A BAHRAINI engineer is on cloud nine after becoming the first Arab to win a major international award for her contributions to space exploration.
National Space Science Agency (NSSA) satellite design department chief Aysha Alharam created history by winning the ‘Young Space Leaders’ award of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
The annual award, now in its 12th edition, is given out to exceptional students and young professionals, who contribute to astronautics in their academic or early careers, reach out to other young people and their communities to share knowledge and experiences.
It is only given out to six people aged between 18 and 35 worldwide, with more than 5,000 competitors participating from around 77 countries.
Ms Alharam, who is the first Bahraini female space engineer, is not only the first Arab woman to command a satellite launch, serving as a leader of the Bahrain Space Team during development of the Light-1 satellite, but she also leads the Al Munther Satellite project, which will be the first-ever fully Bahraini satellite.
She began her career in 2018 when she was selected as one of the nine members of the Bahrain Space Team from more than 4,000 applicants. She has two Master’s degrees, one in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a focus on space technology from Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, and the other in Information Technology and Computer Science from Bahrain University.
“I am honoured to have won the award and raise the kingdom’s flag during an international forum,” said Ms Alharam.
“I would like to thank the authority and its board of directors, led by Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Al Kaabi, for their support.
“I would also like to thank NSSA chief executive Dr Mohamed Al Aseeri for his trust and confidence in me and his belief in the capabilities of young Bahrainis. He has always aspired to develop their capabilities and empower them in the field.
“Additionally, I would like to commend the team at the agency for their exceptional and distinguished work and thank them for supporting me and contributing to my win.
“I look forward to continuing my career and hopefully achieving more success in the future.”
Underlining the importance of this achievement, Dr Al Aseeri said: “Her victory confirms the prestigious levels reached by young Bahraini talent in the field of space science.
“She and other youngsters are contributing to what is a renaissance of the sector, and has helped develop it despite the fact that the NSSA was only established about a decade ago, in 2014.”
The GDN reported earlier this month that Bahrain will host the first international space forum in the Middle East and North Africa region on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The International Space Forum (ISF) will explore the role of space in diplomacy under the theme ‘Space as a game-changer for diplomacy and economic development in the region’.
Being organised by the NSSA in co-operation with the Italian Space Agency and IAF, the forum, in its sixth edition, will discuss how space science and technology can contribute to a greater development of the Gulf region.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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