{"id":10179,"date":"2025-09-29T12:10:29","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T10:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shams-alyaoum.com\/en\/?p=10179"},"modified":"2025-09-29T12:10:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T10:10:30","slug":"seven-arab-innovators-shaping-the-future-in-qatar-foundations-stars-of-science-season-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shams-alyaoum.com\/en\/seven-arab-innovators-shaping-the-future-in-qatar-foundations-stars-of-science-season-17\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven Arab Innovators Shaping the Future in Qatar Foundation\u2019s Stars of Science Season 17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>The season sees the contestants tackling real issues across surgery, health, sustainability, and the environment.<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From AI-powered surgical systems to wearable health tools, the seven finalists of Stars of Science season 17 are proving that regional challenges call for regionally grounded solutions. Their inventions, rooted in lived experience and driven by a commitment to impact, reflect a broader shift in how Arab youth are applying science &#8211; deliberately, collaboratively, and with purpose.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since its inception in 2009, Stars of Science, hosted at Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, has become a catalyst for innovation across the Arab world. Over 313 episodes have aired since season 1, with a network of 175 alumni from 18 Arab countries, and helping launch more than 55 alumni-founded businesses across diverse sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Frontiers in Surgery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mohamed Kahna from Tunisia is developing a real-time surgical guidance system that mimics the role of a GPS in the operating room. Designed for laparoscopic surgeries, it overlays critical visual and auditory instructions to help surgeons navigate complex procedures. Building on his Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Surgical Technology, Kahna\u2019s work pushes the frontier of surgical precision. \u201cI want this system to ensure surgeons have clear guidance in their most critical moments,\u201d says Kahna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also working to enhance surgical outcomes, following his MSc in Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Robotics, Khaldoun Megdady from Jordan is developing a 3D coronary artery simulation platform. The invention enables surgeons to rehearse bypass procedures using AI-generated anatomical models \u2014 a step forward in pre-operative planning. \u201cThis is rehearsal before reality, it gives surgeons a chance to prepare in detail, which can mean safer and more precise procedures,\u201d he explained. Together, their innovations represent a growing regional investment in technologies that improve precision and reduce risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Powering the Green Transition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With electric mobility expanding across the Arab Gulf, Mohammad AlShaikh Saleh from Jordan, created an AI-powered system to predict battery failures through physics-based modeling. \u201cThere is a lack of transparency in most AI systems,\u201d said the Ph.D. in Electrical Computer Engineering-holder. \u201cI wanted to build one that\u2019s more reliable, with physics to back it up.\u201d As the GCC\u2019s electric vehicle market is projected to reach $10.44 billion by 2034, and Saleh\u2019s system supports the region\u2019s green-energy ambitions. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Protecting Marine Ecosystems<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inspired by Oman\u2019s maritime sector after completing his MSc. in Marine Science and Fisheries, Mohammed Al Mur Al Salmi developed an enzyme-based spray to prevent bacterial buildup on underwater surfaces \u2014 an eco-friendly alternative to toxic marine coatings. \u201cOur economy depends on the ocean,\u201d he said. \u201cI wanted to protect what gives us life.\u201d His work aligns with recent environmental collaboration between Oman and Qatar, including Qatar\u2019s marine reserve designation covering 2.5% of its territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Health and Human Well-being<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Algeria\u2019s Laid Dardabou targets emotional wellbeing with a smart watch-integrated tracker that monitors vitamin D and other biomarkers in real time, empowering users to better understand and manage their mental health. \u201cIf technology can track every step we take, it should also help us track how we feel,\u201d said the contestant currently completing his second Ph.D in Animal Nutrition. His device tackles a pressing health challenge in a region where vitamin D deficiency rates are among the highest globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also completing her Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering, Saudi Razan Bahabri focuses on stroke rehabilitation through gamified therapy. Her system transforms recovery into engaging, game-like exercises while enabling remote monitoring by clinicians. \u201cRehabilitation therapy doesn\u2019t have to be repetitive,\u201d she noted. Research shows that interactive platforms like FitMi can triple patient movement compared to traditional therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nature-Inspired Medicine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Upon completing his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Ryad Hadj Habib from Algeria drew inspiration from nature. His system uses a natural property of scorpion venom to protect cancer treatments from being blocked by the immune system, improving the precision treatment for diseases such as cancer. \u201cIt may sound radical, but it\u2019s rooted in biomimicry \u2014 the science of using nature\u2019s designs to inspire human innovation,\u201d he said. From sharkskin-inspired hospital surfaces to bullet trains modeled on kingfishers, biomimicry has long fueled scientific breakthroughs; Habib\u2019s innovation carries that legacy forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The seven contestants of season 17 are proof that when Arab innovators are given space, support, and mentorship, they build technologies that don\u2019t just respond to global trends \u2014 they lead. Their work reflects a growing maturity in the regional innovation landscape, where solving problems close to home is both a scientific challenge and a social mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Support the innovators shaping our region\u2019s future. Tune in to see the progress of each of their inventions on Stars of Science, which airs weekly until October 2025 across several regional broadcasters and online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The season sees the contestants tackling real issues across surgery, health, sustainability, and the environment. From AI-powered surgical systems to wearable health tools, the seven finalists of Stars of Science season 17 are proving that regional challenges call for regionally grounded solutions. Their inventions, rooted in lived experience and driven by a commitment to impact, &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[9,1394,1339,1310,1280],"class_list":["post-10179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","tag-business","tag-education","tag-entertainment","tag-general","tag-technology"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Seven Arab Innovators Shaping the Future in Qatar Foundation\u2019s Stars of Science Season 17 - Magazine Shams Al Yaoum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shams-alyaoum.com\/en\/seven-arab-innovators-shaping-the-future-in-qatar-foundations-stars-of-science-season-17\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Seven Arab Innovators Shaping the Future in Qatar Foundation\u2019s Stars of Science Season 17 - Magazine Shams Al Yaoum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The season sees the contestants tackling real issues across surgery, health, sustainability, and the environment. 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