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Zeeshan Ahmed (Fed)

Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed is a multi-disciplinary Scientist and Research Project Leader in the Fundamental Thermodynamic Metrology Group at NIST. He drives innovation in novel measurement systems by combining expertise in spectroscopy with machine learning and has architected solutions that are transforming traditional measurement platforms into self-correcting, intelligent systems.

His current research focuses on developing physics-informed machine learning models for next-generation sensing technologies. Leading an externally funded program in ML-enabled metrology, his team has achieved breakthrough improvements in measurement accuracy for NV diamond sensors. His work spans multiple sensing modalities including biodosimetry, pressure, temperature, and force measurement, with the goal of creating integrated, multi-functional sensor packages with autonomous calibration capabilities.

He holds an Affiliate Faculty position with George Mason University's Mathematics Department and the Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC). He collaborates with faculty members and graduate students on developing ML models and algorithms for self-correcting sensors. He has previously served as the Chairman of the Task Group on Emerging Technologies at the BIPM and member of the Strategic Planning Committee under the Contact Thermometry Committee.

His innovative contributions have been recognized with two Department of Commerce Bronze Medals (2021, 2016) for technical leadership and research excellence. With 60+ peer-reviewed publications and 9 patents, his work bridges fundamental research and practical applications, advancing both measurement science and machine learning.

Highlights

Research Projects

Publications

Physics-based Models for photonic thermometers

Author(s)
Zeeshan Ahmed
Resistance thermometry, meticulously developed over the last century, provides a time-tested method for taking temperature measurements. However, fundamental

Emerging technologies in the field of thermometry

Author(s)
Zeeshan Ahmed, Graham Machin, Sergey Dedyulin
The past decade saw the emergence of new temperature sensors that have the potential to disrupt a century-old measurement infrastructure based on resistance

Patents (2018-Present)

Photonic Thermometer Module Assembly And Performing Photonic Thermometry

NIST Inventors
Nikolai Klimov , Tobias Herman and Zeeshan Ahmed
A photonic thermometer module assembly includes: a sheath; a sheath bottom plug; a sheath top flange; a top sealing flange; a heat exchanger; a photonic thermometer disposed on the heat exchanger such that the photonic thermometer determines a temperature of the sheath; and an optical fiber array in

PH Photothermal Spectrometer And Performing PH Photothermal Spectroscopy

NIST Inventors
Zeeshan Ahmed
A pH photothermal spectrometer includes a container that receives an analyte medium and pH-sensitive chromophore. An excitation fiber and optical thermometer are disposed in the container. The optical thermometer include a light receiver disposed on a temperature detector fiber.

Photonic Resonator Analyzer And Characterizing A Photonic Resonator

NIST Inventors
Zeeshan Ahmed
We describe a method for distinguishing optical modes of a resonator based on the characterization of the temperature sensitivity of a mode’s resonance frequency and its dispersion characteristics. This method requires an interrogator (made up of a tunable laser, broadband light source, frequency

A Method Of Mode Identification In Photonic Resonator

NIST Inventors
Zeeshan Ahmed
We describe a method for distinguishing optical modes of a resonator based on the characterization of the temperature sensitivity of a mode’s resonance frequency and its dispersion characteristics. This method requires an interrogator (made up of a tunable laser, broadband light source, frequency
Image for 10,816,325

Deformometer for Determining Deformation of an Optical Cavity Optic

NIST Inventors
Zeeshan Ahmed , Kevin O Douglass , Stephen Eckel , Patrick Egan and Jay H. Hendricks
A superconducting waveform synthesizer produces an arbitrary waveform and includes an encoder that produces a bitstream; a pattern generator that produces a current bias pulse from the bitstream; a Josephson junction that produces a quantized output pulse from the current bias pulse; and a converter
Created May 31, 2018, Updated February 28, 2025