ABU DHABI, The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), through the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, hosted a solicitation workshop to discuss research pathways and set guidelines for proposals for the programme’s 5th Cycle in 2023.
The two-day event discussed a range of promising new research areas as an important step in the programme’s next call for new proposals.
With leading scientists from prominent global and local institutions, the workshop featured sessions that explored the potential for identifying knowledge and scientific gaps in the full lifecycle of rainfall from cloud to ground, new approaches and technologies for rain enhancement, and efforts to translate new research findings and technologies developed by the programme awardees into operations and practical applications.
Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of the National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, welcomed the participants.
Dr. Al Mandous said, “Since its inception under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the programme has grown into a leading international focal point for developing cutting-edge solutions and new technologies in cloud seeding research.”
“With investment in and support for innovation being a national strategic priority, the programme’s 5th Cycle will help generate exciting new ideas that could have a global impact. Three research areas have been identified after a thorough review of progress to date and future research priorities,” Al Mandous added.
The expected outcome of the workshop is a new solicitation document that identifies the future research priorities to be signed off by the programme’s Strategic Direction committee (SDC) along with the Programme Secretariat and international, local and NCM experts. The new solicitation document will be shared publicly in mid-October 2022 as part of the call for research proposal submissions for the 5th Cycle.
Commenting on the workshop, Al Mazroui said, “We are working hard to build on the great innovative advances we have already made and harness new scientific and technical ingenuity that will drive creative water solutions. Through such innovation, we have already made real progress in enhancing and further developing capacity in the field both locally and globally while encouraging global research collaborations that could lead to new advances in this important field.”
The programme’s success has confirmed the status of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as pioneers in the field of rain enhancement and a hub for an internationally recognised research network.
Source: Emirates News Agency