Zettl received a B.A. degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1978.

He received a Ph.D. degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 1983.

Alex Zettl is an American professor of experimental condensed-matter physics .He joined the faculty of the UCB Physics Department in 1983. He is currently a Professor of Physics and a Senior Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Presidential Young Investigator Award (1984–1989)

Sloan Foundation Fellowship (1984–1986)

IBM Faculty Development Award (1985–1987) 

Miller Professorship (1995)

Lucent Technologies Faculty Award (1996) 

Fellow of the American Physical Society (1999) 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Outstanding Performance Award (2004)

R & D 100 Award (2004)

James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials (2006)

Miller Professorship (2007)