• B.Sc. Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry, University of Maine, Orono, ME 1992

• 2005-present Associate Professor, Inorganic Chemistry, North Carolina A& T State University
• 1997-2005 Research Staff Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN
• 1995-97 Research Associate III, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN
• 1994-95 Research Associate, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
• 1992-94 Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Texas A&M University, TX

• Coordination and spectroscopy of late-early binuclear transition metal complexes

(1) Basic research in synthesis, photochemistry and spectroscopy of lanthanide and actinide systems in solids and solutions, and doped in various matrices including in pyrochlores, sol-gel, and borosilicate glasses. (2) Sensitized emission in lanthanide/actinide systems in zirconia, sol-gel, and borosilicate glass matrices. (3) Excited-state energy-transfer, luminescence, and time rresolved spectroscopy. (4)Complexation and energy transfer studies in oxo- and N-ligating benzimidazole based multidentate ligands in solution and solid state.

(1) Richard E. Sykora, Zerihun Assefa, Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt, and Richard G. Haire .The First Structural Determination of a Trivalent Californium Compound with Oxygen Coordination. Inorg. Chem., 2005, in Press.
2) Richard E. Sykora, Zerihun Assefa, Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt, and Richard G. Haire .Hydrothermal Synthesis, Structure, and Raman and Emission Spectroscopes of Americium Iodate, 243Am(IO3)3. Inorg. Chem., 2005, 44 (16): 5667-5676.
3) Z. Assefa, T. Yaita , R. G. Haire , S. Tachimori, .Intramolecular energy transfer in actinide complexes of 6-methyl-2-(2-pyridyl)-benzimidazole (biz): Comparison between Cm(III) and Tb(III) systems.. J. Solid State Chem., 178, 2005, 505-510.
4) Richard E. Sykora, Zerihun Assefa, and Richard G. Haire, Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt .Hydrothermal Synthesis, Structure, Raman Spectroscopy, and Self-Irradiation Studies of 248Cm(IO3)3. J. Solid State Chem., 177, 2004, 4413 . 4419.
5) Z. Assefa, R. G. Haire, D. L. Caulder, D. K. Shuh, .Correlation of the oxidation state of cerium in sol-gel glasses as a function of thermal treatment via optical spectroscopy and XANES studies.. Spectrochimica Acta A, 60, 2004, 1873 - 1881.
6) J. M. Forward, J. P. Fackler Jr., Z. Assefa, .Photophysical and Photochemical Properties of Gold(I) Compounds. A Chapter (Chapter 6) In Optoelectronic Properties of Inorganic Systems, Eds. D. M. Roundhill and J. P. Fackler Jr. 195 - 230.

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