Ahmed Zewail, The father of femtochemistry

Ahmed Zewail, a famous Egyptian scientist, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his innovations in the field of femtochemistry. He also received numerous awards from around the world and worked at top American universities. He served as a science and technology advisor to the President of the United States.

Ahmed Zewail was born on February 26, 1946, in the city of Damanhur, Beheira Governorate. He was interested in science, particularly chemistry, and graduated with honors in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science at Alexandria University. He then worked as a teaching assistant and obtained a Master's degree in the study of light.He decided to travel abroad to obtain a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in the field of laser science. Afterward, he dedicated his life and knowledge to advancing the field of chemistry through research and studies, earning him numerous international scientific awards.

Ahmed Zewail worked at Caltech, one of the largest scientific universities in the United States, and became a distinguished professor of chemistry there. He held the highest academic position in America, succeeding Linus Pauling, who won the Nobel Prize twice, first in chemistry and second in peace.

Zewail published over 350 scientific research papers in specialized journals, and his name appeared on the honor list in the United States, which includes the names of individuals who contributed to the American Renaissance.

He was ranked ninth among 29 figures as one of the most important laser scientists in the United States, alongside names such as Albert Einstein and Alexander Graham Bell.

In 2009, Zewail was chosen to be part of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which consists of twenty distinguished scientists in various scientific fields.

He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999, becoming the first Arab Muslim to receive this award, for his research in the field of femtochemistry. He invented an ultrafast imaging system that uses lasers to detect the movement of molecules upon formation and their interaction with each other. The temporal unit in which the image is captured is a femtosecond, which is one million billionth of a second.

Zewail received numerous awards from around the world for his scientific efforts, including the Max Planck Award, the first award in Germany, the Wolf Prize in the United States, the Harriman Award in the United States, the King Faisal International Prize in Science, and the Excellence Award named after Leonardo da Vinci.

He also received honorary doctorates from multiple universities, and he was honored by the Sultanate of Oman with the Sultan Qaboos Award for Science and Physics.

Egypt did not forget its distinguished son and honored him with several awards, including the Order of Merit, the Grand Nile Collar, the highest Egyptian medal. His name was given to some streets and squares, and the Egyptian Postal Authority issued postage stamps with his name and image. His name was also given to the Egyptian Opera House Salon.

Ahmed Zewail passed away in August 2016, leaving behind a history filled with achievements and knowledge that continues to benefit others. His name echoes and will never be forgotten by the people of his homeland.