A new study correlating rising temperatures with women’s cancer in the Middle East recently attracted global media attention, seizing headlines in outlets like The Washington Post, Daily Mail, Fortune and more. Behind the research are authors Wafa Abu El Kheir-Mataria (MPA ’18, PhD ’23), a senior research fellow at AUC’s Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology (IGHHE), and Professor Sungsoo Chun, who conducted the observational study at IGHEE.

“This research rang an alarm that we need to be aware of in health policies,” said Mataria. She initially proposed the topic due to her concern over gender disparity in healthcare and the broader vulnerability of the region with climate change. 

Her alarm rang loud and clear, with the paper scoring in the top 5% of all research outputs and the top 1% for high attention as compared with papers of the same age, according to Altmetric (a platform that measures and ranks the engagement that research articles receive beyond traditional citation counts).

The study analyzed data from 17 countries over a 20-year period, checking for correlations between temperature increases and mortality rates from four types of female cancers: breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical. 

“This research rang an alarm that we need to be aware of in health policies.”

While the overall correlation was the first result, a country-by-country breakdown provided secondary results. “Is this valid for each and every country or not?” Mataria inquired. The correlation was ultimately found to be statistically significant for six countries, with the most striking results in Gulf states. It was also particularly strong for breast and cervical cancers. 

Mataria unpacked some likely causes based on the literature: “Heat increases exposure to pollutants and disrupts healthcare systems, delaying diagnosis and treatment. It may also alter cell structure. Women are more vulnerable due to limited access and cultural taboos around breast and cervical cancer,” she said. 

Chun added that the best thing countries can do now is abide by multilateral climate-targeted policies, such as the Paris Agreement (an international climate treaty signed in 2016 that seeks to curb global warming). “The Paris Agreement is one of the clearest guidelines on how to stop rising temperatures. Implementing its exact recommendations for each country is essential to stopping climate change,” he said, though he noted that many nations are failing to meet the treaty’s criteria.

“Although we promised only one paper, many journalists are concerned about the severity of the findings. That means that this is a really urgent, in-demand topic to solve globally.”

Beyond women, Chun emphasized that vulnerable populations will suffer disproportionately if global conditions don’t change. “Post-colonial populations, older people, children and, of course, women have unique weaknesses in certain periods, such as during childbirth. So we should make clear programs or policies to support these vulnerable populations, especially through a strengthened healthcare system,” Chun said.

This research is not just relevant to those facing health problems or working in the health sector; it can be used to inform health policy, address gender gaps and understand the impacts of climate change. “This concerns not only people in the health sector, but also in policy, sustainability and other areas. Health is relevant to all fields, and it’s good to work together,” said Mataria.

Mataria views researchers at institutions like AUC as indispensable to the field. “We open people’s eyes on certain topics. Research and evidence draw attention,” she said, “Numbers talk.” 

Mataria and Chun are also hoping to receive more grants to continue the novel research. “Although we promised only one paper, many journalists are concerned about the severity of the findings. That means that this is a really urgent, in-demand topic to solve globally,” said Chun. 

“There’s not much on it yet,” added Mataria.

Even as the pair’s findings are making waves in the media, they were quick to point out that more research will be needed to understand the results. “This research is preliminary, but it’s a good start,” added Mataria. 

“There are so many contributing factors to the instance of cancers. We need to make another experimental design controlling not only for the setting but also for community levels,” said Chun.

The trailblazing article is now paving the way for international research focused on the intersection of climate change and women’s health. Mataria said, “It’s really just one point in a sea of research. There is a lot to do.”

When junior Marwan Shawwara moved to the south of France to study at Sciences Po last fall, he was prepared to step outside of his comfort zone and experience the trials and tribulations of a semester abroad. Most of the time, Shawwara lived as a typical exchange student — he found community, made lifelong friends, played college soccer with weekend tournaments around France, and backpacked through seven countries and 24 cities. “It’s me and my backpack against the world,” he said.

However, what the political science major didn’t expect was that he would reach a new understanding of his own country by meeting Egyptian refugees scattered along European frontiers. 

Egyptian Encounters

Long interested in equality and justice, Shawwara began volunteering with the AUC student organization 3alraseef in his freshman year, educating and spending time with impoverished children in Manshiyat Nasser twice a week. At Sciences Po, Shawwara kept up his commitment to volunteer work, documenting refugees at the Franco-Italian border crossing with Sciences Po Refugee Help, a student club. 

It was through this role that he discovered a new side of Egypt: the country’s politically marginalized. Throughout the semester, Shawwara learned lessons about Egyptian politics from his fellow countrymen that further shaped his identity and future plans. 

“Most of the refugees are unfortunately from our region, North Africa. It was a different experience seeing them firsthand, communicating with them, listening to them,” he said. “These people are not just numbers crossing the Mediterranean; they are humans.”

“I’m looking at life differently now. These people risked their lives to seek asylum just to live like anybody else: get married and educate their kids. These are basic human rights.”

Traveling in Milan, Shawwara found himself surrounded by his native tongue, the streets filled with Egyptian refugees from areas like Upper Egypt, Fayoum and Beni Suef. Many had come to support their families, working in manual labor jobs. 

One boy in particular left a lasting impression on Shawwara. When they first crossed paths, the now 17-year-old was excited to buy Shawwara lunch and share his story. Mohamed fled to Italy two years ago as a 15 year old, coming alone to provide for his parents. “He did the unimaginable. He crossed the Mediterranean without his family,” said Shawwara. 

As a minor, Mohamed became a registered refugee, eligible for housing, and documented part-time labor. “When he becomes an adult, I think he will be given the right to come back to Egypt and return to work in Italy.” The potential visit to Egypt would be Mohamed’s first in three years.

The touching story, one of many that Shawwara encountered, had a profound impact. “I’m looking at life differently now. These people risked their lives to seek asylum just to live like anybody else: get married and educate their kids. These are basic human rights,” he said.

A New Political Vision

Shawwara’s interest in history and politics was initially sparked by his post-Revolution Cairene upbringing, leading him to pursue his semester abroad at the second-ranked university in the world for political science. However, it was not university courses but his interactions with Egyptian refugees that most shaped his vision for his future, and the future of Egypt.

“I want to specialize in political theory now,” Shawwara said. “I want to produce a political theory that fits all these people in it rather than excludes them because the current policies of the region are turning a blind eye." 

“At Sciences Po, I found my interest in journalism and speaking up. When I came back, I thought, let’s initiate something here.”

Commenting on the difficult financial circumstances that led many Egyptians astray, Shawwara said, “If you can pay, you can live. These people don’t have the chance to get money in the first place.” 

Shawwara is particularly interested in post-colonial and decolonization theories. “Until now, I see that our countries in the region are still under Western domination while, on the other hand, they are supposed to be independent states. I want to understand this,” he said.

Bringing It Home

His exploration of Egypt from this external lens did not stop at his volunteer work: He wrote for two campus publications, contributing meaningful stories about the Middle East, from stories about Morocco’s football team to Lebanon’s ceasefire to Cairo’s environmental problems.

Upon his return to AUC, Shawwara was inspired to jumpstart a new political science publication, the PSS-Journal, through the Political Science Students’ Association, of which he is now the incoming co-president. “At Sciences Po, I found my interest in journalism and speaking up — we need to be vocal about some things. When I came back, I thought, let’s initiate something here,” he said. Within two weeks, Shawwara had assembled a team, and they published their first issue in one month’s time, with big plans for the year ahead.

Though Shawwara wants to remain in Egypt in the long term, he is considering a master’s degree at Sciences Po’s Paris campus after graduating — just one more way in which his study-abroad experience has shaped his outlook on life and his future career.

Imagine taking your studies across continents without ever leaving the classroom. That’s what a new AUC partnership seeks to allow for the University’s most tech-inclined. By pairing with the University of Waterloo — Canada’s top-ranked university in computer science and engineering — AUC is promising joint supervision of capstone projects for students, with the possibility of graduate studies at Waterloo and mutual campus visits.

The program began in early 2025, allowing students from both institutions to collaborate on academic and research activities. Computer science senior Hadj Ahmed Chikh Dahmane is the partnership’s first student. He is completing his thesis this semester on cellular networking under joint supervision by Professor Raouf Boutaba from Waterloo and Professor Moustafa Youssef from AUC. 

Chikh Dahmane’s research project involved the development of vChainNet, a first-of-its-kind 5G slice modeling framework. 

“Our system achieved up to ~11% improvements in accuracy compared to state-of-the-art network modeling solutions, while reducing the modeling complexity by 95%,” said Chikh Dahmane. “It provides a tool for network operators and engineers to efficiently choose suitable configurations for their 5G slices, allowing them to make use of their resources and meet the quality of service requirements for their slices.” In simple terms, the tool would allow 5G network operators to explore new services and applications for their networks.

“The partnership is enabling an ecosystem for our faculty that supports and encourages research. We are glad to be affiliated with one of the best, especially in support of undergraduate research.”

With his capstone project a success, Chikh Dahmane explained that the joint supervision allowed for “a rich exchange of ideas, continuous feedback and a broader research perspective.” Chikh Dahmane said his relationship with his Waterloo supervisors was productive, offering both guidance and intellectual freedom.

“My supervision team is providing me with invaluable feedback to improve my scientific writing style and delivery to publish at top research venues,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of this partnership, Youssef said, “This program enables our students to access Waterloo resources, interact with faculty and other students, and visit Waterloo to interact with faculty on site.”

Sherif Aly ’96, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, shared similar sentiments: “Our affiliation with this school is an attestation to our quest for quality education to our students.”

“This collaboration solidified my research interests and gave me the foundational skills and motivation to continue exploring the field in-depth." 

The new initiative is a game-changer for computer scientists and engineers across both institutions. “The partnership is enabling an ecosystem for our faculty that supports and encourages research. It took us many years and hard work to materialize this agreement, and we are glad to be affiliated with one of the best, especially in support of undergraduate research,” said Aly.

After completing his current project, Chikh Dahmane plans to pursue graduate studies with a focus on networking. He credits his Waterloo experience for exposing him to current research gaps and challenges in 5G networks. “This collaboration solidified my research interests and gave me the foundational skills and motivation to continue exploring the field in-depth,” he said.

Down the line, Chikh Dahmane hopes the program will continue to grow in size and subject areas so that more students can benefit from the unique collaboration. “This would make the initiative even more inclusive and impactful,” he said.

Until then, he is glad that his involvement helped lay the groundwork for future AUCians to participate in the partnership. “It was certainly a challenge to take part in something so new, with little precedent to guide us. However, I now feel proud of what I have accomplished,” Chikh Dahmane said.

Earlier this month, 14 AUCians joined young changemakers from the MENA region at the first-ever Regional American Field Service (AFS) Youth Assembly in Cairo to tackle urgent issues like climate change, education and food security.

Inspired by the United Nations Summit of the Future, the regional assembly met for one day to discuss the needs and interests of future generations while calling for meaningful participation of youth in forums for progress. Junior Jannah Hella, who attended on behalf of AUC and is a representative of the student-led organization Heya: The Women’s Initiative, said, “Having these discussions in Cairo, surrounded by passionate peers, made the issues feel even more urgent and relevant to our region.”

The theme was “Leading with Purpose: Empowering Generations to Create the World We Want,” bringing together youth and older generations to dissect topics of global importance. It consisted of four panels focused on climate change, the future of learning, foot security in MENA and Africa, and innovation for the future. 

“These themes couldn’t be more relevant,” said Hella. “The MENA and Africa are already facing the consequences of climate change, from water scarcity to disrupted agriculture, making the discussion extremely urgent. We need solutions designed by those who understand the region’s context and challenges, and that’s why youth must be involved.”

Sophomore Nathaly Thoma of the AUC Folklore Troupe also represented the University at the regional assembly. “I think the overall theme and panel topics are quite significant for our region,” she said. “I especially appreciated how the discussions emphasized the importance of empathy and inclusivity, even in areas like innovation, which are often seen as purely technical.”

"We need solutions designed by those who understand the region’s context and challenges, and that’s why youth must be involved.”

The conference sought to create a space where young voices can be heard and youth can engage with experienced leaders. “Being in a space where my ideas were taken seriously was incredibly empowering; it made me feel seen, heard and motivated to advocate for change in my own community,” Hella said. “I hope that this assembly inspires more youth to step out of their comfort zones in order to learn new things about themselves as well as the world they live in. 

“Investing in youth is the best way of investment for our future,” Thoma added.

Ultimately, this network sought to serve as a catalyst for action, enabling participants to create lasting change through mentorship opportunities for growth and sociocultural exchange. “My main takeaway is the fact that peace can be achieved through cross-cultural programs … [The Regional AFS Youth Assembly] revealed a fresh and powerful perspective on how peace can be fostered at the grassroots level,” said Thoma.

Hella has big hopes for the assembly’s future, from continued youth involvement to real community-based change: “I would love to see the ideas we shared turned into action. I believe in the AFS mission because it goes beyond empowering individuals; it builds a global community that lasts for generations.”

Photo caption: Jannah Hella and Nathaly Thoma attend the Regional AFS Youth Assembly alongside 12 other AUCians.