Committee

Forum Chairman

Hani Harb

Dr. Hani Harb, Assistant Professor of Infectious Immunology at the Technical University of Dresden, Germany, holds a PhD in Immunology and Epigenetics from the University of Marburg, Germany, and is a former researcher at Harvard University. His research focuses on the interaction between immunity, the microbiome, and epigenetics in inflammatory and infectious diseases. He leads several international research projects, is a co-founder of the German-Syrian Foundation for Scientific Research, and is active in supporting higher education and rebuilding the scientific infrastructure in Syria.

📍Germany

📧 hani.harb@ds-fg.com

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hani-harb/

🐦 https://x.com/harbhani

Board of Trustees of the Organizers

Yamen Al Salka

Dr. Yamen completed his PhD and postdoc in chemistry at Leibniz University Hannover in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production.
He then worked as a senior researcher in the field of photonic sensor technologies at the Institute of Nanophotonics in Göttingen.
Today he works as Head of the Chromatography Laboratory at Haupt Pharma Wülfing GmbH in Gronau.
Since 2021 he has been working as manager of the mentoring program at the DSFG.

Moumen Alhasan

Moumen Alhasan is a pharmacist and medical researcher originally from Deir ez-Zor, Syria. He graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Aleppo in 2010 with distinction. In 2011, he began a Master’s degree in Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy at Damascus University, during which he translated several scientific and academic works, including Just Six Numbers by Martin Rees.

After immigrating to Germany in 2015, he successfully completed the pharmacy equivalency exams and became a licensed pharmacist. In 2018, he joined the doctoral program in Medical Research at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, where he earned his PhD in 2024 with a magna cum laude distinction. His research has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Alhasan currently works as a researcher at Charité, focusing on the development and biology of fetal blood stem cells, contributing to advancing knowledge in hematopoiesis and regenerative medicine.

📍 Germany
📧 moumen7551@gmail.com
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/moumen-m-alhasan-55051a87/?originalSubdomain=de

🐦 https://x.com/MoumenAlhasan

 

Samer Karam

A researcher and academic specializing in geomatics engineering and 3D digital mapping robots, he is the founder of the Syrian Scientific Council.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Aleppo, a Master’s degree in Geomatics Engineering from the University of Stuttgart in Germany, and a PhD from the University of Twente in the Netherlands. He also holds a certificate in Post-Crisis Governance from the University of Konstanz in Germany and a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Toronto in Canada.
He worked as a research assistant at the German Aerospace Center and later served as a member of the Faculty Board at the University of Twente, in addition to his work as a lecturer. He has published peer-reviewed scientific research in international journals specializing in remote sensing.

Germany📍 
📧 samer.karam.uni@gmail.com
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/samer-karam-dr-ing-76939369/

🐦 https://x.com/samer_karam89?s=11

Yaman Alsabek

Yaman Alsabek is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Sanad Youth Development Organization, with more than 12 years of experience in the field of development. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration as well as a Diploma in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs. He has worked on promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and supporting Syrian youth by implementing dozens of projects in partnership with international and local organizations and the private sector.

📍 Syria
 📧 y.alsabek@sanadyouth.org  
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaman-alsabek/

Odai Tozan

Oudai Tozan is the Director of Academic Programmes at the University of Oxford. He is also the principal investigator for the Syria team in the Education Research in Conflict and Protracted Crisis. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge, focusing on rebuilding Syria’s higher education sector. He was also an associate lecturer in the Sociology of Educat (ERICC) Programme.ion, Migration and Mobility, and Research Methods at Anglia Ruskin University. Oudai’s research focuses on examining the role of education in conflict and peacebuilding, as well as the contributions of diaspora/exiled academics to the future of Syria. He is currently a member of the task force of the Syrian Academics and Researchers Network.

📍 Syria
 📧 Oudai.tozan@gmail.com  

🔗https://www.linkedin.com/in/oudai-tozan/

Forum Board

Amal Alachkar

Amal Alachkar is a professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine). She graduated from the School of Pharmacy at Aleppo University, Syria, and completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Manchester, UK.
Her research focuses on understanding the neurobiological basis of cognition, emotions, and behavior. She also investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and mental disorders and works to identify and develop optimal treatments. Dr. Alachkar is the co-director of the Master of Pharmacology program (MSP) at UC Irvine, and she teaches across undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs.

📍 USA
📧 alachkaramal@gmail.com
 🔗https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/alachkarlab/ https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6354

Abdul Hafiz AbdulHafiz

Dr. Abdul Hafiz ABDULHAFIZ is an Associate Professor at King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from Osmania University in 2008, in collaboration with IIIT-Hyderabad, and his M.Tech. in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Hyderabad in 2003. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK.
Dr. Abdulhafiz has an extensive publication record in leading international conferences and journals, including ICRA and IROS. His research focuses on robotic vision, machine learning, autonomous driving, and assistive technologies. He brings a strong background in interdisciplinary innovation and academic leadership, making him a valuable contributor to the advancement of intelligent systems and their real-world applications.

📍 Saudi Arabia
📧 aabdulhafiz@kfu.edu.sa

🔗https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-h-abdul-hafez-53634656/

🐦https://x.com/ahabdulhafez?s=21

Ghmkin Hassan

A cancer researcher, he graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Damascus University and holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Okayama University in Japan. He currently works as a researcher at the University of California and a visiting researcher at Okayama University. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of cancer development and enhancing antitumor immune responses. He has published studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals, serves as a scientific reviewer, and has participated in international conferences. He is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Japanese Cancer Society (JCA).

📍 USA
📧 h-ghmkin@s.okayama-u.ac.jp
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghmkin-hassan-84211291/

🐦 https://x.com/hghmkin

Abdulkarim Najjar

Abdulkarim Najjar is a senior scientific leader specializing in predictive toxicology and its role in modern drug and chemical safety design. As Chief Scientist at Beiersdorf, Hamburg, Germany, he integrates human-relevant, non-animal methods to support the development of safer, more effective compounds using in vitro data, molecular modeling, and advanced computational tools. Abdulkarim also brings strong leadership experience, managing cross-functional international teams at the intersection of science, regulation, and policy. He holds a degree in Public Administration and Leadership from the University of Konstanz, Germany, and has authored over tens peer-reviewed publications, is a frequent speaker at international scientific conferences, contributing to global progress in ethical, data-driven safety science.

📍 Germany

📧 a.k.najjar@hotmail.com

🔗https://www.linkedin.com/in/karim-najjar-58481362/

🐦https://x.com/KarimNajjar25

Mohamed Alaama

Research and Development Director and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Expert

Dr. Mohammed Al-Aama is a researcher and expert in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical chemistry, with over ten years of experience in pharmaceutical research and development, quality assurance, and chemical and biological analysis. Born in Homs in 1983, he graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Aleppo in 2006 and then earned his Master’s and PhD degrees in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 2017.

He began his academic career as a lecturer in analytical chemistry and a researcher in the Laboratory of Analysis and Bioanalysis at the Islamic University, where he contributed to the development of advanced analytical methods and supervised senior students’ graduation projects. He later joined Biopep in Malaysia and Turkey, where he serves as Director of Research and Development, leading innovative projects in the field of bio-extracts and their pharmaceutical applications, particularly in the treatment of cancer and chronic inflammation.

Dr. Al-Aama has a distinguished scientific record, including 24 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 18 patents. He is also known for his ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.

📍 Turkey
📧 hass83pharm@gmail.com
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-alaama-b0736a35/

🐦 https://x.com/hassee0

Mohamad Amino

Mohamad Amino is an Education Programme Specialist and Project Manager Assistant with experience working with non-profit organisations both locally and internationally. He possesses a strong background in project management, youth support, and educational data analysis. Holding a Master’s degree in International Marketing from the University of Manchester, he is distinguished by his strong leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills. He believes in empowering communities through education and consistently strives to create a sustainable impact through collaborative and innovative work.

📍Syria

📧 mohamed.amino.mgr@gmail.com
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamad-amino/

🐦 https://x.com/MohamadAmino10?t=jH7TFl36Y6rO6Go6R6-prw&s=09

Fouad Al Mahmoud

Fouad Al Mahmoud is a strategic infrastructure developer specializing in cities, industrial zones, ports, and airports, with over 18 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Aleppo (2006) and a Bachelor’s degree from The Hague University (NOVEC, 2018). His career includes serving as a project manager in Saudi Arabia for five years and contributing seven years to the strategic cluster of nine companies in the western area of Schiphol Airport. He currently leads the 3D model control department, overseeing advanced satellite-based systems using Trimble, Leica, and Topcon technologies.

📍 The Netherlands
📧 fouadalmahmoud2017@gmail.com
🔗 www.linkedin.com/in/fouad-al-mahmoud-3bb761174

Program Team

Ayham Abazid

Ayham Abazid holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry with honors from the University of Bremen, where his research focused on the synthesis and reactivity of N-Heterocyclic Iodanes. He has been awarded several prestigious grants and fellowships, including the DAAD STIBET grant, Bremen State Fellowship, and a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. With extensive experience spanning academic research and industrial applications, he has built a strong record of scientific publications. He currently serves as a team leader at MSD Deutschland, managing projects in manufacturing and quality assurance of active pharmaceutical ingredients within a GMP-compliant environment.

📍 Germany
📧 Abazid@uni-bremen.de
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ayham-abazid-7b51a1111?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

🐦 https://x.com/ayhamhassanabaz?s=21&t=CL48Z9pMUORpfXgzH6ux_Q

Saad Kayali

Dr. Saad Kayali holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Plant Physiology at the same university. His academic journey includes studies at the Faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Sciences across Geneva, Lausanne, and Neuchâtel. He is also an Agricultural Engineer (University of Aleppo) and holds multiple advanced qualifications, including the European Certificate in Chronobiology (University of Freiburg, Germany), a Certificate in Teaching Methods (University of Lausanne, Switzerland), a Doctor of Science in Biology (University of Geneva), and an International Diploma in Human Ecology (University of Geneva).

Beyond academia, he is the Founder and President of the Cultural Association of the Arab Levant in Switzerland, and currently serves as a Founding Member and Director of the Agriculture and Environment Office at the Syria for the Future Initiative.

📍 Switzerland
📧 saad.kayali@me.com
 🔗 LinkedIn: Saad Kayali
🐦 X: Saad Kayali

Abdulghani Hajbakri

Abdulghani Hajbakri holds a BA in Arabic Literature from Damascus University, a MA in Comparative Literature, a MA in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the University of Göttingen in Germany, and a diploma in German language teaching. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Comparative Literature and Islamic Studies at the University of Göttingen and a recipient of the German Higher Gifted Scholarship.

📍 Germany
📧 abdulghani.hajbakri@ds-fg.com
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdulghani-hajbakri-b773541a8?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
🐦 https://x.com/abdulghanihajba?

Media Team

Hussein Masry

Hussein Masry is a visual communication designer who provides creative solutions for companies and organizations to enhance their digital presence and translate their messages into impactful language. He has experience in building visual identities and designing visual content, and excels in the field of youth in the humanitarian era and business education. He also participates in various volunteer activities and initiatives within the community development sector. He is currently responsible for developing and visualizing the SAFIERR conference.

📍 Syria
📧 hussein.masry.27@gmail.com
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/husseinmasry/

🐦 https://x.com/HusseinMasry27

Nazir Alchallah

Mhd Nazir Alchallah is a pharmacist holding a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Marketing. He has over five years of experience in health and health technology. He currently serves as Marketing Director and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the German-Syrian Science Foundation, and is the CEO and founder of a startup developing innovative digital solutions in the healthcare sector. He aims to create a tangible impact in healthcare by intelligently combining medical expertise with modern technologies.

📍 Syria
📧 nazzer.shallah@gmail.com
 🔗 www.linkedin.com/in/nazir-alchallah

🐦 @nazzershallah

Other members (already listed):

Logistic Team

Majd Ajaj

Dr. Majd Ajaj is a distinguished dental professional who achieved second place in the National Dental Exam in Syria. Currently, he is pursuing an MBA alongside studies in Health Science, combining dental expertise with business and public health knowledge. Multilingual, fluent in Arabic and English, with proficiency in German and French, he has also completed specialized courses in AI in Healthcare.

📍Syria

📧 majdajaj.dent@gmail.com | majd.ajaj@ds-fg.com

instagram/majdajaj.dent

 

Ahmad Jlilati

Ahmad Jlilati is an Information Engineer who holds a diploma in Information Technology Teaching Methods from the University of Aleppo, as well as a BA in Economics from the Department of Financial and Banking Studies at the same university. He is a member of the Arab Programming Competition team, a founding partner of the Ana Huna Fi Syria application, and an active member of both the Syria Future Initiative and the German-Syrian Society for Scientific Research.

📍 Syria
📧 jlilati.ahmad@gmail.com

Other members (already listed):

Workshops Team

Bashar Al-Hakim

Dr. Bashar Al-Hakim is the Director and Chief Technical Officer for transportation, airports, and ports infrastructure at AECOM, a global consultancy firm in the UK. He is a chartered engineer accredited by the UK Engineering Council and a former chairman of the Institution of Highways and Transportation in the Midlands, UK. He has designed airports, seaports, and roads worldwide across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Dr. Al-Hakim has published more than seventy research papers and serves as a guest lecturer at the Universities of Leeds and Nottingham in the UK.

📍 UK
 📧 bachar_hakim@hotmail.co.uk  
 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bacharhakim?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

 

Nidal Zarifeh

Nidal Zarifeh received the Ph.D. degree (summa cum laude) in electrical engineering from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany, in 2019.

He holds a master’s degree in advanced telecommunication engineering, specializing in mobile communications, from a joint program between IMT Atlantique, France, and Damascus University, Damascus, Syria (2012).

He also earned a B.Sc. degree in electronics and communication engineering from Damascus University in 2006. He has gained extensive industry experience in mobile communications and RFID development.

Dr. Zarifeh is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Institute for Digital Signal Processing, University of Duisburg-Essen, where he is actively involved in several national and European research projects.

His research interests lie in cutting-edge wireless technologies and applications, including 6G, 5G, THz, massive MIMO, full-duplex, localization, Digital twin, and applied AI.
He is a member of the German-Syrian Foundation for Scientific Research (DSFG).

Also, a board member and head of the engineering office in the Syrian Assembly in Germany (SGD).

Other members (already listed):

Public Relations Team

Hasan Alkhder

Hasan Alkhder is a Software Engineer based in Germany with more than eight years of experience in developing software and building integrated systems. He has contributed to diverse projects in both frontend and backend development using modern technologies, always focusing on quality and efficiency. Alongside his professional career, he is pursuing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, where he explores innovative solutions that connect scientific research with practical applications. His ambition is to merge technical expertise with research insights to advance software development and AI applications.

📍 Germany

📧 hasan.alkhder2@gmail.com

Muhammad Aljaseem

An expert engineer, and researcher specializing in engineering, leadership, entrepreneurship ‎and the development of the automotive industry. He currently serves in a leader role within the ‎Business Development Department at Magna International, with a primary focus on surround ‎vision technologies and intelligent sensor systems for autonomous driving.‎

He has accumulated more than ten years of professional experience in directing strategic ‎projects in collaboration with leading international companies such as General Motors, Magna ‎International, Continental, Audi, Opel, Volkswagen, among others.
His academic and ‎professional interests are particularly centered on digital transformation and industrial ‎sustainability.‎

He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) jointly from the Frankfurt School of ‎Finance & Management and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), studied Master of ‎Science in Advanced Telecommunication Engineering in UTHM (Malaysia), and pursued a ‎Bachelor’s degree in Communication Technologies Engineering from Al-Ma’moun University, ‎Syria, graduating summa cum laude. He was awarded the Outstanding Candidate Scholarship ‎by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. ‎

In addition, he has contributed to the establishment of several academic and social initiatives, ‎most notably the Syrian Scientific Council, where he currently serves as Vice Chairman of the ‎Board, and the Diwan Organization, dedicated to supporting refugees in Germany‏.‏

Hani Alnatour

Holds a Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance from Kiel University, Germany, with a strong technical background in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science.

With over 8 years of experience, Hani has led advanced projects in Business Intelligence, Data Analysis, AI, and Data Science, implementing scalable SAP BW solutions and leveraging tools such as SAC, AFO, and ABAP to drive strategic decision-making—particularly in Purchasing analytics.

Currently based in Munich, he leads digital initiatives at DRÄXLMAIER focused on operational optimization and data-driven transformation.

Fluent in Arabic, English, and German, Hani is passionate about integrating AI and analytics to create innovative and sustainable business value.

Other members (already listed):