Benjamin Plackett
Since 2013, Benjamin has been travelling to the Arab world to tell stories of science and research, sometimes in recent post-conflict zones. He’s met researchers, who at great personal risk, hurriedly buried their expensive lab equipment as ISIS approached Mosul and he’s interviewed university administrators attempting to rebuild the region’s answer to Oxbridge even as terrorist attacks continue to threaten the campus. His work has been published by Scientific American, Associated Press, CNN, and Engadget amongst others. He has an M.A. in journalism from New York University and a B.Sci. in biology from Imperial College, London.
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News & Reports
Arab World Moving Up in Global University Rankings
Changes to the Times Higher Education’s methodology have resulted in more Arab universities being included in the ranking
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News & Reports
UAE Parents Have High Educational Aspirations for Their Children, HSBC Survey Finds
Parents in the United Arab Emirates place strong value in degrees and hope their children will take up science- and…
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News & Reports
A Novel Approach to Getting Syrian Students Into Universities
A program combines discounted tuition at private universities and careful screening to help Syrian students on their way to degrees.
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News & Reports
New Universities To Teach Syrian Refugees
Some entrepreneurs believe universities tailored to Syrian refugees could help the “lost generation.” But skeptics abound.
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News & Reports
Arab Food Supply is Shaky, But Related Research is Rare
Many Arab countries do not have what is known as “food security,” but the research and teaching on the topic…
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News & Reports
Meet The American University of Beirut’s New President
The American University of Beirut’s incoming president, a prominent cancer researcher, has new ambitions for the venerable institution.
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News & Reports
A Renaissance Woman at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The head of cultural outreach at the modern-day library of Alexandria has worked with underground cables and overhead planetarium displays…
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News & Reports
Academic Freedom Under Pressure, Report Finds
A new study by NYU’s Scholars At Risk organization shows the pervasive global pressure on academic freedom.
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News & Reports
Hospital Visits Have High Risks, Arab Researcher Finds
Researchers say the danger of going in to a hospital for one ailment and then getting another is high in…
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