Hayat Sindi
Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

    Dr Hayat Sindi is currently a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; where she works with Professor George Whitesides at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

    Dr. Sindi earned her BS from King’s College University in Pharmacology, and Ph.D from Cambridge University “Studies on a Novel Electromagnetic-Acoustic Sensor” where she was appointed as Senior Lecturer at the International school of Medicine, specialising in Pre-clinical education and public affairs of Cambridge Overseas Medical Programme. For her contributions she was invited by HRH Prince Philip to become a member of the Royal College of Teachers. Hayat is the first Female in Gulf to gain a PhD in biotechnology.

    Dr. Sindi founded Sonoptix Technology, Cambridge, UK with Saudi Arabian seed funding, she led the development of a cost effective measurement technology for application in clinical diagnostics. Later she became Senior Research Scientist for Biotechnology at Schlumberger Cambridge Research Centre and Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Biological and Chemical Science, Exeter University.

    Hayat has been an inspirational figure for many young female students to pursue science majors in the Middle East and abroad, and especially in her home country Saudi Arabia. She presented a new image of Saudi Female Scientist where she spoke at Berkeley University, USA., Gulf Women Conference in London, and as a spokeswoman to International and National TV and radio interviews ,including BBC, Al Arabia, and The Times.

    For her contributions, Dr. Sindi has received First award for an elite scholarship for the academically gifted presented by King Abdul Allah Ben Abdul Aziz. Hayat awarded for most talented Female entrepreneur of the year by Jeddah’s regulatory committee. She became a member of British Top Young Researcher at House of Commons. She was awarded Young professional award by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s- Arab Student Organization (MIT-ASO). She was also chosen to address King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz at the National Dialogue Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Today Hayat is starting a new company with Professor George Whitesides and others. The new company is called Paper Diagnostics Inc (PDI). PDI is a for-profit company, with non-profit objectives, to take the technology to developing areas to create a better quality of life for those who are deprived.

    Hayat’s wish is to build a world class biotechnology centre of excellence in Saudi Arabia, through effective collaboration with Harvard University and MIT.