With a Ph.D. in Physics earned at Texas A&M University, he has served as:
- Professor Emeritus, Department of Physics, University of Colorado (2005-present)
- Professor Adjunct, College of Music, University of Colorado (2008-2012)
- Visiting Professor, Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science (2008,2009)
- Director, Center of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University of Kentucky (2005-2007)
- Professor (visiting), Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Kentucky (2005-2007)
- Professor, Department of Physics, University of Colorado 1990-2005
- Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of Arkansas, 1986-89
- Technical Manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, California, 1985-86
- Task Manager, Solar Energy Research Institute (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Golden, Colorado, 1980-85
- Professor of Physics, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1975-81 (Assistant Professor 1967-70; Associate Professor 1970-75)
- Senior Research Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 1965-67
He is author of more than 270 refereed journal articles and 31 US patents; Founding editor of Marcel Dekker Inc. (Taylor & Francis) Applied Physics book series (7 books currently published)
Al has earned many honors in his scientific endeavors including being selected as:
- Fellow of the American Physical Society – citation includes invention and development of lithium iodine cardiac pacemaker battery (This work was also cited in the awarding of two NASA outstanding achievement awards in 1970 & 1972).
- Person of the year, 1989, Superconductivity week, for co-discovery of the world’s highest critical-temperature superconducting material, a thallium cuprate.
- Member of the team which received the IR100 award on behalf of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, formerly SERI) for the copper-indium diselenide solar cell developed jointly by Boeing and NREL
- Distinguished scientist award, American Association of Physics Teachers, 1986-87.
- Member of the Academy of Distinguished Graduates, Texas A& M University