Two Saudi Students Awarded Prestigious Rhodes Scholarships – Set for Oxford Graduate Studies

Updated 2 min 35 sec ago

November 9, 2026 12:51

RIYADH: Joudi Al‑Ahmadi and Lena Al‑Shanafey have each been selected as this year’s Rhodes Scholars for Saudi Arabia, earning fellowships that will fund their postgraduate research at the University of Oxford.

The Rhodes Scholarship, founded in 1903, is the world’s oldest and most prestigious graduate fellowship. The Saudi programme, launched in 2018 with a donation from Muhammad Al‑Agil and expanded in 2020 through his sons’ contribution, is administered by the co‑founders of Jarir Bookstores. Two scholarships are awarded annually to exceptional candidates, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 commitment to education and talent development.

Both winners exemplify the rigorous standards the program seeks: outstanding academic achievement, strong character, leadership potential, and a dedication to addressing global challenges. The selection process includes a thorough review followed by interviews with a committee of distinguished experts.

Continuing a legacy of excellence, 20 Saudi scholars have previously earned Rhodes fellowships, with many going on to careers in genetics, medicine, the creative arts, and other fields.

Joudi Al‑Ahmadi earned a first‑class honors degree in physics from King Abdulaziz University. She is currently completing a Master of Science in quantum technologies at Oxford, where her research bridges computational and experimental physics. Her graduation project applied density‑functional theory to defect‑engineered molybdenum disulfide.

At King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, she modeled frequency‑selective surfaces and polarization rotators, resulting in a peer‑reviewed publication in Progress In Electromagnetics Research Letters. She conducted experimental work on tin‑lead perovskites at Cambridge under Prof. Sam Stranks and later completed KAUST’s ELEVATE program in advanced materials characterization. Al‑Ahmadi founded Zamakan, an Arabic‑language science journal, and served as co‑president of the Physics Club at King Abdulaziz. At Oxford she intends to pursue a PhD in atomic and laser physics, focusing on atom interferometry and quantum sensing to advance deployable quantum technologies in Saudi Arabia.

Lena Al‑Shanafey is a senior at the University penasaran with a dual degree in economics from the Wharton School (concentrations in finance and healthcare management) and political science in the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Wharton scholarships.

Her honors thesis uses hospital records to investigate diagnostic pathways and treatment access for menopausal women in Saudi Arabia, drawing on research in Penn’s Department of Healthcare Management. She has led consulting projects for health‑care firms and startups, and has interned at the Boston Consulting Group and Sanabil Investments, the venture arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Al‑Shanafey founded Novus Digest, a youth‑driven publication, and has contributed articles to Arab News.

At Oxford, she plans to earn a Master of Science in global health science and epidemiology, followed by a second Master’s in applied digital health. Her goal is to return to Saudi Arabia and work at the intersection of health policy and investment, using population‑level evidence to pinpoint gaps in women’s health care and guide capital toward models that deliver services earlier.

The two scholars’ achievements underscore the impact of the Rhodes Scholarship in nurturing leaders who will drive innovation and social progress, both in the Kingdom and worldwide.

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