The Ahmed Zewail Prize

The prize embodies Zewail’s belief that Egypt’s future development depends on progress in the physical, biological, and social sciences, the development of world-class technologies, and a deeper understanding of the relationship between science, technology, and society. It was first awarded in February 2001, and winners are recognized at each AUC commencement.

Application

If you are eligible for the award, you will receive an email from zewailpr@aucegypt.edu containing a link to a form for submitting your essay, along with the submission deadline. Participants should submit their essay, along with their CV, in either Google Docs or Word format.  

Eligibility

• The applicant must be an AUC student in the final semester of undergraduate study
• The applicant must achieve an overall grade point average at the honors level (GPA must be 3.4 or above), as determined in the term preceding the semester graduation
• It is preferable that the applicant’s CV show their involvement in extracurricular activities at AUC or beyond

Selection Criteria

A faculty committee from across the disciplines evaluates applicant submissions based on their submitted essays. Participants must write an original 1,500 to 2,000-word essay written especially for the prize on a science and humanities topic. Applicants must write on one of the following two topics:

• An original essay on any science and humanities topic that transcends the rigid boundaries of traditional academic disciplines and reflects a multidisciplinary perspective on the chosen topic
• An original essay on a topic drawn from within the student’s own area of specialization that explores new ideas and possibilities and reflects the applicant’s own work and intellectual interest

The panel will judge the essay on:

• Quality of thought, development and expression, including logical reasoning, identifying hidden assumptions and justifying arguments using multiple credible sources
• Critical engagement as evidenced by questioning authority and established knowledge, interrogating one's own thoughts and biases and exploring alternative worldviews
• Originality of ideas
• Multidisciplinary sophistication
• Appropriate personal connection and self-reflection

It is both appropriate and essential that the candidate reflects the breadth and depth of the academic reach and rich diversity of perspectives at The American University in Cairo, by including personal stories or reflections on their experience as students at the University that influenced their choice of topic.

Guidance on Citation Formatting

Ensure in-text citations and references are correctly formatted and all cited sources have been reviewed. The following sites offer guidance and citation generation for:

• APA style: https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/

• MLA style: https://www.scribbr.com/category/mla/ 

You may also ask for support from the AUC Writing center.

AI Statement

The expectation is that the ideas in students’ essays will be original, the students’ own, but students may use AI tools to check grammar and help with outlining. Applicants are expected to include a reference list at the end of their paper and attribute their sources accordingly, and will be asked to upload their papers to Turnitin.com eventually. Applicants will also be asked to include an AI statement after their reference list, showing where and how they have used AI in their paper.

Interview for shortlisted applicants

Applicants whose essays are shortlisted will be invited to participate in an interview for the applicant to share their ideas with a panel of faculty members to and respond to questions about the essay. 

Terms of the Award

The prize will be awarded at each commencement. Recipients will be given a Commendation for Excellence certificate, a cash award of EGP 5,000, and a medal. Winning essays will be published on the prize page on the AUC website.

2026 Award-Winning Essay

Terrorism’s Unsolved Puzzle: Why Understanding Political Violence Demands More Than One Discipline

Merna Soliman, Spring 2026 (Winner)