Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Commentary
  • Published:

Dire need for a Middle Eastern science spring

The Middle East is rich in human and natural resources, but many of its countries need a cultural and scientific transformation to reach worldwide recognition in education, research and economic productivity. Several institutions are making a positive impact, kindling hope for a successful 'science spring'.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Demographic and economic statistics for some Middle Eastern countries and, for comparison, for Iran and South Korea.
Figure 2: Scientific production in the Middle East.
Figure 3: Research and education institutions in the Middle East.

References

  1. Zewail, A. H. Nature 410, 741 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. United Nations Development Programme Arab Human Development Report 2003: Building a Knowledge Society (United Nations Publications, 2003); http://www.arab-hdr.org/publications/other/ahdr/ahdr2003e.pdf

  3. http://www.qf.org.qa/home

  4. http://www.bilkent.edu.tr

  5. http://www.kaust.edu.sa

  6. Fréchet, J. M. J. Nature Mater. 13, 321–322 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. http://www.zewailcity.edu.eg

  8. Zewail, A. H. & Sedky, S. Nature Middle East http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2014.5 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Muasher, M. The Second Arab Awakening and the Battle for Pluralism (Yale Univ. Press, 2014).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zewail, A. H. The revolution Egypt needs. The New York Times (13 October 2013); available via http://go.nature.com/HE379y

    Google Scholar 

  11. World Bank Recovering from the Crisis. World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region: A Regional Economic Update (The World Bank, April 2010).

  12. Laggards trying to catch up. The Economist (15 October 2009); http://www.economist.com/node/14660446

  13. Zewail, A. H. Nature 468, 347 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zewail, A. H. How curiosity begat Curiosity. Los Angeles Times (19 August 2012); available via http://go.nature.com/IqVzDm

    Google Scholar 

  15. The road to renewal: After centuries of stagnation science is making a comeback in the Islamic world. The Economist (26 January 2013); http://www.economist.com/node/21570677/print

  16. Central Intelligence Agency The World Factbook; https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook

  17. http://data.worldbank.org

  18. http://www.scimagojr.com/countryrank.php

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmed H. Zewail.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zewail, A. Dire need for a Middle Eastern science spring. Nature Mater 13, 318–320 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3918

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat3918

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing