From the Desert to the Boardroom: How Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri Redefined the Role of Emirati Women in Science
In the year 2000, a 22-year-old Emirati scientist was given an ultimatum: leave the field, or accept that she was an outlier in a profession deemed unsuitable for women. At the time, Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri was often the sole female presence on rugged expeditions across Abu Dhabi’s vast deserts, coastline, and wetlands. Despite the pressure to trade her boots for a desk job, she stood her ground, asserting, “I believed my place was in the field.”
More than a quarter-century later, Dr. Al Dhaheri serves as the Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD). Her trajectory from a lone female researcher to a high-ranking official is not just a personal triumph; it is a testament to the seismic shift in the professional landscape for women in the UAE.
Breaking Barriers in the Wild
Dr. Al Dhaheri’s career began during a time when environmental research in the region was dominated by expatriate experts. As one of the few Emiratis in the sector, she quickly understood that her people had to become the stewards of their own land.
“There is no one who would care more about this land than the Emiratis themselves,” she noted.
Her early years were marked by arduous field trips—leaving at sunrise, navigating treacherous dunes in 4x4s, and camping in the remote Empty Quarter. While she recalls these days with fondness, the social climate was less welcoming. When faced with cultural resistance, she refused to withdraw, instead successfully advocating for the recruitment of other women to join her. Supported by her family—particularly her father, who championed her early aspirations—and later by her husband, who assisted with data collection during her studies, she paved a way where none existed.
A Legacy of Vision
Dr. Al Dhaheri attributes these opportunities to the foundational vision of the UAE’s leadership. She remains deeply influenced by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the nation’s Founding Father, who famously defied experts who claimed that greening the UAE was impossible.
Alongside the unwavering support of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, this vision helped integrate women into the workplace across all sectors. Today, the Emirati scientist sees a markedly different reality at EAD, where women now thrive as divers, climate policymakers, and leading researchers.
The Responsibility of Progress
For Dr. Al Dhaheri, the maturity of the current system brings a new mandate: the responsibility of mentorship. She emphasizes that the current generation must “broaden the path” for those who follow, ensuring that young women do not have to fight the same battles she did.
“We have never accepted to be at a certain level,” she said, reflecting on the nation’s drive for excellence. “Each level we arrive or land into, the next step for us is to beat that baseline and to become better and stronger.”
As the UAE continues to evolve, Dr. Al Dhaheri’s message to the next generation is one of empowerment. She urges young women to discover their “hidden powers” and to push the boundaries of what is possible. For a woman who once refused to stay behind a desk, her legacy is clear: she has not only occupied the field, she has ensured it remains open for those who will follow in her footsteps.
