Environmental Science Center
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مركز العلوم البيئية | |
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| Abbreviation | ESC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Qatar University |
| Location |
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Region | Middle East |
| Services | Research and Education |
| Fields | Environment |
Official language | Arabic and English |
| Website | http://www.qu.edu.qa/research/esc |
The Environmental Science Center is a research center at Qatar University<ref>"Research Centers | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref> and was established in 1980<ref name=":0">"Environmental Science Center | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-20.</ref><ref>"Qatar University joins Future Food Systems CRC". Future Food Systems. 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref name=":1">"Environmental Science Center". United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref> to promote environmental studies across the state of Qatar with main focus on marine science, atmospheric and biological sciences.<ref>Jeff OBBARD, PhD. "Head, Climate Change Impacts, Centre for Climate Research, Singapore. Visiting Professor, School of Water, Energy & Environment, Cranfield University, UK". LinkedIn.</ref> For the past 18 years,<ref>"THE HAWKSBILL TURTLE "LEUCISTIC" PHENOMENON IS REGISTERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN QATAR AND THE ARABIAN GULF". www.qu.edu.qa. 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref> ESC monitored and studied Hawksbill turtle nesting sites in Qatar.<ref>"ESC-QU MONITORS HAWKSBILL TURTLE CONSERVATION IN QATAR, Qatar University Newsroom". www.qu.edu.qa. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2020-07-08.</ref><ref>"QU PROTECTS HAWKSBILL TURTLES THROUGH QATAR TURTLE PROJECT". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref>
History
- in 1980 it was named Scientific and Applied Research Center (SARC).<ref name=":1" />
- in 2005 it was restructured and renamed Environmental Studies Center (ESC).
- in 2015, the business name was changed to Environmental Science Center (ESC) to better reflect the research-driven objectives.<ref name=":0" />
Research clusters
The ESC has 3 major research clusters<ref>"Qatar University Institutional Repository". qspace.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref> that cover areas of strategic importance to Qatar. The clusters are:
- Atmospheric sciences cluster
- Earth sciences cluster
- Marine sciences cluster with 2 majors:<ref>"Research | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-20.</ref>
- Terrestrial Ecology
- Physical and Chemical Oceanography
UNESCO Chair in marine sciences
The first of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have announced the establishment of the UNESCO Chair in marine sciences at QU's Environmental Science Center.<ref>"Qatar establishes a UNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences". UNESCO. 21 April 2022.</ref><ref>"QU's Environmental Science Center to get UNESCO Chair in marine sciences". Qatar Tribune. 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>QNA/Doha (2020-12-08). "Unesco Chair in marine sciences set up at QU". Gulf Times. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>Qatar University Research Magazine, Issue 17, P. 24 (May 2022). "UNESCO Chair in Marine Sciences at Qatar University" (PDF). Magazine issues, Qatar University.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)</ref> The chair is aiming to providing sustainable marine environment in the Arabian Gulf and protection of marine ecosystems.<ref>"Unesco Chair in Marine Sciences established at Qatar University". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref>
Inventions
- Marine clutch technology.<ref>"COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN QU & THE MINISTRY OF MUNICIPALITY & ENVIRONMENT (MME)". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>"QU authorizes MME to use marine clutch technology". Gulf Times. 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>"QU, MME sign agreement on marine clutch technology". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2021-09-13. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>القطرية, العرب (2021-09-09). "اتفاقية تعاون بين جامعة قطر و"البلدية"". العرب القطرية (in العربية). Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>"اختراعات قطرية تحلّ المشاكل". www.alaraby.co.uk/ (in العربية). Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>المنشل البحري الجديد - The new environment-friendly fishhook, retrieved 2023-02-23</ref>
- Mushroom artificial reef technology<ref>"QU SIGNS AGREEMENT TO EXPORT CORAL REEF RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY WITH BRAZIL'S THE BLUE REEF COMPANY". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref><ref>"Qatar University signs patent license agreement to export coral reef restoration technology to Brazil". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref> (mushroom forest).<ref>"QU RESEARCHERS CREATE ARTIFICIAL REEFS THAT MITIGATE DAMAGE TO CORAL REEFS". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-23.</ref>
Accreditation
The ESC labs have been granted ISO/IEC 17025 by American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), affirming their status as world-class facilities operating to best practice.<ref>"QU RESEARCH LABS ACHIEVE RENEWAL OF ISO/IEC - 17025:2005 ACCREDITATION". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>"Accreditation | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-20.</ref><ref>"RESEARCH LABS ACHIEVE ISO 17025 ACCREDITATION". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref>
Facilities
ESC is the home of wide range of facilities. The most notable one is the mobile labs on board the JANAN Research Vessel.<ref>JANAN RV, IMO 9488906. "BalticShipping.com". www.balticshipping.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)</ref><ref name=":3">"JANAN Research Vessel | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-20.</ref><ref>"Ship JANAN RV (Research/Survey Vessel) Registered in Qatar - Vessel details, Current position and Voyage information - IMO 9488906, MMSI 466078000, Call Sign A7D6649". MarineTraffic.com. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref>
JANAN is a 42.80 m. multipurpose Research Vessel<ref name=":2">"Janan RV". Freire Shipyard. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref> and was named after the island located in the western coast of the Qatari peninsula. It was donated to Qatar University by H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani<ref name=":3" /> the Amir of Qatar.
JANAN is used extensively in studying the state of marine environment in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the State of Qatar<ref>"Janan vessel begins research journey". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>"Research vessel begins three-day trip". Gulf Times. 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>"Janan Research Vessel Begins Trip to Study Marine Environment in Regional Waters". Qatar Day. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref><ref>Network, W. G. O. (2020-02-19). "Research vessel Janan departs to study the marine environment". What's Goin On Qatar. Retrieved 2023-02-21.</ref> and to advance critical marine environmental studies and research in Qatar and the wider Gulf.
The center also has 12 labs equipped with state-of-arts instruments.<ref>"Labs | Qatar University". www.qu.edu.qa. Retrieved 2023-02-20.</ref>
