Dr. Farouk El Baz – Egyptian American Space Scientist and Geologist

Farouk El Baz Ph.D., Space Scientist. Geologist

  • Formerly – President Sadat’s Scientific Advisor (1978-1981)
  • Founder – Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Museum of Atmospheric and Space, at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
  • Dr. El Baz played a pivotal role for the Apollo mission where he served as the secretary for the Apollo landing board on the moon, and was responsible for leading the astronaut training team in general science, particularly in moon imaging

So pivotal was he to Apollo that in Tom Hanks’ HBO TV-series, From the Earth to the Moon , El-Baz’s role as an Apollo scientist and astronaut trainer was featured in a segment entitled, “The Brain of Farouk El-Baz,” and a shuttle craft named El-Baz soared through the popular TV-series Star Trek : The Next Generation

Awards:

  •  He has won over 31 awards, including achievements in science, in NASA, incl:
  •  Golden Door Award of the International Institute of Boston
  • Nevada Medal of the Desert Research Institute
  • The Pioneer Award of the Arab Thought Foundation.
  • The Apollo Achievement Award

Honour:

  • Asteroid 7371 El-Baz, discovered by American astronomers Eleanor Helin and Schelte Bus at Palomar Observatory in 1978, was named in his honor.   The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 August 2019 ( M.P.C. 115893).

Book:

  • Deserts and Arid Lands , Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, ISBN 90-247-2850-9

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pix: scoopempire.com /egypttoday.com

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AMERICAN / EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN / ARAB AMERICAN

Tunisia Launches First Satellite – ‘Challenge One’ – March 2021

Tunisia launches its first 100% Tunisian satellite.

The Tunisian telecommunication company Telnet Holding and the Russian space agency Roscosmos succeeded, on Monday, March 22, 2021 at 7:07 am, the launch of Challenger One, the first satellite of the country entirely manufactured locally.

Carried by a Russian Soyuz-2 launcher from the base of Baikonur (Kazakhstan).

According to the agreement, Challenge ONE is going to be a precursor for a constellation of 30 satellites to be launched by 2023. 

Part of the agreement also involved SPUTNIX, a Russian private company, manufacturing high-tech microsatellite components and technologies. SPUTNIX’s involvement was to facilitate the development of the satellites and the establishment of R & D services for satellite components.

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pix: carthagemagazine.com

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TUNISIA

Saudi Students Win 4 Medals at ‘International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad’ (IMChO) 2021

Four Saudi students, represented by The King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Education Ministry, won the prestigious International Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad (IMChO) 2021.


The students, Mohammed Al-Hadlaq, Mohammed Al-Hudaithi, Abdulaziz Al-Juaid, and Saeed Baghdadi, won bronze medals. The number of awards won by Saudi Arabia at the IMChO has now reached 18 — three silver and 15 bronze medals.


IMChO is a major international competition for students in chemistry. It started in the then-USSR as the All-Union Olympiad in Chemistry in 1967.


Now more than 30 countries participate in IMChO and an international jury of leading chemical scientists around the world make up the tasks for the Olympiad.

source/content : arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia scoops 4 medals at chemistry olympiad. (Supplied) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Tunisian-American Chemist Moungi Bawendi : MIT Professor

Dr. Moungi Bawendi is a Tunisian-American chemist.

He is the Lester Wolfe Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Moungi Bawendi is one of the original participants in the field of colloidal quantum dot research, and among the most cited chemists of the last decade.

This work has included: (1) the development of novel methods for synthesising, characterising, and processing quantum dots, magnetic nanoparticles, and tubular J-aggregates as novel materials building blocks, (2) studying fundamental optical and magnetic properties of nanostructures using a variety of spectroscopic methods, including the development of optical photon correlation tools to study single nanoscopic emitters, (3) incorporating quantum dots and magnetic particles into various optical and electronic device structures, and (4) developing nanoparticles and other agents for biomedical imaging.

  • Became a Clarivate Citation Laureate in 2020.
  • Received his A.B. in 1982 from Harvard University
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1988, University of Chicago.
  • Two years of postdoctoral research at Bell Laboratories, working with Dr. Louis Brus, where he began his studies on nanomaterials.
  • Joined the faculty at MIT in 1990, becoming Associate Professor in 1995 and Professor in 1996.

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pix: energy.mit.edu

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AMERICAN / TUNSIAN-AMERICAN

Dr. Tawhida Abdel-Rahman – First Female Doctor Working in the Government, Egyptian Health Ministry : 1933

Dr. Tawhida Abdel-Rahman was one of the first six girls, sent to England from Egypt to study medicine in 1922 based on King Fouad’s decision.

On her return she was appointed in ‘Kitchener Charitable Hospital – The General Hospital in Shubra, Government Health Ministry – making her the First Female Doctor working for the Egyptian Government Health Ministry.

She passed away in 1974.

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Tawhida Abdel-Rahman – Photo courtesy by Facebook page /pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

UAE’s First ever Female Astronaut, Noura Al-Matroushi : April 2021

A woman has made history in the United Arab Emirates as the country’s first female astronaut.

Noura Al-Matrooshi is one of two new astronauts in the UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid (MBR) Space Centre astronaut program, UAE vice president and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced on Twitter .

She was chosen with Mohammed Al-Mulla, two of over 4,000 candidates who applied to the program, Sheikh Mohammed, the ruler of Dubai, said.

In 2019, Maj. Hazzaa al-Mansoori became the UAE’s first astronaut in space, spending an eight-day mission aboard the International Space Station.

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UAE’s first female astronaut Noura al-Matroushi.   | Photo Credit: Twitter@MBRSpaceCentre

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Department of Health – Abu Dhabi wins 13 Awards in ‘2021 Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards’ : March 2021

DoH has won several Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards for an array of its innovative initiatives, including its unique response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has positioned the Emirate of Abu Dhabi at the global forefront in various aspects and industries.

The Department has won 7 Gold awards, which was the highest number of Gold awards on the list, besides winning two Silver and four Bronze awards.

The initiatives for which DoH has won the Stevie Awards included the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Quality Index “Muashir”, the Healthcare Programme for Senior Citizens and Individuals with Chronic Illnesses, the nation-wide awareness campaign against COVID-19, and Artificial Intelligent Solution in Exam Delivery.

Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi has also won two prestigious Stevie Awards, namely the Gold Award for “Innovative Management in Government – Organizations with 100 or More Employees” and for “Government Hero of the Year”, in the COVID-19 response category.

source: wam.ae

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pix: stevieawards.com

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Tawhida Ben Cheikh: Tunisia’s First Female Physician

Tawhida Ben Cheikh. Medical Doctor. Gynaecologist. Feminist. Editor

Google dedicates doodle to Tunisia’s first female physician

First/s:

  • First Female Tunisian to graduate from Secondary School in 1928
  • First Female Tunisian Physician. Graduated from Paris.
  • Founder and First editor of ‘Leila’. Tunisia’s first French language women’s magazine
  • World’s First-ever banknote to feature a female doctor ’10 Dinar note in 2020 – Dr Tawhida Ben Cheikh

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Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women’s medicine, in particular contraception and abortion access. Image Credit: Google doodle

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TUNISIA

Winners of ‘ 2021 El Hassan Bin Talal Award for Scientific Excellence ‘ , Jordan : March 2021

The first award was divided between the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), for the establishment of a pharmaceutical research centre, and the University of Petra, for establishing a laboratory animal research unit, according to a statement from the Higher Council for Science and Technology. 

The second award was divided between Al Hussein Bin Talal University, for the establishment of a labs platform, and JUST for the establishment of simulation labs at the Faculty of Nursing. 

The third award was divided between Jadara University, for the development of an intelligent medical system for cervical cancer recognition and classification, and Zarqa University, for the development of three-dimensional stiffness roofing plates. 

The announcement of this year’s winners marks the award’s 26th anniversary and is made on the occasion of HRH Prince Hassan’s 74th birthday. 

source/content : jordantimes.com

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pix: hcst.gov.jo

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JORDAN

Dubai – Another Guinness World Records in Energy Sector : March 2021

Dubai project recognized as largest single-site natural gas power facility in the world.

Dubai has chalked up another Guinness World Records entry — and this time it’s for a gas project.

The Jebel Ali complex of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has been recognized as the largest single-site natural gas power generation facility in the world, state news agency WAM reported.

The complex has an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 megawatts.

source/content: arabnews.com

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The Jebel Ali complex of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 megawatts. (File/AFP) / pix: arabnews.com

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)