ABU DHABI// The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science has extended application deadlines by a month to accommodate researchers. Pre-proposals now need to be submitted by April 16.
The programme, an initiative of the UAE Ministry for Presidential Affairs and overseen by the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology, offers a grant of US$5 million over a three-year period to be shared by up to five winning research proposals, selected by a two-stage merit review process.
Dr Abdullah Mandoos, director of NCMS, said: “We are very happy to have received expressions of interest from many leading institutions around the world, including applicants from the United States, Russia, Britain, France, India, Japan, Australia, Finland, Brazil, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The new schedule will permit more time for applicants to prepare their pre-proposal. We expect to receive a large number of applications in time for our revised pre-proposal deadline of April 16.”
Successful applicants will be invited to join the second phase of the competition on June 1. Those invited to proceed to the second stage of the competition will need to submit their final proposals by September 17. As per the original schedule, the award winners will be announced in January 2016.
The UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science was launched in early 2015 with the aim of addressing the critical issue of water security and placing the UAE at the international forefront of scientific research in rain enhancement.
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