Being a Physicist in Gaza

Last September, ICTP was proud to join ten other scientific institutions in Trieste to support refugee scientists and scientists whose home countries are in conflict. As part of this agreement, the Programme for Scientists in Countries in Conflict is pleased to host Professor Hala J. El-Khozonda of the Islamic University of Gaza for a special seminar on 24 January at 16:00 in the Euler Lecture Hall: “The Scientific Experience of a Woman Physicist in Gaza, Palestine.” 

Many factors and conditions can affect the lives and careers of scientists in countries in conflict, and scientists who have fled their countries. Being a woman also influences the experience of scientists in every country. In this seminar, the experience of a female physicist living in Gaza, Palestine will be presented.

This part of the world is subjected to unstable political circumstances which affects its economy and the living style of the people. Lack of electricity and unavailability of drinking water, raises the height of the challenge barrier that a normal scientist has to overcome. In addition, a brief introduction about different research topics that she tackled under the above-mentioned circumstances will be presented.

Hala J. El-Khozondar was born in Gaza, Palestine. She got her B.Sc. in Physics from BirZeit University, Palestine in 1987. She earned her Ph.D. in physics from New Mexico State University (NMSU), USA in 1999. She joined the physics faculty at BirZeit University in 1987. She had a Postdoc award at Max Planck Institute in Heidelberg, Germany in 1999. She is now a full professor at the electrical engineering (EE) department in Islamic University of Gaza. She is an ICTP senior associate, TWAS Fellow and a Fellow of the Arab Regional Office of TWAS.

Prof. El-Khozondar advises several students. She participated in several conferences and workshops. Her research includes studying solar systems, optical fibers, wireless communication, optical fiber sensors, MTMs devices, and polycrystalline materials. She has over 100 publications. She is a recipient of Fulbright Scholarship, DAAD, AvH, Erasmus Mundus, Altaawon and Bank of Palestine Zamalah senior visit, IUG Deanery Prize for applied sciences, TWAS-ARO prize 2018, TWAS medal lecture 2018 and ISESCO Prize in Science & Technolgy 2014. She is also coordinator for several projects including TEMPUS for promoting long life learning, and Al-Maqdisi to enhance collaboration with French partners. 

Light refreshments will be available after the talk. More information can be found here.