Reaffirming its status as one of the Arab world’s most prestigious scientific awards, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences announced the winners of the Kuwait Prize, which since its establishment in 1979 has continued to recognize Arab scientists and researchers for their outstanding scientific and intellectual contributions that have had made a global impact.
The winners were announced following approval by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and Awards Council, based on the recommendations of specialized judging and selection committees, in line with the Foundation’s commitment to fostering a culture of scientific excellence and supporting research and innovation across the Arab world.
he 44th edition honored a distinguished group of scholars whose achievements span in the field of mathematics, environmental sciences, sociology, cultural criticism, and computational biology, demonstrating the breadth of the Prize and its alignment with contemporary scientific developments.
In the field of Basic Sciences, under the topic of Mathematical Sciences, the Prize was awarded to Professor Jalal Shatah, Silver Professor of Mathematics at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at the New York University, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to partial differential equations, as well as his influential academic and leadership roles within the international scientific community.
In Applied Sciences, under the topic of Environmental Sciences, the Prize was jointly awarded to Professor Abdelhamid Sayari of the University of Ottawa and Professor Noureddine Ghaffour of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in recognition of their impactful environmental research. Professor Sayari’s work focused on the design of porous materials and their applications in separation, purification, and greenhouse gas reduction, while Professor Ghaffour contributed innovative solutions to improve desalination efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimize environmental impact.
In the field of Economic and Social Sciences, under the topic of Sociology, the Prize was awarded to Professor Mohammad Bamyeh, Professor of Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to the study of knowledge systems, globalization, religion, and social movements, as well as his influential academic publications that enriched global sociological discourse.
The Prize in Humanities, Arts, and Literature, under the topic of Literature and Art in the Arab World, was awarded to Professor Abdullah Al-Ghathami, one of the Arab world’s leading literary and cultural critics. Through his extensive intellectual and academic contributions, he has played a major role in advancing Arab critical studies and localizing concepts of cultural criticism to the Arab context through a number of highly influential reference works.
In the field of Emerging Interdisciplinary Sciences, under the topic of Computational Biology and its Applications, the Prize was awarded to Professor Ahmed Khalil of Harvard University, in recognition of his pioneering contributions to synthetic biology, including the design of genetic circuits and the development of platforms and technologies with promising medical and research applications.
This year’s edition of the Prize reflects the continuing role of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences in supporting Arab scientists and strengthening their presence on the global scientific stage by celebrating intellectual achievement and encouraging research that offers innovative solutions to human, environmental, and developmental challenges.
For more than four decades, the Kuwait Prize has established itself as a distinguished scientific platform that celebrates Arab intellectual excellence and contributes to building an environment that promotes innovation and knowledge production, in line with the Foundation’s mission of investing in science and human potential for a more advanced and sustainable future.
"For more than four decades, the Kuwait Prize has established itself as a distinguished scientific platform that celebrates Arab intellectual excellence"
