WISWB Leadership
Dr. Amal Amin
Prof Dr. Amal Amin, founding Chair of WISWB, Women in science without borders conference 2017 (Egypt)
The first Egyptian young scientist who attended world economic Forum-Summer (WEF) DAVOS 2009 and 2010-China based on the initiative of IAP to empower the young scientists worldwide. She attended and co-organized the founding workshop of global young academy (GYA) in Berlin (2010) to become one of the few active founders of GYA and its executive committee member for the following three years after foundation (GYA; 2010-2013). She was founding group leader of women in science (WIS), member in science advice group and the selection committee of GYA. Dr. Amal wrote to ASRT to establish the Egyptian young academy of sciences (EYAS) and liaised the fact- finding mission of GYA to launch EYAS where ASRT responded to IAP initiative and launched EYAS (2012-2014). Therefore, Dr. Amal became co-founder and advisory board member of EYAS.
Dr. Amal is a full professor (from 2014) at National Research Centre (NRC)-Egypt and she was group leader of the nanostructured polymers at the centre of excellence. She earned her B.Sc. in chemistry from Ain Shams University and her M.Sc. in organic chemistry from Cairo University. With a DAAD scholarship/Egypt joint fund at Ulm UniversityGermany/Cairo University, she earned her Ph.D. in polymer technology & catalysis. Since then, she has occupied different positions as visiting professor at nanotechnology program-faculty of Engineering-Cairo University. Research stays brought her to France, USA, Spain and again to Germany for several times. etc. She supervised and headed several international, national projects, postgraduate students and other activities.
She carried out two memorandums of understanding between Egypt, Georgia and MTU-USA. She has lots of scientific publications in highly ranked journals and acts as reviewer and referee in nanotechnology, polymers and nanocomposites for international journals and organizations. Dr. Amal visited +30 countries tens of times where she organized and attended numerous national, international events/conferences worldwide where she was invited to tens of high-level reputable meetings as TWASTYAN conference (Brazil, 2017, science diplomacy), NASAC international forum on women and sustainable development (Tanzania, 2018), youth employment (Turkey, 2018), renewable energy (Argentine, 2018), INGSA (Japan, 2018), Globlics (Ghana, 2018), AAAS meeting (Boston, USA, 2017), etc. Dr Amal was selected to attend world science forum 2015&2017 (moderator of WIS sessions and speaker) & 2019. She was selected for AAAS-TWAS science diplomacy course (Italy, 2016). Dr. Amal represented GYA in 2nd INGSA-EU conference on science policy making (Belgium, 2016).
She attended the international IAP science communication workshop in Korea (2014) and co-organized several science days with EYAS along Egyptian governorates to enhance public science literacy. Dr. Amal participated in mentorship programs of NYA, GYA, etc. Dr. Amal was selected in many scientific reputable organizations as member as in task force for Islamic young academy (IWAYS, 2014), Arab-German Young Scientists Forum (2011), New York academy of science (NY, 2014-2016), TWAS Young Affiliate (2010-2014), TWAS-TYAN; founding member of AETDEW and NARIMA (North Africa research & innovation management association; 2020), etc.
Dr Amal was a reviewer of ASM-AAAS-TWAS REGIONAL COURSE ON SCIENCE DIPLOMACY (2021). Dr Amal was appointed to act as a panel member of students’ selection committee with the Pan African University Institute of Life and Earth Sciences (Including Health and Agriculture; 2020 & 2021).
She was appointed as review committee member for TWAS-Atta-ur-Rahman award for young scientists (chemistry, 2021-2023) and member of (the Science in Exile (interim) steering committee for refugees and displaced scientists; 2021; TWAS-IAP-ISC). In 2022, she was appointed as member of board of directors for ORCID (2022-2024). She acted as advisory board member for Arab science week. She is a member in Catalyst 2030 global initiative. Dr Amal was the founder and president for the Egyptian society for advanced materials and nanotechnology. Also, she was the coordinator of the Arab network for advanced materials and nanotechnology.
She is the founding chair of the women in science without borders (WISWB) initiative and the world forum for women in science which is held every year world-wide where the first meeting was held in Cairo, (March, 2017) and the next meeting were held in South Africa (March 2018), again in Egypt 2019, in Brazil (February 2020), in Duhok-Iraq dedicated for refugees in March 2021, in Kenya in November 2021 and in Malaysia (2022).
Also, she is chair and organizer of Youth science forum (January 2021) and Saturday science webinars with themes of challenges facing humanity at the age of COVID-19 and beyond, Inspire me-success story, etc. In December 2020, she cofounded Northern African Research and Innovation Management Association (NARIMA) initiative. Dr Amal is a founder for science diplomacy for the future initiative (2021). She got several national, international awards and was nominated to IUPAC prize for WIS (2015). As example; Dr. Amal was selected as one of the most successful 40 women over 40 in Egypt (women of Egypt, 2020) and one of the distinguished women in Egypt in science (women of Egypt, 2021).
In 2021, Dr Amal has received outstanding women in tech award of Africa-north Africa (Africa), the award of science by women provided by women for Africa foundation (Spain) and the national award for ministry of culture for the Egyptian distinguished women. Dr. Amal achievements were featured in women in science-inspiring stories from Africa (NASAC-IAP-2017), SAYAS Success stories of young scientists (2016), scientific African (2019), nature (global, April 2020 & middle east 2020), the next truth (2018, 2020), NASAC book on (Women and sustainable development in Africa-2020), royal society of chemistry (2020), Women in Science. Africa edition in commemoration of Women’s Month, August 2020, scidev.net/Mena (2020) and others. In 2022, Dr Amal was classified by the global gender scan among the women in science and technology in Africa and the middle east representing Egypt who (They make the difference).
Dr Amal has several scientific and societal activities on national and international levels. She is especially interested in science communication, simplified science, increasing public awareness/literacy for science, science advice/science diplomacy, innovation, science policy, science education, etc.
Nerina Finetto
Director of World Forum For Women In Science 2024
Nerina Finetto is a visionary leader committed to shaping a brighter future. As the founder and CEO of Traces&Dreams, she’s dedicated to harnessing the power of knowledge for a more sustainable and equitable tomorrow. At the heart of Nerina’s ethos lies the conviction that narratives and knowledge hold the key to unlocking cultural transformation and collective innovation. With Traces&Dreams, she transcends conventional boundaries, bridging the gap between knowledge silos to foster a more interconnected and enlightened society. Traces&Dreams as trans disciplinary agency spearheads European and global projects, emphasizing knowledge transfer beyond borders and disciplines. Traces & Dreams focus on intersectoral change projects and science dissemination reflects its mission to foster transformative change on a global scale.
Traces&Dreams is a valued knowledge broker and partner whenever projects aim for structural change, societal transformation, and knowledge transfer.
Traces&dreams has collaborated with numerous international organizations such as the Global Young Academy and Women-In-Science-Without Borders, Encact, led various European Erasmus+ projects and is partner in Erasmus+ and Creative Europe projects.
Sonali das
Women in science without borders conference 2018 (South Africa)
Chair of conference: Prof Sonali Das
Sonali Das is an Associate Professor at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa. She obtained her PhD in Statistics from the University of Connecticut (USA) in 2006, and her Masters in Statistics from the University of Calcutta (India) in 1994, and Bachelor in Statistics from Presidency College (now University) (Calcutta, India). Sonali currently holds a C-Rating (Established Researcher) in Statistics from the South African National Research Foundation.
In 2019 she became an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute. In 2020, she was one of 19 Africa-wide recipients of the Mujeres por Africa Foundation award from Spain. She is a currently a Council member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), and has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the South African Statistical Association (SASA).
She is the current Chair of the Bayes Special Interest Group of SASA. Sonali is an Associate Editor of Applied Stochastic Models in Business and Industry (ASMBI), and of the Journal of the Indian Statistical Association (JISA). In 2018 Sonali Chaired the 2nd Women in Science without Borders international conference in Johannesburg, and in 2011 she was a member local organising committee for the SASA annual conference.
Sonali’s research interests are very trans-disciplinary in nature, using various statistical methods, particularly functional data analysis methods, for questions arising in climate research, primarily using data arising from South Africa.
She is also developing modules in business analytics that can bridge the gap between statistical methods and uptake by business practitioners. Sonali is deeply invested in the issues of diversity and inclusion, and of the visibility and recognition of research and researchers from the African continent.
Ghada Amer
Women in science without borders conference 2019 (Egypt)
Cochair of conference: Prof Ghada Amer
Email: ghada.amer@bhit.bu.edu.eg
Mobile: 00201100009891
Prof. Ghada Amer is the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Misr University for Science and Technology, the President of the Centre for Strategic Studies of Science and Technology, and Vice president of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF). She holds a few more positions within her profession, like the Vice Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research Faculty of Engineering at Benha University, the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre at Benha University, the CEO and the Co-founder of ASTF Innovation Lab, the ex-Head of Electrical Engineering Department at Benha University, the CEO of the Global Awqaf Research Centre, and technical consultant in Egyptian Space Agency in 2019.
Because she believes in the importance of R&D and innovation for the community, she was selected in 2016 as one of the Rolex Enterprise Awards for Innovation Jury members. Also, she was selected by the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES) and the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC) as one of the inspiring stories for women in STEM filed in Rising to the Top Volume IV: African Women Engineering Leaders Share Their Journeys to Professional Success.
She published about 52 papers in international journals in the electrical power field, smart systems, AI, other articles in Arabic to spread the culture of STI. Prof Ghada actively advocates socio-economic development based on RDI within her country and the region. She has worked since 2009 with ASTF as a volunteer, then as a volunteer Manager for Women Programs, a member of the Board of Directors (2011) and finally as the VP of the Foundation (since 2012).
Marcia Barbosa
Women in science without borders conference 2020 (Brazil)
Prof Dr. Marcia Barbosa, director of Brazilian academy of sciences, chair for
world forum for women in Science-Brazil
Graduated (1981), master’s (1984) and doctorate (1988) in physics from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. She is member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and serves as a full professor from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and director of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
She has experience in Physics, with an emphasis on Condensed Matter Physics, working mainly in water. For the study of water anomalies, she was awarded in 2013 the Loreal-Unesco Award for Women in Physical Sciences. In parallel, she works on gender issues and in 2002 she coorganized the IUPAP First International Conference on Women in Physics. For supporting women in science she won the American Physical Society’s Nicholson Medal in 2009.
For her post-graduate work, she won the Anisio Teixeira da Capes Award in 2016 and for her work in favor of science, in 2018 she received the Medal of Scientific Merit as a commentator from the presidency of the republic.
In 2020 she was recognized by UN-Women as one the seven women scientists who have shaped our world. In 2021 received the Silvio Torres Medal from Fapergs, the state fund agency. Currently she is the Secretary of Strategic Policies and Programs from the Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation.
Carolina palma naveira-cotta
Women in science without borders conference 2020 (Brazil)
Cochair of conference:Prof. Dr. Carolina Palma Naveira-Cotta
Dr. C.P.Naveira-Cotta is associate professor at Mech. Eng. Dept. at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ. Affiliated Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences-ABCM. Affiliated Member of the World Academy of Sciences-TWAS. Member of the Scientific Council of the International Center for Heat and 9 Mass Transfer.
Special interest in fundamental research that carries technological innovation potential working in the solution of problems involving heat/mass transfer at the micro and nano scales, process intensification using innovative designs, materials and manufacturing techniques.
Areas of expertise: transport phenomena, inverse problems, hybrid methods, water desalination, heat transfer enhancement, thermal microsystems, renewable and alternative energies.
Andrea de carmago
Women in science without borders conference 2020 (Brazil)
Prof. Dr. Andrea de Camargo, Co-chair for world forum for women
in Science-Brazil
-São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (IFSC/USP), São
Carlos – SP, Brazil
-Federal Institute for Materials Research and
Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany; 3. Friedrich
Schiller University in Jena, Jena, Germany.
Andréa de Camargo is a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry and a PhD in Applied Physics. She is a Full Professor at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil, and has a joint position as Head of Division 5.6 – Glasses, at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin, and professor at the Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) of Jena, in Germany.
She is interested on the synthesis and structure-property correlations of luminescent and optical materials.
She is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and Scientific Ambassador, Scientific Director of B-MRS, and Editor of J. Materials Science.
Suhad Abdulrahman Yasin
Women in science without borders conference 2021 (duhok-Iraq)
Dr. Suhad Abdulrahman Yasin
University of Duhok, Iraq
Suhad Yasin is a researcher working at the University of Duhok /Kurdistan region /Iraq. Suhad Yasin holds a Ph.D. in Polymers/Nanofibers application in water treatment and purification from industrial chemicals, organic materials, and heavy metals.
Her research activities have been mainly centered on nanofibers’ preparation for water treatment from hazardous materials. Also she is interested in the selection of polymer materials (natural or synthetic) to treat wastewater. She was also a principal investigator at Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) under Cycle 6 / IRAQ. The name of her project is “Removal of Hazardous Materials from Aqueous Solution using Nanofiber Membranes.”
Her project aims to open the first Nanotechnology laboratory in her university and support women-scientists 11 and researchers. She had many voluntary efforts, projects and exhibitions at the University of Duhok, as:
1. Establishing UoD_ACS international student chapter as Iraq’s first American Chemistry Society Student international chapter.
2. Organizing an event titled (Nanotechnology international day ) in Oct 2022.
3. Organizing IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast 2021, 2022, and 2023 at the University of Duhok.
4. Participating in the Sustainable development goals international students conference with the University of Musol.
5. Organizing the event on recycling plastics and the plastic problem in the World at the College of Science /University of Duhok.
6. Organizing the event of the health problems with chemicals hair dyes at the College of the Science /University of Duhok.
7. Applying the “we love reading” international program at Duhok City
Lokman Hadi Hassan
Women in science without borders conference 2021 (Duhok-Iraq)
Prof. Dr. Lokman Hadi Hassan
Vice president for scientific affairs
Received the BSc., MSc. from University of Technology Iraq and PhD from University of Malaya-Malaysia. He worked as a site engineer prior to joining University of Duhok in 2002. Lukman H Hasan is the reviewer for several distinguished journals in his field of expertise. His contributions can be seen in more than 35 refereed journals and conferences articles.
His most important research concern is control systems design, monitoring and stability, renewable energy and artificial intelligence. He served as deputy dean in the College of Engineering for two years and head of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for three years.
He is currently the Vice President of the University of Duhok for Scientific Affairs and Postgraduate Studies.
Eucharia Kenya
Women in science 2021 (Kenya)
Prof. Eucharia Kenya
University of Embu, Embu, Kenya
Eucharia Kenya is a Professor of Biotechnology with a PhD in Applied Entomology and an Advance Master’s degree in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship). She currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning, Administration and Finance) at the University of Embu, Kenya. She has attracted substantial grants that have benefited many students in the greater East African Region and fostered collaborative projects and partnerships that have contributed in strengthening capacity in biotechnology.
She is active player in the agricultural biotechnology sector in Kenya and a founding member of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa. My Her current research focus is on biofuel production from organic sources.
She is a member of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences and the founding Chairman of the Transformative Women in Leadership Network, a non-for-profit organization registered in Kenya.
Mohd Basyaruddin
World forum for women in science 2022 (Malaysia)
Chair of conference: Prof. ChM. Dr. Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman
Mohd Basyaruddin is a Senior Professor of Chemistry at Universiti Putra Malaysia. He has secured millions worth of research grants worldwide in biocatalysis, computational chemistry and nanodelivery.
He received Young Scientist recognitions from various international bodies and was named the Face of Science@Malaysia for his contribution to engaging youth in science. He was the Founding Chairman (Young Scientists Network) and held various administrative positions including Deanship and Directorship at various institutions. He is actively involved in science-related national policy development and review.
He also coordinates and mentors in professional academic training and in countless STEM outreach activities nationwide and globally.
Lim Hong Ngee
World forum for women in science 2022 (Malaysia)
Co-chair of conference: Prof. Dr. Janet Lim Hong Ngee, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Lim Hong Ngee is a renowned researcher in graphene and its applications in energy storage, sensing, water research, and solar conversion. Her pioneering work on graphene-based supercapacitors and batteries has revolutionized energy storage, achieving higher energy density and prolonged cycle life.
She has also made significant contributions to graphene sensors for precise analyte detection, empowering environmental monitoring and healthcare sectors. Driven by the global need for sustainable solutions, she has developed graphene-based membranes for water purification and desalination.
Additionally, her investigations into graphene’s potential for solar conversion have opened new possibilities in renewable energy generation. With an impressive Hindex of 67, she continues to shape the future of graphene applications.
