Dr Xiaosong Ma, principal scientist at Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), has been recognised as an ACM Distinguished Member for outstanding scientific contributions to the computing field. 
Dr Ma is the first woman (and sixth overall) to reach this prestigious grade while working in the Arab region. She became the fourth member of QCRI to receive such recognition from ACM.
Dr. Mohamed Mokbel and Dr Ashraf Aboulnaga were previously recognised as ACM Distinguished Scientists while Dr Ahmed Elmagarmid was named an ACM Fellow. Dr Ma was selected by her peers for a range of accomplishments contributing to technologies that advance computing. As part of her long-term commitment to the diverse field, Dr Ma has published over 90 research papers and currently serves on the editorial board of the ACM Transactions on Storage.
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. The ACM Distinguished Member programme, initiated in 2006, recognises those members with at least 15 years of professional experience who have made significant accomplishments or achieved a significant impact on the computing field.
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