Pioneering Emirati Scientist Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri Transforms Environmental Conservation and Women's Roles in Abu Dhabi

At the age of 22, Emirati scientist Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri was told that perhaps her place was no longer in the field. It was the year 2000 and at that time, she was often the only woman on expeditions that took her deep into Abu Dhabi’s desert, along its coastline and into wetlands that scientists were only beginning to fully document. The work meant leaving at sunrise, crossing dunes in four-wheel drive vehicles and sometimes camping for days in remote areas.

Reflecting on those early days, Dr Al Dhaheri told The National that the culture was simply not ready to have a female field scientist. Despite facing skepticism and being told women should not work in the field, she refused to accept those limitations, believing firmly that her place was outdoors conducting research. To overcome these hurdles, she successfully requested the recruitment of another female scientist to accompany her, bolstered by the unwavering support of her family and leadership.

More than a quarter of a century later, Dr Al Dhaheri serves as Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. Her remarkable journey mirrors the broader transformation of opportunities for Emirati women. As the UAE marks Emirati Women’s Day, her narrative highlights both the progress achieved and the ongoing responsibility to pave a wider path for future generations.

Born into a farming family in Al Ain, Dr Al Dhaheri initially pursued civil engineering at UAE University before switching to agricultural science. After graduation, a visit to what was then the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency sparked her passion for environmental research. She joined the agency in 2000 as an assistant researcher, working alongside experienced expatriates like the late Peter Hellyer, Mark Beech, Christopher Drew, and John Newby, while recognizing the vital importance of Emiratis becoming custodians of their own natural heritage.

Her fieldwork involved collecting water samples at Al Wathba to study flamingos, mapping Abu Dhabi’s coastline, and conducting expeditions toward Umm Al Zamul and the Empty Quarter. Throughout these demanding tasks, she received vital encouragement from her father, her husband—who even assisted with data collection during her studies in Britain—and the visionary foundations laid by the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, alongside Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.

Today, heading the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi with the trust of chairman Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Dr Al Dhaheri oversees a significantly altered landscape where women thrive as scientists, divers, and policymakers. Encouraging women to unleash their hidden capabilities, she emphasizes that her generation's mission is to mentor upcoming leaders so they can push boundaries even further.