The honor was awarded Sept. 2, 2009 at the University Convocation, an annual celebration.  Grebel is a professor in NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering where he is the director of the Electronic Imaging Center. He has been instrumental establishing a nanotechnology research focus at NJIT, both experimentally and theoretically.

Grebel has authored and co-authored numerous publications on Nanotechnology aspects and frequently delivers invited talks on the subject in international conferences. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the US Army and the US Navy. He is the chair of the North Jersey Chapter of the Laser and Electro Optics Society and often organizes talks and mini-conferences on optics and nanotechnology. He holds a BS degree from Tel-Aviv University, Israel and MS and PhD degrees from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, all in physics.

Convocation at NJIT traditionally honors select faculty and staff members who have demonstrated the highest level of excellence over a sustained period.  “We reward them not only for their achievement, but because their leadership serves as a testament to NJIT’s commitment to excellence,” said Donald H. Sebastian, PhD, Acting Provost and vice president of research and development. 

A. Zachary Yamba, EdD, President of Essex County College, was the keynote speaker.  Yamba is the longest-serving college president in New Jersey, who is widely credited with transforming Essex County College into the vibrant and progressive institution that today enrolls more than 20,000 students.  Yamba was one of the early founders of a partnership that has enabled ECC and neighboring NJIT, Rutgers-Newark and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to collaborate on numerous collegiate and community initiatives in the city’s University Heights district.