DUBAI - Registration is now open for the upcoming seventh edition of the Research Experience for Undergraduates programme of the Emirates Mars Mission, EMM, initiatives aimed to develop capabilities in space science research.
Held under the Generation Hope Initiative launched last month, the Research Experience for Undergraduates, REU, programme is set to begin next summer and is designed to offer Emirati undergraduates specialising in science and engineering majors an opportunity to gain practical and research-based experience at distinguished space science facilities in the UAE and abroad.
Students will be mentored by the EMM’s science team, as well as international scientists to work on space science related research, which lead to publishable results that can be presented in global conferences to the international science community, according to a press release issued on Monday.
Omran Sharaf, Project Director of Emirates Mars Mission, said, "REU presents a unique opportunity for young Emiratis to get a once-in-a-lifetime experience while learning from the best, as it brings together space experts from leading centres around the world, and students who are eager to explore careers in space." He added, "It is equally an opportunity for the EMM team to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the next generation to inspire them and further develop their interest in science and engineering." Hessa Al Matroushi, Science Deputy Project Manager of Emirates Mars Mission, said, "The UAE places strong importance on developing our youth’s scientific capabilities, and motivating them to take an interest in STEM-studies to contribute to the development of the nation. Through the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), our goal is to empower a new generation Emirati researchers and scientists and look forward to welcoming another group of students next summer." Applications for enrolment in the programme will open in December 2020 and close in January 2021. The programme will kick off in the summer of 2021 and will run for eight to ten weeks. Students are required to attend the REU Bootcamp prior to the start of the programme, which will provide them with a basic foundation-level knowledge of space science and research.
Once the programme is underway, students will be assigned with a project, a mentor and tasks, and will be supported in publishing their results to scientific meetings and conferences in addition to the EMM science team.
Students accepted to the REU programme can opt to complete their research experience in one of the five locations and they are: MBRSC in Dubai, United Arab Emirates University – National Space Science and Technology Centre in Al Ain, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder United States, the Space Sciences Laboratory in Berkley United States, and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff United States, as well as the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique in Paris France.
From its launch in 2015 until present day, the REU programme has drawn the interest of 344 students to apply and the participation of 31 Emirati students from different majors that include aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer engineering, sustainable and renewable energy engineering.
Students were provided with guidance in their research by their mentors, and in producing a total of 21 research projects that have been published in international scientific conferences or journals. The Programme has ignited an interest in pursuing science as a preferred career among the UAE’s students.
The UAE Government announced the EMM in 2014 with the aim of increasing the contribution of the UAE’s Science and Technology sector, building the country's scientific temperament and capabilities, and accelerating its impact on the world of science.
An introductory session will be held on 6th and 20th of December, said the press release.
© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.
