October 26, 2023, Cairo – The Second International Symposium on Applied Water Research in the Private and Public Sectors was held on October 25 and 26 in Cairo, Egypt.

This international symposium, organized by the Center of Excellence for Water, is a forum for prominent U.S. and Egyptian scientists and leading engineers to present their research and findings in the areas of water use efficiency, integrated water resources management, water treatment, and non-conventional water sources and desalination.

"Over the past year, the Center of Excellence for Water granted a total of 13 research grants worth $1,500,000 to 18 researchers,” said Dr. Essam Shaaban, Chief of Party for the Center of Excellence for Water. “At this symposium, researchers presented highlights and updates on their projects.”

“As a host, Ain Shams University has organized five discussion panels with top-notch professors and water experts to discuss the future of water research and the latest applied solutions to face water challenges in Egypt,” said Dr. Hoda Soussa, Symposium Chair and Professor at Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University.

The symposium featured panel discussions on water use efficiency; integrated water resources management; safe treated wastewater; emerging issues and technologies in industrial, municipal and agricultural waters; and remediation and restoration of water bodies.

"This symposium is a great opportunity to expand our network of Water experts in Egypt and create a database of researchers who can benefit from the newly launched state-of-the-art water research lab at Alexandria University," said Essam Wahba, Director of the Alexandria Water Resilience Center of Excellence, Alexandria University.

The Center of Excellence for Water is a $30 million program, funded by USAID, that links academic researchers in the U.S. and Egypt with the public and private sectors to generate policy and applied research, develop state-of-the-art curricula, and provide scholarships to address imminent challenges in Egypt’s water sector. This collective effort effectively informs national and local water policy formation, promotes efficient water use, and develops innovative solutions for issues such as irrigation, agricultural and industrial water use, groundwater management, desalination, wastewater management, urban water planning, water infrastructure, and governance. The Center of Excellence for Water is implemented by the American University in Cairo (AUC) and, in partnership with Ain Shams, Alexandria, Aswan, Beni Suef, and Zagazig Universities in Egypt and Utah State, Washington State, Temple and California-Santa Cruz Universities in the United States.