United States Berkeley Tender

Zahid Hussain a longtime scientist at the Department of Energys Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley Lab has always been more focused on achievements than accolades though his lists run long in both categories.His fingerprints are on many of the instruments and scientific milestones at Berkeley Labs Advanced Light Source ALS which produces many types of light from infrared to X-rays for a range of experiments carried out by visiting scientists from around the world. He has pioneered soft X-ray techniques and instrumentation at the ALS that have been widely adopted by the global scientific community.On Jan. 10 Hussains colleagues gathered for a surprise ceremony to present the DOE Secretarys Distinguished Service Award. The award which includes a certificate and medallion is one of the highest scientific honors given by Energy Secretary Rick Perry. It recognizes continuous and distinctive achievements within or beyond an individuals area of responsibility which are of substantial value to the DOE.Hussain began working at the ALS during the facilitys construction in 1989 retiring from the ALS Division during the facilitys 25th anniversary year last year on the eve of a new upgrade project known as the ALS Upgrade or ALS-U. He has since taken on a new role in the Labs Materials Sciences Division.Hussains time at Berkeley Lab dates back to his postdoctoral research from 1979 to 1981 under Dave Shirley who would serve as the Labs director from 1980 to 1989.Born in Pakistan Hussain excelled in the sciences as a young student. I had a very good teacher who mentored me in the sciences. One thing I realized is that to be a good scientist you need to understand not just the physics and the chemistry but also the mathematics and math is the father of all of the sciences he said.He received a masters degree in physical chemistry from the University of Islamabad in Pakistan in 1974 and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Hawaii in 1979.The ALS began operating in 1993 and four years later Hussain was elevated to lead the Scientific Support Group which would guide the science direction for the ALS. Hussain has also had longtime ties to Stanford University and he remains an adjunct professor at Stanford and is affiliated with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.The first instrument that Hussain built at the ALS which specializes in a technique known as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy ARPES using a tool known as a high-energy-resolution electron spectrometer has been a top-performer in its output of experimental results in premier science journals Hussain refers to the instrument Beamline 10.0.1 as the worlds most productive beamline for ARPES.Another technique he helped to pioneer known as ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy or APXPS now has its own international scientific conference.The tools and techniques Hussain helped to design and realize have been used to explore next-gen battery materials and 2-D and topological materials that exhibit exotic properties that could serve in new forms of computing and electronics as examples.He also prides himself in the volume of high-impact scientific journal articles stemming from experiments every year at the dozens of ALS beamlines and in the ALSs specialty niche that he has helped to carve out in producing cutting-edge beams of soft or low-energy X-rays that draw thousands of visiting scientists there each year.Hussain said that having a solid vision for the scientific problems that researchers are trying to address is always front and center in planning for new instruments and techniques. To accomplish that science what instruments do we need he said.The scientific resources at the Lab he said are varied and deep which has aided him throughout his Lab career.The whole infastructure of Berkeley Lab is so rich and very unique he said. I know where to go who to ask and I can find the solution in the same day.Zahids own scientific achievements earned him a spot on a list of The Worlds Most Influential Scientific Minds released in 2015 by Thomson Reuters based on highly cited research from 2003 to 2013.Now that he has retired from his work at the ALS Hussain said he is happy to continue to be a resource for new generations of scientists several of whom he has helped to mentor during his decades at the lab. He was instrumental in launching ALS doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship programs to help support early-career researchers at the ALS.His own career path he said has impressed upon him the importance of diversity in science. Diversity is the key in the way of a culture and internationally the science has to be without boundaries he said.To further his personal ideals Hussain participated as the co-lead for a decade on a science advisory committee for a synchrotron project known as SESAME Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East in Jordan that opened to scientists in 2017.Scientists talk not just about science but many other things he said and a driving motivation for SESAME is that collaborative work in science can lead to peaceful and productive discussions in other areas too. That was my motivation he said. I did help out in a big way.At the Jan. 10 ceremony Berkeley Lab Director Michael Witherell led a round of applause for Hussain. All of the things hes done for us here and abroad and what hes done for the larger light-source community thats why hes getting this attention Witherell said.Harriet Kung associate director of science for the DOE Office of Basic Energy Sciences had submitted Hussains nomination for the award.