DUBAI: Majarra and MIT Technology Review Arabia have announced the winners of the 4th Innovators Under 35 Awards. The awards honor young Arab innovators from around the world, showcasing their efforts in creating innovative solutions.
MIT Technology Review Arabia, along with 21 distinguished judges from various sectors including technology, AI, biology, medical, and cybersecurity, selected 15 winners in 2021.
“This is my third year as a judge and I’m impressed with the progress over the years. The candidates are simply outstanding. Their work is of high quality and relevant to the challenges of tomorrow,” said Bashar Kilani, managing director of Accenture.
The list includes two women from Saudi Arabia: Dana Al-Sulaiman, assistant professor of Material Science and Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), for developing a functional hydrogel-coated microneedle platform for the sampling of cancer-specific biomarkers from interstitial fluid, and Nouf Al-Jabri, PhD in Chemical Engineering at KAUST, for developing a process to convert plastics into clean fuels and renewable chemicals.
“I hope my invention can transform the way cancer is diagnosed and monitored, and potentially lead to more personalized therapies,” Al-Sulaiman told Arab News.
“I’m honored and humbled to have received this prestigious award — my hope is that this recognition encourages more girls and young women all over the world to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.”
Looking to address the importance of sustainability, Al-Jabri’s research focuses on customizing nanotechnology in designing disruptive materials called nanoalloys.
“These alloys are capable of converting the zero-value plastic waste into valuable fuel and renewable chemicals using a very sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. Contrary to current methods, the nanoalloy platforms convert the plastic waste into clean fuel at full conversion and high selectivity without generation emissions,” she told Arab News.
The other winners are:
Ali Al-Hammadi, assistant professor at Khalifa University, with a PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, for his innovative geospatial insights for smart cities.
Mohamed Abdelaziz, postdoctoral research associate at the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, for his work on a versatile, MR-safe robotic platform to assist physicians in treating patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Atheer Awad, research fellow at the University College London School of Pharmacy, who received her PhD in Pharmaceutics and Drug Design, for her invention of 3D printers for personalized medications.
Jamal Shaktour, CEO at ResQ2, for his work in developing an electric backpack with two masks to filter out toxic chemicals from the air in battleground conditions.
Ghada Dushaq, postdoctoral researcher at New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus, with a PhD in Microsystem Engineering from Masdar Institute for Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, for her novel application of germanium to improve the speed and efficiency of computer chips and processors.
Eslam Katab, a PhD student completing his studies at the Technical University of Munich, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, for his research into using c-Rel proteins (a type of protein that can be targeted for treating cancer) to diagnose and possibly treat lymphoma and pancreatic cancers.
Ahmed ElGamal, founder and CEO of LinkBox, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the American University of Cairo, for his software allowing users of the same PDF or e-book to simultaneously connect for real-time annotation, collaboration, and chat.
Nader Shafi, research associate at the American University of Beirut, who received his master’s in electrical and computer engineering from AUB, for his invention SkanMD, a handheld scanner for skin anomalies and diseases.
Ibrahim Abdelwahab, Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, after receiving a joint PhD and diploma in physics and chemistry from both Imperial College London and the National University of Singapore, for developing nano-scale intelligent materials for ultrafast photonic applications.
Salim Al-Kaabi, founder and CEO of Lubanium, with a bachelor’s in process operation and maintenance from Caledonian University, Scotland. The company provides eco-friendly and sustainable products and painting protectants for artists.
Mohamed Shehata, PhD candidate at the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department of the University of Louisville, who has programmed a non-invasive software system for early and precise identification of renal allograft dysfunction.
Yasmin Al- Halawani, postdoctoral fellow at the System-on-Chip Center of Khalifa University, who received her PhD in electrical and electronics engineering from the same university. Her innovation involves efficient data compression via novel brain-inspired hardware platforms.
Mia Dibe, product implementation specialist at 3D Repo and UCL, who received her master’s in smart cities and urban analytics with merit from the Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis at UCL. She has created an AI-enabled detector of floor construction using onsite imagery to compare the actual construction to the intended plans.
