The Second Arab-American Frontiers of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium was held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, during 13-15 December 2014. The event was hosted by the Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Higher Education, the Research Council and the Sultan Qaboos University in collaboration with the US National Academies.
Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister for Foreign Affairs, inaugurated the symposium in the presence of Sayyid Taimour bin Asaad bin Tareq al Said, Assistant General Secretary for Communications and Marketing Identity at the Research Council; Rawya bint Saud al Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education; Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed al Sarmi, Undersecretary of Higher Education; Dr. Ali bin Saud al Bimani, Vice-Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University; Greta C Holtz, US Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman; Dr. John Boright, Executive Director of International Affairs at the US National Academies, and a number of scholars, scientists and researchers.
The symposium, which had a high profile inauguration, aimed at introducing researchers of the United States of America and Arab countries to the research environment and research opportunities in the Sultanate. One of the main objectives of Frontiers symposium was to foster pluridisciplinary dialogue and collaborations.
The programme had sessions on: 1. Global Food Security: Adaptions for the Future; 2. Finding new Sources of Water for Growth: Water Reuse & Desalination; 3. Old Energy, New Methods to Access Resources: The Hydraulic Fracturing Story; 4. Environmental Regulators of Cancer; and 5. Linkages Session (linkages between the fields).
It is to be recalled that the First Arab-American Frontiers of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium was held in partnership with the Kuwait Institute for Science Research in Kuwait City during 17-19 October 2011. It brought together 97 outstanding young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from 18 Arab countries and the United States to discuss exciting advances in the fields of water, renewable energy, diabetes, and agriculture. They also looked at the linkages that exist between those fields. Among the participants were those with no background in the fields highlighted at the symposium reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of this event and the goal to remove communication barriers between research fields.
It is to be noted that the Frontiers of Science Symposia have been around for several decades. For instance, the Kavli Frontiers of Science symposia bring together outstanding young scientists to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in a broad range of disciplines. The format encourages both one-on-one conversations and informal group discussions in which young participants continue to communicate about insights gained from formal presentations and the excitement of learning about cutting-edge research in other fields. By doing so, Frontiers helps to remove communication barriers between fields and encourages collaborations among some of the world’s best and brightest young scientists.
The Arab-American frontiers programme brings together outstanding young scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from the United States and the 21 countries of the Arab League for a series of symposia to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in their fields. The goal of these meetings is to enhance the scientific exchange and dialogue among young researchers in Arab countries and the United States, including the Arab science diaspora, and through this interaction facilitate research collaboration within and beyond the region.
The Arab-American frontiers programme is based on the success of the long standing Kavli Frontiers of Science of the US National Academy of Sciences and the Frontiers of Engineering programme of the US National Academy of Engineering. It was initiated by the US National Academies in 2011 in partnership with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.
More than two hundred scientists and researchers in various scientific disciplines participated in the event. The author of this note presented the case of the Medieval Arab Achievements in Optics in the context of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL-2015).
It is to be recalled that in December 2013, the United Nations proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. Light science is one of the most accessible themes to promote cross-disciplinary education. The IYL-2015 is a time to recognise the Arab pioneers of optics and science in general. Importantly, it is a time to reflect on the decline of science in the Arab and Muslim world. It is an excellent opportunity to address the theme of the renaissance of science in the Muslim countries.
[SAMEEN AHMED KHAN teaches at Engineering Department, Salalah College of Technology (SCT), Salalah, Sultanate of Oman. Email: rohelakhan@yahoo.com]