Wednesday morning, January 3 was spent mostly learning about the Arava Institute and the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation. We met with three students at the Institute, one American, one Israeli and one Jordanian. The institute brings together Israelis (Arabs and Jewish), Jordanians, and Palestinians, as well as students from other parts of the world. In order to solve environmental problems in the Middle East, Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians must work together because the water they drink all comes from the same sources. They breathe the same air and share the same ecosystems. In the process of learning together, they learn how to work together even though they come from different cultures. The three students focused on their working relationship and what they have learned about the other students' cultures.
Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering and is the first director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation. Dr. Abu Hamed made a strong case for studying renewable energy, as the current sources for energy are time-limited and present other problems, such as danger (nuclear reactors) and cost. By collaborating together, Israel and Jordan stand to gain much. Their research focuses on sustainable agriculture, water management, and long-term socioecological and renewable energy projects (solar energy). Dr. Abu Hamed showed the group the solar panels and discussed how they are used and the care given to them in order to become most effective. Everyone in the group was impressed with the presentation made by Dr. Abu Hamed.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment