Kherani, Nazir P.
Professor

Biography

Nazir P. Kherani received his BASc (Hons) in Engineering Science in 1982, MASc in Nuclear Reactor Physics in 1983, and PhD in Solid State and Experimental Radiation Physics in 1994, from the University of Toronto (UofT). He held the positions of Scientist-Engineer and Senior Scientist-Engineer at the Research Division of Ontario Hydro during the period 1983 to 2000. During this period he undertook two industrial research sabbaticals, one at Los Alamos National Laboratory (1986) and the other at the Institute for Plasma Physics, Kernforschungsanalage Jülich, Germany (1987), and completed his doctoral research in physics (1990-1993). Subsequently, he held the position of Adjunct Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) at the UofT from 1994 to 2002. In 2002 he joined the ECE Department at UofT  on a contractually limited term appointment and in 2006 was jointly appointed as an Associate Professor in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering at UofT. He was promoted to the rank of full professor in July 2014. Dr. Kherani’s research interests lie in the general area of thin film semiconductors and nanostructured materials and devices for energy generation (photovoltaics, micropower sources (piezoelectric, betavoltaic, betaluminescence), solar fuels), optics and photonics (photonic crystals; optical and thermal energy coatings; ultra-thin ultra-smooth films; plasmonics and metamaterials); sensing and imaging; and allied applications. Dr. Kherani has co-authored over 230 publications including 8 generic patents.

Memberships/Awards

• 2018 – Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Awards
• 2018 – Fellow – American Physical Society
• 2018 – Fellow – Royal Society of Arts
• 2016 – Fellow – Canadian Academy of Engineering
• 2009 – Engineering Medal – Research and Development, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) and Association of PEO
• 2009 – Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
• 2008 – Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Award, Ontario Innovation and Research
• 2006 – Early Researcher Award, Ontario Innovation and Research
• 2004 – New Opportunities Fund Award, Canada Foundation for Innovation
• 1994 – Certificate of Recognition, Ontario Hydro Technologies
• 1984 – P.Eng., Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO)