Dr. Ibtesam Badhress

Dr Ibtesam is a Professor of Elementary Particle Physics – High Energy Physics and a Chief Researcher at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). She was and is the only Saudi woman to join The European Organisation for Nuclear Physics (CERN) as a researcher. In 2014, was awarded the Physicist of the Month by the American Physics Society in August 2014. And in 2018, she was ranked third among 51 distinguished Saudi women in science. She is a member of the Saudi Nuclear Society, of the International Organisation of Women in Nuclear WiN, and a senior member of the International Neutrino Experiment, EXO. She was also the former Chair of the Institute of Accelerator Technology at KACST. Dr Badhrees is the current Chair of the Scientific Committee at King Salman Oasis for Science that serves the public sector. She was the head of the Enrichment Programme (Ethra’) 2019-2020 at KACST to support talented high school students. Dr. Badhrees received her Ph.D. from the Laboratory of High Energy Physics - Albert Einstein Centre - University of Bern in 2011. She also holds a PhD in International Relations from the Geneva School of Diplomacy & International Relations in Switzerland. She received her Master of Science in Applied Physics - Laser Technology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, USA, in 1997. She also holds a Master of Art in Teaching English as a Second Language from FDU in 2000.