UAEREP’s Fourth Cycle Pre-proposals Submissions Evaluation Takes Place Next Month

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 14th Apr, 2021) The National Centre ‏of Meteorology (NCM) today announced that UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science’s (UAEREP) International technical review committee is set to host its meeting from 17th to 19th May to review and evaluate the pre-proposals submitted to the programme’s fourth cycle.

‏During the application phase from 24th January to 18th March, the programme’s fourth cycle received 81 pre-proposals from 378 researchers affiliated with 159 research and academic institutions in 37 countries, Of these, 14 preproposals were from the UAE-based scientists, representing 17.28% of all proposals received, making the UAE the largest contributors to the programme alongside the US.

‏Comprising global experts and specialists in weather modification, ensemble modelling, cloud and aerosol microphysics, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence, the technical committee will meet virtually to identify the best and most promising research projects from the submissions.

‏Launched by H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and managed by NCM, the UAEREP is a pioneering research initiative that supports the vital water sector. Designed to promote scientific and technological advancement in rain enhancement research, the programme provides grants for the most promising projects with a significant impact in terms of enabling research in rain enhancement science worldwide.

‏The fourth cycle of the programme is currently underway and offers a US$1.5 million grant for each winning research proposal, distributed over three years.

The grants will enable these projects to move from theory to practice, provided that the winning projects shall start implementation within a month after the announcement of awardees in January 2022.

Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of NCM and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said, "The UAE has been playing an instrumental role in promoting rain enhancement research and securing a sustainable future for water resources owing to the unwavering support of the country’s wise leadership for scientific research. At NCM, we work tirelessly to enhance the programme’s status as a focal point for international cooperation, innovation and best practices in water security."

‏The timeline for the programme’s fourth cycle consists of several phases. In phase I, which ended on March 18, the programme received letters of intent and pre-proposals. Following the pre-proposal evaluation, the researchers will be notified about the phase II on 26 May and successful pre-proposals will be invited to submit full proposals no later than midnight 26 August, 2021 (GMT).

Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), said, "The International technical review committee will select the research projects based on their demonstrated ability to support the UAE's ambitious efforts to address water scarcity challenges in arid and semi-arid regions around the world. We eagerly look forward to the outcomes of this cycle as 80% of pre-proposals have passed the screening process and qualified for evaluation phase."