Professor Abbas El Gamal from Egypt, the Hitachi America Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, has been awarded the 2025 Great Arab Minds prize in Engineering and Technology.
Professor El Gamal was recognized for his pioneering contributions to network information theory, which laid the foundation for many modern digital networks around the world. He also made significant contributions to the development of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and CMOS image sensors used in many smartphones. His work has helped develop the technologies to support digital sensing, computing, and communication systems.
"Professor El Gamal helped develop Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and CMOS image sensors used in many smartphones. In addition, he led the development of CMOS image sensors, the core technology behind most smartphone and digital cameras," the statement said.
Professor El Gamal has published more than 230 research papers and authored several influential scientific works, including Network Information Theory, published by Cambridge University Press, which is considered a global reference for engineering and technology students. He holds 35 patents and is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world's largest technical professional organization. His research established the mathematical limits of communication networks and influenced the design of modern communication protocols worldwide. He also contributed to the development of routing architectures used in today's smart-chip electronic applications.
Born in Egypt, Professor El Gamal earned his bachelor's degree with honors from Cairo University in 1972, followed by a master's degree in statistics and a PhD in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1978. He has also co-founded startups in the semiconductor and biotechnology sectors and served on their boards and advisory committees.
Great Arab Minds, recognized today as the Arab equivalent to the Nobel Prize, is the largest initiative of its kind in the region and aims to inspire future generations by celebrating exceptional Arab talent and reviving the region's historic contributions to human advancement. Now in its third edition, the initiative continues to spotlight exceptional Arab achievers, granting them the highest regional recognition in fields that shape scientific, cultural, and creative progress across the Arab world.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Professor Abbas El Gamal on receiving the Great Arab Minds 2025 award in the Engineering and Technology category. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid highlighted the importance of Arab innovators in advancing engineering and technology, strengthening the region's development, and contributing to global scientific progress.
In a post on X, he said, "As we do every year to honour Arab researchers and innovators through Great Arab Minds, and after receiving thousands of nominations, we announce the winner of the 2025 Great Arab Minds in Engineering and Technology Abbas El Gamal from Egypt, Hitachi America Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University. We congratulate Professor El Gamal, Egypt and the Arab world for this excellence, which shows that we are not just consumers of technology, but have the minds capable of creating it and shaping its scientific future – minds that deserve recognition and a platform worthy of their potential."
The launch of the Great Arab Minds award reflects H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's commitment to recognizing Arab innovators as changemakers and drivers of progress and prosperity. Honouring Professor El Gamal and others like him, he said, is both a right they deserve and a duty owed by all who recognise the value of their contributions – contributions that reaffirm the Arab world's role in engineering innovation, technological advancement, and scientific progress.
The Engineering and Technology Committee for the 2025 edition was chaired by Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education. Its members included Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Khalifa University, Dr. Mohammed Qasem, Dean of Dubai Future Academy, Professor Ismael Al-Hinti, President of Al Hussein Technical University, and Adel Darwish, Regional Director of the International Telecommunication Union.
