Mohammed Jameel, president of ALJ Community Initiatives and president of the Abdul Latif Jameel Group, has been selected by the MIT Board of Trustees to become its lifetime member, in recognition of his efforts in fighting poverty, improving the lives of people around the world and supporting MIT development programs.

Founded in 1861, MIT is one of the finest science and technology institutions in the world. As a non-profit educational institution it focuses on practical applications and knowledge spreading through various initiatives, including research centers and scientific laboratories throughout the world.

At least 81 MIT alumni and staff members have won Nobel prizes in diverse fields. Companies established by MIT alumni employ three million people and have made annual sales totaling $3 trillion.

Jameel, who received his BS in civil engineering from MIT in 1978, is a staunch supporter of research initiatives at MIT to improve lives around the world. In 2005, he gave a substantial gift to MIT, by setting up the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL).

Today, J-PAL comprises a global network with seven regional offices and over 100 researchers working in 56 countries. The lives of over 164 million people have been positively affected by policies developed through J-PAL’s research. In cooperation with MIT, Jameel supported the establishment of the Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS) in 2014, to ensure global food and water supply into the 21st century. It will elevate the institute’s commitment to address the collective pressure of population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Jameel has been supporting D-Lab’s “scale-ups” program, which develops and helps commercialize affordable products for the poor.

Since 1994, Jameel has supported dozens of students to complete their education at MIT through the Abdul Latif Jameel Toyota Endowed Scholarship Fund. Most of these students were from developing countries. He also backs the MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition, in which thousands of young Arabs participate every year.