Shah immigrated to the United States in 1965 and joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966, first as a post-doctoral fellow and then as a research scientist. During his time at the UW, he became a leading researcher in the Department of Bacteriology and an internationally recognized figure in the study of nitrogenase, enzymes that allow organisms to fix atmospheric nitrogen. His pioneering work synthesizing the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoCo) remains central to research in the field decades after its publication in journals such as Nature, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Biochemistry, and Journal of Biological Chemistry. In 1992, his distinguished career was honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research. He retired from UW in 1998 with emeritus status as a senior scientist.
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