Mansour,former Prime MinisterIbrahim Mahlaband heart surgeonMagdi Yacoub.[51]The funeral prayers were led byAli Gomaa,formerGrand Mufti of Egypt.[52][51]

Publications

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Scientific

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Biographical

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Remembering Ahmed H. Zewail

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  • Chergui, Majed; Marcus, Rudolph A.; Thomas, John Meurig; Zhong, Dongping (2017). Majed Chergui; Rudolph A Marcus; John Meurig Thomas; Dongping Zhong (eds.).Personal and Scientific Reminiscences: Tributes to Ahmed Zewail.World Scientific.doi:10.1142/q0128.ISBN978-1-78634-435-9.
  • Douhal, Abderrazzak; Baskin, John Spencer; Zhong, Dongping (2017). Abderrazzak Douhal; John Spencer Baskin; Dongping Zhong (eds.).Reminiscences of Ahmed H. Zewail: Photons, Electrons and What Else? A Portrait from Close Range. Remembrances of his Group Members and Family.World Scientific.doi:10.1142/10750.ISBN978-981-323-153-5.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnoZewail, Ahmed."Autobiography".Nobelprize.org. Archived fromthe originalon 8 October 2011.Retrieved12 February2011.
  2. ^ab"Fellowship of the Royal Society 1660–2015".London:Royal Society.
  3. ^"In Fond Remembrance of Egyptian-American Scientist Ahmed Zewail".U.S. Embassy in Egypt.10 August 2016.Retrieved3 June2023.
  4. ^abKhan, Amina (2016-08-05)."Nobel Prize-winning Caltech scientist Ahmed Zewail has died at 70".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2023-06-01.
  5. ^abDouhal, Abderrazzak; Lahmani, Françoise; Zewail, Ahmed H. (1996). "Proton-transfer reaction dynamics".Chemical Physics.207(2–3): 477–498.Bibcode:1996CP....207..477D.doi:10.1016/0301-0104(96)00067-5.ISSN0301-0104.
  6. ^"بالفيديو والصور.. جثمان أحمد زويل يوارى الثرى بمدفن أسرته بمدينة 6 أكتوبر".اليوم السابع(in Arabic). 2016-08-07.Retrieved2024-06-07.
  7. ^abcWeil, Martin (3 August 2016)."Ahmad Zewail, Nobel laureate who sparked a 'revolution in chemistry,' dies at 70".The Washington Post.Retrieved9 August2016.
  8. ^Zewail, Ahmed (1975).Optical and magnetic resonance spectra of triplet excitons and localized states in molecular crystals(PhD thesis). University of Pennsylvania.OCLC54507972.
  9. ^Zewail, Ahmed (2002).Voyage Through Time: Walks of Life to the Nobel Prize.World Scientific. p.214.ISBN978-981-4338-09-7.
  10. ^Zewail, Ahmed."A Message from the Director".Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology, California Institute of Technology. Archived fromthe originalon 10 August 2016.Retrieved8 August2016.
  11. ^"President Obama Announces Members of Science and Technology Advisory Council".The White House. 27 April 2009.Retrieved6 September2019.
  12. ^Pal, Samir Kumar; Zewail, Ahmed H. (2004). "Dynamics of Water in Biological Recognition".Chemical Reviews.104(4): 2099–2124.doi:10.1021/cr020689l.ISSN0009-2665.PMID15080722.S2CID10050118.
  13. ^Zewail, Ahmed H. (2000). "Femtochemistry: Atomic-Scale Dynamics of the Chemical Bond†".The Journal of Physical Chemistry A.104(24): 5660–5694.Bibcode:2000JPCA..104.5660Z.doi:10.1021/jp001460h.ISSN1089-5639.
  14. ^"Press Release: The 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry".Nobelprize.org. 12 October 1999.Retrieved12 February2011.
  15. ^Browne, Malcolm W. (13 October 1999)."Nobels for Fast Camera and Tying 2 Forces of Nature".The New York Times.Associated Press/Reuters/Agence France-Presse.Retrieved9 August2016.
  16. ^Srinivasan, Ramesh; Lobastov, Vladimir A.; Ruan, Chong-Yu; Zewail, Ahmed H. (July 10, 2003)."Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (UED): A New Development for the 4D Determination of Transient Molecular Structures".Helvetica Chimica Acta.86(6): 1761–1799.doi:10.1002/hlca.200390147.
  17. ^Thomas, John Meurig (2019-12-30)."Ahmed Hassan Zewail. 26 February 1946—2 August 2016".Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society.68:431–453.doi:10.1098/rsbm.2019.0040.
  18. ^Pellerin, Cheryl (16 February 2010)."First U.S. Science Envoys Begin Work in Muslim-Majority Countries".America.gov. Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2010.
  19. ^"Obituary: Envoy to science".Al-Ahram Weekly.4 August 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 19 September 2016.Retrieved9 August2016.
  20. ^Obituary: AHMED HASSAN ZEWAIL (1946–2016).Chemical Physics Letters.Retrieved9 August2016.
  21. ^"Egypt: Zewail returns, credible post-Mubarak figure".ANSAmed.1 February 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2011.Retrieved5 February2011.
  22. ^Fahim, Kareem; Kirkpatrick, David D. (February 12, 2011)."Military Offers Assurances to Egypt and Neighbors".The New York Times.Retrieved12 February2011.
  23. ^Zewail, Ahmed H. (2000). "Femtochemistry: Atomic-Scale Dynamics of the Chemical Bond Using Ultrafast Lasers (Nobel Lecture)".Angewandte Chemie International Edition.39(15): 2586–2631.doi:10.1002/1521-3773(20000804)39:15<2586::AID-ANIE2586>3.0.CO;2-O.PMID10934390.
  24. ^"Ahmed Zewail – Nobel Lecture: Femtochemistry: Atomic-Scale Dynamics of the Chemical Bond Using Ultrafast Lasers".Nobelprize.org.Retrieved9 August2016.
  25. ^"Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement".www.achievement.org.American Academy of Achievement.
  26. ^"Prof. Ahmed Zewail".World Cultural Council. 28 October 2006.Retrieved9 August2016.
  27. ^"Othmer Gold Medal".Science History Institute.31 May 2016.Retrieved22 March2018.
  28. ^"Chemical Heritage Foundation Presents Ahmed Zewail with Othmer Gold Medal".Chromatography Techniques.27 January 2009.Retrieved12 June2014.
  29. ^"Zewail Wins 2011 Priestley Medal".Chemical & Engineering News.21 June 2010. p. 5.
  30. ^"Royal Society announces 2011 Copley Medal recipient".The Royal Society.Retrieved19 July2011.
  31. ^"Ahmed H. Zewail".American Institute of Physics: Physics History Network.RetrievedAugust 3,2023.
  32. ^"Ahmed H. Zewail".www.nasonline.org.Retrieved2021-12-03.
  33. ^"Ahmed Hassan Zewail".American Academy of Arts & Sciences.Retrieved2021-12-03.
  34. ^"APS Member History".search.amphilsoc.org.Retrieved2021-12-03.
  35. ^"Zewail Ahmed Hassan | The AAS".www.aasciences.africa.Retrieved2022-12-15.
  36. ^"Funding and Awards: Ahmed Zewail Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology".American Chemical Society.RetrievedAugust 3,2023.
  37. ^Thomas, John Meurig (6 November 2019)."Ahmed Hassan Zewail. 26 February 1946—2 August 2016".Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society.Retrieved9 May2024.
  38. ^"Nobel Laureate to Give 2010 Commencement Address".Southwestern University. 20 April 2010.Retrieved6 September2019.
  39. ^"Honorary Degrees".Wiley Online Library.Retrieved6 September2019.
  40. ^"Honorary Degrees 2006".University of Cambridge. 3 July 2006.Retrieved9 August2016.
  41. ^"Zewail, Ahmed H (Ciencias Químicas), 12 de mayo de 2008".Complutense University of Madrid.Retrieved9 August2016.
  42. ^Kheetan, Thameen (26 February 2009)."Egyptian Nobel laureate calls for 'scientific renaissance' in Arab world".Jordan Times.Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2011.Retrieved28 February2009.
  43. ^"Guest lectures – archive: Professor Ahmed Zewail – 3rd October 2011".University of Glasgow.Retrieved9 August2016.
  44. ^"Yale awards 12 honorary degrees at 2014 graduation".YaleNews. 19 May 2014.Retrieved6 September2019.
  45. ^abcEl Nadi, Lotfia, ed. (2019).The brilliant Zewail.World Scientific Publishing Company Pte. Limited.ISBN978-981-327-583-6.OCLC1112734385.
  46. ^Aspturian, Heidi."Interview with Ahmed Zewail (1946 - 2016)"(PDF).CalTech Oral Histories.California Institute of Technology.Retrieved23 August2022.
  47. ^"Ahmed Zewail, 1946–2016 | Caltech".California Institute of Technology. 2 August 2016.Retrieved2 August2016.
  48. ^Thomas, John Meurig (2020)."Ahmed Hassan Zewail. 26 February 1946—2 August 2016".Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society.68:431–453.doi:10.1098/rsbm.2019.0040.S2CID207893909.
  49. ^"Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian chemist Zewail dies".Reuters News Agency. 2 August 2016.Retrieved9 August2016.
  50. ^"Egyptian Chemist Zewail, Noble Prize-Winner, Dies at 70".The New York Times.Associated Press. 2 August 2016.Retrieved9 August2016.
  51. ^abcd"Sisi heads mourners at military funeral for Egyptian Nobel Laureate Ahmed Zewail".Ahram Online.7 August 2016.Retrieved9 August2016.
  52. ^"نبذة عن العالم المصري أحمد زويل".BBC News عربي(in Arabic). 2016-08-03.Retrieved2024-02-05.
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