UAE: Emirati student receives award from UK society for bioscience project about date palms

An Emirati biology student who received a top award from a United Kingdom society of biology for her bioscience project, encourages others to major in a field that matches their inner passion.

Amna Salem Saleh Altaee, from the UAE University (UAEU)’s College of Science has been awarded the Accreditation Top Project Award by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), London, United Kingdom.

The programme aims to encourage graduate bioscientists to remain in the bioscience field and to provide support to graduates as they make important career choices.

The Emirati gained such a high level of achievement in the competition of bioscience project entitled "Biocontrol Potential of Endophytic Actinobacteria against Fusarium solani, the Causal Agent of Sudden Decline Syndrome on Date Palm in the UAE" as she published her work in the Journal of Fungi.

“I feel grateful, and it wouldn’t have happened without the constant support from UAEU, biology department and professors Khalid El-Tarabily & Professor Synan Abu-Qamar who gave me the chance to participate in this novel research as an undergraduate student,” she told Khaleej Times.

“This award encouraged me to continue up and aim for a masters degree in microbiology to get enrolled in the research field of biosciences in the UAE.”

This project was under the supervision of Prof. Khaled El-Tarabily and Prof. Synan AbuQamar from Biology Department, College of Science.

Altaee was also awarded one year of free membership to the Royal Society of Biology, London, United Kingdom.

The Emirati young biologist, who lives in Abu Dhabi, has been majoring in Cell & molecular biology and graduated this semester.

“I highly recommend every student to major in a field that matches their inner passion,” she said.

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