Sarah Al Amiri- A Ray of Hope

Few weeks back, Dr.Pervez Hoodbhoy wrote an article for Dawn News. The title of the article was Why are Arabs so powerless? In this article he threw light on the fact that despite being rich in resources, the arab countries are way behind in scientific education. 

According to him being rich in resources alone is not sufficient to be an important actor in world affairs. He used the phrase brains over brawn, and was of the view that material and physical strength is not going to be enough, and use of intelligence and education is a prerequisite to be a significant in the world. And no doubt, every bit of what he said is correct. 

Sarah Al Amiri, however, shined like a ray of hope, a spark of change, for the Muslim world, and specifically the Arab world. She is the chair person of UAE’s Space Agency Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre which developed the Hope Orbiter which was successfully entered into the orbit of planet Mars. She is also the country’s first Minister of State for Advanced Sciences. 

She graduated in BSc Computer Engineering in 2008, from American University in Sharjah. She worked as a programmes engineer at the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST). She also worked in country’s satellite development sector, and also served as the Director of Advanced Aeronautical Systems Division. 

In 2014 she upgraded her education and did her M.Sc in Computer Engineering from the same university. Parallel to that she also remained the Head of Space Science at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. She worked on the country’s goal of establishing a ‘knowledge based economy’. The perspective plan of the country is to develop a human settlement on Mars by 2117. The plan also includes building a science city in the deserts of Dubai where they can maintain controlled environment similar to Mars. 

She became the first citizen of UAE to have the opportunity to participate in International TED event. She also got featured in BBC’s 100 Women. People have been talking about living on Mars since long, but Sarah Al Amiri seems to be working hard to materialise this and make this dream a reality. Undoubtedly, Sarah is a beam of light and a bright future can be anticipated for Muslim countries. 

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