University of Khorfakkan Brings Together Leading International Marine and Ocean Scientists on SMSRC Scientific Committee

Sharjah Marine Science Research Centre (SMSRC) at University of Khorfakkan has welcomed leading international marine and ocean science experts as part of the Centre’s International Scientific Committee. The committee brings together distinguished academics and researchers from renowned institutions and universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Malaysia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The committee is chaired by Professor Matt Frost, Head of International Office at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Its members include Professor Brendan Godley, Director of the Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom; Dr Hanan Al-Sarawi, Director of the Research, Studies and Strategic Planning Office and Head of the Sustainability Team at Kuwait’s Environment Public Authority; Dr Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Senior Scientist and Director of Ocean and Climate Policy at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the United States; Professor Dato’ Aileen Tan, Director of the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia; and Professor John Burt of New York University Abu Dhabi. Welcoming the committee members, Professor Stephen Widdicombe, Director of SMSRC, said he was proud to have such distinguished scientists and experts join the International Scientific Committee. He noted that their diverse expertise would help guide the Centre’s research priorities, broaden its international partnerships and advance its ambition to become a leading centre for knowledge and scientific solutions in marine science and the sustainability of marine ecosystems. The programme includes meetings and scientific discussions with the Centre’s researchers and specialists, visits to its laboratories and research facilities, and an overview of its scientific projects. Members will also discuss future directions in marine research, the protection of ecosystems and the sustainable use of marine resources, creating new opportunities for collaboration with international scientific and research institutions. The committee’s distinguished international expertise reflects SMSRC’s growing standing on the global research landscape. The Centre has become a specialised platform attracting scientists and experts from leading academic and research institutions around the world, while opening new avenues for international collaboration that advance marine research and generate impactful knowledge from the Emirate of Sharjah for the world.