Zakya Kafafi

Zakya Kafafi is a Distinguished Research Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Lehigh University. She holds dual citizenship in Egypt and the United States, with a career spanning academia, government, and industry. Her primary research focuses on organic optoelectronics, plasmonics, and renewable energy materials, emphasizing advancements in photovoltaic technologies and molecularly engineered interfaces. Kafafi has held leadership roles at the National Science Foundation (NSF), where she managed a $1B research portfolio as Director of the Division of Materials Research, and previously led interdisciplinary teams at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).

Education: B.Sc. (cum laude) in Chemistry from the University of Houston; M.A. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Rice University.

Research interests include organic photovoltaics, nanostructured materials, and plasmonic nanostructures for energy applications. She pioneered transparent conducting polymer patterning (R&D 100 Award) and developed plasmonic-enhanced solar cells breaking efficiency barriers. Kafafi is a founding editor of Journal of Photonics for Energy and serves on multiple high-profile editorial boards and conference organizing committees.

Award highlights include the Hillebrand Prize (ACS), Kuwait Prize in Applied Sciences, and election to the National Academy of Engineering (2021). She actively promotes diversity in STEM through initiatives like the SPIE Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) conference and advises on global energy policy.