Category: Education

Oman’s Jokha Alharthi – First Arab Woman to Win Man Booker International Prize

Omani Author Jokha Alharthi became the first Arab Woman Arabic language novelist to win Man Booker International Prize 2019 for the novel ‘Celestial Bodies’.

The award also carries a cash prize of GBP 50,000 (USD 64,000).

The novel ‘ Sayyidat el-Qamar ‘ published in Arabic was translated into English by US academic, now UK based translator Marilyn Booth who teaches Arabic literature at Oxford University. Celestial Bodies was published by Sandstone Press, Scotland.

Dr. Jokha Alharthi studied Arabic poetry and did her Ph.D in Classical Arabic literature in Edinburgh and is now a Professor teaching at the Sultan Al Qaboos University, Muscat.

Alharthi has published three collections of short stories, three children’s books, and three novels (Manamat, Sayyidat el-Qamar and Narinjah)

  • Winner of the Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature, for her novel Narinjah (Bitter Orange) in 2016. 

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Omani author Jokha Al Harthi wins the Man Booker International Prize for 2019 / bbc.com //AFP

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OMAN

Saudi Scientist Hani Al-Hadrami -Develops low-cost Rapid Test to Detect Covid-19 at SR.10 : December 2020

Dr. Hani Al-Hadrami, Assistant Professor at King Abdulaziz University and Consultant in Molecular Diagnostics developed a very low cost rapid test which takes less than 15 minutes to detect the coronavirus.

The tests were carried out at the King Fahd Center for Medical Research, based in King Abdulaziz University.

The research was funded by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

A patent has been registered to obtain the rights. The research papers have been submitted for publication in Talanta Scientific Journal.

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pix: saudigazette.com.sa

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MAKKAH, SAUDI ARABIA

Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) at MIT, Wins ‘Oscars of Education ‘ – for COVID-19 Project at 2020 Reimagine Education Awards : December

Full STEAM Ahead — an education project developed in response to COVID-19 by the Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — took top honors at the 2020 Reimagine Education Awards in the category for innovation in kindergarten–grade 12 (K–12) education. 

J-WEL was co-founded by MIT and Community Jameel, an international organization tackling some of the world’s most urgent challenges, using a pioneering approach grounded in evidence, science, data and technology.

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pix: saudigazette.com.sa

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SAUDI ARABIA / U.S.A

Halima Benbouzza – Biotechnology and Plant Geneticist. Scientist.

Dr. Halim Benbouzza . Scientist. Academic. Researcher – Genetic Diversity, Plant Breeding, Bioethics, Biosecurity.

Posts:

  • Director – National Biotechnology Research Centre
  • Chair of Joint-Committee between Health and Biology sector – appointed by Algeria Government (2011)
  • Chair of the Guidance Committee of the Pharmacy and Biotechnology Project- Algeria. Appointed by the Prime Minister (2013)
  • Professor (Agronomic Science), University of Batna 1, Batna

Awards and Honours:

  • ‘Women in Science’ – Hall of Fame Program, honoured by U.S. State Department (2014)
  • ‘Next Einstein Forum’ – one of the 6 best female researchers contributing to advancing science in africa (2010)

Education :

  • Ph.D – Agro Biotech Gembloux, Belgium
  • Masters in Biotechnology – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Belgium
  • Graduate – University of Batna’s Faculty of Engineering, Algeria

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pix: twitter.com

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ALGERIA

Amin J Barakat known for the Diagnosis of ‘Barakat Syndrome’

Dr. Amin J Barakat, MD, FAAP. Pediatrician

Education:

  • Medical Education : American University of Beirut
  • Pediatric Residency : Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore
  • Fellowship Residency in Pediatric Nephrology : Georgetown University Medical Center
  • Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP)

Positions:

  • Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Nephropathy, Georgetown University
  • President, American Foundation for Saint George Hospital
  • Member – ALSAC / St. Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital Leadership Council

Barakat Syndrome :

In 1977, Barakat and co-authors J.B. D’Albora, M.M. Martin, and P.A. Jose described four siblings with familial nephrosis , nerve deafness , and hypoparathyroidism. This syndrome is now known as Barakat Syndrome

Barakat syndrome is an inherited condition characterized by hypoparathyroidism, sensorineural hearing loss, and renal (kidney) disease. Most cases have been attributed to a mutation on chromosome 10p which affects the GATA3 gene. Inheritance is likely autosomal dominant. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive (source: wikipedia)

Awards and Honors :

  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
  • Ellis Island Medal of Honor
  • Best Doctors in America
  • Guide to America’s Top Pediatricians
  • Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World

Books :

  • Barakat, Amin Y; et al. (1986). The Kidney in Genetic Disease. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 
  • Barakat, Amin Y. (1990). Renal Disease in Children: Clinical Evaluation and Diagnosis. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 
  • Amin J. Barakat and Russell W. Chesney, editors. (2009). Pediatric Nephrology for Primary Care. Amer Academy of Pediatrics. 
  • Amin J Barakat and H. Gil Rushton, editors. Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract: Clinical Implications in Children. Switzerland, Springer, 2016. 
  • In 2007, Barakat edited the Arabic edition of the American Academy of Pediatrics’s  Caring For Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. Beirut, AllPrints. (source: wikipedia)

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pix : pressrelease.healthcare . Health News Today

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U.S.A. / LEBANESE-AMERICAN / ARAB AMERICAN

World Arabic Language Day : December 18th

December 18th. Since 2012. When the UN decided to adopt it as its 6th official language.

The Arabic language is a pillar of the cultural diversity of humanity.

It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, used daily by more than 290 million people.

World Arabic Language Day is celebrated every year on 18 December since 2012.

The date coincides with the day in 1973 that the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted Arabic as the sixth official language of the Organization.

Message from the Director – General

“Arabic is a bridge between cultures and across borders – a true language of diversity. (…) on this international day, UNESCO will celebrate and explore the role of Arabic language academies.  Not only do these institutions preserve, enrich and enhance the Arabic language, they also help monitor its use in conveying accurate information in the context of global current events.”

— Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO

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The poster for World Arabic Language Day is an artwork of the Tunisian calligrapher Karim Jabbari which illustrates the following piece of poetry

“He who imbued languages with the highest qualities
Bequeathed to Arabic the secret of beauty“

— Ahmed Chawqi

pix: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldarabiclanguageday

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source: all text and images from en.unesco.org

NEW – Textbook being released – ‘A History of Arab Graphic Design’

The book covers 4 generations of Arab designers.

Co-authored by Bahia Shehab, Professor of Practice at American University in Cairo and Haytham Nawar , Artist and Academic also of the American University in Cairo.

Bahia Shehab is also the Founder of the University’s Graphic Design Programme.

The book is scheduled to be released by the American University in Cairo Press in December 2020.

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Advertisements for Bastos cigarettes and the Shell Oil Company, both designed by the Algerian artist Omar Racim (Illustrations from A History of Arab Graphic Design). / pic: al-fanarmedia.org

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Cairo, EGYPT

Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi – Business Leader. Saudi Arabia – Ethiopia.

Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi (aka) Mohammed Al Amoudi . Entrepreneur. Investor. Philanthrophy.

Business Interests: Construction, Real Estate, Refineries, Agriculture etc.

Amongst others

  • MIDROC Ethiopia, MIDROC Europe and Preem Petroleum
  • Corral Petroleum Holdings

Major investments in Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Ethiopia.

www.sheikhmohammedalamoudi.info

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pix: sheikhmohammedalamoudi.info

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SAUDI ARABIA / ETHIOPIA

Peace Activists – Mother & Daughter – Fartuun Adan and Ilwan Elman Awarded the U.S. ‘2020 Aurora Prize’ and USD 1 Million : October 2020

Fartuun Adan and Ilwan Elman were awarded the ‘Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity 2020’ for their efforts to help former child soldiers in Somalia.

The prize includes an USD 1 million grant.

They also run the :

-Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, Somalia / – Sister Somali Project : Somalia’s first rape crisis center / – School for Girls ‘ Girls Leadership Academy’

-They also run a Program ‘Drop the Gun, pick up the pen’

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Fartuun Adan (right) and Ilwad Elman, the mother and daughter named winners of this year’s $1 million Aurora Prize for their efforts to help former child soldiers and others in their native Somalia.(Kris Connor/Getty Images) / npr.org

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CANADA / SOMALIA

Emirati Physicist Dr.Ahmed Almheri Wins Coveted ‘New Horizons Physics Prize’ USA : Sepember 2020:

Dr Ahmed Almheri, Physicist was awarded the ‘New Horizons Physics Prize’ for his research on black holes in space. The award is founded by ‘The Breakthrough Foundation’ USA.

He is currently a long-term member in the ‘School of Natural Science’. Doing his post-docotral studies in Physics at ‘Institute for Advance Studies (IAS), Princeton University.

First Emirati to be accepted for the post-doctoral studies at Princeton University, University of California.

Education:

-Ph.D – Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara

– M.A. – University of California, Santa Barbara

– B.Sc/B.A – University of Toronto

Awards:

-New Horizons Physics Prize (2020)

-Lancaster Dissertation Award in Mathematics, Physics, Sciences and Engineering (2014)

-Member Martin Hairer ‘Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics’

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Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics / pix: youtube.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)