ABU DHABI, 3rd April, 2023 (WAM) — The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) today announced that it has received 96 innovative research proposals for the Fifth Cycle of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), representing an 18.5 percent increase in the number of preliminary proposals compared to the Fourth Cycle.
The pre-proposal submission period for the Fifth Cycle which focuses on two main categories including enhancing cloud formation and rain enhancement lasted for 51 days from 24th January to 16th March 2023.
As part of UAEREP’s priority to encourage collaboration and technology and knowledge sharing, the programme requires research teams aspiring to receive its grants to work closely with their counterparts from local universities and academic and research institutions in the UAE.
Since its inception, UAE-based universities and research centres have registered a remarkable presence in the programme’s past cycles, with the current cycle attracting 15 research proposals submitted by researchers and specialists from Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and Fujairah Research Centre, among others.
Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of NCM and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said, “Through advancing the science and technology of rain enhancement, NCM continually seeks to contribute to achieving water security locally and globally. These efforts align with the UAE’s relentless pursuit of climate change solutions and environmental, water and food sustainability, as the country is gearing up to host the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) and marking 2023 as the Year of Sustainability.”
Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), added, “The research community’s growing interest in rain enhancement science and technology demonstrates the critical importance of this scientific domain to secure adequate and sustainable water supplies. At UAEREP, we look forward to working with more local and international partners to help turn their innovative research proposals into functional applications that complement the achievements already made by the awardees of the programme’s previous cycles."
The pre-proposals received by the Programme’s Fifth Cycle were presented by broad array of scientists and researchers from countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. These countries include Armenia, Bahrain, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, UK, USA, Vietnam and UAE.
Successful applicants selected for the two-stage merit review process will receive the result of initial pre-proposal evaluation in next May, following which they will be invited to submit full proposals in August for review by the evaluation committee. The awardees of the Fifth Cycle will be announced in early 2024.