Fatma al-Zahraa Abdel-Malak

Pioneering Egyptian engineer who revolutionized women's access to STEM education

Fatma al-Zahraa Abdel-Malak (1930–2018) was a visionary Egyptian engineer whose groundbreaking work in education and gender equality made her a trailblazer in the Arab world. Born in Cairo during a time when few women pursued technical careers, she defied societal expectations to become Egypt's first female professor of engineering at Cairo University (1960). Her most significant contribution was establishing the Cairo University Engineering Faculty's Women's Department in 1963, which became a model for STEM education programs across the Middle East.

Abdel-Malak pioneered coeducational engineering curricula while maintaining gender-sensitive teaching methods. She developed the first Egyptian engineering textbooks translated into Arabic, making technical knowledge accessible to non-English speakers. Her advocacy led to the creation of the Arab Women's Engineering Network in 1975, connecting over 500 professionals across 12 countries. She also designed the iconic Abdeen Palace renovation project (1972), proving women's capabilities in large-scale infrastructure projects.

Abdel-Malak's legacy includes mentoring over 3,000 engineers and establishing the Abdel-Malak Scholarship Fund (1980) still supporting female engineering students today. Her work is documented in Cairo University's Engineering Heritage Archive, and she was honored by UNESCO as a Gender Equality Champion (1999).