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Professor. Mona Mahmoud Abdellatif, Director of the City, announces a prominent and honorable scientific achievement Professor. Ahmed Mohamed Omar, Head of the Polymeric Materials Department at the Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute, has been listed as the sole Egyptian researcher in the Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) list for 2025. 

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The Minister of Higher Education affirmed:• The state, under the leadership of President Sisi, places special emphasis on enhancing the environment for innovation and scientific research.• The City of Scientific Research is a national landmark that promotes innovation and sustainable development.• The necessity of maximizing the utilization of research results to serve the state's priorities.• Energy, water, agriculture, health, and industry are at the forefront of scientific research priorities.• Strengthening cooperation between the City of Scientific Research, universities, and industry to achieve comprehensive development.  Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, chaired the meeting of the Board of Directors of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications.  The meeting was attended by Dr. Mona Abdel Latif, Director of the City; Dr. Gina El-Feky, Acting President of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology; Dr. Walaa Sheta, CEO of the Science, Technology and Innovation Funding Authority; Dr. Walid El-Zawawy, Secretary-General of the Council of Research Centers, Institutes, and Bodies; and the members of the Board. The meeting took place at the City's headquarters in Borg El Arab, Alexandria, with participants attending both in person and via video conference. At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister affirmed the Ministry's commitment to supporting the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, considering it one of the most important research institutions in Egypt and the region, and a fundamental pillar for promoting innovation and the transfer and localization of technology. He noted that the City's achievements over the past period reflect its commitment to being a beacon of science and creativity and an active contributor to achieving sustainable development through its institutes and technology centers, which support the productive and service sectors and contribute to strengthening the national economy. Dr. Ayman Ashour emphasized the pivotal role played by the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications in supporting the applied scientific research system and serving the productive and service sectors. He highlighted the necessity of maximizing the utilization of research findings and directing them to serve the state's priorities in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, health, and industry, thereby contributing to enhancing sustainable development and achieving added value for the national economy. The minister affirmed the importance of integration and cooperation between the City, universities, research centers, and the industrial sector through joint projects that support the transition towards a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy. He also noted the ministry's commitment to strengthening regional alliances within the framework of the presidential initiative "Alliance and Development," which aims to achieve comprehensive development in different regions by utilizing the outcomes of scientific research to serve society and support industry, thus reinforcing the role of applied scientific research as a fundamental pillar for increasing local production and enhancing the country's competitiveness. The Minister also directed the need to expand international partnerships for the Scientific Research City, develop the capabilities of young researchers, and support the entrepreneurship ecosystem and startups to transform scientific research outcomes into marketable products.  He concluded his speech by emphasizing the Egyptian state's commitment, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to developing the scientific research system and enhancing the innovation environment. The meeting included a presentation by Dr. Mona Abdel Latif on the most prominent activities and achievements of the Scientific Research City and Technological Applications during the past period, which included:• The inclusion of three new thermoelectric nanomaterials in the (ICDD) database, used in the fields of energy, nanotechnology, and advanced materials.• The discovery of a new species of fungus from the genus Trichoderma, certified by the German Mycological Society (DGfM) and registered in the international MycoBank database.• The inclusion of the scientific journal Future Perspectives of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Biotechnology in the global indexing system Primo.• The launch of the "Science and Society" initiative to simplify science through educational videos presented by the city's researchers.• Increased international publications in prestigious scientific journals in nationally prioritized fields.• An increase in the number of patents submitted by the city's researchers and the conversion of research into economic applications.• The city's progress in international rankings, with the city achieving an advanced global position in the 2025 SCImago ranking, and the inclusion of 19 researchers in Stanford University's list of the top 2% of the world's most influential scientists.  The meeting also discussed a number of topics related to the affairs of faculty members in the various departments of the city, in addition to reviewing a number of new research and applied projects implemented by the city during the year, as part of its continuous efforts to support innovation and enhance the integration between scientific research and the needs of society. On the other hand, the minister conducted an inspection tour of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, which included an exhibition showcasing a number of prototypes and innovations implemented by the city in the fields of energy, water, agriculture, health, and industry. He emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to link scientific research with industry and supporting projects with economic viability and social impact, thereby contributing to achieving the goals of sustainable de

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Under the patronage of His Excellency Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Prof. Dr. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif, Director of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), the city organized a ceremony to celebrate its 25th anniversary (Silver Jubilee) as a beacon of science and innovation. The event was held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, in the main hall of the city.

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Prof. Dr. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif, Director of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, announced the outcomes of the city’s activities during the period from July 2024 to June 2025. She emphasized that the city continues to implement the strategies of the state and the orientations of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, focusing on developing innovative solutions to the challenges facing the country in various fields (education, health, energy, agriculture, water, environmental protection, information technology, and food security).The city also works on preparing specialized cadres through training programs and workshops to build a new generation of researchers and scientists capable of contributing to sustainable development. In addition, it strengthens cooperation between different research institutions inside Egypt and internationally to exchange expertise and knowledge, advance scientific research, and provide consultancy services to government institutions, the private sector, and industry in diverse fields, thereby improving their performance and efficiency.SRTA-City further encourages innovation and entrepreneurship by providing an incubating environment for startups and offering technical and financial support to researchers and entrepreneurs to create new job opportunities, thus boosting economic growth. The city also launches initiatives to raise awareness of societal issues, enhancing public scientific knowledge and ensuring that science plays an active role in improving quality of life.The city seeks to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the pillars of Egypt’s National Strategy for Science, Technology, and Innovation 2030, focusing on several key areas, most notably increasing both the quantity and quality of international scientific publications. The city’s scientific research outputs published in high-impact international journals have attracted wide readership and citations, improving SRTA-City’s ranking in global indices.Between July 2024 and June 2025, SRTA-City published 507 international scientific papers, bringing the total number of its international publications to 4,404.Scientific Publications by QS Quartile Classification (507 papers total):Q1: 307 papers (60.55%)Q2: 95 papers (18.73%)Q3: 36 papers (7.10%)Q4: 13 papers (2.56%)Others: 56 papers (11.04%)Scientific Publications by National Strategy Pillars (507 papers total):Health and Population: 165 (32.5%)Agriculture and Food: 124 (24.5%)Environment and Natural Resources Protection: 61 (12%)Energy: 58 (11.5%)Technological Applications and Future Sciences: 51 (10%)Water: 29 (5.5%)ICT and Space: 19 (3.5%)The city has also improved the overall research ecosystem, not only in terms of international publications but also in citation counts, which reached 34,670 citations from 2021 until now. This reflects the effectiveness of the strategic plan designed to raise the quality of applied research outputs and improve Egypt’s indicators in global research rankings.International Rankings of SRTA-City1. Scimago Institutions Rankings (SIR) – 2025Global Position: 4,629 (47.4%) compared to 4,977 in 2024, marking a 7.6% improvement.Number of institutions increased from 9,054 (2024) to 9,756 (2025), intensifying global competition.SRTA-City was ranked within Q1 (top 25%) worldwide.Four institutes of the city were individually ranked in Q1:Institute of Arid Land Agriculture Research (3724 – 38.1%)Institute of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (5094 – 52.2%)Institute of Environmental & Natural Materials Research (5457 – 55.9%)Institute of Advanced Technology & New Materials Research (5719 – 58.6%)2. Scimago MENA Ranking – 2024Ranked 6th among 322 research institutions from 22 countries in the 3rd edition of the SIR-MENA 2024 ranking.Ranked 3rd in Egypt, and 2nd among research institutions of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.Total Score: 0.1664 (improved from 0.1367 in 2023, when the city ranked 7th regionally and 4th nationally).3. Stanford University Ranking – 2024/202512 researchers from SRTA-City were listed among the world’s top 2% most influential scientists across more than 50 scientific disciplines.Research Projects and PatentsOngoing Research Projects (2024–2025):5 projects funded by local and international organizations, bringing the cumulative total to 154 projects.Patents (2024–2025):2 granted patents3 patents under reviewBringing the cumulative total to 25 granted patents and 61 patents under examination.SRTA-City researchers also supervised numerous MSc and PhD theses across Egyptian universities, participated in local and international conferences, and conducted training programs and workshops.Key Scientific Achievements (2024–2025)Three New Thermoelectric Nanomaterials Registered in the ICDD DatabaseA joint Egyptian-Italian team identified and officially registered three new nanostructured thermoelectric compounds in May 2025 in the International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD). These materials hold high scientific importance in renewable energy and thermoelectric applications.Discovery of a New Fungus Species – Trichoderma egyptiacumA research team at SRTA-City, in collaboration with Egyptian and international partners, discovered a new Trichoderma species (Harzianum group), officially named Trichoderma egyptiacum.Approved by the German Mycological Society (DGfM).Published in Mycological Progress (June 2025).Registered in MycoBank and included in global fungal databases.Potential applications: biocontrol of plant pathogens, biofertilization, sustainable agriculture, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.Awards and CompetitionsEnvironmental Research Award (2023):Dr. Rehab Mohamed Ali, Assistant Research Professor at the Institute of Advanced Technology & New Materials, won the late Prof. Dr. Mostafa Kamal Tolba Award for the best applied work in environmental protection (Academy of Scientific Research & Technology).Entrepreneurship & Innovation Competitions:1st Place (Alexandria Region) – Egyptian Entrepreneurship League 2024.Multiple awards in the Startups Olympics 2024, including 1st and 2nd places in the researchers’ track.1st Prize – Best Poster (Project “MD Plast”) at Alexandria University’s Innovation Across Generations Forum.Cooperation Protocols & Agreements (2024–2025)SRTA-City signed 9 cooperation protocols, including:6 new agreements with Galala University, Theodore Bilharz Research Institute, Arab Academy for Science & Technology, Alamein International University, Robex Plastic Co., and Youthinkgreen-Egypt.3 renewals with Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Alexandria Water Company, and Alexandria Wastewater Company.Community ServicesSince its establishment, SRTA-City has provided consultancy and analytical services through its central laboratories and data center to universities, research centers, and industry.It has also:Trained and hosted 1,352 students from universities, schools, and STEM schools.Organized Winter and Summer Schools in 2024–2025, benefiting:515 students (on-site training)1,533 students (online training)Scientific Journal – SRTA-CityThe city’s peer-reviewed journal Future Prospectives of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Biotechnology was included in the Primo system.Published Issues: No. 2 (July 2024), No. 3 (Nov 2024), No. 4 (Feb 2025).Journal website: https://fpmpeb.journals.ekb.egAwareness Initiative – “Science and Society”Launched a series of short awareness videos presented by city researchers, addressing everyday life issues in simple, engaging language to raise public scientific awareness.Entrepreneurship & Innovation (2024–2025)Through its Entrepreneurship Club (E-Club), SRTA-City expanded efforts to foster entrepreneurship culture in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030.Key Achievements:Training & Awareness:4 design thinking boot camps2 annual Ideation Camps for students2 Entrepreneurship Weeks (workshops, exhibitions, interactive sessions)Startup Support:4 “Startup Weekend” events to transform ideas into prototypesInspirational lectures by successful entrepreneurs5 teams qualified for technology incubatorsInstitutional & Societal Impact:Strengthened entrepreneurship as a professional and societal choiceLinked research to economic feasibility and commercializationIntegrated entrepreneurship within student and research activities

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Professor Dr. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif, Director of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, announced the discovery of a new fungal species belonging to the genus Trichoderma, which has been identified and named after Egypt as Trichoderma egyptiacum.This achievement comes within the city’s efforts to prioritize diverse scientific fields, provide expertise and support to researchers, and foster a stimulating and attractive environment for creativity and innovation. It also reflects the city’s pursuit of achieving sustainable agricultural development in line with the pillars of Egypt’s National Strategy for Science, Technology, and Innovation 2030.Professor Dr. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif emphasized that this discovery represents an important addition to the global taxonomic diversity of this fungal genus. It enriches scientific knowledge on fungal biodiversity and opens new horizons for future research in taxonomy, microbiology, and their biotechnological applications. Furthermore, this newly identified species presents a promising opportunity for use in biofertilization and biological control against various plant pathogens.Dr. Younes Mohamed Rashad, Associate Research Professor at the Desert Research Institute of the city and discoverer of the new fungus, highlighted the significant importance of this genus due to its extensive applications in biotechnological, industrial, medical, and agricultural fields. For instance, fungal species of this genus are widely valued in agriculture because of their efficiency in biofertilization and biological control against numerous plant diseases. Currently, more than 50% of commercial fungal biocontrol products worldwide are based on species of this genus.In a pioneering study—the first of its kind in Egypt—Dr. Rashad and his research team investigated the biodiversity of Trichoderma species in Egypt. The study included 60 fungal isolates obtained from 119 plant and rhizospheric soil samples representing five different ecological environments across the country. This research led to the discovery of a new species belonging to the Harzianum group, officially named:Y.M. Rashad, B. Natey & J.X. Deng, sp. nov. Trichoderma egyptiacumThis new species holds great promise for application in biofertilization and biological control of plant pathogens. Studying its biocontrol potential is crucial for promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing reliance on harmful chemical pesticides. It also presents valuable opportunities to investigate the properties of secondary metabolites produced by this fungus and their potential applications across biotechnological, industrial, and medical fields.The new species was formally validated and approved by the German Mycological Society (DGfM) and published in its official journal Mycological Progress in June 2025:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-025-02052-9Additionally, it has been registered in the international fungal database MycoBank, and the new name has been disseminated across all global fungal databases. MycoBank, based in Germany, serves as an online repository for documenting and registering new fungal names and classifications, providing associated information such as descriptions and illustrations. It is considered an essential service for the mycological and broader scientific community, ensuring the accuracy and standardization of fungal nomenclature.

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Prof. Dr. Mona Mahmoud Abdel-Latif, Director of the City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), announced that a joint research team from Egypt (SRTA-City and the Atomic Energy Authority) and Italy has successfully established the fingerprint and crystal identity of three novel thermoelectric nanomaterials of high scientific importance. These compounds were officially registered in May 2025 in the database of the International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) after being published in an international research paper. The ICDD, headquartered in the United States, is a leading international scientific organization known for issuing the Powder Diffraction File (PDF) for crystalline materials.Prof. Dr. Mona Abdel-Latif emphasized that this achievement reflects the capabilities of SRTA-City’s research staff, supported by the city’s advanced facilities, in producing accurate and internationally recognized scientific data. These data serve as a trusted reference for researchers in universities and research institutions worldwide in fields such as materials technology, thermoelectric energy, and renewable energy. This milestone not only strengthens the city’s standing in global scientific databases but also opens new horizons for local and international research collaboration. Furthermore, it adds to the international record of achievements by Egyptian researchers.The research team included:Prof. Dr. Abdelhady Basheer Qashout, Research Professor at the Department of Electronic Materials Research,Dr. Shaimaa Abdallah Nour El-Din Al-Yemeni, (responsible for communication, coordination, and registering the research product in the ICDD database), Assistant Research Professor at the Department of Electronic Materials Research, Institute of Advanced Technology and New Materials at SRTA-City,Dr. Ne’ma Gomaa Emam, Assistant Research Professor at the Nuclear Research Center – Atomic Energy Authority,From Trieste, Italy: Dr. Giuliana Aquilanti at the Synchrotron Center, and Dr. Humberto Cabrera at the Optics and Theoretical Physics Center.Prof. Dr. Abdelhady Qashout highlighted that the Egyptian-Italian team succeeded in publishing their paper in the Journal of Materials Research and Technology, a prestigious Q1-ranked journal in Scopus published by Elsevier. The research focused on synthesizing three thermoelectric nanocompounds capable of converting thermal energy into electrical energy. These compounds demonstrated unique structural properties, leading ICDD officials, after a rigorous two-year review process, to add them to the globally recognized and exclusive ICDD Powder Diffraction File (PDF). This comprehensive database of diffraction data, used to identify and characterize materials, has been an essential tool for materials science research since 1937. He further explained that the distinctive crystal and morphological properties resulted from a fabrication method involving thermal melting inside a vacuum-sealed quartz tube, with controlled variations in the elemental ratios within the compound.Dr. Shaimaa Abdallah Nour El-Din Al-Yemeni noted that registering the crystal identities of the three compounds in the international database reflects the production of original research outputs with strong application value. These findings contribute to advancing knowledge in solid-state physics, metals, and nanomaterials, with direct applications in both industry and scientific research—particularly in the fields of energy, nanotechnology, and advanced materials. In the industrial sector, specialists rely on the crystalline identities of these compounds as references for quality control and production, ensuring compliance with global standards. She added that such research outputs enrich both the scientific and academic landscape, as the ICDD database provides researchers worldwide with access to certified XRD data, facilitating comparisons with their own results and enabling precise phase identification. Researchers across the globe can use these data to develop new applications in key areas such as energy and electronic devices.

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Under the Auspices of Prof. Muhammed Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education & Scientific Research, and Prof. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif, Director of the City of Scientific Research & Technological Applications (SRTA-City), the City organized the activities of the of 3rd Scientific Conference under the theme:"Emerging Technologies & Their Relationship to Sustainable Development"The conference was held from November 10 to 11, 2025, at the City's headquarters in New Borg El Arab City – Alexandria, and chaired by Prof. Abeer El-Sayed Abdel Wahab, Dean of the Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology Research Institute at the City, and was attended by Professor. Mohamed Rashad Abdel Fattah, Vice Director of the City for Scientific and Research AffairsThe conference saw the attendance of numerous Heads of Research Centers, University Presidents, Vice Heads of Research Centers, Vice Presidents of Universities, Deans of Research Institutes and Faculties, Chairmen of Industrial Company Boards, and Research and Teaching Staff from various research centers and universities.

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From October 27-29, 2025, the city welcomed delegations from countries participating in the innovative scientific project entitled: “Innovative agricultural systems linked to water harvesting technologies to resist severe drought in the Mediterranean region, including salt- and drought-resistant species (watermelon).”

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The program, inaugurated on behalf of the City Director Prof. Mona Mahmoud Abdel Latif, targets children aged 9–15 to foster a love for science and technology through an interactive and innovative learning environment. The curriculum includes environmental science, computer science, programming, biology, mathematics, archaeology, arts, and entrepreneurship, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, Supervision & Execution: Prof. Amr Salah Morsi – Children’s University Coordinator at SRTA-City Prof. Rana El-Rifai – Executive Director of Children’s University at ASRT

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The City of Scientific Research and Technology Applications participated in the activities of the third edition of the International Industry

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An Idea Training Camp for Innovators was held from June 5 to 9, online.