Ahmed Zewail (1946-2016) was an Egyptian-American scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999 for his work in femtochemistry, a field he helped create. Zewail was born in Damanhur, Egypt, and earned his undergraduate degree from Alexandria University before completing his graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.
Zewail's groundbreaking work in femtochemistry involved studying chemical reactions at the timescale of femtoseconds, or one quadrillionth of a second. Using ultrafast lasers, Zewail was able to capture images of atoms and molecules in motion during chemical reactions, leading to a greater understanding of the dynamics and mechanisms of chemical reactions.
In addition to his work in femtochemistry, Zewail was also a strong advocate for science education and science diplomacy. He founded the Zewail City of Science and Technology in Egypt, a research and education center focused on science and technology, and was a member of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Zewail received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the National Medal of Science in 1993 and the Order of the Nile, Egypt's highest state honor, in 2008. He was also a fellow of many scientific societies, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Zewail passed away in 2016 at the age of 70. His contributions to the field of femtochemistry and his dedication to science education and diplomacy continue to have a lasting impact on the scientific community.