Dr. Shaul Mukamel is a preeminent theoretical chemical physicist whose pioneering work has fundamentally reshaped the field of molecular spectroscopy. Currently serving as a Distinguished Professor in both the Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine, he has established himself as a global authority in ultrafast optical spectroscopy. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1948, Mukamel received his B.Sc. cum laude in 1969 and completed his Ph.D. summa cum laude at Tel Aviv University in 1976 under the supervision of Joshua Jortner, following postdoctoral positions at MIT and UC Berkeley. His distinguished academic career has spanned prestigious institutions including Rice University, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the University of Rochester before his appointment at UC Irvine since 2003.
Professor Mukamel pioneered the field of coherent ultrafast multidimensional molecular spectroscopy, developing the theoretical framework based on Liouville space pathways that has become the standard methodology for designing and interpreting complex spectroscopic signals across scientific disciplines. His seminal textbook Principles of Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy published in 1995 created a unified theoretical foundation that revolutionized how scientists approach nonlinear optical phenomena and has been cited extensively throughout the field. His groundbreaking research spans from infrared to x-ray spectral regimes, enabling unprecedented observation of electronic and vibrational molecular dynamics in condensed phases with applications ranging from photosynthetic light harvesting complexes to semiconductor materials. With over 900 publications, his work has fundamentally transformed the scientific community's ability to probe and control molecular processes at femtosecond and attosecond timescales.
Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2015 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Mukamel's influence extends through his mentorship of numerous students and postdoctoral researchers who have established successful careers across academia and research institutions worldwide. His recent innovative work explores stimulated Raman spectroscopy with entangled light, molecular polaritons in microcavities, and multidimensional attosecond resonant x-ray spectroscopy, pushing the boundaries of molecular observation and control. As a recipient of prestigious awards including the William F. Meggers Award from the Optical Society of America and the Ahmed Zewail ACS Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology, he continues to shape the future of spectroscopic techniques through collaborative research with institutions across the globe. Mukamel's ongoing investigations promise to open new frontiers in quantum optical phenomena and molecular imaging, cementing his legacy as a visionary who has transformed our fundamental understanding of molecular dynamics.
