MENA NWC Update Spring 2015

Spring 2015 MENA NWC Middle East and North Africa Network of Water Centers of Excellence INSIDE THIS ISSUE MENA NWC Welcomes New Centers Network Center Directors Meet in Egypt 1 1 Water Footprint Training in Bahrain 2 MENA NWC Congress Update 3 Water Innovation Fellow Receives Award from Microsoft 3 Awards to Water Innovation Fellows Finalized 4 MASDAR Institute and UNESCO-IHE Join the Network MENA NWC continues to welcome new institutional members to the Network. In March 2015, the Board of Directors agreed unanimously to welcome as members MASDAR Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in Abu Dhabi, UAE and the UNESCO Institute for Water Education (UNESCO-IHE) in Delft, Netherlands. MIST’s Institute Center for Water and Environment (iWater) is led by Dr. Taha Ouarda (touarda@ masdar.ac.ae). Priority research areas include: • Water and environmental technologies • Water and environmental resource management and engineering • Environmental sensing and monitoring • Climate change and adaptation Founded in 1957, UNESCO-IHE has provided graduate education to more than 15,000 water professionals from more than162 countries. Priority research areas include: • Safe drinking water and sanitation • Water-related hazards and climate change • Water and ecosystems quality MENA NWC is working closely with these new institutions to integrate them into Network research activities and programs. The Network now links 24 participating technical and research institutions across the Middle East and North Africa with each other, U.S. and Dutch counterparts, governments, and the private sector to solve critical water problems confronting the region. If your institution is interested in joining the Network, please contact [email protected]. MENA NWC’s Center Directors Meet in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt In November 2014, 18 Directors or representatives of MENA NWC’s member Centers met with members of the Network’s Board of Directors, Interim Management Unit (IMU), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Sharm El Shiekh, Egypt. The objectives of the twoday meeting were to: • Update member Centers on current governance, management, and technical activities and agree on Continued on page 2