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»Closed Competition: Dr. Maged Hussein Memorial Grant Competition in Soil Salinity and Water Management
Closed Competition: Dr. Maged Hussein Memorial Grant Competition in Soil Salinity and Water Management
This competition is closed. The deadline was December 15, 2009.
The Iraq Scientist Engagement Program (ISEP), in collaboration with CRDF and its implementing partner the Arab Science & Technology Foundation (ASTF), held the "Dr. Maged Hussein Memorial Grant Competition in Soil Salinity and Water Management." This grant competition was a follow-on activity to the Iraq Soil Salinity and Water Management Conference held in Baghdad on July 15-17, 2009 that united Iraqi scientists and engineers from different Iraqi Ministries (including Agriculture, Science and Technology, Water Resources, and Higher Education and Scientific Research) and universities and provided a forum to address major challenges to agricultural development posed by issues of soil salinity, and the management of water resources in Iraq. The grant competition was highly competitive and research teams were encouraged to consider how they structured their research proposals.
The goal of this grant competition was to help increase the amount of research that is being directed towards the critical issues of soil salinity and water management in Iraq, to further encourage regional and international collaborative efforts to resolve problems caused by high saline content in Iraqi agricultural soils, and to promote development of new techniques for management of water resources during the process of farmland irrigation. These topics were agreed upon by conference participants as issues of high priority in support of the growth of Iraq's agricultural sector.
For e-mail inquiries, contact: IraqSoilandWater@crdf.org
About Maged Hussein
Dr. Maged Hussein, a senior consultant in the Office of Water and Environment at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, was a widely respected and well known figure in the Iraqi and international scientific communities. Throughout his career, he worked tirelessly to help Iraq address important concerns and problems related to the country's soil salinity and water management issues. Dr. Hussein used his knowledge and skills to help build water treatment plants, sewers, dams, and irrigation and drainage systems across Iraq. Backed by his strong commitment to leave Iraq in better circumstances than when he arrived, Dr. Hussein spearheaded projects aimed towards enhancing the country's clean water supply, including recently developing a project to monitor the water quality in remote areas of the country. In his last act serving Iraq, Dr. Maged Hussein attended a ceremony honoring the establishment of a new water treatment plant near Fallujah. It was while returning to Baghdad from this notable event that the vehicle he was traveling in was struck by a roadside bomb fatally wounding him and the other passengers. Dr. Maged Hussein is deeply missed by his family, friends, and colleagues. The "Dr. Maged Hussein Memorial Grant Competition in Soil Salinity and Water Management" is dedicated to honoring the memory of Dr. Maged Hussein and his many accomplishments in the fields of soil salinity and water management throughout Iraq.
Iraq Scientist Engagement Program (ISEP)
The U.S. Department of State's Iraq Scientist Engagement Program works to support the redevelopment of Iraq's science and technology infrastructure. The Iraq Scientist Engagement Program sponsors scientific conferences, technical trainings, and research grant competitions to advance Iraqi science and to connect Iraqi scientists and engineers to the international scientific community.
In addition, the Iraq Scientist Engagement Program places an emphasis on multi-benefit collaborative science. Many of the program's activities simultaneously seek to promote research, improve laboratory practices, and bolster laboratory safety practices. For instance, the Iraq Scientist Engagement Program works in the public health field to strengthen Iraqi epidemiological capabilities which contribute to combating chronic disease, emerging infectious diseases, and preventing the misuse of dual-use technology. Likewise, the program is working to promote chemical safety practices which contribute to helping Iraqi chemical facilities develop efficient industrial processes, prevent chemical accidents, and produce safe products.
CRDF
CRDF is a nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress and established in 1995 by the National Science Foundation. This unique public-private partnership promotes international scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technical resources, and training. CRDF is based in Arlington, Virginia with offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Kyiv, Ukraine, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan and Amman, Jordan (opening fall 2009).
CRDF's mission is to:
- Provide cooperative research and development (R&D) opportunities that enable scientists and engineers to address critical security, economic, education and other societal needs
Advance peace and prosperity by funding civilian research and development projects that contribute to global nonproliferation objectives. - Promote the application of science and technology to economic growth through international partnerships and training that foster invention, innovation, entrepreneurship and the commercialization of technology.
- Strengthen university research and education in science and engineering.
Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF)
The Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) is an independent, nongovernmental, non-profit organization based in the United Arab Emirate of Sharjah with representatives in Baghdad, Iraq. ASTF aims to identify and support outstanding scientific research activities being conducted by women and men of science and technology from the Arab world. It also attempts to set up branches and links in those Arab and world capitals that have scientific entities willing to participate in its activities, acts as a mediator between those who produce, develop, finance or benefit from scientific research, while seeking to become a center for assessing the performance of scientific programs, and also serves as a powerful international Arab entity that defends the region's interests in scientific and technological progress.
