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Dr. Mohammad Mardini, Director of the Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences Research at Zarqa University, has received a prestigious research grant from the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation for the year 2024, in support of his collaborative project with scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

This funding initiative aims to support innovative and impactful scientific collaborations between Jordanian researchers and leading global academic institutions, fostering the production of research with international relevance and long-term impact.

The awarded project is titled:

"Stellar Archaeology – Searching for 13-Billion-Year-Old Stars in Public Data Archives",

and focuses on the exploration of the universe’s oldest stars formed shortly after the Big Bang, using advanced data analysis and spectral techniques on public astronomical databases.

This research represents one of the first projects in the Arab world to delve into the emerging field of Stellar Archaeology—a discipline that investigates the early stages of cosmic formation by studying the oldest known stars.

The grant, which provides up to $30,000 USD, will support research visits and direct collaboration between Dr. Mardini and researchers at MIT, enhancing opportunities for knowledge exchange and long-term scientific partnership.