Moneef Zou'bi

Dr Moneef R. Zou’bi has been active in global Sustainable Development particularly through Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for 30 years. Born in Amman, Jordan, he received his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Civil Engineering Technology and Management at Brighton and Loughborough Universities in the United Kingdom, 1980 - 1987. After becoming involved in global development issues, he pursued further post-graduate work at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Malaya. Dr Zou’bi currently serves as the Science Advisor to the Interaction Council (IAC) which is an international organization of former heads of state from all over the world. Previously, he worked for the Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) firmly positioning the IAS on the international scientific and technological collaboration landscape. He served as Director General IAS (May 1998 – September 2019). Over the last three decades, he has devoted all his energies to humanitarian causes, to sustainable development, to science and innovation advocacy at all levels, and to bridging scientific and technological, development, and political divides between countries, cultures, and civilizations. He has worked extensively on science and technology issues, science education, and sustainable development, as well as on water issues from a Middle Eastern perspective, and has published over 60 papers as well as 20 books on such topics. In 2010, he co-authored the ground-breaking 2010 UNESCO Science Report which foresaw the advent of the Arab Spring. Apart from his work-related interests, he is interested in international affairs, the history of science, science diplomacy as well as sustainable development and water issues in the Islamic world. Moneef has visited more than 60 countries; he speaks Arabic, English and some French, and is a member of many international organizations including World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS). He is a member - Board of Judges for the Templeton Prize involved in the selection of the Templeton Prize Laureate for 2018, 2019 and 2020.