Ishaq Shahryar

Who was Ishaq Shahryar?

Ishaq M. Shahryar was the Afghan ambassador to the United States from 2002 to 2003. He was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, to an ethnic Pashtun family. He arrived to the United States in 1956 on a scholarship to study at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He received his Bachelor's degree in Physical Chemistry and his Master's in International Relations. He worked as an engineer on solar energy projects for aerospace companies. In 1972, Shahryar invented the low-cost solar cells and developed the process for modern day screen-printing of cells used in solar energy panels. He was instrumental in the development of ultraviolet sensitive solar cells for the Jupiter Project for NASA. In 1993, he was awarded U.S. patent rights for a 20 percent efficient silicon solar cell. His latest patent is pending for a new solar cell that will reduce the cost of solar cells by 50 percent.

Shahryar founded Solec International, one of the world's leading manufacturers of solar electric technology, and Solar Utility Company, a solar cell engineering, design, marketing and installation company. He also ran a prominent solar energy company in the Los Angeles area, Solar Utility. He has recently founded a new company, Sun King Solar in Los Angeles.