MENA NWC Update Spring 2014

Spring 2014 MENA NWC Update Middle East and North Africa Network of Water Centers of Excellence MENA NWC Research Projects Underway INSIDE THIS ISSUE MENA NWC Research Activities Underway 1 MENA NWC Launches Website 1 Round Two Now Open for Policy, Research and Development (PR&D) Grants Applications 2 MENA NWC Welcomes Two New Centers 2 MENA NWC Incorporated as Non Profit Organization in Washington, D.C. 2 Founders Committee Transitions to Interim Board of Directors 3 Table of PR&D Research Project Awards 4 MENA NWC-funded research is underway across the Middle East and North Africa. Since January, all of the Policy, Research and Development (PR&D) research teams have held start-up meetings in countries across the region. Research teams led by the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) also initiated research activities with start-up meetings in January 2014. The start-up meetings provide an opportunity for researchers to review their research methodologies, discuss and update the research project work plans, agree on how the research Ghazi Abu Rumman of ICT International demonstrates how electronic sensors can be used to improve on-farm irrigation management to the Application of Near-Real Time Monitoring Systems for Irrigated Agriculture research team outside of Amman, Jordan in March 2014. team will work together to achieve the deliverables, and, where applicable, visit field sites. Every startup meeting includes at least one scientist from each participating institution, a FABRI grants manager, counterparts from the U.S. government, as well as stakeholders including government officials and private sector partners. MENA NWC Launches Website MENA NWC launched an initial website for the Network in June. Find us at www.menanwc.org. This is a temporary site to share initial information about the Network. In the coming months, we will release an entirely new, permanent website that includes interactive features like online Communities of Practice, information on new funding opportunities, and a searchable directory of researchers at MENA NWC member Centers. Email [email protected] if you would like to be notified when the new website is launched!