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The Arab Awakening

Elated scientists joined jubilant celebrations throughout Egypt after the resignation of 30-year president Hosni Mubarak on 11 February, a few weeks after popular uprisings forced President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali out of Tunisia. And with ongoing protests in Jordan and Yemen, the wave of revolution could continue to sweep the Arab world. Nature and our sister publication Nature Middle East have been closely following the situation, the role of scientists and the impact on research.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

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Editorial

A unifying cause

Conference of science journalists can strengthen ties between the Arab world and the West.

Nature 471 , 410 ( 24 March 2011 )
Line in the sand

In the wake of the revolution, Egypt should embrace a future based on scientific thinking.

Nature 470 , 306 ( 17 February 2011 )
Vive la révolution

Tunisia's nascent democracy, promoting justice, human rights and intellectual freedom, needs to be celebrated and encouraged.

Nature 469 , 443 ( 27 January 2011 )

News

A university professor becomes Egypt's president

Egypt's scientific community is hoping for a renaissance based on engineering and technology, ushered in by the election as president of an engineer with an academic background in material science.

( 26 June 2012 )
Universities clash by the Nile

Property dispute dogs Egypt's plans for a science city.

( 01 May 2012 )
Egypt's presidential candidates pledge to boost science

Research investment is key to development strategies.

( 26 April 2012 )
Egypt's scientists savour post-revolution year

Science and technology funding boom raises hopes for the future.

( 20 January 2012 )
Archaeology meets politics: Spring comes to ancient Egypt

As the country struggles to refashion its government, archaeologists are looking warily towards the future.

( 23 November 2011 )
Revolution offers chance for Libyan archaeology

Change of government presents opportunities for, and threats to, the country's heritage.

( 18 November 2011 )
EU to fund Tunisian research programme

Funding will focus on national research priorities.

( 26 October 2011 )
The struggles of the Syrian science community

Researchers hope change of government will renew the country's science.

( 18 October 2011 )
News mining might have predicted Arab Spring

Signs of impending social and political change may lie hidden in a sea of news reports.

( 13 September 2011 )
Iranian AIDS doctors continued work behind bars

Brothers still unsure of why they were imprisoned.

( 25 July 2011 )
Qatar sets sights on stem cells

Small nation has big plans for science.

( 08 July 2011 )
The Arab Spring offers hope but no quick fix

Revolutions in Libya and elsewhere have raised hopes for science in the Arab world. But progress will be slow, cautions Rana Dajani.

( 31 August 2011 )
Nile University in peril

Faculty considering legal action to regain access to campus.

( 29 June 2011 )
Egypt invests in its science

Latest budget establishes research as a national priority.

( 15 June 2011 )
Flamboyant Hawass returns as antiquities minister in Egypt

It was less than a month ago when Zahi Hawass, the Egyptologist who has made a name for himself with his flamboyant ways, stepped down from the cabinet. Today, however, the prime minister of Egypt's interim government announced that he was reappointed to the same position.

( 30 March 2011 )
Eyes in the sky track Libyan abuses

Scientists use satellite imagery to document regime's crimes against civilians.

( 18 March 2011 )
Egypt's outgoing antiquities chief warns heritage is at risk

As he steps down, Zahi Hawass says country's unique archaeological sites are underprotected.

( 7 March 2011 )
A science visionary heads Egypt's new interim cabinet

Egyptians like to celebrate - especially winning political battles. Celebrations broke out in the iconic Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo at news that the previous prime minister - assigned by ex-President Mubarak - stepped down. They were even more jubilant at the announcement that Essam Sharaf, founder and CEO of Age of Science, an NGO with a clear science promotion agenda, will head the new cabinet.

( 4 March 2011 )
Arab education lags behind world, says UNESCO

Most Arab states have made progress in providing education over the past decade. However, the quality of education remains poor, many children still leave primary education prematurely and lliteracy rates are relatively high, says a new United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report.

( 2 March 2011 )
Libya's 'extraordinary' archaeology under threat

As the Gadaffi regime continues to massacre citizens, its repression also puts a rich cultural heritage at risk.

( 2 March 2011 )
Egyptian cabinet reshuffle sees science focus

Egypt's interim cabinet, which is in place until a new president is elected within six months, has seen its first major reshuffle. The interim prime minister has promised a renewed focus on education and science in his cabinet's attempts to tackle Egypt's most pressing problems and challenges.

( 1 March 2011 )
Tension builds at Algerian universities

Protestors at several universities in Algeria are calling for reforms to the university education system and the removal of corrupt officials with calls for the resignation of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

( 18 February 2011 )
Protestors call on Egyptian antiquities chief to resign

Zawi Hawass, Egypt's high profile head of antiquities, is under fire over his ties to the country's former president and his showy leadership style.

( 15 February 2011 )
Science in Egypt: interactive graphic

An analysis provided to Nature by Elsevier from its Scopus database puts Egypt's research performance over the past decade in context with neighbours and the rest of the world.

( 09 February 2011 )
Egyptian science community celebrates a free Egypt

Egyptian scientists look to the future, discussing how they can join in rebuilding their country after Mubarak, in power for 30 years, resigns.

( 12 February 2011 )
"A technological revolution"

Ahmed Zewail, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1999, talks on Egyptian state television about the role of scientists in rebuilding the country.

( 12 February 2011 )
Security focus hinders progress in Arab world

Moneef Zou'bi, head of the Islamic World Academy of Sciences, discusses the prospects for democracy and science in the region.

( 10 February 2011 )
Egypt's youth 'key to revival'

Country's future depends on democracy, education and research reform, say scientists.

Nature 470 , 147-149 ( 8 February 2011 )
A vision for Egypt's universities

Tarek Khalil of Nile University in Cairo explains how democratic change could revitalize education and innovation.

( 8 February 2011 )
Q&A: Academics play critical role in revolution

Nature Middle East talked to Nidhal Ghassoum, an astrophysicist and professor of physics at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and author of Islam's Quantum Question about how these events will affect the scientific community in the region and what role they can play.

( 8 February 2011 )
Zewail says Mubarak has a chance to make history

Prominent Egyptian Nobel laureate Ahmed Zewail, who arrived in Cairo two days ago, sees the present crisis engulfing his home country as an opportunity for President Mubarak to make history, but stopped short of demanding his immediate resignation in a press conference on Sunday.

( 7 February 2011 )
Egypt's researchers hungry for reform

The Mubarak regime has left Egyptian science lagging by decades, says chemist Hassan Azzazy.

( 8 February 2011 )
'Deep fury' of Egyptian scientists

Michael Harms, director of the Cairo office of the German Academic Exchange Service, offers a view from the Egyptian capital.

( 3 February 2011 )
Egyptians rally to defend cultural heritage

As petrol bombs fly near the Egyptian Museum, citizens and army mobilize against looters.

( 3 February 2011 )
Scientists join protests on streets of Cairo to call for political reform

Nature Middle East was on the streets of Cairo to listen to the demands and hopes of scientists protesting against President Mubarak's regime.

( 2 February 2011 )
Tunisian minister outlines hopes for the future

Faouzia Charfi, junior minister for higher education, explains her vision for the country's universities.

( 26 January 2011 )
Revolution may end repression of academic freedom in Tunisia

Hamed Ben Dhia, vice-chancellor of Sfax University, recalls life under the ousted dictator.

( 26 January 2011 )
Tunisian scientists rejoice at freedom

As revolution reshapes the country, researchers lay plans for a system that will foster free thinking and innovation.

Nature 469 , 453-454 ( 25 January 2011 )
Students spark Tunisian uprising

After four weeks of street protests in Tunisia, triggered by angry unemployed university graduates, Tunisians have ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who ruled for nearly a quarter of a century

( 18 January 2011 )

Features

Foreign researchers flee Yemen leaving conservation programmes in trouble

As the protests in Yemen intensify, foreign and local biologists are worried about the future of conservation efforts on the biodiversity rich island of Socotra.

( 22 March 2011 )
Nile University's future in doubt following the Egyptian revolution

Staff and students of Nile University fear the worst as they are prevented from moving onto a new purpose-built campus while accusations of corruption are investigated.

( 15 March 2011 )
Tahrir field hospital saves hundreds of lives

Volunteer doctors set up shop in a mosque after hospitals turned injured protesters away.

( 14 February 2011 )

Comment

Bridging the gap between scientists and society in the Arab world

Science and technology will be indispensable to the development of any nation in the future. Universities and scientists must interact with the wider community to breed the needed science culture.

( 22 February 2011 )

The Arab Awakening

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