Saudi biotechnologist Hayat Sindi is one of Saudi Arabia's most notable scientific exports. The inventor of a host of technologies designed to make medical diagnostics more accessible, her work has made a difference worldwide.
Marking International Day of Women and Girls in Science at Expo 2020 Dubai, Dr Sindi said women need to be encouraged to choose careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Women in science should never be sidekicks or inferior to their male counterparts,” she said from the Saudi pavilion of the international event. She added that Expo 2020 has provided an opportunity to cast light on the prejudices and stereotypes women face.
Underrepresentation of women in science is a global issue and it's not confined to the Arab world
Hayat Sindi
“Underrepresentation of women in science is a global issue and it's not confined to the Arab world,” she said.
Dr Sindi received a degree in pharmacology from King's College London in 1995 and went on to become the first Arab woman to earn a doctorate in biotechnology from Newnham College, University of Cambridge.
She has also carried out extensive laboratory work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and University of Cambridge.
Dr Sindi recalls how her father always supported her in the face of a society that told her that men are the breadwinners.
Receiving her primary education in public schools in Makkah, Dr Sindi said she grew up seeing men dominating science, from Persian mathematician and astronomer Muhammad Al Khawarazmi to Albert Einstein.
“I used to ask my father, 'are they really human beings?'” she said. “I just felt I didn’t fit. I always aspired to have female role models.
“This narrative put women off, worldwide. My father was a great man who always encouraged me to think and supported me fully when I told the family about my ambition to travel in 1990s and pursue my dreams in science abroad.”
Dr Sindi said women have outperformed men in several key areas that have benefited humanity.
“For example, Stephanie Kwolek invented the fibre used in bulletproof vests, which saved lives in many forms,” she said, referring to the Polish-American chemist who died in 2014.
In 2007, she served as the director of Diagnostic for All, a non-profit initiative that creates low-cost diagnostic devices designed for use in the developing world.
In 2012, Unesco recognised Dr Sindi for her work in creating an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and social innovation for scientists, technologists and engineers in the Middle East. She was then named a Unesco Goodwill Ambassador.
She has promoted social innovation and scientific progress as a way to create a better quality of life for the most deprived.
In 2018, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women, an annual announcement that celebrates the most inspiring and influential women from around the world.
She said she will soon launch a project in Riyadh to give every young scientist, technologist and engineer in Saudi Arabia and beyond the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their gender, as well as help countries in the developing world with scientific and educational infrastructure.
Huge progress
Women role models in the Arab world are not in short supply today, Dr Sindi said.
“Today we see women who are leading engineers and technologists, who are not dealing with science as boring stories but they do science to benefit their societies,” she said.
“For instance, when you tell young girls about MRI, this sounds boring, no? But you engage them when you tell them the benefits of this scanning technology, which has enabled doctors to rightly diagnose by screening any part or tissue of the body.
“We see women who want to develop solar systems in the developing world, women who want to be biotechnologists to help farmers. This drive is on the rise compared to the past decades when few women flourished in science.”
We need to eliminate fear in our children and adopt the ‘you can’ culture. Give them a purpose for the science they learn and do. I cried many times. I felt stupid many times. It’s OK
Hayat Sindi
Asked whether the Arab world will produce its first woman Nobel laureate anytime soon, Dr Sindi said the prize is not the only recognition of excellence or outstanding achievements and should not be a target in itself.
“This shouldn’t be a target because the selection has many factors around it. So many amazing scientists around the world haven’t got it,” said Dr Sindi.
Her best advice to aspiring young scientists? Never give up.
“We need to eliminate fear in our children and adopt the ‘you can’ culture. Give them a purpose for the science they learn and do. I cried many times. I felt stupid many times. It’s OK,” she said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
Ramy%3A%20Season%203%2C%20Episode%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAri%20Katcher%2C%20Ryan%20Welch%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERamy%20Youssef%2C%20Amr%20Waked%2C%20Mohammed%20Amer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
