Women at KAUST are making an impact in science, advancing discovery at every stage of their academic careers. International Women’s Day is a time to highlight the resilience, ambition and advice of researchers shaping the future of the Kingdom and the world — pushing boundaries in their fields and inspiring women and girls everywhere.  

Let’s look at three women at KAUST, at different stages of their careers, who are truly inspirational.  

Leena Ibrahim  

Curiosity and passion are motivational pillars that Assistant Professor of Bioscience Leena Ibrahim believes young women — and young people in general — must harness if they wish to thrive in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

“Your curiosity and passion, if channeled in the right way, can lead to breakthrough discoveries,” she said. “Basically, never give up. Seek out good mentors who’ll guide you and connect you with people who can make a difference in your life. If you have the will, nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams.” 

The Palestinian researcher discovered her passion during her undergraduate program in Biomedical Sciences at India’s University of Delhi. While studying epilepsy, she realized just how dynamic the human brain is, with different regions involved in multiple functions and varying types of neurons. “Just realizing how complex all of this is drew me to that field. I decided to do a Ph.D. to understand a bit of that complexity.” 

After earning her master’s degree in Life Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, she moved to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles for her Ph.D. in Neuroscience. She conducted her postdoctoral work at New York University and Harvard Medical School, focusing on neurobiology. In 2021, she joined KAUST in her current role, motivated by the campus infrastructure and proximity to her family. 

“It was an ideal place for me to be,” Ibrahim said. At KAUST, her research focuses on understanding how sensory perception is established across development. Ibrahim studies how early-life experiences impact sensory processing and influence long-term brain function. Her work delves into the role of inhibitory neurons in the outermost layer of the cortex, particularly how they regulate sensory information flow and shape perception. 

By examining the development, function and plasticity of these circuits, she aims to uncover how disruptions in sensory processing contribute to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism. Through this research, Ibrahim hopes to provide insights into how the brain learns to predict and interpret sensory inputs across different stages of life. 

While she has faced limited challenges professionally as a woman, strong mentorship and support have shaped Ibrahim’s career, reinforcing her determination to stay true to herself and pursue scientific excellence. She added: “I’ve had a lot of role models as well — peers, as well as senior members who basically have showed me that this is not a journey that’s impossible.” 

Wejdan Alghamdi  

Growing up in a small Saudi village, Dr. Wejdan Alghamdi developed a passion for physics at a young age. While pursuing her bachelor’s at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University, she managed to take master’s-level physics courses — she loved it that much. First discovering KAUST through its Winter Enrichment Program, Alghamdi decided to pursue her master’s and Ph.D. at the University, graduating in 2023. 

Throughout her graduate studies, Alghamdi said, she received “great support” from principal investigator and mentor Professor Thomas Anthopoulos. Now a KAUST postdoctoral researcher under Professor Dana Al Sulaiman, she acknowledges the many role models, female and male, who have guided her educational and professional journey. 

“Maybe I was just lucky with my team, but I never felt that being a woman made a difference,” she said, adding that perhaps KAUST provides a unique environment for women in Saudi Arabia. However, she also feels Saudi Arabia is becoming a place that champions women in STEM. “I feel the country is helping and supporting.”  

Especially coming from a rural background, Alghamdi hopes her example can inspire women and girls to see that achieving success in science and technology is possible. Her advice to women, and anyone for that matter: Work hard and be adaptable. “I was always flexible doing my work, and it’s easier to be like that.”  

On a societal level, Alghamdi believes that instilling the value of science education at a young age is important to ensuring future generations of women can fulfill their aspirations in science and technology. “Start from the beginning, maybe at the school level or university bachelor level, to motivate people and show them why this is important.”  

Amani Al-Amodi  

For Ph.D. Bioscience candidate Amani Al-Amodi there are many inspiring examples of women achieving success in science and technology leadership positions. “In the Kingdom, we are witnessing an incredible shift — women are actively contributing to scientific research, innovation and leadership positions, which is encouraging to me.” 

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Al-Amodi followed her passion into an undergraduate degree at the U.K.’s University of Sussex, studying Biochemistry. After graduation, she worked for two years in healthcare, identifying mutations that cause rare diseases. It was during that time she realized she wanted to pursue advanced education.  

“I applied to KAUST and was offered a position as a master’s-Ph.D. student in Bioscience. At KAUST, I now focus more on molecular biology and biochemistry.”  

Bioscience’s ability to uncover fundamental knowledge — leading to targeted treatments for genetic diseases and other medical challenges — inspires Al-Amodi. “My Ph.D. focuses on fundamental science, specifically the mechanisms of DNA replication. The goal is to understand these processes at a deep level to identify diseases caused by disruptions in these systems.”  

KAUST has offered Al-Amodi tremendous support throughout her graduate studies. She believes that with each generation of successful women in STEM, new opportunities emerge, making it easier for the next generation of women to pursue their dreams. For that, Al-Amodi is profoundly grateful. 

Persistence is key in science and in life, she added, such as when facing frequent failures in the laboratory. And for women specifically, effective time management is crucial to balancing career, education and family. However, success in STEM is possible. “You must have the curiosity, the passion and the patience. I feel those are the three main things you need to move forward in science.”