Distinguished Research Fellow, Lehigh University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Pennsylvania
Biography
Professional Experience:
2008- Present Adjunct Professor/Distinguished Research Fellow, Center for Photonics and Nanoelectronics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
2019 The Van der Waals Professorial Chair, Visiting Professor, the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2011-2012 Visiting Scholar/Professor, Department of Chemistry, Department of Material Sciences & Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Visiting Scholar/Professor, Departments of Electrical & Systems Engineering, Material Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
2007-2012 Director, Division of Materials Research
Program Director, Chemistry Division National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA
1994-2007 Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
1986-2007 Head, Organic Optoelectronics Section, Senior Research Chemist and Group Leader
US Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
1985-1989 President, The Spectroscopic Associates, Inc., Houston, TX
1981-1986 Visiting Scholar/Professor, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX
1979-1983 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Professional Associations:
Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the American Physical Society (APS), the Materials Research Society (MRS), the Optical Society of America (OSA), the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), and Sigma Xi
Professional Training:
“Leadership for a Democratic Society,” Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, VA (2010)
Awards and Honors:
Elected Member, National Academy of Engineering, “for contributions to materials technologies for organic optoelectronics,” 2021
Founding Member of the Academy of Arab Scientists, Kuwait, Kuwait, 2020
Van der Waals Visiting Professor Chair, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2019
Kuwait Prize in the Category of Applied Sciences (Clean & Sustainable Energy Technologies), Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), “for her research on the uses of organic solar cells to generate clean and sustainable energy, and to improve their performance and efficiency,” 2018
Hillebrand Prize, the ACS Chemical Society of Washington’s highest honor, “for her pioneering contributions in organic optics and electronics technologies through innovative physical chemistry and materials chemistry research,” 2017
MRS Fellow: “for outstanding research in organic electronic and opto-electronic materials, as well as dedicated service as Director of the NSF Division of Materials Research and through numerous professional society activities,” 2015
AAAS Fellow: “for her achievements in materials science and chemistry,” 2008
OSA Fellow: “for serving with distinction in the advancement of optics and, for her pioneering work in organic optoelectronic materials and devices,” 2007
NSF/ADVANCE Distinguished Lectureship Award, the Academic Careers in Engineering and Science (ACES) Program at Case Western Reserve University, 2007
SPIE Fellow: “for her outstanding contributions to the field of organic photonics and electronics covering many aspects of chemistry, physics and materials science,” 2005
NRL Edison Patent Award: “for developing a simple and cost-effective method of patterning electrically conductive polymers,” 2003
NRL Commanding Officer’s Award: “for achievements in the field of equal employment opportunity and the creation of a mentor program for scientists and engineers,” 1995
IR 100 Award: (Research and Development Magazine) “for the invention of a cryogenic link that can move vertically and rotate under high vacuum at very low temperatures (> 8K),” 1986
Patents
W. H. Kim, Gary Kushto and Z. H. Kafafi, “Electrically Conductive Polymers,” Patent No. 10,170,729 (1/1/2019)
W. H. Kim, Gary Kushto and Z. H. Kafafi, “Electrically Conductive Polymers,” PCT International Application No. 14/270,654 (1/22/2015)
Z. H. Kafafi, L.C. Picciolo, H. Murata, “A Universal Host for RG or RGB Emission in Organic Light Emitting Devices,” Patent No. 7,221,088 (5/22/2007)
H. Kim, J. S. Horwitz, A. Piqué, G. P. Kushto, and Z. H. Kafafi, “Pulsed Laser Deposition of Transparent Conducting Thin Films on Flexible Substrates,” Patent No. 6,818,924 (11/16/2004)
W. H. Kim and Z. H. Kafafi, “Method of Patterning Electrically Conductive Polymers,” Patent No. 6,649,327 (11/18/2003)
H. Kim, J. S. Horwitz, A. Piqué, G. P. Kushto, and Z. H. Kafafi, “Pulsed Laser Deposition of Transparent Conducting Thin Films on Flexible Substrates,” Patent No. 6,645,843 (11/11/2003)
L. C. Picciolo, H. Murata, Z. H. Kafafi, “Pentacene Derivatives as Red Emitters in Organic Light Emitting Devices,” Statutory invention # H2084 (10/7/2003)
A. W. Olsen and Z. H. Kafafi, "Nonlinear Optical Composites of Metal Cluster-Laden Polymers," Patent No. 5,405,906 (4/11/1995)
A. W. Olsen and Z. H. Kafafi, "Nonlinear Optical Composites of Metal Cluster-Laden Polymers," Patent No. 5,234,758 (8/10/1993)