Prime minister of Jordan
Marwan Jamil Muasher graduated from Purdue Engineering with three degrees: a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a PhD in electrical engineering in 1977, 1978 and 1981, respectively. He also received an honorary doctorate in 1999. Following his studies, Muasher embarked on a diverse career path. Returning to Jordan, he initially worked at the Jordan Electric Power Company and the Research Institute at the University of Petroleum and Minerals. He also founded the Jordan Computer Society and wrote political columns for The Jordan Times, the sole English-language newspaper in Jordan. He transitioned to government service, holding such positions as press advisor in the prime minister's office and director of the Jordan Information Bureau in Washington, D.C. In 1995, Muasher made history as Jordan’s first ambassador to Israel. During his tenure from 1997 to 2002 as Jordan’s ambassador to the U.S., he played a key role in negotiating the Jordan-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Upon his return to Jordan in 2002, Muasher was instrumental in shaping the Arab Peace Initiative and the Middle East roadmap. In 2004, he assumed the position of deputy prime minister of Jordan, followed by a brief tenure as prime minister. Subsequently, Muasher served as vice president of external affairs for the World Bank before moving to his current role as vice president for studies at the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace. Purdue presented him with an Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineer Award in 1999.