Ahmed Zewail is the Linus Pauling Chair Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics. For ten years, he has been the Director of the NSF Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (LMS) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Currently, he is the Director of the Physical Biology Center at Caltech. Dr. Zewail was awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize for his development of the field of femtochemistry, making possible discoveries of phenomena on the femtosecond timescale. At present, the focus of his research group is mainly on the development of four-dimensional microscopy for visualization in the four dimensions of space and time, and the understanding of complexity of chemical and biological transformations.

Among the other honors he received are the Albert Einstein World Award (2006), Benjamin Franklin Medal (1998), Robert A. Welch Award (1997), Leonardo da Vinci Award (1995), Wolf Prize (1993), and the King Faisal Prize (1989). From Egypt he was awarded the Order of the Grand Collar of the Nile, the highest state honor. Postage stamps have been issued to honor his contributions to science and humanity. He holds honorary degrees in the sciences, arts, philosophy, law, medicine, and humane letters from some thirty universities around the world, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Achievement. He is also a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, the Royal Society of London, the Pontifical Academy, the French Academy, the Russian Academy, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Zewail serves on several boards of international institutions of higher learning. He has been a Chief Editor of Chemical Physics Letters (1991-2007) and is now the Honorary Advisory Editor. He was a member of the Board of Directors of TIAA-CREF (2004-2007), and since 2002 has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Welch Foundation.