Sheikh Mohammed congratulates winner of Great Arab Minds Award in Natural Sciences

Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced Professor Majed Chergui as the winner of the 2025 Great Arab Minds Award in Natural Sciences.

Sheikh Mohammed shared the news through his X account: “Civilisations do not endure by relying on past glories; they renew their standing through the scientists of today. We congratulate Professor Majed Chergui, Emeritus Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), on winning the 2025 Great Arab Minds Award for Natural Sciences, in recognition of his pioneering scientific contributions in observing ultra-fast motion at the atomic level.”

Professor Majed Chergui has devoted his scientific career to developing tools and experiments that have enabled scientists to monitor the motion of molecules and materials with unprecedented femtosecond precision. He has also contributed to the advancement of ultra-fast X-ray techniques, published more than 450 scientific papers, and received over 23,000 citations worldwide, making him one of the most influential scientists in ultrafast spectroscopy, materials science, and energy research, the Vice President said.

“Congratulations to Professor Majed Chergui on this achievement. For those who believe that Arab scientific creativity is confined to the past, the Arab Genius Award stands as a reminder that our present carries names no less impactful, accomplished, or ambitious,” Sheikh Mohammed added.

Professor Chergui is an Emeritus Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and one of the world’s leading scientists in ultrafast spectroscopy and light-matter interactions.

He was awarded the Great Arab Minds Award in the Natural Sciences for 2025 in recognition of his pioneering contributions to advancing the understanding of ultrafast atomic-scale motion. His work has enabled scientists to observe the movement of molecules and materials with unprecedented femtosecond precision, opening new frontiers in molecular dynamics and fundamental physics.

Over the course of his career, Professor Chergui has played a key role in developing ultrafast X-ray techniques, significantly enhancing global insight into photo-induced processes. His research has expanded scientific horizons across physics, chemistry, materials science, and renewable energy.

He has also contributed to the development of advanced experimental tools, including ultrafast two-dimensional ultraviolet spectroscopy and ultrafast circular dichroism spectroscopy, strengthening researchers’ ability to study complex biological systems and advanced solid-state materials.

Professor Chergui has published more than 450 scientific papers and has received over 23,000 citations worldwide, ranking him among the most influential scientists in the fields of ultrafast spectroscopy, materials science, and energy research.