Shaul Mukamel

Biography

Shaul Mukamel is a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. He completed his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. at Tel-Aviv University, graduating summa cum laude with his doctoral degree in 1976. Mukamel's academic career includes positions at multiple institutions, including MIT, the University of California-Berkeley, Rice University, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the University of Rochester, where he served as a C. E. Kenneth Mees Professor of Chemistry before his current appointment at UC Irvine.

Mukamel's research is centered on theoretical and computational chemistry, particularly in the field of nonlinear optical spectroscopy. He is the author of over 1,050 scientific publications and a graduate-level textbook, "Principles of Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy." Mukamel’s work has earned him numerous accolades, such as the Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science and the Ahmed Zewail ACS Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology. He is a fellow of several prestigious organizations, including the American Physical Society and the Optical Society of America, and was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

In addition to his research, Mukamel actively contributes to the academic community through his teaching and service. At UC Irvine, he teaches courses in physical and theoretical chemistry, mentoring graduate and doctoral students in their research endeavors. Mukamel serves on numerous editorial boards, including Science Advances and Structural Dynamics, and participates in various advisory and selection committees, such as the advisory board of the Stanford PULSE Institute and the selection committee for the Hamburg Prize for Theoretical Physics.

Education

• B. Sc. in Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, 1969
• M. Sc. in Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, 1971
• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, 1976

Distinctions

• Fellow of the American Physical Society, 1989
• Fellow of the Optical Society of America, 1997
• Guggenheim Fellow, 1997
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Award for Senior US Scientists, 1998
• Ellis R. Lippincott Award, the Optical Society of America, 2003
• Earle K Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy, American Physical Society, 2011
• Hamburg Prize for Theoretical Physics, 2012
• Willis E. Lamb Award for Laser Science and Quantum Optics, 2013
• Ahmed Zewail ACS Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology, 2015
• Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015