On behalf of the president of University of Technology-UOT (Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Gaban) and the direct supervision by Prof. Dr. Abdullhamed Al-Obaidy who is the director of Environmental Research Center (ERC), the department of environmental technology at ERC organized an international scientific symposium online using the ZOOM platform entitled (Environmental Changes After COVID-19) on 18/5/2020 at 4.00 p.m. This symposium was established by the organizing committee that included: Assist. Prof. Dr. Saleh Al-Bakery (head), Assist. Prof. Dr. Saher Amen (member), Mr. Emad Al-Deen Hateem (member) and Dr. Muhammed Taha (organizer). This symposium was electronically managed by Dr. Mukheled Hussien (head of scientific activity committee at ERC) as a coordinator with the assistance of Mrs. Zahraa Farhan (lecturer at ERC).

This symposium was held under the current circumstances of coronavirus pandemic, which is a major challenge at the levels of global and regional. In terms of the local level, the environmental changes after the impact of this pandemic was focused and covered for this purpose with three essential parts of this symposium, including environmental management, environmental pollution and ecosystem. The first lecturer (Prof. Dr. Ziyad Al-dhanki-lecturer in the department of animal production-college of agriculture-University of Al-Anbar-Iraq) gave a lecture within the first part entitled "Environmental Effects of the Poultry Industry" in which he addressed the impact of this industry on the environment and how it is managed and its relationship to the coronavirus pandemic at the current time. While the second lecturer (Dr. Hazem Abedalhammed- lecturer in the department of animal production-college of agriculture-University of Al-Anbar-Iraq) gave a lecture within the second part entitled "Pollution of High Euphrates Water: Reasons and Solutions" where he addressed the effect of water pollution on fish wealth and the consequences of coronavirus pandemic. Finally, Mrs. Amira Shaari (Master of Science in Biology-Malaysia) gave a lecture within the last part entitled "Lockdown and Its Impact on Air Quality During Pandemic Covid-19” in which she discussed the impact of lockdown in the period of coronavirus pandemic on the natural balance of the ecosystem.

After finishing the lectures, the participants were allowed to discuss, express opinions and dialogue with the lecturers, which finally led to establish a set of recommendations. These recommendations will be actively considered and announced later by the organizing committee of this symposium in order to improve the real situation of Iraqi environment.

Under the patronage of the President of the University of Technology, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Hassan Al-Ghabban, the Office of the Assistant President of the University for Scientific Affairs / Department of Chemical, Biological and Radiological Safety and Security, in cooperation with the Environmental Research Center, the Center for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, the Women’s Empowerment Unit, the Center for Continuing Education, and the Primary Health Care Sector / Rusafa Health Center at the University of Technology, coinciding with the celebrations of the Day of International Women's Day, March 8.

On Sunday, 3/10, in the Al-Salam Hall at the Center for Continuing Education, a workshop was held entitled “Early Detection of Breast Cancer.” The workshop aimed to spread awareness to reduce the risks of breast cancer through an explanatory presentation of the symptoms of the disease and treatment, and the most important screening centers in Baghdad on the Rusafa and Karkh sides. During a session chaired by Asst Prof. Dr. Azhar Mahmoud Halim, and Dr. Naqaa Muhammad Hassan, a gynecologist and obstetrician from the university’s health center, gave an awareness lecture in which she urged the necessity of conducting periodic examinations for women for early detection of the disease and the most important risk factors that can be avoided to help reduce the risk of infection. The supervising committee from our center distributed cards bearing the slogan of the Breast Cancer Campaign, or what is known as the pink ribbon symbol, and a supportive sentence written on them that helps motivate periodic examination and increase women’s health education regarding the fight against breast cancer, which is part of a series of social support concerned with women’s health.