An appreciation letter from the President of the University of Technology to a lecturer at the center

The President of the University, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Hassan El-Ghabban, granted an appreciation letter to Dr. Mukheled Amer Al-Sameraiy, a researcher and lecturer at our center, for his distinguished efforts in publishing standard scientific research in the journal (International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry). It is indexed in the Clarivate (WOS) and Scopus (Q1, IF: 2.6 & CiteScore: 5.9). It is worth noting that this research was completed to fulfill the graduation requirements for the M.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering for the student (Ahmed Falah Khalf) and under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Thamer Jasim Mohammed and Dr. Mukheled Amer Al-Sameraiy.

On the occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, and under the slogan (Our land is our future. Together we restore our planet), the National Security Advisory - Al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies - Energy, Water and Environment Department, in cooperation with the Popular Relief Organization, held a specialized workshop on Thursday, 7/4/2024, and with a special invitation to Director of the Environmental Research Center at the University of Technology, Professor Dr. Zainab Bahaa Muhammad, gave a lecture entitled Desertification in Iraq, where she explained what are the reasons that led to increased desertification and decreased green cover throughout the country and what are the methods through which this phenomenon can be eliminated.

Under the title Climate Policies: Activating the role of society in environmental monitoring

‏Professor Dr. Zainab Bahaa Muhammad, Director of the Environmental Research Center, participated in the roundtable held by the Iris Institute on Wednesday, the third of July. This roundtable aimed to explore the prospects for applying the principles of (citizen science) by involving civil society and universities in monitoring pollution and its consequences on Public Health. She also called for a cooperative effort that invests community energy in confronting urgent environmental challenges in Iraq.

The Director of the Environmental Research Center (Prof. Dr. Zainab Bahaa Mohamed) chaired the discussion committee on Thursday, 27th June 2024 for the master’s thesis in the Department of Chemical Engineering by the student (Ahmed Falah Khalaf) entitled “Integration of Coagulation-Flocculation and Photolysis Processes for the Treatment of ROC” under a supervision of Prof. Dr. Thamer Jasim Mohammed-Department of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Mukheled Amer Al-Sameraiy-Environmental Research Center.
The aim of this thesis was to propose an integrated system, consisting of two sequential processes of coagulation-flocculation as a primary treatment and photolysis as an advanced treatment, for treating reverse osmosis concentrate (ROC) resulting from the Samarra pharmaceutical factory. The experimental results showed that the proposed system was effective in reducing the levels of pollution present in this ROC in terms of turbidity, TOC and COD to the allowed limits by the environmental standards. Thus, this proposed system can be used to treat other types of industrial water in the future.
After constructive discussion by the committee members with the student and evaluation of his performance in this examination, the committee took their final decision to grant the student a master’s degree with excellent.

Workshop on the topic "Water Footprint (WFP)"

Under the auspices Prof. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ghaban President of the University of Technology, the Environmental Research Center organized a workshop on the topic "Water Footprint (WFP)" on Sunday and Monday, 23-24, Jone 2024, at the center's building. The workshop aimed to highlight the importance of the water footprint and its role in achieving environmental sustainability, and to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable water resource management.
The workshop consisted of two sessions. In the first session, Assistant Lecturers Ali Nasser Ali and Ola Hamed Mahmoud provided an introductory overview of the concept of the water footprint, its measurement mechanisms, its environmental and economic impacts, and examples of its applications in the agricultural and industrial sectors. In the second session, Dr. Moayad Nasir and Assistant Lecturer Asmaa Nafi discussed practical applications of the water footprint, modern irrigation methods in sustainable agriculture, and the future benefits of hydroponics.
In her opening speech, Prof. Dr. Zainab Bahaa Mohammed (Director of the Environmental Research Center) emphasized the importance of the workshop in strengthening national efforts to protect water resources, noting that the water footprint is one of the effective tools for achieving sustainable water management and reducing waste.
The workshop concluded with an interactive discussion session, where ideas and proposals were exchanged on ways to reduce the water footprint and improve water use efficiency across various sectors. Participants praised the importance of such workshops in raising environmental awareness and developing sustainable policies and practices.
This workshop is part of a series of activities organized by the Environmental Research Center aimed at achieving sustainable development and preserving natural resources for future generations.