Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation on Sunday announced the twelve winners of its 2026 Arab Researchers Award, now in its 44th cycle.
The winners representing four Arab countries, were selected in twelve research areas across six scientific fields. Five are from Palestine, four from Egypt, two from Jordan and one from Tunisia.
In the field of medical and health sciences, Dr. Mowafa Said Mahmoud Househ from Jordan was honored for his contributions to telemedicine and digital health, while Dr. Ahmad Nawaf Mohammad Abou Tayoun from Palestine was recognized for his pioneering work in genomic and precision medicine.
The engineering and technology awards went to Dr. Enas Taha Al-Sayed Ali from Egypt for research on green hydrogen and its derivatives, and Dr. Haitham Abdul Aziz Fareed Abu Rub from Palestine for research on smart electrical grids.
In water, energy and food sciences, Dr. Khaoula Bint Al-Dawi Khawaldia from Tunisia received the award for her work on the circular economy and energy efficiency in sustainable agriculture. Dr. Mamdouh Abdul Hafiz Alsayed Issa from Egypt was selected in the area of soil health and fertility management.
The basic sciences awards went to Dr. Basem Abdul Fattah Tawfiq Shehadeh from Palestine for intelligent mathematical modelling and its applications, and Dr. Mohammad Salah Abdul Thaher Mohammad from Egypt for artificial intelligence and smart Earth monitoring.
In economic and administrative sciences, Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Suleiman Alghababsheh from Jordan was recognized for supply chain management, while Dr. Muiz Abu Alia from Palestine won in financial and administrative disclosure.
The awards in the humanities, social sciences and education went to Dr. Ahmad Qabaha from Palestine for memory studies and Dr. AlaaEldin Ayoub from Egypt for emotional and social intelligence in education.
Valentina Kassisieh, CEO of Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, said that the award, which the Foundation has sustained for more than four decades, was established to support Arab scientific research and strengthen the role of scientists and researchers in advancing development and progress. She emphasized that investment in knowledge and scientific research remains the most sustainable path to building the future and addressing the accelerating challenges facing Arab societies.
Kassisieh noted that this year’s edition highlights a wide range of priority issues at the regional and global levels, showcasing the contributions of Arab researchers in advancing knowledge and developing practical responses to the region’s key developmental, economic, and social challenges.
She added that the Foundation looks forward to further developing the award and strengthening its position as a leading Arab platform for recognizing research excellence. She affirmed that, despite existing challenges, the future of scientific research in the Arab world holds significant promise, and that increased investment in knowledge, innovation, and research collaboration among Arab academic and scientific institutions will help build a more competitive research ecosystem with a lasting impact on Arab societies.
Dr. Labib Al-Khadra, chair of the award’s scientific committee, said the 2026 cycle attracted 656 applications. Of these, 296 were excluded because they were incomplete or did not meet the award’s conditions. The remaining 360 were evaluated by specialist and international reviewers under a set of detailed scientific criteria.
Al-Khadra praised the quality of the submitted research and the work of the review committees responsible for assessing the applications and selecting the winners.
Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, the cultural and social responsibility arm of Arab Bank, launched the Arab Researchers Award in 1982 in recognition of outstanding scientific contributions whose publication and dissemination contribute to advancing scientific and applied knowledge, raising awareness of scientific research, and helping address priority challenges at the local, regional, and global levels.
The award covers medical and health sciences; engineering and technology; basic sciences; humanities, social sciences and education; water, energy and food sciences; and economic and administrative sciences.
It was the first Arab award dedicated to scientific research and Arab researchers. It also seeks to encourage a new generation of Arab researchers, experts and specialists, including those working with limited resources in universities, institutions or independently.
Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation is the cultural and social responsibility arm of Arab Bank and a leading non-profit institution dedicated to advancing knowledge, culture, social development and innovation.