“ Established in 2000, the Center for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR) is Sultan Qaboos University’s focal point for multidisciplinary research, training, and consultancy programs related to the environment. As evident from its Mission , Vision and Objectives , CESAR is dedicated to conducting high-level research to facilitate decision making regarding environmental issues in public and private spheres. CESAR is partnering with faculty and students in many colleges at SQU, public organizations, international agencies, and industrial stakeholders to conduct a variety of research, training, and community engagement activities.”

“ Hamed Al-Nadabi is a Researcher at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Researches(CESAR), Sultan Qaboos University. Al-Nadabi holds a PhD in Plant Pathology. His research focuses with an intense interest in mycology. He studies antagonistic Fungi, diversity, taxonomy, phylogeny, and biochemistry. He is also studying the phylogenetic relationships among different groups of fungi, including pathogenic and saprobic. He supervised and co-supervised 30 BSc, MSc and PhD students. He authored and co-authored 12 peer-reviewed papers.”

“ Dr. Eng. Salah Jellali is currently serving as a senior researcher in Water & Environmental Engineering in the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR) of Sultan Qaboos University. His research Interests include mainly solid and liquid wastes, local management and governance in a context of circular economy and sustainability. One of his main developed topics is organic biomass turning into high added values products (biofuels, digestate, and biochars) through pyrolysis or anaerobic digestion processes. Dr. Jellali coordinated/participated in several national and international projects related to biochars reuse as efficient adsorbents for wastewaters treatment and/or as biofertilizers in agriculture. He was a member of organizing and scientific committees of many international conferences on water and environment. He was also appointed as evaluator of various national and international projects. Dr. Jellali published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters related to the topic of sustainable management of solid and liquid wastes in the context of circular economy. One of his research publications in an “American Chemical Society” journal regarding sustainable management of olive mill wastes has been relayed by international press in several countries including USA and Europe. He supervised many PhD theses and Masters students. One of his PhD students (Dr. A. A. Azzaz) obtained the national award of the best PhD thesis defended in 2018 from his Excellency, the President of the Republic of Tunisia.”

“ Ahlam Al Hanai is an associate researcher at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR), Sultan Qaboos University. Al Hanai holds a PhD in Environmental Chemistry and Technology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US. Her research focuses on air quality, aerosols chemistry, aerosol cytotoxicity and health consequences related to air pollution exposure (personal exposure assessment). She came across several projects such as investigating spatial distribution of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) in Muscat using Low-Cost PM2.5 Sensors, evaluating oxidative stress & inflammatory potential of fine PM and estimating blue carbon sequestration in Oman coastline. She is the author and co-author of several peer-reviewed scientific papers in renowned journals, such as Environmental International. She is passionate in promoting science among youngsters, with a particular emphasis on STEM for women.”

“ I finished my bachelor’s study in September 2004 with a very good grade to work as a physics teacher in the ministry of education. After 5 years, I completed my master’s study in the School of renewable energy and architecture in the university of Nottingham (UK). In June 2015, I finished my PhD study in the School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering (Energy Research Institute) in the university of Leeds. My PhD research focused on “Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Parabolic Dish Concentrator Stirling Engine & PCM-Storage Hybrid. In 2018, I moved to work as an associate researcher at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research at Sultan Qaboos University.”

“ Khalifa Al-Zeidi is an Associate Researcher in the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University. He has a Bachelor of Art (Geography) from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. He hold a Postgraduate Diploma of Science (Climatology) from University of Southern Queensland, Australia and Master Degree in Environmental Sciences (Climate Changes) from Griffith University, Australia. Mr Al-Zeidi participated in several research projects including beach use and perceptions of people towards better Management in Oman. He participated in the national strategy for the adaptation and the mitigation of climate change in the Sultanate of Oman. He was part of the national comprehensive survey of transport within the project of the national strategy for urban development. Mr Al-Zeidi worked on the Effect of Green Areas on Urban Temperature Reduction in the framework of a research collaboration between Sultan Qaboos University and Berlin Open University (Germany). He was co-investigator in a study entitled “Socio-economic Significance of Mangroves for the coastal people of Oman: A changing scenario”. Mr Al-Zeidi worked also in various other national projects including Interactive Environmental Atlas and Bird database in the Sultanate of Oman.”

“ Mr Ahmed Al-Sidairi is an Assistant Researcher at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). He has a BSc. in Environmental Biology from the College of Sciences, SQU. He is working on projects related to biodiversity and ecology of different species including birds, plants, and fungi. Also, he is involved in projects related to wastewater treatment by iron-based nanoparticles and biochars. Mr Al-Sidairi is currently doing a master degree in plant production at the College of Agriculture and Marine Science (CAMS), SQU. His master study focusses on wild plant biodiversity, ecology and how it is related to the cultivated varieties using morphological and molecular analyses. Also, this study will assess the role played by these wild species in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration.”

“ Ahmed Abdullah Al Raeesi has been serving as an Assistant researcher at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Research, Sultan Qaboos University since 2015. He holds a BSc in Water Technology and Soil and Water Management from Sultan Qaboos University. He got courses related to water quality and treatment, water resources management and legislation, water control and supply, GIS, soil genesis and classification, desertification and land restoration, management of salt affected soils. Mr Al Raessi’s research interests include water technology, soil and water management, climate change and environmental pollution. Mr Al Raessi has excellent research potential and participated in different research projects including assessment of land degradation, characterization and adsorption properties assessment using activated biochars. Mr Al-Raeesi is also working on solid materials physico-chemical characterization by using different experiments and devices, including X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).”