Article written by Caroline el Nahas, Raya Khaty and Laura-Joy Boulos (PhD)

When we first launched our research and development (R&D) project, we chose the word "Ensa," which translates in Arabic as "forget." Ensa is an R&D project led by two female neuroscientists: Dr. Laura-Joy Boulos (Saint-Joseph University in Lebanon), who has been named one of the world’s 15 most promising scientists for 2020, and Dr. Mélissa Allé (Lille University in France). A talented team of twenty people, mostly women, including psychology students Caroline el Nahas and Raya Khaty, are working on the project. As female researchers from the Mena region, we wanted to share with you a little behind-the-scenes look at what goes into developing an R&D project.

Mental health in times of crisis

While the entire world is going through a crisis, the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is experiencing another level of heat and chronicity. The [R&D] field has a unique chance to investigate the effects of chronic multi-crisis situations on brain functioning and mental health as populations struggle with this environment. The idea that not everyone is impacted in the same way and that people react in different ways—from extreme grief to resilience—is crucial.

This heterogeneity mainly depends on two categories of factors: 1) social determinants such as social class, education, or even gender; and 2) psychological traits such as cognitions or emotions. 

The purpose of the ENSA research is to assess the vulnerability of individuals to common crisis conditions like PTSD and depression, and to see how these crises affect people's mental health in ways other than illness in people who seem to be healthy. 

Digital tools to navigate uncertainty

We further apply our scientific advances to address urgent issues related to mental and brain health in the Mena region. Using artificial intelligence (AI), ENSA creates digital tools to aid in navigating the prevailing uncertainty, with the ultimate goal of creating psychotherapeutic approaches that are suited to the unique requirements of communities during times of crisis.

These studies would not have been possible without the support of Globivest, an inspiring women-led venture capital (VC) fund from the region. Our positive relationship with Globivest thrives on Managing Partner Jasmine Busson's dedication to developing solid science-based solutions for critical, costly issues rather than making band-aid fixes for non-existent ones. The seamless communication among our two teams, composed mainly of women on each side, enhances collaboration, ensuring a balanced approach that combines research and innovation to address challenges in mental and brain health, guided by a relentless determination to challenge paradigms and promote inclusivity and equity.

Challenges facing women in Mena R&D space 

As female researchers, we face numerous barriers in our career path, which show up as differences in opportunity, recognition, and promotion. These barriers range from institutionalised biases in academic institutions to structural issues that hinder our progression. 

These gender prejudices can occasionally be blatantly apparent, like public mansplaining incidents that casually happen to well-educated, knowledgeable women. However, in most cases, the gender biases are more subtle, so subtle they go unseen, which makes them even more dangerous. The other danger about them is that they are not an individual case or incident that you can report and resolve; rather, they manifest as a variety of normalised behaviours and microaggressions, which can include everything from exclusion from opportunities and advancement to biases in evaluation processes.

"The effort-to-outcome ratio is, in my opinion, the most blatant gender bias," asserts Dr. Boulos, who frequently dismisses the idea of a glass ceiling in favour of the image of muddy waters. “I think that the idea of constantly swimming in muddy waters is a more accurate representation of reality than the abrupt, inconceivable glass ceiling. Don't get me wrong, I value effort; but I wouldn't mind swimming in muddy waters if men were swimming in them too. However, if you glance to the left and right, you'll notice that they appear to be floating effortlessly in desalinated waters. For female researchers, the entire process has been more difficult from the beginning.”

Drs. Boulos and Allé made it a point to invite women to join their team for this very reason. As women face scepticism and sometimes outright discrimination, we at ENSA wanted to offer an inclusive and diverse workplace, a space of trust, support, and encouragement among peers.

Biases based on gender often overlap with those based on other identities, like social class or race. Our identities as women, as researchers, and as Arabs are all intertwined, making it blurry to determine the exact source of the challenges we face. For instance, securing funding for research poses a significant challenge, particularly in the region, and even more so for women. Convincing policymakers and grant providers to prioritise research over short-term, emergency-focused initiatives remains our primary challenge, regardless of our gender as researchers. As such, the journey we undertake is not just one of academic pursuit but also a journey of resilience against societal expectations, cultural norms, and institutional biases. 

As Arab women researchers, we encounter a variety of challenges that are as diverse and multifaceted as we are. Yet, it is precisely this intersectionality that fuels our determination and resilience, driving us to push boundaries, challenge stereotypes, and carve out a space for ourselves with full dedication to make meaningful contributions to mental health and brain research in the region.