On most days, Amal Al Haddabi feels like a superhero. I sometimes dream of myself flying around in a cape with a big ‘S’ on it, she says. Her work certainly requires a heroic effort. Al Haddabi is head of the Publications Department at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), one of the leading think tanks in the Middle East, and is responsible for the center’s numerous books, journals, research papers, and reports that tackle matters of strategic importance to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), the region, and the world.

After working for years in information technology and communications, Al Haddabi knew she needed to return to college to further her career. As a U.A.E. national, she had heard great things about the business administration and management and information systems programs at NYIT’s Abu Dhabi campus.

She enrolled and was pleased to discover NYIT met her expectations. It is simply top notch, the best place for any aspiring professional to get the best education in the field of technology, she says. She also appreciated the fairly inclusive, nonsectarian, and education-friendly atmosphere, not to mention the program’s track record of helping its graduates land great jobs.

Opportunities in technology are rapidly growing, and Al Haddabi is an advocate for more students—particularly women—pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The U.A.E. is among the few Arab and Muslim countries where women are well represented in the STEM fields, she says. There has been a remarkable uptick in recent years, but there is still a long way to go, both for male and female students.

This astute, global perspective has served her well in her career. Her contributions to the information technology field have earned her the Leadership Award by Princess Haya Women’s Forum, the 2009 ICT Woman of the Year Award, and a certificate of acknowledgment from the Kuwait Information Technology Society.

Above all, she is most proud of the recognition she received in 2005 from the President of the ECSSR, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the U.A.E. Armed Forces, for her work establishing the center’s acclaimed quarterly journal, Strategic Visions (strategicvisions.ecssr.com). I’m proud to have been part of a pioneering publication that is raising new standards of excellence in strategic research worldwide, she says.

Contact info:

Website: www.alhaddabi.net (under construction)
Twitter : @aalhadabi
Instagram: @aalhadabi