image: Christopher J. Kiely, the Harold B. Chambers Senior Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Lehigh University, has received the 2025 Microanalysis Society Presidential Science Award.
Credit: Courtesy of Lehigh University
Lehigh University materials science and engineering (MSE) professor Christopher J. Kiely has been named the 2025 recipient of the Microanalysis Society (MAS) Presidential Science Award, which honors a senior scientist for “outstanding technical contributions to the field of microanalysis over a sustained period of time.”
Kiely, the Harold B. Chambers Senior Professor of Materials Science and Engineering in Lehigh’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, is recognized internationally for his pioneering work in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and spectroscopy, as well as for his decades of leadership in microscopy education through the Lehigh Microscopy School. The award was announced at the plenary session of the Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) 2025 meeting in Salt Lake City.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor,” says Kiely. “It is very meaningful to be part of the long tradition of Lehigh’s contributions to the microanalysis community, and I am grateful to my colleagues, students, and collaborators who have shared this journey in research and education.”
Kiely directs Lehigh’s Materials Characterization Facility under the Institute for Functional Materials and Devices (I-FMD) and led the university’s renowned Microscopy School from 2004 to 2024. His research focuses on using advanced TEM techniques—such as aberration-corrected analytical electron microscopy (AC-AEM), STEM XEDS/EELS spectrum imaging, and electron diffraction—to study nanoscale features in materials. He is widely recognized for his expertise in catalyst material characterization and has made significant contributions in areas including nanoparticle self-assembly, quantum dot materials, carbonaceous materials, and heteroepitaxial interfaces.
Over his career, Kiely has authored more than 350 journal papers and 220 conference papers and delivered numerous invited presentations across Europe and the United States. He has developed an especially productive international collaboration with the Cardiff Catalysis Institute in the United Kingdom. He was elected as a Fellow of MAS in 2020.
“Chris exemplifies the impact that Lehigh’s materials scientists have in advancing the field of microanalysis,” says Ricardo H.R. Castro, professor and chair of the MSE department. “His leadership in both research and education has left a lasting mark on the community and continues to inspire future generations of microscopists.”
Related Links
- Rossin College Faculty Profile: Christopher J. Kiely
- Microanalysis Society (MAS) Presidential Science Award
- Lehigh Microscopy School
- Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) 2025 meeting
- Lehigh University: Materials Characterization Facility
- Lehigh University: Institute for Functional Materials and Devices (I-FMD)