Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Lehigh University
Iacocca Hall, 111 Research Dr.
Bethehem, PA 18015, USA

Phone: (610) 758-4810
Fax: (610) 758-5880
E-Mail: mse0@lehigh.edu
Web: : https://wordpress.lehigh.edu/mse0/

Ph.D., McGill University, 1972
M.S., University of Alexandria, 1966
B.S., University of Alexandria, 1962

Biographical Sketch

Mohamed El-Aasser is professor emeritus of chemical engineering at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University. He held the positions of assistant (1974-1978), associate (1978-1982), and full professor (1982-2018) of chemical engineering.

He served the University in several leaderships positions as vice president for international affairs (2009-2015), provost and vice president for academic affairs (2004-2009), dean of the P.C. Rossin College of engineering and applied science (2001 – 2004), chairman of the department of chemical engineering (1996 – 2001), co-director of the emulsion polymers Institute  (1978 – 1989), director of the emulsion polymers institute (1989 – 2009), director of the center of polymer science and engineering, and director of the NSF polymer interfaces center (1991 -1996).

He is internationally known for his research on polymer colloids: emulsion and miniemulsion polymerization processes, latex systems and their characterization, surfactants and colloidal stability of polymer colloids, latex morphology, film formation and applications,. He and his students pioneered the field of miniemulsions. Authored more than 400 scientific articles, edited 5 books and holds 9 U.S patents. Advised a total of 99 doctoral students (major advisor of 66 PhD’s & co-advisor of 33 PhD’s), 53 MS students and 31 postdoctoral fellows. Delivered numerous invited lectures at national and international conferences.

El-Aasser received a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees from Alexandria University, Egypt, and a Ph.D. from McGill University, Quebec, Montreal, Canada. He has received numerous awards including the 1984 NASA Inventor of the Year Award (shared), the 2002 Roy W.Tess Award in Coatings and the 2007 Fellow of the Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering (PMSE), American Chemical Society, Lehigh’s 1988 Eleanor and Joseph Libsch Research Award, in recognition of outstanding research at Lehigh University, and Lehigh University’s 1999 Hillman Extraordinary Service Award.

Background Information

Birth date:  February 10, 1943
Birthplace:  Egypt
Citizenship:  U.S.A.
Marital status:  Married
Children:  Two

Education

Sabbatical leave, “Centre National de Recherche Scientifique”, Laboratoire Materiaux Organique, Vernaison, France, Dec. 1983 -Aug. 1984.

Post-doctoral position, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA, Center for Surface and Coatings Research, 1972 -1974.

Ph.D., McGill University, Montreal, Canada. (Advisor: Dr. A. A. Robertson) June 1972.

M.S., Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. (Advisor: Dr. M.A. El -Bayoumi) Oct. 1966.

B.S., Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. June 1962.

Awards

  • March 2007 Elected as a Fellow of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering (PMSE).
  • 2002 Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings from the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering.
  • 1999 Chemical Engineering Senior Class Award.
  • 1999 R.R. and E.C. Hillman Award, in recognition of extraordinary service throughout Lehigh University.
  • Global Salute Award to The Emulsion Polymers Institute, Lehigh University, American Chemical Society Global Salutes to Polymers, November 20, 1998.
  • Phi Beta Delta, Beta Pi Chapter, Faculty Award, October 27, 1998.
  • O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award, The American Automatic Control Council, June 1998.
  • The Iacocca Endowed Chair of Engineering and Applied Science, Lehigh University, 1992-2000.
  • Eleanor and Joseph Libsch Research Award, in recognition of outstanding research at Lehigh University, 1988.
  • Best Paper Award, Technology Transfer Workshop, Council for Chemical Research, Denver, Colorado, April 4-5, 1987
  • 1985 “NASA Inventor of the Year 1984” shared award for experiment on Preparation of Large Particle Size Monodisperse Latexes.
  • 1983 Kuwait Award, Award of Recognition for Scientific Achievements.