DAJANI, RANA

Associate Professor, Hashemite University, Visiting Professor, Yale Stem Cell Center and University of Cambridge

Rana Dajani PhD molecular biology, Eisenhower fellow, a Fulbrighter, an Associate Professor, Hashemite University, visiting professor at the Yale stem cell center and University of Cambridge. World expert on genetics of Circassian and Chechan populations in Jordan focusing on diabetes and cancer.

An advocate of biological evolution and Islam. Speaker at Cambridge, McGill and MIT. A writer in Nature on science and the Middle East. Member of UNWomen Jordan advisory council, received the PEER Award for mentoring model Three Circles of Alemat, chosen as 20 most influential women scientists in the Islamic world 2014 and 12 among 100 most powerful women in Arab world 2014, 2015, women in science hall of fame 2015.

Founder of “We love reading” received the Synergos award for Arab world social innovators 2009, membership to Clinton Global Initiative 2010, 2015, the Library of congress literary award 2013 best practices, WISE Award winner 2014, openideao top idea for refugee education 2015.

 

ABSTRACT

11:30-13:00 5 NOVEMBER
PLENARY SESSION iI. “SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT: COMMUNCATING WITH SOCIETY"

Is our objective attracting more people to science or is it making scientists interact and play an active role in society? In developing countries everyone wants to be a scientist.  Our challenge is making scientists interact and play an active role in society. 

As scientists we are role models. How can our expertise help the community around us to develop solutions for challenges either within our fields or outside.

Knowledge should not be in an ivory tower separate from reality. Science students should learn how to use the knowledge they acquire in their communities through:

A. service learning 

B. recycled science art

C. Community Awareness Project

They discover the relevance of that knowledge to real life and how it affects a community. They see their role in building that community and acquire a sense of responsibility. When they graduate, they have more confidence to try to drive change, even in a world of unemployment or instability.

As a professor of molecular cell biology at Hashemite University in Jordan. I will share practical tools that one can apply, develop and recreate to build bridges between science and society.