Algerian Americans Project

Small effort makes
big change.

A home for Algerians living in the United States. Connect with the community, celebrate our heritage, support each other’s businesses, and help build a future we can all be proud of.

Explore

Everything our community offers, in one place

Events

Concerts, gatherings and meetups across the US.

Businesses

Find and support Algerian-owned businesses.

NewsRoom

Stories and news from our community.

Resources

Helpful guides and links for Algerians in the US.

Algerian Apps

Apps and platforms built by Algerians.

Memorial Tributes

Honoring community members we have lost.

Change Makers

Algerians shaping America

From Silicon Valley to NASA and the NIH, these Algerians are leading in technology, medicine, science and education. Their stories show the talent and resilience of our community, and remind us how far we can go.

Technology

Belgacem Haba

Silicon Valley's most prolific inventor

1,700+ patents worldwide · Stanford PhD · El-Oued, Algeria

Born in 1957, Haba earned his PhD from Stanford and became one of the most inventive engineers in Silicon Valley. With 600+ US patents and 1,700+ worldwide, he pioneered 3D chip integration at IBM, NEC, Tessera, and Google. Ranked #1 most inventive in Silicon Valley since 2008 and among R&D Magazine's global top 100 inventors. He founded the Haba Institute in Algeria to nurture young talent.

Medicine

Dr. Elias Zerhouni

15th Director of the US National Institutes of Health

Appointed by President Bush · Johns Hopkins · Nedroma, Algeria

Born in 1951, Zerhouni rose to lead the world's largest biomedical research agency as NIH Director, the first immigrant ever to hold the role. Appointed by President Bush and later serving as science envoy under Obama, he pioneered MRI cardiac-tagging techniques still used in cancer diagnosis today. He managed a $28 billion annual budget and launched the landmark NIH Roadmap initiative.

Science

Dr. Yasmine Belkaid

Immunologist · President of Institut Pasteur

National Academy of Sciences · 220+ papers · Algiers, Algeria

Born in Algiers in 1968, Belkaid built a distinguished career at the US National Institutes of Health (NIAID). In 2024 she became President of the Institut Pasteur in Paris. Elected to the US National Academy of Sciences, she has published 220+ papers reshaping how we understand immunity and the microbiome, with breakthroughs in gut health, skin immunity, and infectious disease.

Science

Dr. Miriam Merad

Cancer immunology pioneer · Mount Sinai, New York

National Academy of Sciences & Medicine · Legion of Honor · Algeria

Trained at the University of Algiers then Stanford, Merad transformed cancer immunology at Mount Sinai by identifying tissue-resident macrophages and their role in tumors. The first Algerian and Arab woman elected to the US National Academy of Sciences. Her research has been cited thousands of times globally. France awarded her the Legion of Honor in 2025.

Oncology

Dr. Taha Merghoub

Deputy Director, Meyer Cancer Center · Weill Cornell Medicine

17,000+ citations · h-index 50 · Published in Nature & Science

Trained at the University of Algiers then Paris (PhD with highest distinction), Merghoub built a landmark career at Memorial Sloan Kettering before becoming Deputy Director of the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. His research on tumor-immune interactions has been published in Nature, Science, and Cancer Cell, with over 17,000 citations. He served as president of the Algerian American Foundation (2017–2020).

Education

Dr. Farouk Dey

President, Palo Alto University · Former Dean at Stanford & Johns Hopkins

LinkedIn Top 10 Voices in Education · TEDx Speaker · Algeria

A native of Algeria, Dey became one of the most influential voices in American higher education. After serving as Dean at Stanford and founding Vice Provost at Johns Hopkins, he was appointed President of Palo Alto University in 2025. Named one of LinkedIn's Top 10 Voices in Education, he pioneered the "life design" philosophy to democratize access to meaningful careers for all students.

Tech & Entrepreneurship

Noureddine Tayebi

Founder & CEO of Yassir · North Africa's most valued tech startup

$193M+ raised · 23 patents · Stanford PhD · Algiers, Algeria

Born in Algiers in 1977, Tayebi earned a PhD from Stanford and spent 8+ years at Intel accumulating 23 patents. He co-founded InSense (acquired by Mojo Vision) then launched Yassir in 2017, a ride-hailing and delivery super-app that became North Africa's most valued startup with over $193M in funding and millions of users across Africa and beyond. He mentors startups at Stanford's StartX accelerator.

Space & Physics

Prof. Noureddine Melikechi

NASA Mars Rover Scientist · Dean, UMass Lowell

NASA Group Achievement Award · "Ambassador to Mars" · Boumerdès, Algeria

Born in 1958 in Algeria, Melikechi became a key scientist on NASA's Mars Curiosity and Perseverance rover missions, analyzing Martian soil using laser spectroscopy. Dean of Sciences at UMass Lowell, he won the NASA Group Achievement Award and was named Delaware's "Ambassador to Mars." His same laser technology also detects early-stage ovarian cancer and melanoma from a single drop of blood.

Upcoming event

Join us for the Aït Menguellet Live In Concert!

An evening with one of the great voices of Kabyle music. Bring your family and friends and celebrate our culture together.

For business owners

List your business on our website

Showcase your Algerian-owned business to the community. Gain visibility, connect with customers who appreciate Algerian culture, and become part of a growing network. Listing is free.

Join the community

When people help people, change happens.

Our group chats are where it all happens: event announcements, job leads, advice for newcomers, and a friendly Algerian voice when you need one. Pick the app you use and say salam.

Your opinion matters

Help us spread happiness with your ideas

Tell us what you’d like to see from the Algerian Americans Project. The survey is short and voluntary, and your answers shape what we build next.