Zakya Kafafi

Zakya H. Kafafi
Born
Zakya H.Kafafi

Cairo, Egypt
Alma materRice University (PhD)
University of Houston (BSc)
SpouseFilbert J Bartoli
Children2
Scientific career
WorkplacesLehigh University
National Science Foundation
US Naval Research Laboratory
Rice University
ThesisInfrared matrix isolation studies of the alkali-metal cyanides (1972)
John L Margrave

Zakya H. Kafafi is an Egyptian scientist who is a distinguished research fellow of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Lehigh University. She was the first woman to be appointed to the National Science Foundation Director of the Division of Materials Research. At the US Naval Research Laboratory, she had established and led a section on organic optoelectronics. She carried out research on organic light-emitting materials and devices, and solar cells.

Early life and education

Kafafi was born in Cairo, Egypt and went to a French private school called Lyçée Français du Caire with her two younger sisters. She became interested in chemistry whilst she was at high school, and has said that her science teacher Monsieur Georges referred to her as "the chemist".[1] She started her undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Houston, where she minored in mathematics.[2] She gave birth to her first child while she was a sophomore in college. She finished her undergraduate degree and moved to Rice University for graduate studies. While at Rice she gave birth to her second child and gained her MA and PhD in chemistry.[3] She worked on low-temperature spectroscopy of high temperature materials using a technique called Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy. At Rice University, Kafafi was friends with one of the pioneers of Matrix Isolation Marilyn E. Jacox.[4] After completing her doctorate, Kafafi moved to Cairo, where she was appointed assistant professor. She returned to Houston Texas in 1981.

Research and career

In 1986, while still at Rice University, Kafafi learned about a position open in the Optical Sciences Division at the United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).[5] Kafafi eventually joined NRL, where she established the organic optoelectronics section.[6] She worked on nonlinear optical properties of organic and polymer materials using degenerate four wave mixing.[2] She transitioned from chemical to materials and physical research, developing and studying the properties of OLEDs.[3] Kafafi spent over twenty years working at the NRL, during which time OLED displays found their way into flat panel display televisions and computers, mobile phones and watches.[2]

In 2007, Kafafi was appointed as National Science Foundation Director of the Division of Materials Research, during which time she oversaw a billion dollar budget.[7] She was the first woman to hold the position.[2][7] In 2010, Kafafi visited Egypt, where she looked to develop partnerships that promoted solar energy across the country.[8]

In 2008, Kafafi joined the faculty at Lehigh University first as an adjunct professor and later as Distinguished Research Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.[7] She developed metallic plasmonic nanostructures that can increase light absorption and the efficiency of organic photovoltaics.[9][10] These nanostructures make it possible to increase the optical absorption of the active layer of photovoltaics without increasing the layer thickness, allowing for improved device performance without compromising the flexibility or weight.[7]

In 2011, Kafafi established a journal for the International Sociery of Optics and Photonics. She was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Photonics for Energy for 10 years. In 2014, Kafafi became the inaugural Deputy Editor of the sister journal to Science Advances.[6][11]

Awards and honours

Selected publications

  • Kafafi, Zakya H. (2019). Organic Electroluminescence. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-367-39283-3. OCLC 1105948784.

References

  1. ↑ "Zakya H. Kafafi - 2007 SPIE Women in Optics Planner". spie.org. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "OSA Election Slate for 2019 Offices". OSA. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  3. 1 2 Taz, Humaira (2019). "Zakya Kafafi: An international leader in materials research". MRS Bulletin. 44 (12): 969–973. doi:10.1557/mrs.2019.304. ISSN 0883-7694.
  4. ↑ "Alumna's bequest supports young female scientists". Chemistry & Chemical Biology Cornell Arts & Sciences. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  5. ↑ "Lehigh CPN Faculty: Zakya H. Kafafi". www.lehigh.edu. Archived from the original on 2021-09-26. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  6. 1 2 "Zakya Kafafi: Making a mark with materials". P.C. Rossin College of Engineering & Applied Science. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Taz, Humaira (2019). "Zakya Kafafi: An international leader in materials research". MRS Bulletin. 44 (12): 969–973. doi:10.1557/mrs.2019.304. ISSN 0883-7694.
  8. ↑ "Egypt's local initiatives with alternative energy". Egypt Independent. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  9. ↑ "Solar panels as inexpensive as paint? It's possible due to research at UB, elsewhere". www.buffalo.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  10. ↑ Gan, Qiaoqiang; Bartoli, Filbert J.; Kafafi, Zakya H. (2013). "Plasmonic-Enhanced Organic Photovoltaics: Breaking the 10% Efficiency Barrier". Advanced Materials. 25 (17): 2385–2396. Bibcode:2013AdM....25.2385G. doi:10.1002/adma.201203323. ISSN 1521-4095. PMID 23417974. S2CID 13121924.
  11. ↑ "AAAS Names Deputy Editors of Science Advances". American Association for the Advancement of Science. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  12. ↑ "Zakya Kafafi". spie.org. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  13. ↑ "StackPath". www.laserfocusworld.com. October 2005. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  14. ↑ "2007 OSA Fellows". The Optical Society. 2007. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  15. ↑ "AAAS Fellows 2007" (PDF). AAAS. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  16. ↑ "2015 MRS Fellows". www.mrs.org. Archived from the original on 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  17. ↑ CSW (20 February 2018). "March 29th Dinner Meeting to Honor Awardees – Chemical Society of Washington". Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  18. ↑ "Zakya H. Kafafi". Premios Fronteras (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-08-25.
  19. ↑ "KFAS announces winners of 2018 prizes". KFAS. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  20. ↑ "National Academy of Engineering Elects 106 Members and 23 International Members". NAE. February 9, 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
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