Researchers Recognized for Transformative Contribution to Materials Engineering, Sustainable Energy, and Water Treatment
Three researchers from Khalifa University have won honors at the eighth annual Innovators Under 35 MENA (IU35 MENA) awards announced by MIT Technology Review Arabia.
The three – Chemical Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Maryam Tariq Ahmed Khaleel Alhashmi, Postdoctoral Fellow Mariam Ouda, and Chemical Engineering Researcher Nour Shehade Abdelrahman – each recognized for their transformative contribution to materials engineering, sustainable energy, and water treatment.
The annual IU35 MENA Awards showcase 20 exceptional innovators from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and this year’s winners represent breakthroughs in biotechnology, medicine, energy, environment, and chemistry. The three winners from Khalifa University are part of a larger cohort pushing the boundaries — from deep-space neuroscience to biodegradable irrigation crystals — highlighting the institution’s leadership in applied research and sustainable development.
Dr. Alhashmi has pioneered a materials-engineering method using controlled crystallization to create hierarchical porous structures — engineered for scalable deployment in clean energy technologies.
Ouda has developed a modular 2D-material electrified membrane system that combines coagulation and filtration in a compact, low-energy, anti-fouling unit — designed to significantly reduce energy, reduce membrane fouling, and eliminate chemical dependencies in water treatment. Abdelrahman has engineered a multi-approach material and separation platform for precise lithium recovery from complex aqueous streams—such as desalination brine and industrial effluents—contributing to sustainable resource management.
Reflecting collaborative excellence and highlighting a robust research and development ecosystem, these breakthroughs emerge from strategic collaboration within Khalifa University’s research centers — The Research and Innovation Center of CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), the Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT) and the Research & Innovation Center for Graphene & 2D Materials (RIC2D).
From Ouda’s intelligent membrane to Shehade’s lithium recovery, Khalifa University is tackling resource scarcity and pollution head-on in water and environmental solutions. Alhashmi’s crystallization techniques offer scalable solutions for next-generation clean energy applications.
Professor Ahmed Al Durra, Associate Provost, Research and Development, Khalifa University, said: “The triple honor at the IU35 MENA reflects the caliber of Khalifa University researchers and the strength of our innovation ecosystem, especially in advanced materials and water technologies, while raising the University’s international research profile. Khalifa University has once again demonstrated its expanding role in high-impact research and innovation across critical sectors. These individual achievements — spanning water treatment, materials science, and energy — embody the institution’s mission to shape a more sustainable, technologically advanced future.”
Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist
