04 Oct The Winner of the Omani Young Water Researcher Award!

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Introducing the Winner of the Young Omani Water Researcher Award 2017

Muscat, Wednesday, 4th October, 2017: MEDRC Water Research announced the winner of the ‘Omani Young Water Researcher Award 2017’ at an official ceremony held at their headquarters in Al Hail today. Ms. Manal Moosa AL-Bulushi from the Middle East College in Muscat was declared the winner of MEDRC’s inaugural award which honors excellence in water research undertaken by young Omani students.
The award is generously sponsored by the Omar Zawawi Establishment L.L.C and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Muscat. Ms. Manal is the lucky recipient of an all-expenses paid trip to Amsterdam to participate at the Amsterdam International Water Week later this month. Her Excellency Laetitia Van Asch, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Oman, said at the event “I am proud of all the Omani participants in this contest and most of all, proud of the winner! These fine young researchers are the future for solutions on water scarcity. As a result of the history of living with water, the Netherlands sees water cooperation and innovation as a necessity, not a luxury. This Omani Young Water Researcher Award is part of this international cooperation to find solutions for water challenges together”.

Ms. Al Bulushi’s winning research paper was produced under the supervision of Dr. Mohammed Abushammala, at the Middle East College and is entitled ‘Water Loss Investigation in Muscat: Al Seeb water supply system- a case study’. “This award is about recognizing and rewarding excellence in water research,” said Dr. Jauad El Kharraz, Head of Research, at MEDRC Water Research. “Ms. Manal Al Bulushi’s work has tackled a very important issue in Oman, that of Non-Revenue Water (NRW). NRW relates to water that has been produced but is ‘lost’ before it reaches the customer. These losses can be as a result of leaks for example, or metering inaccuracies. Manal’s work is a valuable contribution to determining and auditing water losses in the water distribution network of Al Seeb. We hope that her contribution will be picked up by the main stakeholders in water in Oman and that it will encourage other Omani young researchers to develop ambitious and innovative solutions for major water challenges in the Sultanate”.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Hilal Al Hinai, Secretary General of The Research Council said “A focus on young researchers is an important element of capacity building in this very important field. The field of water is in need of a significant boost in innovation and the young generation are more able to do so because it is easier for them to think out of the box. We hope this program will contribute towards realizing potential innovations.”
Four young Omani researchers were shortlisted as finalists and received certificates of merit for their research contributions.
They were as follows:
Ms. Muzna Ali Al Shezawi, Higher College of Technology, Muscat
Ms. Bushra Baroot Mabrook Al Riyami, PAEW, Muscat
Ms, Nasiyba Sulaiyam Bin Salam Al Hinaai, Caledonian College of Engineering, Seeb
Mr. Mubarak Said Alsouti, College of Engineering and Architecture University of Nizwa, Nizwa

Among the distinguished guests present at today’s ceremony were, H.E. Laetitia Van Asch, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E Dr. Hilal Al Hinai Secretary General, The Research Council (TRC), Hussain Abdul Hussain, CEO of Haya Water, Mr. Salem Nasser Al Bortmany, Executive Director at Omar Zawawi Establishment (OMZEST), Dr. Abood Hamed Al Sawafi, Vice Chancellor, A’Sharqiyah University, Dr. Abdullah Saif Al Sabahi, Founder and Chairman, Middle East College, Dr. Ali Al Ghafri, Assistant Chairman for International Relations & Media & Events, Public Authority of Electricity and Water, Eng. Zaher Al Sulaimani, Chairman, Oman Water Society.

The ceremony proved a fitting occasion for MEDRC Water Research and A’Sharqiyah University to sign an MoU agreement. Both parties expressed a will to work together to pursue research in Water Treatment Technologies & Water Resource Management, Desalination Technologies and Brine and Desalination Disposal Management. The agreement recognizes common areas of interest between MEDRC Water Research and A’Sharqiyah University and the potential that exists for mutually beneficial future collaborations.

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