NYUAD Alumna Named UAE’s First Schmidt Science Fellow

NYU Abu Dhabi graduate Noora Almarri (Class of 2019) has made history as the first UAE national to be selected as a Schmidt Science Fellow, one of the world’s most competitive and prestigious postdoctoral fellowships supporting interdisciplinary research to address global challenges.

Almarri, who recently completed a PhD in Bioelectronics at University College London, will pivot from electronic and electrical engineering to biomaterials and regenerative medicine. Her work will focus on developing smart artificial blood vessels that promote vascular regeneration and offer real-time health monitoring, an approach that could transform cardiovascular care and reduce the need for repeated surgeries.

 

“I’m honored to be named a Schmidt Science Fellow,” said Almarri. “NYU Abu Dhabi truly shaped the way I approach science. From day one, I was encouraged to explore ideas beyond my comfort zone and across different fields. That interdisciplinary mindset, learning to connect engineering with biology, and even with the arts, started at NYU Abu Dhabi and has been my guiding force ever since.”

Noora Almarri, NYUAD alumna and Schmidt Science Fellow

The Schmidt Science Fellows program, delivered in partnership with the Rhodes Trust, supports exceptional early-career scientists to explore new disciplines and make breakthroughs at the intersection of fields. Almarri’s project will integrate biosensing technologies and biomechanics to create adaptable, biocompatible scaffolds, potentially reducing graft complications and improving patient outcomes.

Through her research, she seeks to support patient recovery and contribute to ongoing health monitoring. Almarri’s selection as a Schmidt Science Fellow reflects her academic accomplishments and represents a notable achievement for the UAE’s growing presence in the global scientific community.