Professor Husam Alshareef leads research in nanomaterials for energy storage and electronics.

Biography

Professor Husam Alshareef is a leader in materials science, with pioneering expertise in developing nanoscale materials for energy and electronics applications. He joined KAUST in 2009 as a founding member and currently serves as chair of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies (CREST) and principal investigator of the Functional Nanomaterials & Devices Laboratory.

Alshareef began his career as a postdoctoral researcher at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, and subsequently held positions at Micron Technology and Texas Instruments, where he developed new materials and processes for integrated circuit fabrication. With more than 620 journal publications and 70,000 citations, he is recognized by the Web of Science and Clarivate Analytics as a highly cited researcher in materials science, placing him in the top 1% of researchers worldwide for research output.

Professor Alshareef is a fellow of multiple prestigious organizations, including the Materials Research Society, American Physical Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, U.S. National Academy of Inventors, UK Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He holds 80 issued patents, has received numerous awards, and is frequently invited to speak at conferences worldwide — accomplishments that reflect his extensive contributions to materials science.

Research Interests

Professor Alshareef’s research focuses on developing nanoscale materials for batteries and electronics, with an increasing emphasis on translational applications. His recent work centers on creating new battery chemistries for harsh environments that offer higher energy density, lower cost and improved safety. 

He is also leveraging local materials and minerals to develop next-generation batteries, including Na-ion, solid-state and K-ion technologies, to help secure the Kingdom’s battery supply chain. In addition, he is developing new sensors and X-ray imaging technologies for battery forensics and anti-tampering measures. In electronics, he works on MXenes and other 2D materials for electronic devices.

Professional Profile

Service Contributions

Service to the Institution
  • Program Chair, Material Science and Engineering Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2013 - 2016

Awards and Distinctions

Professional Memberships

  • Fellow, Materials Research Society (MRS), 2025
  • Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2024
  • Fellow, US National Academy of Inventors, 2022
  • Fellow, UK Institute of Physics (IoP) , 2022
  • Fellow, Institute of Materials, Minerals, & Mining, 2021
  • Fellow, American Physical Society, 2019
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2018

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, United States, 1995
Master of Science (M.S.)
Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, United States, 1992
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Ceramics Engineering, Alfred University, United States, 1990

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