Emirati female engineers are playing a pivotal role across the Stem sector and taking up roles in a field traditionally dominated by men.
Gender equality at the workplace is a sign that the UAE’s focus on promoting women in Stem is beginning to pay off.
According to a 2018 Times Higher Education report, the number of female students in the country enrolling in Stem subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) is far higher than in many other countries, such as the UK, Canada, Germany and France.
The study found almost half, 44.5 per cent, of engineering graduates were women, while in Germany, Canada and the UK, the figure is 20 per cent or lower.
“Women have been leading and succeeding in all fields related to science and engineering. It’s something we started a decade back,” said Lamia Al Marzooqi, 25, an Emirati from Abu Dhabi.
I always say to young women, if you have a passion in designing, or engineering, or building, go for it. There is no limit
She works as a development engineer for Halcon, a manufacturer of precision-guided systems in air defence.
"I am surrounded by men and women," she told The National on International Women in Engineering Day.
The event, which falls each year on June 23, aims to honour women working in the field.
Although huge progress has been made in the past decade, things were a bit different when Mariam Al Hosani, 42, an Emirati from Khor Fakkan, embarked on her career.
Her parents initially wanted her to study medicine.
But she had harboured a desire to become an engineer since she was a child, after noticing everything around her was created by them.
“My dad wanted me to be a doctor,” said Ms Al Hosani, a specialist in quality assurance at Al Tariq, which manufactures precision-guided air munitions.
“At the time we didn’t have that major in the university where I lived. And he refused the idea that I go to a different city to study,” she said.
But her parents granted her wish and she embarked on a degree in engineering. They were happy for her and she scored good grades.
“At the time it was very rare for a female to go into this major,” Ms Al Hosani said.
“That was one of the debates with my dad. He said ‘Where are you going to work? Everyone who works there is male.’ But I told him this is what I love and this is what I am going to do.
“I always say to young women, if you have a passion in design or engineering, or building, go for it. There is no limit.”
Haya Al Nuaimi, a design engineer for Nimr, which makes armoured military vehicles, said she always had the full support of her family.
But the parents and siblings of her female engineer friends were less keen on their career choice.
Ms Nuaimi’s brother is also an engineer, as is her niece.
She credits the government for the growth in female participation in the sector.
Ms Nuaimi said she had met Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, several times, and he always encouraged her and fellow students to forge ahead in their careers.
“He told us to complete our master’s degrees. He encouraged us,” she said.
Receiving support, particularly from female colleagues, is often cited by women engineers as critical in advancing in their careers.
Latifa AlKaabi, 29, a process engineer at Ammroc, which provides maintenance, repair and integrated logistics support for military and civilian aviation, said one of her female colleagues has always been supportive. It is a role she aims to take on one day, to help others.
“I think finding someone who helps and supports is important. I would like to encourage people to develop themselves and grow, personally and career-wise.”
Armoured vehicles made in the UAE - in pictures
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ELIO
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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on animal trafficking
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
