The American University in Cairo has appointed Sherif Sedky, as the new director of the Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center (YJ-STRC). A founding member of the center, Sedky, a physics professor at the university, has initiated collaborations with Stanford University in the United States, Kyoto University in Japan and the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium to extend AUC’s global reach in breakthrough research. “Professor Sedky is a world-renowned researcher, as well as an active, energetic and well-organized administrator,” explained Medhat Haroun, dean of the School of Sciences and Engineering. “His leadership will establish the Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center as a self-supported, internationally-recognized center of research excellence.”
YJ-STRC is interdisciplinary and supports a variety of nanoscience and technology-oriented projects. Research activities are centered around generic imaging, analysis and fabrication equipment and focus on nanomaterials characterization, and design and fabrication of micro-opto-electromechanical systems.
Sedky has been actively involved in YJ-STRC research as the head of the microfabrication group from 2002 to 2007, and in its organizational pursuits as associate director for the last three years. The priorities of the center are to continue interaction with local, regional and international institutions of higher learning and research, to expand industry, and to empower students in the sciences and engineering school with the curricula, resources and experience they need to lead future research. “It’s a big responsibility to lead the center, especially in this critical period when the center is moving forward so rapidly,” said Sedky. “We will definitely all have to work hard as one team to continue to elevate the center to a world-class level.”
Sedky received his Bachelor of Science degree in electronics engineering and his master’s degree in engineering physics from Cairo University. He joined the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) group of the Interuniversity Microelectronics Center (IMEC) in Leuven, Belgium, where he received a second master’s degree, and a PhD degree in 1998, both from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Sedky is the recipient of the 2007 Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award granted by AUC, the Egyptian prestigious national award in advanced technological sciences, offered by the Academy of National Research in 2002, and the graduate studies award from Cairo University in 1996. Sedky is also a member in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the materials research society. He served on the scientific committees of several international conferences.
