Dr. Watheq Al-Basheer

Associate Professor in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Brief Research Interests

My research group focuses on spectroscopy of cold molecular gases and crystals, together with their practical applications

Research Areas

Spectroscopy and Optical Physics

Office: 6/231
Tel: 966-1-860-2216
Email: watheq@kfupm.edu.sa
Website: https://physics.kfupm.edu.sa/People/faculty/dr.-watheq-ahmed-al-basheerLab(s): 28-122

Affiliated Center(s): Interdisciplinary Research Center of Membranes and Water Security

Research Interests

Al-Basheer group research interests include laser and molecular spectroscopy, cold molecular gases, optical characterization of crystalline materials, laser–matter interactions, laser-induced nucleation and crystallization, shockwave-assisted processes, and optical and sensor-based techniques for precision physical measurements and laboratory instrumentation for precision experimentation.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Watheq Al-Basheer is an Associate Professor of AMO Physics at KFUPM. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, USA, before holding research appointments in Canada. An NSERC Fellow and award-winning educator, he holds several U.S. patents and publishes extensively.

AWARDS & HONORS

• 2024 — KFUPM International Summer Scholarly Program (ISSP) Award, hosted by the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
• 2022 — Recognition Award for Seven U.S. Patents Granted in 2022, KFUPM, May 2023.
• 2023 — KFUPM International Summer Scholarly Program (ISSP) Award, hosted by the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
• 2022 — Excellence in Academic Advising Award, College of Engineering and Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM).
• 2022 — Recognition Award for Five U.S. Patents Granted in 2021, KFUPM, May 2022.
• 2021 — Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Engineering and Physics, KFUPM.
• 2021 — Recognition Award for Two U.S. Patents Granted in 2020, KFUPM, May 2021.
• 2020 — SPIE Community Champion, in recognition of service and contributions to the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE).
• 2019 — Recognition Award for Four U.S. Patents Granted in 2018, KFUPM, March 2019.
• 2017 — Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Sciences, KFUPM, April 2017.
• 2013 — KFUPM International Summer Scholarly Program (ISSP) Award, hosted by the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
• 2011–2012 — Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Visiting Fellowship, awarded through a nationwide competition, Ontario, Canada (value: CAD 48,000 per year).
• 2007 — ICPEAC Conference Travel Grant, Freiburg, Germany.
• 2006 — Chemical Physics Program Travel Award, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
• 2005 — Chemical Physics Program Travel Award, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
• 2004 — Chemical Physics Program Travel Award, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
• 2003 — Inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the National Physics Honor Society, University of Tennessee Chapter, in recognition of outstanding scholarship in physics (lifetime membership).
• 2002–2007 — NSF-Funded Ph.D. Scholarship, Department of Physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, August 2002–January 2007 (value: USD 42,000 per year).
• 2002–2005 — Foreign Study Fellowship, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
• 1995–1999 — King Hussein I of Jordan Undergraduate Fellowship (Makromah Malakeh Sameh).
  

KEY PUBLICATIONS 

• W. Al-Basheer, S. A. Shah and A. A. Al-Saadi, “Electronic Structure and Excitonic Optical Response of Iron Telluride (FeTe) from First-Principles Calculations”, Physics Letters A, 590, 131819, 2026.
• S. A. Shah, K. A. Ziq, A. M. El-Zohry, A. Y. Al-Reyahi, S. M. Al Azar, A. Aljalal, S. S. Essaoud and W. Al-Basheer, “Spectroscopic and First-Principles Investigation of TaAs Weyl Semimetal Structure and Optical Characteristics”, Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 359, 125939, 2026.
• S. A. Shah, K. A. Ziq, A. M. El-Zohry, A. Y. Al-Reyahi, S. M. Al Azar, A. Aljalal, S. S. Essaoud and W. Al-Basheer, “Integrated Spectroscopic and First-Principles Study of Dirac Semimetal Cd₃As₂”, Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials, 36(8), 4366–4383, 2026.
• K. Gasmi, A. Aljalal and W. Al-Basheer, “Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Diffraction Gratings on the Performance of a Blue-Emitting External-Cavity Diode Laser”, European Physical Journal Plus, 141(3), 243, 2026.
• A. Y. Al-Reyahi, S. S. Essaoud, M. Radjai, S. Al Azar, A. Alsoud, D. Sobola, W. Al-Basheer, H. A. Masri, V. Novotná and M. S. Mousa, “A Comparative DFT Study of Structural, Electronic, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Ferromagnetic and Paramagnetic Double Perovskites A₂NdNbO₆ (A = Ba, Sr) for Spintronic and Magnetic Sensor Applications”, Results in Engineering, 29, 109129, 2026.
• W. Al-Basheer, M. Hashim, A. M. El-Zohry, A. Aljalal, S. M. Al Azar and K. Gasmi, “Nonphotochemical Shockwave-Induced Nucleation and Time-Resolved Anisotropic Crystal Growth in KNO₃ Solutions”, Chemical Physics Letters, 887, 142683, 2026.

• S. A. Shah, K. A. Ziq, A. M. El-Zohry, S. M. Al Azar, A. Y. Al-Reyahi and W. Al-Basheer, “A Combined Experimental and First-Principles Study of Tungsten Ditelluride (WTe₂) Weyl Semimetal Structure and Optical Characteristics”, European Physical Journal Plus, 140(11), 1124, 2025.
• M. Hashim, W. Al-Basheer, A. M. El-Zohry, A. Aljalal and K. Gasmi, “Temporal Dynamics of Crystallization Initiated by Single Laser Pulse Irradiation”, European Physical Journal Plus, 140(11), 1054, 2025.
• O. Maryana, A. Aljalal, S. Qari, W. Al-Basheer and K. Gasmi, “Study of Water Escape and Invasion in Nanoporous Alumina Using GASMAS and Gravimetric Methods”, Results in Physics, 77, 108446, 2025.

• W. Al-Basheer, C. Viernes, R. Zheng, S. Netzke, K. Pichugin and G. Sciaini, “Out-of-Plane Longitudinal Sound Speed Determination in GaS by Broadband Time-Domain Brillouin Scattering”, ACS Omega, 9(48), 47475–47479, 2024.
• W. Al-Basheer, T. O. Adigun, A. Aljalal and K. Gasmi, “A High-Resolution Spectroscopic Technique for the Analysis of the External Quantum Efficiency of a Multimode Semiconductor Laser”, Optik, 316, 172068, 2024.
• W. Al-Basheer, C. Viernes, M. Cheng, R. Zheng, S. Netzke, K. Pichugin and G. Sciaini, “Determining the Out-of-Plane Longitudinal Sound Speed in GeS by Broadband Time-Domain Brillouin Scattering”, ACS Omega, 9(13), 15463–15467, 2024.