Ahmed Zewail

A pioneer in chemical physics, Ahmed Zewail created the new field of femtochemistry, the study of matter on the femtosecond (10^-15 second) timescale, which makes it possible to observe atoms in motion and the transition states of chemical transformations. The primary goal of his research since winning the Nobel Prize has been in the development of the field of four-dimensional (4D) Electron Microscopy for space-time visualization of materials and biological functions. Zewail is also devoted to enhancing public awareness of the value of fundamental research and helping populations in developing nations through the promotion of science and technology. He is the third Egyptian-born recipient of the Nobel prize, and the first to receive a Nobel in science.

Zewail completed his early education in Egypt and received B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from Alexandria University . He obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1974, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1976 he joined the faculty at the California Institute of Technology, where he is now the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemistry, professor of physics, and director of the Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology.

In the late 1980s, Zewail developed a method for viewing the motion of atoms and molecules based on new laser technology that produced light flashes just tens of femtoseconds in duration. Many had thought it impossible to study the events that constitute a chemical reaction, but Zewail’s discovery enabled scientists to gain more insight into and control over a reaction’s outcome. For his studies using femtosecond spectroscopy, Zewail received the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Zewail has received numerous other awards and honors, including the Albert Einstein World Award of Science, the Benjamin Franklin Medal, the Robert A. Welch Award, the Leonardo da Vinci Award, the Wolf Prize, the King Faisal Prize, and the Order of the Grand Collar of the Nile. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences; the American Philosophical Society; the American Academy of Achievement; the European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities; the Royal Society of London; the French Academy; the Russian Academy; the Pontifical Academy; and the Royal Swedish Academy of the Sciences. He has received honorary degrees from 33 universities around the world.

About the Othmer Gold Medal

The medal is presented annually and cosponsored by CHF and four affiliated organizations: the American Chemical Society (ACS), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the Chemists’ Club, and the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section). The medal commemorates Donald Othmer (1904–1995), noted researcher, consultant, editor, engineer, inventor, philanthropist, professor, and coeditor of the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology.

CHF gratefully acknowledges John Wiley & Sons, Inc., for donating a set of the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology each year to the institution chosen by the Othmer Gold Medal recipient.


About the Sponsors

THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (ACS) is the world’s largest scientific organization. The society was established in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1937 to encourage in the broadest and most liberal manner the advancement of chemistry in all its branches

THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (AIChE) is a professional, technical, and educational association. The institute was founded in 1908 and is dedicated to promoting excellence in the development and practice of chemical engineering in an ever-expanding array of disciplines

THE CHEMISTS' CLUB, established in 1898, is one of the oldest and most respected chemical organizations in the country. Members are engaged in management, marketing, processing, and research and development.

THE SOCIÉTÉ DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLE, AMERICAN SECTION, is the U.S. branch of the Paris-based international organization founded in 1918. The Société's mission is to aid and encourage the use of scientific and engineering developments by the industry and offer solutions to current and long-term management and government issues of global concern.

THE CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION (CHF) serves the community of the chemical and molecular sciences, and the wider public, by treasuring the past, educating the present, and inspiring the future. CHF maintains a world-class collection of materials that document the history and heritage of the chemical and molecular sciences, technologies, and industries; encourages research in CHF collections; and carries out a program of outreach and interpretation in order to advance an understanding of the role of the chemical and molecular sciences, technologies, and industries in shaping society.