Staff
The WANA Institute is staffed by a dedicated team of researchers, programme coordinators and support staff based in the offices of the Royal Scientific Society.
The WANA Institute is committed to hiring promising young people from within the region in order to develop the next generation of socially conscious thought leaders.
Each team member has their own field of expertise – from law and conflict studies through to economics and environmental science – and brings with them experience in different sectors and countries.
Eng. Salsabeal Abo-Thrais
Eng. Abo-Thrais is a water and environment engineer, with extensive professional expertise in various areas, including Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation; Sustainable Climate Smart Agriculture; Nature-Based Solutions; Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus, science-policy analysis, and advanced natural resources management with applied research experience for development and humanitarian interventions. She holds a master’s degree in water and environment resources management.
Oraib Abu Raideh
Oraib Abu-Raideh is a gender and development specialist within the Human Security and Social Justice Pillar. She has extensive expertise in advancing gender equality, women’s rights, and social inclusion across the WANA region. With an MA in Gender and Development from Sussex University, Oraib combines in-depth socio-political insight with practical strategies spanning policy research, gender mainstreaming, and grassroots advocacy to drive inclusive and sustainable change. Through her work, she aims to address systemic inequalities and foster resilient communities in the region.
Salma Nasser
Salma is a researcher in the Human Security and Social Justice division. She has previous experience working on projects focusing on conflict, political participation, stakeholder interaction, and women’s empowerment, where she takes an intersectional approach to ensure a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of key issues and proposed solutions. Salma holds a master’s degree in Political Science, specialising in Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Development, and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, both awarded by Leiden University.
Fawaz Mohsen
Fawaz serves the WANA Institute as the Logistics Assistant and Driver.