2021 Winners & Runners-Up

150 applications and a tough review process later, the LEWAS Committee is proud to announce the 2021 Winners and Runners-up.


Congratulations to everyone who applied!

Academic Achievement for Student Award
Winners


Lina Alzayer
University of Bahrain
During her first year in the Master's program of Environment and Sustainable Development she achieved a GPA of 4.0 out of 4.0. Lina also received a Research Grant from Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Center for Futuristic Studies (PMFCFS) and the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF).


Reem Aseeri
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
One of Reem's significant achievements was being the only freshman student who reached the final phase in the Gulf Simulation Competition. She has also spent nine months as a member of the Engineering Club Scientific Research Committee at her university.
Runners-Up


Rozan Wali
KAUST
Rozan had joined MBASF, a highly selective mini-MBA program organised by BASF and SABIC which addresses critical challenges that industries face and recommends practical solutions to reduce our harmful impact on the planet. Her leadership positions included being the chair of public relations for the Saudi Club in UCSD for four years.


Yara Alghamdi
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
Yara has worked as a summer intern in KAUST to publish a paper titled "Heterogeneous Cubic Multidimensional Integrated Circuit for Water and Food Security in Fish Farming Ponds" in 2019. She has also received the "outstanding activities" award for Engineering Club as a chair during 2020.
Academic Achievement for University Professor Award
Winner


Dr. Hayat Abdulla Yusuf
Assistant professor and PCAP program Coordinator // University of Bahrain
Dr. Hayat has made significant contributions in establishing all UTEL programs and delivering lectures on Chemical Engineering and Process Instrumentation at the university and at BChemE Expo in 2020. In fact, in 2015, she received the LEWAS Mentorship Award. Participating in more than a hundred webinars and delivered several workshops from UoB and non-UoB faculty in Bahrain on academic practices and professional development.
Runners-Up


Dr. Sumaya Abbas
Chairperson of Natural Resources and Environment Department // Arabian Gulf University
Sumaya has been selected as one of the top 3 women influencers in the Middle East in the field of Science and Technology for 2020 by Women News Agency, 2021. She has also published multiple papers based on biofuel feasibility, waste to energy technologies, sustainable and green technologies to waste management, energy effeciency optimisation, and waste heat recovery. Yusuf is also a representative of West Asia in the GO4SDGs UN global initiative at UNEP West Asia Office Ambassador.


Dr. Awatif Hendi
Professor, King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology // King Saud University
One of Hendi's distinguished achievements is to make patents and carry out research that meets high international scientific standards resulting in more than 100 papers in science and nanotechnology. Global quality research, which includes systematic and ethical considerations, also adds great benefit to Awatif's research in the field of energy.
Rising Star Award
Winner


Zainab Alali
Reservoir Engineer // Saudi Aramco
Zainab has demonstrated competent research and publication skills by authoring more than 5 internal SPE international technical papers and patent. She has been involved in developing an Artificial-Intelligent tool to automate the production strategies. Zainab is the first female production engineer to work at Abqaiq oil field and supervise field jobs at the well-site.
Runners-Up


Najla Al Shamsi
Engineer – High Voltage Switchgear // Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
Najla has earned DEWA Scholarship to study Electrical Engineering in the American University of Sharjah and had been assigned to her first 132/11kV substation project in Dubai within 5 months of joining the company. She has also won the DEWA Excellence Award under the category of New Recruit among others greater achievements.


Maha Fakhroo
Associate - Senior Process Engineer // BAPCO
Maha has been a lecturer in the chemical engineering department at University of Bahrain. This rising star has spent 4+ years at BAPCO and is recognized for her work as a process engineering and acting manager in the technical services department.
Leading with Excellence Award
Winner


Dr. Amani Musharah
Lab supervisor // Saudi Aramco
During her time at Aramco, Amani has lead a project to evaluate drag reducing agent, which is an additive used in pipelines to increase its capacity and reduce cost, saving more than $500MM of capital. She has worked with numerous high level projects and programs related to the fuels industry, assisting in the preservation of huge amounts of fuels, and providing technical solutions to many challenges, and to the clean fuels industry.
Runners-Up


Salma Alsinan
Geophysicist // Saudi Aramco
Salma is an active member in the Women in Data Science community, the student outreach program to promote STEM fields since and is a committee member of the Young Professionals and Student Activities Program/ GEO conference 2018 at Bahrain. Salma has initiated and piloted a multidisciplinary project with Aramco’s Houston Research Center, and collaborated with the multiphysics focus area on testing and improving the inhouse developed Petrophysical Joint Inversion (PJI) code.


Roqaya Al-Wazzan
Senior Process Engineer // Kuwait Oil Company
Since 2019, Roqaya has successfully headed the Production Optimization and Assurance committee, which was established by KOC's CEO, and chaired by the Deputy CEO of SEK. She has also played a significant role in leading and facilitating more than 80 Steering Committee meetings.


Dalal Al-Alaimi
Senior Business Planner // KUFPEC
Dalal's most distinctive work features conducting and presenting the company's five-year plan, and KUFPEC's Portfolio Management analysis report to the company's board of directors in 2015, which has been upgraded significantly in recent years. She has also participated in evaluating some projects such as Project Value Erosion and Project Holding Value.
Woman of Achievement Award
Winners


Basma El Zein
Director General, Governance and Sustainability Center // University of Business and Technology
With an experience of more than 22 years in academic and research institutions, Basma held different positions from academic, research and consultancy perspectives. She has distinguished herself with numerous ongoing research, projects, and commitment to development. Basma has been dramatically involved in developing the curriculum, academic projects, industrial projects and research, focusing on the Kingdom Vision 2030 and the Transformational Plan 2020.


Salma Al Hajeri
Vice President - Non-Operated Assets (MENA & Russia) // Mubadala Petroleum
Salma is the first Emirati woman to hold an international leadership position and manage a key international O&G project for Mubadala Petroleum. She has published more than 9 technical papers and has participated as a speaker or committee member in many conferences and institutes including ADIPEC, MEOS and ATCE.
Runners-Up


Mai Al Eisa
Manager - Manufacturing Vietnam // Kuwait Petroleum International
Mai spent her career between Kuwait National Oil Refineries Planning and the Business Development of Kuwait’s International Downstream Businesses. She is a key player in strategic projects like the expansion of retail business in Europe, Sale of Europoort refinery in Holland and new growth opportunities in Mega Joint Ventures in Oman and Vietnam.

Nadia Al-Zeabot
Senior Planner (Innovation & Technology) // Kuwait Oil Company
Nadia has spearheaded a number of initiatives at the oil sector. She led the establishment of networks of multidisciplinary experts to resolve technical challenges which delivered tremendous business value, through the provision of technical advisory and lessons learned. Currently, she is leading implementation of a strategic initiative on Innovation Excellence, which seeks to establish an Innovation-based framework across K-companies.
Corporate Champion Recognition
(Male Champion)
Winners


Dawood Nassif
Former CEO // BAPCO
In the European Refining Technology Conferences held annually throughout Europe and in the Gulf Downstream Association and Downstream Technology conferences held throughout the Gulf region, Dr. Nassif has underscored the importance of opening up the talent pipelines to women. He also appointed the first woman to hold the position of a Planning and Economics Manager in the then seventy-five year history of Bapco.


Rashed Jouda Al-Fadhili
Team Leader, Process Engineering Refinery // Kuwait National Petroleum Company
He has contributed in Powering Women Network in KNPC's pilot project which objectively helped the corporate directives to get a step closer to gender diversity. Al-Fadhli has always been encouraging women engineers for seminar and conferences to take higher responsibilities and positions in the organisation.
Runners-Up


Alex Malouf
Corporate Communications Director MEA // Schneider Electric
Besides actively participating in #LEWASAmplified and last year's Symposium, Alex has been the voice for many women engineers. He has initiated conversation regarding revolutions in the workforce and how women in MENA are and should be taking charge of leadership positions.

Abdulkarim Alghamdi
Vice President of Project Management // Saudi Aramco
Mr. Abdulkarim Alghamdi has supported the strategic goals of employee development in particular female employees, by providing them with more technical and leadership opportunities in Project Management. His commitment and support to female development and career advancement was reflected in his Admin Area, Saudi Aramco females and Kingdom females.
Corporate Excellence Recognition
Winner



ADNOC Group
In 2016, ADNOC announced 3 strategic pledges to be achieved by 2020:
- Appointment of one female CEO
- Ensure having women constitute 15% of senior management
- Increase the number of Emirati women recruited to 30%
ADNOC has also initiated Gender Balance Programs constituting the Woman Voice Program, Woman @Site Experience and the NEB Virtual Internship.
Runner-Up



Kuwait Petroleum International
With its Innovation in Diversity & Inclusion program, the company has been consisting in supporting its female employees and encouraging them to take up leadership positions. A significant example includes Sh. Nawaf Al-Sabah, CEO of KUFPEC speaking at the KPC forum, which was organised by the Professional Women’s Network, on Diversity Challenges in K-Companies.
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