Palestinian Chemical Engineer and Biotechnology Penelope Shihab

Penelope Shihab was born and raised in Palestine during a period of heightened turbulence and political unrest. As conflict in the war-torn region escalated, Penelope had narrowly escaped death three times by the age of 14.“Growing up in place of war and conflict, it was really hard for most people to stay there, live there and even harder to dream. But for me, it was a kick to try to find a better place to live and make my dreams come true,” Penelope said. “It wasn’t negative for me, it was a positive, motivating factor.” Penelope had the full, unwavering support of her parents and family, who encouraged her to pursue her natural intellectual gifts and aptitude in the areas of math and science. In 1992, she moved to Jordan for her undergraduate studies, receiving her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Laboratory Medicine from the University of Applied Sciences. Penelope went on to pursue her graduate studies in Hematology, Biotechnology and Immunology at the Jordan University of Science and Technology.