Reem Al Marzouqi facts for kids

Reem Al Marzouqi (Arabic: ريم المرزوقي) was born around 1990 in the United Arab Emirates. She is an amazing Emirati engineer. Reem is famous for being the first woman from the UAE to get a special invention approval, called a patent, in the United States of America. She earned this for creating a car that people can drive using only their feet!

Reem's Early Life and Education

Reem Al Marzouqi grew up in the United Arab Emirates. She lived in a house with many boys, which she says helped her become interested in cars. In 2008, Reem started studying at the United Arab Emirates University. She wanted to become an architect. Even though she says she was not always a top student, she worked hard. She earned a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering.

While at university, Reem also gained real-world experience. She worked with engineering companies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. One of these was Musanada, a company that manages building construction. Reem even showed her practical skills by winning second place in a carpentry competition. She was the first and only girl to take part!

Her Amazing Invention

Reem's most famous invention is a special system that lets people drive a car using only their feet. It's called the "Lower Extremity Vehicle Navigation Control System." She received a patent for this idea in the U.S., and later in Japan too. This system uses levers for steering, speeding up, and braking, all controlled by your feet. This means people can drive without using their hands or upper body. It was the first system of its kind!

Reem got the idea for her invention during a class at university. She saw a TV interview with Jessica Cox, who is the world's first pilot without arms. Jessica talked about how hard it was to drive cars for long distances using only her feet. This inspired Reem to think of a solution.

When Reem first showed her ideas to her professor, he told her to focus on her studies. But once he saw her detailed drawings, he encouraged her to apply for a U.S. patent. This shows how Reem loves to solve real problems and help people.

Reem's Achievements and Recognition

Reem's invention has been shown at many important events. It was part of the Expo Science International exhibition. Her car control system was even displayed at the British Museum's "A History of the World in 100 Objects" exhibition in Abu Dhabi. The director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, called it "a brilliant example of human beings striving to find new things."

In 2014, Reem was chosen to be an innovation and technology delegate. This was at a big international summit in San Francisco, California. Reem also holds two Guinness World Records! Both were set in 2014. One was for the largest flag lifted by helium balloons. The other was for the longest wedding dress. Reem designed both of these amazing feats. She even worked with The Dubai Club for the Disabled on the wedding dress to show off their talents.

Reem has also been recognized as one of the "50 Most Influential Women in the Arab World" and one of the "100 Smartest People in the UAE."

Reem's Current Work

After finishing college, Reem started working on a big project at the Abu Dhabi Airport. She is helping to upgrade the Midfield Airport Terminal. This project aims to make the Abu Dhabi airport a very advanced and high-tech place for air travel.

Reem is married and has two sons.

See also

• List of Emiratis
• Women in the United Arab Emirates
• Women in Arab societies