Top 100 Arabs 2024

Nora AlMatrooshi made history as the first female Emirati and Arab woman astronaut, selected as part of the second cohort of the UAE Astronaut Programme. Earlier this year, she achieved another milestone by becoming the first Arab woman to complete NASA’s rigorous training programme, as a member of the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class, in the US.

Al Matrooshi holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University and received training at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland. In addition to her pioneering role as the first Arab female astronaut, Al Matrooshi is an active member of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Her accomplishments extend beyond her space endeavours, as she clinched the top position in the UAE during the 2011 International Mathematical Olympiad. Furthermore, she represented her country at the UN International Youth Conferences in both 2018 and 2019.