An astrophysicist who as a child gazed at stars with Abu Dhabi’s amateur astronomy clubs has helped build a Nasa-funded online platform that could transform how scientists share research.
Mugdha Polimera, 31, who was raised in the UAE, is part of the team behind Science Explorer, or SciX, a new portal with more than 30 million data entries that connects research across astrophysics, planetary science, heliophysics and Earth sciences.
“It’s much more than a search tool. When you open a paper, you don’t just see what it cites, you can also follow every paper that later cites it,” said Ms Polimera, as an astrophysicist and software developer for Nasa’s Astrophysics Data System (ADS).
“We also link research to specific astronomical objects, tag the data sets used and even the software referenced," she told The National. "It takes that value and extends it across Earth and space sciences."
The platform builds on ADS, which was launched in 1992 and has become a trusted source in the scientific community for astronomy-related research. But now SciX will bring together researchers from many more disciplines that share and use data.
“Earth sciences are Nasa’s largest research field, covering everything from climate and weather to agriculture, rivers, glaciers and volcanoes,” said Ms Polimera.
“Having a curated, authoritative platform that connects these disciplines will help researchers share methods, tools and data in a way that hasn’t been possible before.”
Ms Polimera said the most exciting part of SciX, which is free to use worldwide, is the increased reliability of the research results.
“Predatory journals are excluded,” she said. "That means researchers don’t waste time questioning whether a source is credible … they can focus on the science."
From Abu Dhabi to astrophysics
Born in India, Ms Polimera moved to Abu Dhabi as a baby and grew up in the capital, where her curiosity about space was sparked by Hindu mythology and stargazing.
“I was fascinated not just by stars and planets, but also by the way they were woven into Indian folklore,” she said. “For example, the Big Dipper is called 'Saptarishi' (seven sages) and the Pleiades are 'Kritikas', their wives. I loved that the same constellations had different stories across cultures.”
She attended St Joseph’s School in Abu Dhabi until Year 10, then Sunrise English Private School, before studying electronics and communications engineering at BITS Pilani, Dubai.
At the time, the UAE did not have an established space programme and astronomy courses were limited, so Ms Polimera chose engineering and hoped it would act as a stepping stone to astrophysics.
“Even then I tried to bring astronomy into my coursework,” she said. “In image and signal-processing classes, I pitched space-related projects to my professors.”
She also sought out the few astronomy clubs that existed in Abu Dhabi, attending talks on Mars missions and meeting fellow enthusiasts. “Those experiences were small but important and they kept me connected to the field,” she said.
What does the future hold?
After her degree, Ms Polimera moved to the US to pursue a master’s then a doctorate in astrophysics.
She now splits her time between black hole research and her role as a software engineer with the ADS and SciX team. She says the transformation in the UAE’s space sector over the past decade has been significant.
“The difference is night and day," said Ms Polimera. "In 10 years, the country has built a world-class programme. That’s very characteristic of the UAE … they set a goal and made it happen quickly."
She said young people in the UAE today have opportunities that did not exist for her generation. “There are expanded course offerings, active clubs and huge investment in research and education,” she said.
“The space programme acts as a hook, getting students excited about science and technology. I’d love to come back and give seminars or tutorials to help students learn how to navigate these systems.”
New Zealand squad
Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
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Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
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Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Results
2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash
5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%C2%A0profile
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
MATCH DETAILS
Manchester United 3
Greenwood (21), Martial (33), Rashford (49)
Partizan Belgrade 0
Jawan
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SPECS
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Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Barack Beach, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Woodditton, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Secret Trade, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mark Of Approval, Antonio Fresu, Mahmood Hussain.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tradesman, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
