Faiza Al-Kharafi facts for kids

Faiza Mohammed Al-Kharafi (born in 1946) is a famous chemist and academic from Kuwait. She made history by becoming the first woman to lead a major university in the Middle East. From 1993 to 2002, she was the president of Kuwait University. She also serves as the vice president of the World Academy of Sciences.

Early Life and Education

Faiza Al-Kharafi was born in Kuwait in 1946. From a young age, she was very interested in science. She went to Al Merkab High School.

She earned her first university degree (a Bachelor of Science) from Ain Shams University in Cairo in 1967. Later, she studied at Kuwait University. While there, she started a special lab for studying corrosion and electrochemistry. She completed her master's degree in 1972 and her PhD in 1975.

A Career in Science and Leadership

Faiza Al-Kharafi began working in the Chemistry Department at Kuwait University in 1975. She became the head of the department in 1984. From 1986 to 1989, she was the Dean of the Faculty of Science. In 1987, she became a full professor of chemistry.

On July 5, 1993, the leader of Kuwait, Emir Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, chose her to be the president of Kuwait University. This was a very important moment because she was the first woman to lead such a big university in the Middle East.

Rebuilding Kuwait University

After the First Gulf War ended in 1991, Kuwait University needed a lot of rebuilding. Faiza Al-Kharafi played a key role in this effort. As president from 1993 to 2002, she was in charge of more than 1,500 staff members, over 5,000 employees, and more than 20,000 students.

Supporting Scientific Research

Dr. Al-Kharafi has always been a strong supporter of scientific research in Kuwait. In 1986, she and her team studied how much scientific research was happening in Kuwait. They compared it to other countries. Her work showed that Kuwait's universities could do important scientific research.

Studying Corrosion and Metals

As a chemist, Faiza Al-Kharafi has done a lot of research on corrosion. Corrosion is like rust, where metals get damaged over time. She studied how corrosion affects things like engine cooling systems and equipment used to process crude oil. She also looked at how pollution can cause metals to corrode.

As an electrochemist, she studied how different metals and metal mixtures behave. These included aluminum, copper, platinum, and steel. She even helped discover new types of catalysts (substances that speed up chemical reactions) that can make gasoline better without harmful by-products.

Global Roles and Advocacy

In 1998, she joined the Board of the United Nations University. In 2005, when women in Kuwait gained the right to vote, she said that having political rights helps people express their opinions and choose good leaders. In 2006, she helped start the American Bilingual School in Kuwait.

She is also the vice president of The World Academy of Sciences. She serves on many important boards, including the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences.

Awards and Recognition

Faiza Al-Kharafi has received many awards for her important work:

• In 2005, Forbes magazine named her one of "The 100 Most Powerful Women – Women To Watch in the Middle East."
• She received the Kuwait Prize in Applied Sciences in 2006.
• In 2008, the Council for Gulf Relations named her the Top Gulf Woman of the Year.
• In 2011, she won the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science for her research on corrosion.

Personal Life

Faiza Al-Kharafi is married to Ali Mohammed Thanian Al-Ghanim. They have five sons and ten grandchildren. One of her sons, Marzouq Al-Ghanim, used to be the speaker of Kuwait's National Assembly. She often spends her summers in Switzerland. Her brothers include Jassem Al-Kharafi, who was also a speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, and the late Nasser Al-Kharafi. She is part of the wealthy Al-Kharafi family.

See also

In Spanish: Faiza Al-Kharafi para niños

• Women in chemistry