El-Shafei is a professor and the Program Director of Polymer and Color Chemistry at Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University.
He is a world renowned expert in dye chemistry and sustainable dyeing and finishing with more than 255 scholarly articles including 144 peer-review papers, 34 referred conference proceedings, two book chapters, one book, three patents, and more than 65 national/international presentations. He received many scholarly awards such as NC State University Faculty Scholar Award and Outstanding Teacher Award. He is an editor for the American Association of Textiles Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Research Journal
His research paradigms encompass the following:
- Sustainable dyeing and finishing
- Molecular modeling of dyes, pigments and polymers.
- Photochemistry and photodegradation mechanisms of dyes, pigments and polymers
- Sustainable finishing including antimicrobial, halogen-free flame retardants and HCHO-free chemistry for wrinkle-free cotton
- Non-PFAS chemistry
- Use of atmospheric plasma for sustainable dyeing and finishing
