Asif Equbal

The IES YIA is awarded to Asif Equbal for his outstanding contribution to the field of EPR by applying the understanding of coupled electron and nuclear spins for the advancement of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), a technique that combines the sensitivity of EPR and high spectral resolution of NMR. DNP has transformed many branches of NMR in fundamental ways. Asif played a critical role in applying the understanding the electron spin physics to advance the scope of DNP applications, and has become known in the community for his contributions. He has advanced the theory of DNP by considering the complexity of multi-electron and nuclear spin interactions, discovered the effectiveness of thermal mixing DNP using clustered narrow line radicals and achieved the sensitization of broad, invisible, paramagnetic species for DNP through the coupling to narrow line radicals, among others manifested in the truncated cross effect. This understanding directly contributes to improving DNP to new spin systems, DNP under magic angle spinning at high magnetic field and optically enhanced DNP. Asif has also been playing a lead role in conducting regular web-based seminars under the forum Global NMR Discussion Meetings. These seminars have focused on various aspects of magnetic resonance, like EPR, NMR, DNP, and instrumentation. The International EPR(ESR) society is proud to award the John-Weil Young Investigator Award to Dr. Asif Equbal.