AUC honours Atef Eltoukhy, the Sharqiya-born scientist turned philanthropist
The American University in Cairo celebrated the Sharqiya-born materials scientist, investor and philanthropist, its first alumnus to chair its board.
Cairo — The American University in Cairo (AUC) has honoured the Egyptian-American scientist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Atef Eltoukhy for more than five decades of service to education in Egypt and abroad, Daily News Egypt reports.
From Sharqiya to IBM
Born in Sharqiya, Eltoukhy earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Cairo University, then came to AUC in the 1970s as a graduate student and instructor in materials science. He took a PhD in metallurgical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1978, joined IBM's research laboratory and went on to co-found technology companies in digital storage. His research and inventions helped advance the magnetic recording used in high-density storage. He later moved into quantitative investing, co-founding investment firms in California.
A lifelong link with AUC
- He joined AUC's board of trustees in 2012 and became its chair in 2016, the first Egyptian-born American and the first AUC graduate to hold the post.
- With his wife, Fofa, he set up an endowed scholarship for talented Egyptian students and supported the Eltoukhy Learning Factory, where engineering students design and build prototypes.
- The couple founded the Helmy Eltoukhy School in Sharqiya, named after his father.
- The family foundation has also funded fellowships at Stanford and Berkeley and a materials science lab at the University of Illinois.
AUC's president, Ahmad Dallal, praised Eltoukhy as a scientist, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist and highlighted the couple's commitment to helping students make the most of their opportunities.
Source: Daily News Egypt, 17 October 2026.
