In conjunction with the National Association of Science Writers and the Arab Science Journalists Association, AAAS is happy to announce the recipients of the 2008 AAAS-EurekAlert! Fellowships for International Science Reporters, sponsored by Elsevier.

Dalia Abdel Salam Mohamed El Dessouky

Al-Ahram Hebdo | Egypt

Dalia is currently the environment editor for the newspaper, Al-Ahram Hebdo, one of the most prestigious newspapers in Egypt and the Middle East. Dalia has worked as a journalist since 1994, devoting her coverage to environmental issues since 1999. Her areas of focus include climate change, water resource management, health and environmental education. She is a member of the Arab office for Youth and Environment, the Arab Association for Scientific Journalists and the Society for Writers for Environment and Development. Dalia was awarded the Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Award in 2006, (as the regional winner for French-speaking Africa) recognizing her contribution in raising global awareness of environmental and developmental issues.

Mahmoud Al-Dwairi

Amman Net Radio | Jordan

Mahmoud Al-Dwairi is originally from Jordan, and currently working with Amman Net Radio Station (Community Radio) producing "Earth & Roses" which aims to spread environmental awareness -- especially among youth -- to sustain the natural resources. The program contains segments on environmental news, medical plants and dialogues about different environmental issues and ecotourism. "Earth & Roses" is the first environmental radio program in Jordan. Al-Dwairi is the president of the Jordanian Science Journalists Association, and member of the Jordan Health Aid Society, World Federation of Science Journalism and Arab Science Journalists Association. He received his master's degree in Environmental Science & Management.

Waleed Al-Shobakky

Freelancer | Qatar

Waleed Al-Shobakky is an Egyptian journalist based in Doha, Qatar. A bilingual writer (Arabic and English), Al-Shobakky focuses on science and technology, particularly the development, policy and business perspectives of science. He writes on a freelance basis, and has been published with the Science and Development Network (SciDev.net), ScienceBusiness.net (UK), Al-Arabi Magazine (Kuwait), IslamOnline.net, Business Today Egypt magazine, Cairo magazine, Alkutub Wijhat Nazar magazine (Egypt), Assafeer newspaper (Lebanon) and AlJazeera.net (Qatar). Having relocated to Qatar in August 2005, he closely covers the emerging science projects in Qatar and the Gulf.

Mohammed Yahia

IslamOnline.net | Egypt

Mohammed Yahia is a science editor in the Health & Science section of the website IslamOnline.net. He has a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Cairo University. However, he soon changed his career and has been a science journalist since 2006. In 2007, he was one of the finalists for the Kaiser Foundation Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Journalism in Africa -- part of the CNN MultiChoice African Awards -- for an article he wrote in IslamOnline.net on how HIV is disproportionately affecting women in Africa. Besides writing for IslamOnline.net, his articles have been published in SciDev.net. Yahia is a member of the Arab Science Journalists Association.

Mohammed Yahia passed away unexpectedly in August 2023. Read the tribute to him by the World Federation of Science Journalists, where he served as President from 2017 to 2019.

Read more: AAAS/EurekAlert! build bridges with Middle Eastern science community through journalism fellowships