ABU DHABI // An academic who has received numerous awards for her scholastic achievements has become the first Emirati faculty member at Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Dr Amal al Ghaferi will be an assistant professor at the institute, which is the research arm of the US$22 billion (Dh80.8bn) carbon-neutral Masdar City project. She will teach materials science and engineering and carry out research in nanotechnology and energy.
"I believe my position at Masdar Institute will open doors to pursuing my research in nanotechnology and related fields," said Dr al Ghaferi. "I am looking forward to this challenging mission and hope to become a role model for all UAE nationals." She graduated in physics from UAE University, where her grade-point average was 3.98 on a 4.0 scale. She later earned a PhD in materials science and engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr al Ghaferi has won two Sheikh Rashid Awards for Academic Excellence for her undergraduate and postgraduate work. The prize is typically conferred upon several hundred Emiratis per year who have excelled in their studies. She has also received a fellowship from the US State Department and earned one of six British government research grants from a Dh1.1 million fund while she was employed at UAE University.
Dr John Perkins, the institute's provost, said Dr al Ghaferi would make "a significant contribution" in both her research and teaching. "She is also an excellent role model for young people interested in pursuing a career in science and technology," he said. There are now 22 faculty members at the institute recruited from universities around the world. Email:dbardsley@thenational.ae
