Sarah Al Amiri
سارة بنت يوسف الأميري
Al Amiri in 2019
Minister of State for Advanced Technology
Assumed office
19 October 2017
Prime MinisterMohammed bin Rashid
Preceded byPosition established
Personal details
Born1987 (age 36–37)
United Arab Emirates
Alma materAmerican University of Sharjah

Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri (Arabic: سارة بنت يوسف الأميري, born 1987) is the Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools Establishment. She is the former Minister of State for Advanced Technology within the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in the government of the United Arab Emirates. Al Amiri is also the chair of the UAE Space Agency and the United Arab Emirates Council of Scientists, and Deputy Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission.[1]

Early life and education

Al Amiri was born in the United Arab Emirates in 1987.[2][3] She grew up in Abu Dhabi.[4] She studied computer science at the American University of Sharjah, earning bachelor's and master's degrees.[5][6][7] She was always interested in aerospace engineering but grew up at a time when United Arab Emirates did not have a space program.[8]

Research and career

Al Amiri began her career at the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, where she worked on DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2.[9] In 2018 she was appointed the chairwoman of the UAE Council for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and in 2016 the head of the Emirates Scientist Council.[8][10][11]

She is the science lead for the Emirates Mars Mission, Hope.[8][12][13] The mission is partnered with University of Colorado Boulder, University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State University.[8] She spoke at TEDxDubai Salon about the Hope Mars Mission.[14][15]


In 2015, the World Economic Forum honoured her as one of its 50 Young Scientists for her contributions to science, technology and engineering World Economic Forum.[16]

In October 2017, Amiri was named Minister of State for Advanced Sciences in the United Arab Emirates Cabinet.[6][17] In an effort to increase global scientific collaboration, Al Amiri toured US scientific institutions in November 2017.[11] She was on the list of the BBC's 100 Women (BBC) announced on 23 November 2020.[18]

In November 2017, Amiri became the first Emirati to speak at an international TED event when she spoke about the Hope Mars Mission in Louisiana.[19] The mission launched in July 2020 and reached Mars in February 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates.[20]

In February 2021, she was also named in the 2021 Time 100 Next, an annual list of the next 100 most influential people.[21] In May 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, appointed Al Amiri as Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools Establishment. [22]

In 2021, Al Amiri was selected as a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst. As part of the program, she attended the annual New Economy Forum held in Singapore, and the Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst Retreat that same year.[23]

References

  1. ^ August 2020, Meghan Bartels 18. "UAE's Hope Mars orbiter nails first big maneuver in deep space". Space.com. Retrieved 27 August 2020.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Designed to be disruptive: Leading the development of the first Arab mission to Mars – Sarah Al-Amiri, Chair of the UAE Space Agency". Womanthology. 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ "من هي الوزيرة سارة الأميري لمحات من حياة مهندسة"الأمل"". Thaqfny. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. ^ "A '$200mn gamble': UAE Space Agency chair on its mission to Mars". Financial Times. 27 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Meet the nine female ministers in the UAE's current cabinet". Emirates Woman. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Members Of The Cabinet". uaecabinet.ae. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  7. ^ "View Content". www.ausalumni.ae. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d "The 29-year-old woman who's lead scientist for the UAE's Mars mission". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Sarah Al Amiri | The First UAE Synchrotron User Meeting". www.aesua.org. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  10. ^ News, Samir Salama, Jumana Khamis, Mary Achkhanian, Gulf (19 October 2017). "New UAE ministers aim to excel". GulfNews. Retrieved 27 June 2018. ((cite news)): |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b Staff Report (11 February 2016). "Al Amiri, 29, to head UAE Council of Scientists". GulfNews. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Arabian Aerospace - Living in the city...on Mars". www.arabianaerospace.aero. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. ^ "UAE and Indian scientists to discuss nano satellites and Mars mission plans". The National. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  14. ^ "TEDxDubai". TEDxDubai. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  15. ^ TEDx Talks (23 January 2017), A Mars Mission of HOPE | Sarah Amiri | TEDxDubaiSalon, retrieved 27 June 2018
  16. ^ "Authors". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Sarah Amiri of UAE Mars Mission appointed Science Minister by Mohammad Bin Rashid". ummid.com.
  18. ^ "BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  19. ^ Simpson, Leah. "The First Emirati to Speak on a Global TED Stage Is a Woman". POPSUGAR Middle East Love. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  20. ^ "UAE Mulls Life after Oil--and on Mars". Scientific American. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  21. ^ "2021 TIME100 NEXT Sarah Al Amiri". Time News.
  22. ^ "UAE unveils major education changes with new ministers". The National. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  23. ^ "The Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst List". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
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