MBRSC Science Event will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will deliver a keynote speech at the main session

36 researchers and specialists in space science and technology from the UAE and abroad will speak at the event

MBRSC Science Event will highlight the most important research and expertise in space science and technology

The event includes workshops and interactive activities for all members of society

Government of Dubai Media Office : Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the agenda of the first edition of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre Science Event (MBRSC Science Event) that will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on October 21, at the Etihad Museum under the theme “Through Space we Flourish”. The event aims to develop national capabilities in space science, technology and research, in addition to raising awareness among all members of society, including university and school students, teachers, professors, researchers and individuals who are interested in science and space, through interactive workshops and activities.

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council will deliver a keynote address at the main session of the event. Also, HE Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency will participate in the main session.

HE Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre praised "the pivotal role of UAE diplomacy in supporting the space sector, which is clearly seen in the successful strategic partnerships with research centers and international institutions to transfer knowledge in space science and technology. These partnerships provided us with the knowledge to localise the space sector and the ability to compete with countries that have vast experience in space”.

Al Shaibani pointed out that “progress in the space sector is highly dependent on international cooperation, and the United Arab Emirates has a vision to be open to the space community around the world, which leads to the sustainability of the sector globally and the enrichment of human knowledge”.

He stressed that "the UAE Space Agency and MBRSC share the same strategic objectives to promote knowledge development in space science, research and technology." Shaibani noted that the educational sector, especially higher education, is being developed to produce qualified national cadres who are ready to lead and execute the ‘UAE National Space Program’.

Shaibani concluded: "The MBRSC Science Event is in line with the vision of the UAE leadership for the nation’s progress. The country currently has great knowledge in the fields of science and space".

MBRSC Science Event will include a number of sessions featuring the most important research, studies, trends and experiences in space science and technology. Prof. Michael McGrath, Expert and Researcher in Space Missions at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will give a presentation titled “The Role of Research Institutes in the Science and Technology Ecosystem”. He will be highlighting the vital role of research institutes in the research ecosystem. He will also discuss their important role in bridging the gap between the academic sector and industry. Prof. McGrath works on developing scientific instruments and spacecraft for different space missions.

“What Mars and Exoplanets Can Tell Us About Each Other” is the title of a session that will be presented by Dr. Nidhal Guessoum, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the American University of Sharjah (AUS). This presentation will review the catalogue of exoplanets that have been discovered so far, particularly those that resemble Mars in their characteristics such as size, orbit and temperature. Dr. Guessoum will also address questions relating to the properties of those exoplanets.

In a session titled, “STEM’s Importance to the Future of UAE”, Omran Sharaf, Project Manager of the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) – Hope mission, at MBRSC will discuss the strategic importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education. Sharaf will also explain the motives behind encouraging all generations to choose these fields and their crucial role in shaping a promising future for the UAE in space and advanced technology.

In another session, Sara Amiri, Deputy Project Manager and Science Lead of the Emirates Mars Mission – Hope mission at MBRSC, will provide an overview of the strategic and scientific objectives of the mission. Amiri will highlight the efforts of the EMM Science team in developing Mars science and research in the UAE, through research, educational and training initiatives that aim to build the capabilities of the current and future generation of Emirati space scientists.

Eng. Amer Al Sayegh, KhalifaSat Project Manager at MBRSC will be making a presentation in a session entitled: “Earth Observation Satellites: The Journey & Beyond”. In his presentation, Al Sayegh will speak about the UAE's journey in developing the satellite industry, specifically the satellite system in MBRSC, which includes three remote sensing satellites, "DubaiSat-1", "DubaiSat-2" and "KhalifaSat", as well as all the applications and operations related to them. Al Sayegh will also highlight the efforts of MBRSC in research and development in space technologies. Furthermore, Al Sayegh will speak about the future vision and plans for the development of the satellite industry in the country.

Three engineers from the Emirates Mars Mission – Hope mission team will be participating in a panel session titled: “Hope Probe Development: Team Perspective”.  In this session, Eng. Suhail Al Dhafri, EMM Deputy Project Manager, Spacecraft Development, Eng. Khulood Al Harmoodi, EMM Deputy Project Manager, Product Assurance and Logistics and Eng. Mohammad Wali, EMM Launch Segment Lead will speak about their personal experience in the Hope mission and discuss what it takes to build a space mission.

In addition, 31 speakers from MBRSC, the academic sector and the scientific community will present research and scientific papers on various aspects of space science and technology, in addition to sharing their scientific and engineering expertise in various UAE space missions and programs, including Hope mission, KhalifaSat, Mars 2117 and the NanoSatellite Outreach Program – NSOP.

The MBRSC Science Event will also feature three sub-events, including the 3rd Annual EMM Science Workshop, workshops for the "Teachers Ambassadors" programme, and the second edition of the Explore Mars Competition. In this edition of the Explore Mars Competition, university students are invited to propose an innovative Mars mission design, which identifies or solves a scientific or engineering challenge in planetary exploration. The names of the winners will be announced at the end of the event.

The event also includes platforms that highlight MBRSC’s initiatives and training programmes, including the "Entaliq" Scholarship Program, where UAE nationals can communicate directly with the talent acquisition team.

The Event will feature a dedicated zone for kids where the Centre will organise educational activities aimed at motivating and educating them on the importance of science in general and space in particular. In this context, a dedicated team from MBRSC will conduct innovative experiments and activities that will enrich the children’s knowledge of science.

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© Press Release 2017