Professor Aharon Gedanken is a distinguished physical chemist and emeritus faculty member at Bar-Ilan University in Israel where he has made seminal contributions to nanomaterials science for over five decades. Born on December 24, 1940, he earned his B.Sc. Magna Cum Laude and M.Sc. from Bar-Ilan University before completing his Ph.D. at Tel Aviv University, where his research on electronic excitation of impurity states in solid rare gases was awarded the prestigious Landau Prize for Scientific Research. Throughout his illustrious career, he served as Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Bar-Ilan University, demonstrating exceptional leadership in academic administration. His international reputation was further solidified through visiting positions at Bonn University, AT&T Bell Laboratories, and the National Institutes of Health, where he collaborated with leading scientists across multiple disciplines.
Professor Gedanken is widely recognized as a pioneer of sonochemistry, having developed innovative methods including sonochemical coating, microwave dielectric heating, sonoelectrochemistry, and RAPET for the fabrication of nanomaterials. His groundbreaking research has resulted in more than 880 peer-reviewed publications with an impressive H-Index of 98, including approximately 60 papers specifically dedicated to sonochemical coating techniques. His work has significantly advanced the field of nanotechnology, enabling novel applications across polymer, ceramic, metal, glass, textile, and paper surfaces through precise nanoparticle deposition. The practical implications of his research extend to diverse sectors including renewable energy, biomedicine, and environmental technologies, where his methods have enabled new approaches to materials engineering and surface modification.
Beyond his research contributions, Professor Gedanken has demonstrated remarkable leadership in international scientific collaboration, having participated in 14 European projects across FP5, FP6, FP7, and Horizon 2020 frameworks, including two as coordinator. He currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Ultrasonics-Sonochemistry published by Elsevier Science and continues to mentor the next generation of scientists through his active research group of 10-12 students at Bar-Ilan University. His exceptional contributions to research coordination were recognized with the President of Israel Achievement Award, highlighting his pivotal role in advancing European-Israeli scientific partnerships. As nanotechnology continues to evolve as a critical field for future technological advancements, Professor Gedanken's pioneering methodologies and extensive scholarly output remain foundational to ongoing innovation in materials science and chemical engineering worldwide.
