Longtime University of Alabama professor Nagy El-Kaddah passed away Jan. 20, 2014. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Attiat, and his two children, Ahmed and Dahlia.

“Dr. El-Kaddah will be truly missed by the faculty, staff, students and alumni of the department of metallurgical and materials engineering,” said Viola Acoff, head of the metallurgical and materials engineering department. “He dedicated his life to providing quality education to students for nearly 30 years.”

El-Kaddah, a professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, came to the University 28 years ago. El-Kaddah received his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Cairo University in Egypt and received his Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering in 1976 from London University in England. Before coming to the University, he taught at Cairo University and was a visiting scientist and research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1982, he won the Egyptian State Incentive Prize for outstanding contributions to engineering.

“Dr. Nagy El-Kaddah joined the faculty at The University of Alabama College of Engineering in fall 1985,” said Adam Jones, director of public relations for the College of Engineering. “A full professor in the department of metallurgical and materials engineering, his research focused on transport, kinetics and electromagnetic processing of materials.”

A private burial service was held at the Birmingham Islamic Society on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. El-Kaddah’s family hosted a wake the following day at their home in Tuscaloosa.

Much of El-Kaddah’s work at the University dealt with the field of transport phenomena and kinetics concerning the electromagnetic processing of materials. He authored several patents on container-less melting processes which allow metals to be melted while suspended midair by electromagnetic fields. These processes include electromagnetic stirring in continuous casting of steel, electromagnetic casting of aluminum, inclusion removal in molten metals processing systems, gas tungsten arc welding processes, thermal plasma spraying and synthesis of materials.

“His passion for teaching was well known by all who had the opportunity to interact with him,” Acoff said. “I had the pleasure of working with Dr. El-Kaddah for 20 years, and we collaborated on a number of research projects. He was a mentor, colleague and friend who will be greatly missed.”

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to The Humane Society of West Alabama, Alabama Public Radio or the West Alabama Food Bank.