Saudi Teen Makes Strides in Science with Groundbreaking Research
Sulaf Al-Johani, a 15-year-old Saudi Arabian student, has made significant contributions to the fields of energy and biomedical science.
JEDDAH: Sulaf Al-Johani, a 15-year-old from Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, has become the first female to receive the Most Inspiring Young Leader award at the Impact CEO Awards in Dubai for her leadership and scientific contributions.
Her research projects span several areas, including energy production and biomedical science.
In the field of biomedical science, Al-Johani developed a treatment for brain death caused by neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic injuries, and internal bleeding.
She achieved this through combining natural medicinal plants with a catalyst and nanotechnology, creating an AI-guided therapeutic treatment.
The inspiration behind her research stems from the story of Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal, known as the 'Sleeping Prince.' At 12 years old, she decided to work on developing a way for brain-dead patients to communicate their thoughts using brain signals that are not perceivable.
Her goal was to create an innovation that could read these signals.
In energy production, Al-Johani contributed to a project focusing on selective hydrogen production from tree leaves.
This research aims at creating renewable fuel cells from leaf-derived hydrogen as an alternative to traditional fuels.
Her work in this area supports Saudi Arabia's sustainability goals and the Green Initiative, demonstrating that even damaged or fallen leaves can be used to produce clean hydrogen.
Al-Johani has actively presented her projects on international platforms, such as events connected to the G20 Summit and Saudi Basic Industries Corp., earning her several awards and recognitions.
Additionally, she represented Saudi Arabia at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance Summit 2025 and participated in various organizations like the World Youth Parliament for Water and Kafila Foundation.
Despite being a high school student, Al-Johani has completed multiple courses through US-based academic programs while balancing her formal education.
Her passion for science began at age eight, driven by her curiosity about how things work around her.
She is currently proficient in nine languages: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, and Italian.
Outside of science, Al-Johani practices Arabic calligraphy in all styles.
Her ambitions extend far beyond her age, aiming to become a political and leadership figure who builds strong international relations across various fields she is involved in.
Al-Johani encourages Saudi girls not to wait for opportunities but to create them and make change happen.
She believes that Saudis are capable of leading innovation and global competition.
Her research projects span several areas, including energy production and biomedical science.
In the field of biomedical science, Al-Johani developed a treatment for brain death caused by neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic injuries, and internal bleeding.
She achieved this through combining natural medicinal plants with a catalyst and nanotechnology, creating an AI-guided therapeutic treatment.
The inspiration behind her research stems from the story of Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal, known as the 'Sleeping Prince.' At 12 years old, she decided to work on developing a way for brain-dead patients to communicate their thoughts using brain signals that are not perceivable.
Her goal was to create an innovation that could read these signals.
In energy production, Al-Johani contributed to a project focusing on selective hydrogen production from tree leaves.
This research aims at creating renewable fuel cells from leaf-derived hydrogen as an alternative to traditional fuels.
Her work in this area supports Saudi Arabia's sustainability goals and the Green Initiative, demonstrating that even damaged or fallen leaves can be used to produce clean hydrogen.
Al-Johani has actively presented her projects on international platforms, such as events connected to the G20 Summit and Saudi Basic Industries Corp., earning her several awards and recognitions.
Additionally, she represented Saudi Arabia at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance Summit 2025 and participated in various organizations like the World Youth Parliament for Water and Kafila Foundation.
Despite being a high school student, Al-Johani has completed multiple courses through US-based academic programs while balancing her formal education.
Her passion for science began at age eight, driven by her curiosity about how things work around her.
She is currently proficient in nine languages: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, and Italian.
Outside of science, Al-Johani practices Arabic calligraphy in all styles.
Her ambitions extend far beyond her age, aiming to become a political and leadership figure who builds strong international relations across various fields she is involved in.
Al-Johani encourages Saudi girls not to wait for opportunities but to create them and make change happen.
She believes that Saudis are capable of leading innovation and global competition.
