A faculty member from the College of Arts and Science (CAS) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) has been included in a list of the Arab world's leading thinkers. Dr. Nidhal Guessoum, Professor of Physics at American University of Sharjah (AUS), is ranked 46 in the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute's (GDI) prestigious list of Arab thought leaders. The GDI list features prominent opinion makers and influencers from the Arab world including Mohamed El-Erian (economist), Amin Maalouf (author), Sultan Saoud Al-Qassemi (commentator), Nassim Taleb (author) and Taha Abdurrahman (philosopher), to name a few.

Dr. Guessoum is an astrophysicist and has been featured in the international and regional media for his work. His research interests range from gamma-ray astrophysics, such as positron-electron annihilation, nuclear gamma-ray lines and gamma-ray bursts, to Islamic astronomy. He has written frequently on issues related to science, education, the Arab world and Islam, and lectured at universities across the world.

"I was delighted by the fact that GDI's analysis determined that some Arab scientists are important thought leaders and opinion makers in the Arab world; this bodes well for the future of our region," said Dr. Guessoum.

The Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute is an independent think tank that focuses on economics, society and consumption. It defines a thought leader as "a living person who works primarily as a thinker, and is known and influential beyond the borders of their discipline."