Sarah al-Amiri

UAE Minister and aerospace engineer driving Middle Eastern space exploration

Sarah bint Yousef al-Amiri is a pioneering Emirati scientist and government official leading the United Arab Emirates' ambitious space program. As Minister of State for Advanced Sciences since 2017, she oversees initiatives like the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and the historic Hope Probe mission to Mars, which successfully entered orbit in 2021.

Al-Amiri's technical contributions include developing satellite systems at the UAE Space Agency and creating algorithms for Mars atmospheric analysis. She established the UAE's first AI strategy in 2017, positioning the country as a tech leader in the Arab world. Her leadership increased female participation in STEM fields from 28% to 40% nationally through targeted scholarships and mentorship programs.

Born in 1986, she earned her engineering degree from the University of Manchester before returning to the UAE to transform its scientific capabilities. Her vision includes establishing the Mars Science City, a $135M simulation facility, and planning a human mission to Mars by 2117. Al-Amiri's work has been profiled in Nature magazine and Scientific American, showcasing the UAE's emergence as a spacefaring nation.

She co-founded the Arab Science Council to foster regional collaboration and negotiated international partnerships with NASA, ESA, and JAXA. Her policies have created over 10,000 STEM jobs in the UAE, transforming perceptions of Arab women in science. Al-Amiri's achievements were recognized with the 2020 World Space Week Award and inclusion in Forbes' list of 'World's 100 Most Powerful Women'.