Phipps Welcomes Dr. Naima Fatehi

By Alexa Sinatra

Hailing from Southwest Algeria, Dr. Naima Fatehi, Ph.D., recently completed a four-week fellowship at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens through the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program. During her stay, she collaborated closely with Phipps’ sustainability and horticulture teams, bringing her expertise in agricultural science and sustainable innovation to life through hands-on research and community engagement.

When choosing her fellowship destination, Dr. Fatehi researched each potential host carefully, discovered that Phipps perfectly aligned with her vision for sustainability and environmental education. “When I first saw Phipps, I instantly fell in love,” she shared. “It felt like a living example of what harmony between science, nature, and humanity can look like.”

During her time at Phipps, Dr. Fatehi contributed to two major projects. With the Facilities and Sustainability Department, she worked on an extensive review and proposal for enhancing Phipps’ blackwater wetland system, integrating nature-based solutions, and circular design principles. With the Horticulture Department, she collaborated on developing visitor engagement and storytelling strategies, helping to transform scientific knowledge into meaningful experiences that connect guests more deeply with plants and ecosystems.

Reflecting on her fellowship, Dr. Fatehi said, “The past four weeks at Phipps have been truly transformative, both professionally and personally. What I valued most was being trusted to contribute and surrounded by a team that is supportive, innovative and kind. This fellowship didn’t just give me new skills, it gave me a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer path forward.”

Dr. Fatehi holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, specializing in drug discovery from medicinal plants. She chose this field to explore Algeria’s vast biodiversity of endemic flora and its untapped potential for sustainable solutions. For over a decade, she has served as Plant Protection Inspector at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Algeria, while leading numerous community projects that promote green innovation and rural development.

She is also the founder of GroWise, an initiative that integrates smart technology, and sustainable agriculture to empower rural women and promote environmental stewardship.

Dr. Fatehi has since returned home inspired to apply what she learned at Phipps to advance sustainability education, waste valorization and women-led green entrepreneurship in her region. Her experience stands as a testament to the power of global collaboration where shared knowledge grows into shared impact.