Pursuing a science career in the Arab world is challenging, but women embarking on this path may face more hurdles than their male peers.

Why are there very few models of women scientist that young researchers can aspire to? Why do women hardly ever land top managerial jobs in universities and research centres?

On 27 March, 2014, and as part of Egypt’s Science Month, Nature Middle East and Nature magazine’s Arabic Edition hosted a panel discussion with four prominent women researchers, at the American University in Cairo, to explore the issues women in the science industry face, and look at success stories.

The panel included Nagwa El-Badri, the department chair of biomedical sciences at Zewail University of Science and Technology, Rania Siam, the chair of the department of biology at the AUC, Rehab Abdallah, a research assistant at AUC and Sara Serag El Deen, an AUC graduate studying for her PhD in Harvard University.

You can watch the full event now on our YouTube channel, and join in the discussion in the comments below. Do you agree that women scientists in the Arab world face more obstacles than men? And if so, then how do you propose we solve this?

By Mohammed Yahyia, published in House of Wisdom: a blog from Nature Middle East, April 29 th 2014.