Ahmed El-Shafei has been named the INVISTA Distinguished Professor of Fiber and Polymer Chemistry at NC State University for his expertise in fiber and polymer chemistry and his commitment to advancing sustainability and technology in the field.

El-Shafei attended Mansoura University in Mansoura, Egypt to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry and organic chemistry respectively. He attended NC State to earn his dual doctoral degrees in fiber and polymer science and chemistry in 2002. 

He continued his research and teaching at NC State in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science at the Wilson College. From 2003 to 2017, he made his way from research assistant professor to associate professor to professor. In 2018, he was named the program director of the Polymer and Color Chemistry Program. 

Constant Contributions

In his letter recommending El-Shafei to the professorship, Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean David Hinks recognized his “exceptional and sustained contributions to the field.” 

El-Shafei’s groundbreaking research in flame-retardant protective textiles has been published in leading journals such as Carbohydrate Polymers, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, and Surface and Coatings Technology. His team’s development of a new polymerization technique, which allows greater control of grafted polymers, resulted in a 2024 patent and several pilot trials for commercial application. 

In her letter recommending El-Shafei, Director of Corporate Innovation Technology Ginette S. Tolleson at Eastman said:

“This technology by Dr. El-Shafei is an outstanding example of the potential to continue innovating and making revolutionary discoveries with this versatile and sustainable material. It stands as a prime example of an innovation that has both scientific merit and commercial relevance.”

In collaboration with the Eastman Chemical Company, he has worked for over a decade on advancements in sustainability and longevity of dyes, PET films, copolyester films and UV absorbers. El-Shafei is also developing PFAS-free chemistry, finding alternatively to achieve water and oil repellency, to move the textile industry away from harmful chemicals.

Outreach and Recognition 

El-Shafei serves as an editor for The Journal of Textile Institute and the AATCC Research Journal, as well as a contributor for many other journals in various fields.

He has extended his expertise nationally and internationally, giving several invited talks at his alma mater, Mansoura University, as well as conferences in China, Japan, Mexico, Finland, Turkey and throughout the United States. 

In 2011, El-Shafei earned NC State’s Outstanding Teacher Award, awarded to one textiles professor annually. El-Shafei was the recipient of NC State’s Innovator of the Year Award, an honor given to one faculty member every year to recognize impactful research discoveries. He was named a finalist of the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund in 2012 and became a University Faculty Scholar in 2016, a program that rewards faculty leaders.

The INVISTA Professorship is intended for a leader in polymer and fiber science who has contributed significantly to advancements in sustainable materials, high-performance fibers and processing technologies with ongoing research.