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Member Since 2022
Dalal Najib
Senior Director, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Dalal Najib is a Senior Director at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, where she leads strategic partnerships, capacity building programs and the engagement of emerging leaders in the US, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America. She has a PhD in Space physics and engineering and a Master of Public Policy from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Bachelor's in aerospace and aeronautical engineering from Supaero. She is Moroccan-American and fluent in four languages.
Professional Experience
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Senior Director
2022 - Present
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Director
2019 - 2022
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Senior Program Officer
2014 - 2018
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Education
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Doctorate
2011
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Masters
2011
Dalal's AGU Research
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Honors & Awards
Union Fellow
Received December 2025
Ambassador Award
Received December 2025
Citation
Dr. Dalal Najib, senior director for science and engineering capacity development at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), is recognized with the AGU Ambassador Award for pioneering global science diplomacy, advancing Earth science collaboration, and empowering early-career talent across continents. Dr. Najib’s career exemplifies the four pillars of this award: societal impact, service to the Earth and space sciences community, scientific leadership, and the promotion of talent and workforce development. Through a unique blend of scientific expertise, cross-cultural fluency, and visionary program design, she has created enduring platforms that unite researchers, policymakers, and institutions to address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Her contributions to societal impact include designing and leading initiatives such as the U.S.-Africa and Arab-American Frontiers symposia, the Latin America Connections program, and the PEER initiative. These efforts have supported interdisciplinary collaboration on food security, climate resilience, water sustainability, and energy transitions, producing tangible benefits for communities worldwide. Notably, her Frontiers Fellowship Program has funded more than 100 collaborative projects, resulting in scientific publications, research grants, student exchanges, and institutional partnerships. During the Afghanistan crisis, she mobilized global networks to protect and resettle at-risk Earth scientists, exemplifying her moral as well as scientific leadership.
Her service to the Earth and space sciences community is rooted in her technical training as a space physicist and her commitment to expanding participation globally. She has engaged over 1,400 researchers through NASEM Frontiers programs, built cross-regional water security networks through the National Science Foundation–funded PEER2PEER project, and convened government agencies, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector around shared scientific goals. As a model of scientific leadership, Dr. Najib has secured substantial resources in programmatic and competitive funding to create educational and science outreach activities. Her team has introduced new training in science diplomacy, ethics, and systems thinking while mentoring young researchers across continents. Her ability to convert short-term engagements into long-lasting collaborations reflects her strategic foresight and institution-building skills. Equally transformative is her promotion of talent. As director of the Christine Mirzayan Fellowship and the NASEM’s New Voices program, she has expanded opportunities for many early-career scientists, championing advancement in science and global engagement.
Dr. Najib’s career is defined by unselfish cooperation in science, advancing geophysical knowledge while strengthening global capacity for scientific integrity and societal benefit. She is an unparalleled role model and a most deserving recipient of the AGU Ambassador Award.
—Amir AghaKouchak, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
Ali Mirchi, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
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Outstanding Student Presentation Award
Received January 2009
Presentation Title: A 3D Multi-fluid MHD Study of the Interaction of the Solar Wind with the Ionosphere/Atmosphere System of Mars
Event: 2009 Fall Meeting
Awarding Section: Planetary Sciences
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