RESEARCH DIRECTORATE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 Possibilities. Potential. Progress www.kfas.org Private Non-Profit Organization Established in 1976 Financial contributions mainly from Kuwaiti Shareholding Companies (KSC) KFAS Board of Directors Chairman His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Board members: • Dr. Yousef Hamad Al-Ibrahim • Prof. Faiza M. Al-Kharafi • Mr. Mustafa Jasem Al-Shamali • Mr. Hani Abdulaziz Hussain • Dr. Salah Abdul Latif Al-Ateeqi • Mr. Osama M. Al Nisf • Mr. Khalid Khider Al-Mashaan Director General Adnan A. Shihab-Eldin Rearch Directorate Staff Essam Al-Sayed Omar Director Staff • Ameenah Farhan • Shafiqa A. Al-Awadi • Johaina A. Al-Hamdan • Khaled Al-Awadhi • Dina Al-Nakib • Manal S. Al-Ebraheem • Anwar O. Bin Amer • Abeer Al-Mulaifi • Sheba M. Mathew • Yousef Aleneze • Safia Alajlan • Somaya Al Kandari • Mohammed Shaker • Sawsan M. Sayed • Mirvette M. Samara • Shaymaa Al-Shkaili • Nadia H. Masri • Sunita V. D’Souza • Hadia M. Saker • Hind Abdullatif • Sheikh Zahid Ali • Batol Dhawi Table of Contents Table of Contents THE DIRECTOR GENERAL’S MESSAGE 10 1. RESEARCH DIRECTORATE (RD) 12 Scientific Programs 14 Research Grant Program 14 Environment Program 14 Water & Energy Program 15 2 .Funding Scientific Research 15 Research Project Submission (Proposal) 15 Research Project Evaluation and Funding Mechanisms 15 Research Project Execution 16 3. Documentation & Dissemination of Scientific Information 16 PEER-REVIEWER INSTITUTIONS 18 STATISTICAL PROFILE 20 Annual Statistical Indicators (2015) 21 Key Performance Indicators (2015) 22 Comparative Indicators (2012-2015) 24 Cumulative Indicators (1978-2015) 25 FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS Research Grant Program 26 Environment Program 97 Water & Energy Program 124 INDEX: LIST OF PROJECTS 144 The Director General’s Message 10 RESEARCH DIRECTORATE | The Director General’s Message The Director General’s Message The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of The year 2015 has witnessed significant interventions Sciences (KFAS) is a unique national Foundation by KFAS. The Foundation provided support for that strives to promote and support science, research projects at its affiliated centers such as technology and innovation, thus contributing to Dasman Diabetes Institute, which was established realizing sustainable development in the State of in 2006, and Jaber Al-Ahmad Center for Nuclear Kuwait. Through its privileged position, KFAS plays a Medicine and Molecular Imaging. The support has catalyst role in exploring the horizons of science and included activities in medical treatment, training and knowledge, utilizing available potential resources of raising awareness. On the other hand, the funded the stake holders, and promoting real progress in the workshops and scientific conferences have enticed multiple facets of knowledge, science and technology. individuals and institutions to promote educational The continuous support and patronage of KFAS and research capacity building, knowledge exchange, Chairman, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- and eagerness to be abreast of the latest scientific Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, enables it to aspire and research in their fields. In this particular year, KFAS look forward to becoming the incubator of ideas that has focused on supporting research projects related supports and engages future sustainability leaders be to public health, such as efforts to find cures for it scientists, researchers, academics, youth, Kuwaiti various cancer diseases, in addition to encouraging shareholding companies, relevant public and private civil society and non-governmental bodies to launch sectors, and non-government organizations, to work their research activities. In that same year, KFAS in tandem on disseminating and taking advantage of has concluded many agreements and memoranda the research findings. In this context, KFAS focuses of understanding with local agencies, such as on doubling the return on its limited resources by the Ministry of Health in Kuwait and international maximizing the advantage from its unique position organizations, such as the American Association to make a positive difference by its activities and the for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to achieve support it avails. KFAS’ main objective in encouraging the development of scientific research, establishing a research The Research Directorate aims to achieve the overall and scientific culture in Kuwait, and exchanging objectives of the Foundation through its strategy that experiences, especially with the like of AAAS in size is founded on fostering a culture of scientific research and stature. It is worth mentioning that KFAS, through and contributing to support the fundamentals its Research Directorate, has contributed in funding of research and technology development. The nearly 1,019 research projects amounting to about Foundation also seeks to stimulate cooperation 46 million Kuwaiti dinars, (equivalent to 155$ million), among national research institutions and international since its inception and until the end of 2015. counterparts to advance scientific research and activate the role of the scientific community in finding Significant progress in identifying and prioritizing solutions to major challenges faced by Kuwait and/ areas of research, which target to tackle and or to create new opportunities for promising research serve national interests of the State of Kuwait, and technological applications. By implementing has led to the development of a number of pilot this strategy, KFAS, through research funding and projects implemented collaboratively by national support, seeks to complement the government’s and international research institutions to address role in funding research allocated in the budgets of sustainable development challenges in Kuwait. This national institutions and affiliated entities, such as approach has been realized through memoranda of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait understanding signed with a number of international University, the Ministry of Health, and others. The research institutions such as the Massachusetts work done by the research directorate has gained a Institute of Technology and the London School of strong momentum in recent years as evident in the Economics. partnerships established between national scientific entities and renowned international scientific Finally, this year’s achievements reflect the institutions and universities. The new policy adopted commitment of the Kuwait Foundation for by the Directorate to invite potential applicants to Advancement of Sciences in performing its role request funding on a semi-annual basis, has led to an successfully. These successes celebrate its efforts in increase in the number of proposals received from making a difference on the front of enhancing the academia, government institutions, ministries, Kuwaiti development of the culture of science, technology, shareholding companies, and NGO’s, on one hand, innovation in the State of Kuwait. These achievements and has given the Research Directorate more latitude would not have materialized without the significant to select the best proposals that are compatible with role played by the Kuwaiti shareholding companies, the Foundation’s priorities, on the other. These results which spare no efforts in supporting and financing reflect not only the strong response of the scientific the programs and the goals of the Foundation. community but also emphasize the importance of KFAS initiative in the development of science by presenting new channels to explore the frontiers of knowledge and address issues of national priority. Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin 11 Research Directorate 12 RESEARCH DIRECTORATE | The Director General’s Message The Research Directorate aims at enhancing and integrating re- search and development capacity in and among Kuwaiti Scien- Research tific Institutions to address national development priorities. RD also actively engages with Office of International Program (OIP) at KFAS and the Dasman Diabetic Institute (DDI) by supporting Directorate their research activities. Through the RD, KFAS initiates proactive focused programs in areas of national priorities such as water, energy, and environment. Focused programs under this strategic (RD) thrust will favor integrated multi institutional efforts (public and private sector, and international institutions) that solve significant problems, and/or create opportunities for further research and technological applications. The bi-annual call for research proposals, which was first intro- duced in 2013, together with the establishment of the research funding council (RFC) ensured that the funding is awarded to high quality proposals that are best aligned with research prior- ity areas related to the environment, water, energy and health in addition to those that look for solutions to major problems in Ku- wait such as traffic & housing. In 2015 RD continued its outreach efforts with its stakeholders and played a major role in formu- lating a draft memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health to support research capacity building and to facilitate better utilization of KFAS services in this regard. RD also reached out to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to explore ways to benefit from their expertise in order to enhance achievements of its strategic objectives. Discussions were also initiated with the British council; to strengthen collab- oration with the British institutions in