Pandemic & beyond

The world was quiet.

Schools shuttered. Workplaces suddenly became ghost towns. Shops and entertainment venues locked their doors. Social events were canceled. And we adapted with e-learning and telecommutes, increased online purchasing, streaming services and Zoom calls.

COVID-19 left its mark on all aspects of human activity. But slowly life returned to if not normal, then a new normal, where we all know what PCR tests are and understand intimately how easily a new disease can upend our lives and livelihoods.

And a scientific community that itself was hamstrung by closed labs and an interrupted supply chain is looking back at what we can learn from it all as well as forward to the next inevitable pandemic.

In this issue of KUST Review we look into a few of the things those scientists and researchers are telling us.

For instance, Habiba Al Safar talks about the labs that were established during the pandemic to detect the COVID-19 virus. And Nawaf Al Moosa writes about how his team leveraged its capabilities in machine learning to support the response to the COVID pandemic.

This showcases the strength of universities and their ability to leverage research in science and technology to find proactive solutions and support local governments during crises and disasters.

Suzanne Condie Lambert looks at what we know about long COVID and how monitoring wastewater can offer real-time information on the health of a community – and give a heads up when a new disease arises. Jade Sterling investigates where the research dollars were focused and traces the history of mRNA vaccines in a graphic collaboration with artist Anas Albounni.

Other stories in this issue include how technology is preserving history, language and traditions for the Arab people of UAE and beyond.

You’ll find even more at our website, www.KUSTReview.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube @KUSTReview. So page, click, subscribe and follow to get the best of our coverage of science in the Middle East and around the world in English and in Arabic.

Be informed and stay curious.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi
Editor-in-Chief

Water is an issue; here’s what we do

If the events of the COVID-19 pandemic have taught us anything, it is that a public well-versed in science is vital to a strong and healthy community.

Science literacy gives us the tools we need to make smart decisions for our health and families. It helps us distinguish between fact and fiction amid a cacophony of conflicting opinions. And it provides a better understanding of the powerful forces – both natural and human-made – shaping the world and how we can each play a part in making sure the future is bright, sustainable and equitable for all.

That is why H.H. Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University, directed us to create the KUST Review. We built this magazine under his leadership to share our enthusiasm for science and technology with our neighbors around the world and here in the MENA region, where researchers and innovators at Khalifa University and beyond are doing exciting work that will help us meet serious challenges now and in the future.

A changing world

Water issues are among the most pressing in the United Arab Emirates and the surrounding region. Water scarcity is not new to our area. But increased, settled populations and changing climates are putting unprecedented pressures on water supplies.

Water tables are falling. Agricultural requirements are rising. Rain is sporadic.

In short: The Middle East  is thirsty. And it’s going to get only thirstier.

But although the issue of water scarcity may be especially acute in the UAE and MENA region, it’s of international concern.

Nearly 1 million people die each year because they don’t have access to good-quality water; and 4 billion people, about two-thirds of the world’s population, live with severe water scarcity at least one month of the year, according to the United Nations.

And the World Health Organization reports that by 2050, half of the planet will suffer even more from water scarcity, whether because of climate change driving devastating floods and droughts, pollution’s effects on water quality, or expected growth in the demands of manufacturing and increasing populations.

This doesn’t even take into account the staggering effects of severe water shortages on the environment and vulnerable species.

A look at solutions

That’s why in the premiere issue of the KUST Review, we’re investigating some of the ways researchers and innovators are looking at the future of water: how to better manage the resources we have; measure and predict the weather changes that will shape our new world; access sources previously believed out of reach; and power these efforts without adding to the carbon-dioxide emissions driving climate change to begin with.

You’ll find even more stories, videos and images at our website, www.KUSTReview.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and other favorite social-media sites @KUSTReview. So page, click and follow to get the best of our coverage of science in the Middle East and around the world in the ways you like to see it most.

Arif Sultan Al Hammadi
Editor-in-Chief