5 Emirati Women Closing The STEM Gap

As the UAE continues its focus on gender equality and women empowerment across sectors, particularly when it comes to research, science, and innovation, the nation has witnessed globally male dominated fields being filled up by women. Over the years, Emirati women have been leaving their mark in their respective fields in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Whether it is engineering, a scientific breakthrough, overseeing a city's transformation, or being in charge of space missions, the nation is home to many female trailblazers and here are five you need to know about this Emirati Women’s Day.

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Dr. Suaad Al Shamsi

Dr. Suaad Al Shamsi is well known as one of UAE's first female aircraft engineers. After completing her higher education, she would go on to study aeronautical engineering with support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Since then, she has left her mark by becoming the first female licensed aircraft engineer for Emirates, and then senior program manager for Etihad.

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Dr. Habiba Sayeed Alsafar

Dr. Habiba Sayeed Alsafar is renowned for leading genetic studies of the UAE's Bedouin population. In fact, her research during her time at University of Western Australia led to the discovery of a genetic link to type 2 diabetes and other major diseases. For her research, she received the UAE First Honor medal, as well as the Emirates International Award of Genetic Diseases Prevention.

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Dr. Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr

Dr. Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr is renowned for her role as the founding Director General of Smart Dubai. Through her position, she oversees Dubai's transformation into a smart city, while also representing Smart Dubai in the City Protocol Society, Smart City Expo World Congress, and GSMA Mobile World Congress.

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Sarah Al Amiri

Emirati space enthusiasts surely know about Sarah Al Amiri. She is the current Chairperson of the UAE Space Agency, leading the nation's Mars mission, and the woman spearheading the mission to send a lunar rover to the moon. In addition, she is credited for being part of a mission to send an Emirati astronaut to space.

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Halima Alnaqbi

Halima Alnaqbi is a winner of the first "For Women in Science" Young Talents Awards Ceremony for MENA. She is renowned for her work that focuses on creating a donor selection framework with regards to organ and bone marrow transplantation, as an attempt to improve healthcare in underrepresented communities in this region.