Project Details:
Frontiers of chemical sciences: research and education in the Middle East
| Project No.: | 2008-044-1-020 |
| Start date: | 2009-01-01 |
| End date: | 2010-11-30 |
| Division: | Executive Committee |
To use science as a bridge to peace in the Middle East by bringing together top scientists from 14 Middle East countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates) for a five-day conference.
To give scientists the unique opportunity to develop cross-border collaborations to solve regional problems with the environment, water, energy (etc.) and to design a unified chemical education curriculum. These regional solutions will have application to similar problems faced outside of the Middle East.
To attempt, via this conference and workshops, to generate trust among scientific communities -- despite the hostility that some of the governments have toward each other -- on ways that chemistry can address the problems of the region.
To build on the tremendous success of the first, second and third Malta conferences; See project 2002-061-1-020, 2004-030-1-020 and 2006-035-1-020 respectively.
The chemical sciences occupy a central position in the world economy, offering the possibility to cultivate mutual understanding through joint research projects and economic development. A general desire to improve the quality of life and political stability in the Middle East is being fulfilled by identifying unique opportunities for network creation and collaboration among chemical scientists to solve chemical, environmental and educational problems.
The American Chemical Society (ACS), the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and IUPAC will cosponsor a fourth conference including again some 70 representatives primarily from 14 Middle Eastern nations as well as from Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
During the five-day conference, six Nobel Laureates will deliver plenary lectures and act as catalysts in workshops selected by the participants (i.e.: Environment: Air and Water Quality; Science Education and Green Chemistry; Alternative Energy Sources; Medicinal and Natural Products; and Nanotechnology and Material Science).
A principal goal of this conference will be to continue to capture the attention of national governments by inviting the best qualified chemical scientists from those countries to discuss how chemistry can address the problems of the region and contribute to the stability and prosperity of the Middle East.
> project announcement published in Chem. Int. Mar-Apr 2009
> event report published in Chem. Int. Nov-Dec 2010
last update 20101130