Ahmad Zaki


A chemist and a founder of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt and he was the first editor-in-chief of the Kuwait-based Al-Arabi cultural magazine. Ahmed Zaki Mohamed Hussein Akef -nicknamed Ahmed Zaki- was born in Suez Governorate.
He joined the Primary School of Suez and when his father moved to Cairo, he joined the Primary School of Om Abbas and there, he finished his primary education in 1907.
Then, he joined the Secondary School of al-Tawfikia and obtained his secondary education certificate in 1911 and ranked 13 at nationwide level.
Ahmed Zaki joined the Higher School of Teachers and after graduation, he worked as a teacher at the Secondary School of Al-Sa'aeedia.
Then, he was selected to travel in a scholarship to Britain to work on his post-graduate studies; but-alas-he was deprived of it because of his medical unfitness. He worked as a teacher at the Preparatory-Secondary School-a non-governmental school which was established in the second decade of the 20th Century at Al-Zaher neighborhood, Cairo.
Then, he was chosen to be a headmaster of the Secondary School of Wadi al-Nil at Bab al-Louk, Cairo.
In 1919, he resigned and headed for England to study chemistry and there, he joined Whitingham University and left it for Liverpool University.
Then, he managed to be among the official mission of the State and then, he obtained his BSc from Liverpool in 1923 and a PhD in 1924.
Then, he moved to Manchester University to continue his scientific research and spent there two years and then joined London University and obtained a PhD in 1928.
Having returned from England, Ahmed Zaki was appointed an assistant professor of organic chemistry at Faculty of Science then he became a professor in 1930-to be the first ever Egyptian professor in chemistry.
In 1936, he was the Director of Chemistry Department, he also founded the National Research Center in 1947 and was chosen Minister of Social Affairs in 1952.
He established the Kuwait-based magazine Al-Arabi and was its editor-in-chief for 17 years till he passed away.
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