Among the abilities possessed by Dr. Mohamed El Medani, an associate professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Materials Science at a German university and the CEO of the Valorize Center for Research and Development in Cairo, is the “different eye” capable of seeing economic opportunities in things that we step on every day without paying attention to them.
El Medani does not know how he acquired this ability. Whether it is a result of his upbringing in a family with a history in the world of finance and economics or if it is a divine talent and gift. Regardless, it has enabled him to empower the Arab world to employ his expertise in fiber sciences to see economic opportunities in the biomass of palm waste, helping to enhance sustainability and improve livelihoods for all.
While many researchers stop at the laboratory production stage that allows them to write a scientific paper, El Medani always focuses on the economic dimension in his research choices. He evaluates whether the idea he is willing to invest his time and effort in can be transformed into a competitive market product or not. This mindset encouraged him to collaborate with others in launching a company that converts research outputs in the field of agricultural waste utilization, starting with palm trees, into semi-industrial technology ready for expansion and application on an economic industrial scale.
In a very short time, that company achieved numerous successes, culminating in the announcement on January 29th of receiving the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in the Leading Innovations category. This recognition was for the innovation of the first textile fibers from palm fronds. They are also on the verge of inaugurating the first plant to convert the waste of the blessed tree into products, including agricultural mediums and alternative soil.
El Medani shared in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net the details of this research journey where he addressed one of the most important problems in scientific research in the Arab world – the gap between scientific research and application. He also discussed the obstacles he overcame during this journey and talked about the most marketable products that can be obtained from palm tree waste.
Dr. Mohamed El Medani speaking to Al Jazeera Net
“It is noteworthy in your biography that you are of Syrian nationality, but your university education was in the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University in Egypt. Why did you choose an Egyptian university?”
“I have had a deep wound from the beginning. Yes, I am of Syrian nationality, but I was born in Egypt to Syrian parents who have lived in Egypt since the 1960s. No one knows my nationality unless I am forced to present my Syrian passport to finalize a governmental procedure. However, I speak with an Egyptian accent, received my education here, and have embraced the Egyptian culture. My wife is Egyptian, and my children are Egyptian due to their mother being Egyptian. Despite living in Egypt for a long time, the dream of citizenship remains unattainable. Every three years, I have to renew my residency, facing clear discrimination when dealing with any governmental service just because of my Syrian nationality. Imagine that the company we are currently sitting in, with partners from Britain, faced considerable delays in its establishment due to security rejection solely based on my nationality, while there was no objection to my British partners.”
“Sorry if my question stirred visible emotions on your face, but the core of my conversation aims to present your successful experience in utilizing date palm waste, which recently culminated in an international award.”
“Not at all, I am happy with the question. Perhaps my voice will reach through you. I am an Egyptian by birth, residence, and education. I could have continued my stay in the United States while obtaining my Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. Still, I chose to return to Egypt despite the attempt by my supervisor from the university with Egyptian origins at convincing me otherwise. I do not regret my decision. I managed to achieve success even though the journey was full of obstacles and not straightforward.”
“It is possible to summarize the chapters of that story, which may be beneficial to young researchers?”
“I grew up in a financially stable family but was not a top student during my elementary and preparatory education. However, I started giving more attention to education during high school, resulting in high grades that qualified me to join the Faculty of Engineering, where I chose to study mechanical engineering to make an addition to my family’s business in the textile industry. We had a business in Egypt related to spinning and weaving.”
“I graduated with the third rank among my peers, but my Syrian nationality prevented me from being appointed as an assistant lecturer at the university. Teaching was not my ambition at that time as I had chosen to study engineering to support the family business in spinning and weaving. However, I realized that the education I received at the Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, did not align well with the goal I entered the college for. The most significant advantage of studying at the faculty was meeting Dr. Hamed El Moslemany, a professor of production engineering at the faculty and a pioneer in utilizing agricultural waste, or as he likes to call it, ‘agricultural residuals,’ in producing economically valuable products. My thinking shifted towards seeking an opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies abroad, and I narrowed down my choices to universities in America with specialized programs in textiles. I applied to all universities until I succeeded in obtaining an opportunity at North Carolina State University, which had a specialized college in textiles called the ‘Wilson College of Textiles.’ I obtained a master’s degree in Textile Technology and Management (2012).”
“Although my supervisor, Dr. Abdel Fattah Siyam, with Egyptian origins, advised me to continue my postgraduate studies at the university, I decided that continuing in scientific research and academic work was not my ultimate goal. I believed I had achieved my goal – to equip myself with the knowledge to support the family’s business in spinning and weaving. Indeed, I was satisfied with the master’s degree and returned to Egypt in 2012.”
“Of course, the atmosphere was not encouraging upon my return in 2012 due to the aftermath of the January 25, 2011 revolution with its disturbances and sit-ins.”
“That is precisely what happened. However, the truth is that the events of the revolution and its aftermath were part of the decline of the spinning and weaving industry in Egypt. The decline began with Egypt’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which required lifting customs restrictions on imported goods, including textiles. This agreement provided Egypt with a 10-year grace period to rectify the situation before enforcing its provisions. Thus, the spinning and weaving industry began to compete ‘unequally’ with products imported from abroad, as this agreement allowed duty-free imported goods and placed the domestic industry in unfair competition with countries like China that have lower labor costs and more advanced technology. Meanwhile, the Egyptian industry had to compete with countries with lower labor costs and more advanced technology, considering that all industry inputs were imported in hard currency, which experienced significant fluctuations after the revolution. All of this naturally affected the market share of factories operating in Egypt and hindered their competitiveness. I could not continue for long in this discouraging atmosphere and sought to return to America. I contacted my supervisor during my Ph.D., Dr. Abdel Fattah Siyam, who helped me return to complete my Ph.D. at the ‘Wilson College of Textiles’ at North Carolina State University.”
“Did your way of thinking change at this point, feeling that the industry faced challenging circumstances, and it might be better to focus on the research and academic aspect?”
“No, on the contrary, at that moment, I realized it was time for innovative ideas to develop the industry. Therefore, during my Ph.D., I leaned more towards the research side, as opposed to the master’s degree, which tended towards the technological and administrative aspects.”
“It was during this period that I admired the model of an American university professor whose time was divided between teaching at the university, conducting scientific research, and collaborating with the industry. Although I hated teaching, I began to appreciate it because of the teaching style of an American professor.”
“The first spark in my mind to explore innovative ideas for developing the textile industry by utilizing new materials came when I supervised a master’s student from Brazil working on extracting fibers from tree waste indigenous to her environment. At that moment, I thought to myself, why not search in my local environment for a similar material? I was guided to the fact that palm tree waste was the most viable option. Therefore, during my vacations, I collected some and traveled with it to the U.S. to conduct research on that waste, ultimately leading me to realize that we were wasting a treasure without benefiting from it.”
“After earning my Ph.D. in 2016, I surprised my supervisor, Dr. Abdel Fattah Siyam, with my desire to return to Egypt. At that time, it was an odd decision, as researchers were migrating to the West and America due to economic difficulties. Still, I returned as I fell in love with palm tree waste. I did not find in the American environment a similar material.”
“Before my return, I contacted foreign universities operating in Egypt to secure an academic path for myself. During my Ph.D., I became enchanted with the model of the university professor who combines teaching, scientific research, and industry collaboration. I got an opportunity at the German university with the support of the then Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Yasser Hegazy, who is now the university president.”
“I was surprised to find that foreign universities operating in Egypt consumed most of the professor’s time in teaching. Therefore, my decision was to work with them on a ‘part-time’ basis. Although it did not bring in significant income, it allowed me to achieve a trilogy of teaching, scientific research, and industry collaboration.”
“In addition to fibers, are there other investment opportunities from palm waste?”
“As you can see, this seedling planted with palm waste fibers uses soil prepared from palm tree waste. This presents a good opportunity to inform you that our company will soon open the first of its kind factory to produce ready-made soil from date palm waste. This activity will be a nucleus to gradually start producing other products based on palm waste, such as commercial production of textile fibers from palm fronds.”
“Previously, I interviewed Dr. Hamed El Moslemany, a pioneer in researching the benefits of agricultural waste, and I asked him to summarize his professional experience in one phrase. He said, ‘I am an ambassador of neglected divine creations.’ What if I asked you the same request?”
“You can describe me as a seeker of economic opportunities in agricultural waste.”
“It seems that the experience of your company appears more profit-oriented compared to Dr. Moslemany, whose focus seems to be more inclined towards the social aspects?”
“Dr. Moslemany is my professor at the Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University and the founder of the scientific school for utilizing waste. He leans towards the social aspects, making technology open to all who wish to access its details. Therefore, the projects based
