Multilingual Global Exclusive
Regional Focus
Dr. Fares Howari,
Dean, College of
Humanities and Science,
Ajman University,
UAE
Student Voice
Karam Abuodeh,
University of Birmingham
Dubai, UAE
FEATURES
Industry Perspectives
Dr. Mireille Elhajj
CEO and Founder,
Astraterra,
Visiting Associate Professor,
Imperial College London, UK
Leadership Spotlight
Dr. Angie Brooks-Wilson,
Dean of Science,
Simon Fraser University,
Canada
Academic Perspectives
Dr. Rahaf Ajaj,
Abu Dhabi University,
UAE
Volume 4
May 2025
Future-Ready
Perspectives
World-Saving
Environmental Sciences:
Table Of Contents
Editorial
Welcome to
UniNewsletter
By Laura Vasquez Bass
Editor in Chief
Industry
Perspectives
How Harnessing Remote Sensing and
Earth Observation is a Consorted
International Effort Not to be
Overlooked
By Dr. Mireille Elhajj
CEO and Founder, Astraterra
Visiting Associate Professor and
Industrial Advisory Board Member,
Imperial College London
Leadership
Spotlight
Fostering Future-Proof
Collaborations at Simon Fraser
University (SFU):
An Interview with Professor Angie
Brooks-Wilson, Dean of Science, SFU,
Canada
Academic
Perspectives
Shattering Boundaries: How
Interdisciplinary Research Is
Propelling Environmental
Innovation
By Dr. Rahaf Ajaj
Chair, Department of Environ-
mental Health & Safety, College
of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi
University, United Arab Emirates
(UAE)
Regional Focus
From Satellite to Policy: How Earth
Observation is Driving Sustainable
Development in Arid Regions
By Dr. Fares Howari
Dean, College of Humanities and
Sciences, Ajman University, United
Arab Emirates (UAE)
Student Voice
Building Bridges: How Cross-Sector
Collaboration is Shaping the Future
of Climate Action
By Karam Abuodeh
M.Eng., Computer Science and
Software Engineering, Student
Association Activities Leader, Univer-
sity of Birmingham Dubai, United
Arab Emirates (UAE)
04
08
12
20
24
30
Read about what
Simon Fraser
University in
Canada is doing
to address critical
environmental
issues
Page 14
Page 27
Page 10
These brief summaries
simply cannot do justice
to the complex topics
that these writers detail
with such skill and
reverence for the key
issues at
stake.
The topic of this special issue of UniNewslet-
ter, “World-Saving Environmental Sciences:
Future-Ready
Perspectives,”
is
at
once
alarming and exciting. Our global context is
the multiple ways in which our planet is under
threat due to climate change—rising sea
levels, extreme weather, shifting ecosystems
and the deterioration of natural resources.
These phenomena are no longer hypotheti-
cal projections, but rather are daily realities
for millions around the world. Biodiversity is
vanishing, food and water security are under
strain and the various health impacts of
environmental degradation are growing
clearer
with
each
passing
year.
From
increased respiratory illnesses due to air
pollution, to the spread of vector-borne
diseases in warming climates, to rising
mental health issues linked to climate anxie-
ty and displacement, the toll on human
health is vast and multifaceted. Environmen-
tal exposures are also being connected to
cancer development, while heatwaves and
poor air quality disproportionately affect
vulnerable populations such as children, the
elderly and those in low-income communi-
ties.
Yet alongside this crisis are also innovative,
quite literally world-saving, efforts to combat
these issues: the emergence of truly interdis-
ciplinary environmental science. Globally,
researchers are forging new partnerships
across fields—where atmospheric scientists
work with urban planners, marine biologists
collaborate with policy researchers and
health scientists contribute to energy transi-
tion modelling. The boundaries between
disciplines are blurring in productive,
Laura Vasquez Bass
A Note from the Editor in Chief
“
“
EDITORIAL
Welcome to
UniNewsletter
04
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
future-shaping ways. As this issue’s Student
Voice writer, Karam Abuodeh from the University
of Birmingham Dubai, so brilliantly puts it, “The
solutions we seek must be as interconnected as
the challenges themselves.” This issue shines a
light on just such interconnected thinking, inviting
reflections from those whose work exemplifies
the collaborative, forward-looking spirit environ-
mental research now demands.
Commencing the issue, we are thrilled to feature
Dr. Mireille Elhajj, CEO and Founder of the
UK-based company, Astraterra, and Visiting
Associate Professor and Industrial Advisory
Board Member of Imperial College London. As a
thriving industry professional alongside her aca-
demic work, Dr. Elhajj writes in our Industry
perspectives section about remote sensing and
Earth Observation (EO), which as she writes,
“have emerged as important tools to address
environmental and biodiversity change, monitor
and anticipate natural disasters and evaluate
the readiness of existing infrastructure.” In par-
ticular, Dr. Elhajj draws attention to the need for
international
collaboration
in
democratizing
access to these tools, so that countries in the
Global South can also make use of their life-sav-
ing capabilities.
This issue’s distinguished Leadership Spotlight
interview highlights the work and profile of
Professor Angie Brooks-Wilson, Dean of Science
at Simon Fraser University (SFU), Canada, and
Distinguished Scientist at the Michael Smith
Genome Sciences Centre, also in Canada. We
spoke with her about the ways that SFU champi-
ons environmental and sustainability solutions
through educational programing, as well as a
number of other special projects. Dr. Brooks-Wil-
son highlighted the role that cross-disciplinary
collaboration plays in making these projects a
success, involving participants throughout the
university. We were also lucky enough to speak
with her about her own research, in particular her
lab’s focus on the healthy aging of “Super Sen-
iors”—people who are 85-years-old or older, and
have never been diagnosed with cancer, cardio-
vascular disease, diabetes, major pulmonary
disease or dementia.
Writing in our Academic Perspectives section is
the highly talented Dr. Rahaf Ajaj, who is Chair of
the Department of Environmental Health & Safety
in the College of Health Sciences at Abu Dhabi
University, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Her article
underscores the critical importance of interdisci-
plinary collaboration in tackling today’s environ-
mental challenges. It highlights how issues like
pollution, climate change and sustainability are
not purely scientific, but deeply interconnected
with health, behavior, policy, technology and
equity. From using machine learning to map soil
radiation, to designing smart, human-centric
cities and addressing improper drug disposal
and indoor air quality, each example illustrates
the need for integrated, cross-disciplinary solu-
tions. The piece makes a compelling case that
effective environmental action must bridge sec-
tors, disciplines and communities—grounded in
both innovation and inclusion.
In our Regional Focus section, we’re honored to
feature the insights of Dr. Fares Howari, Dean of
the College of Humanities and Sciences at
Ajman University, UAE. Acting as a wonderful
case study for the issues raised by Dr. Elhajj, Dr.
Fares spotlights how EO technologies, enhanced
by AI and interdisciplinary collaboration, are
transforming sustainable development across
the MENA region. From detecting early signs of
soil salinization to monitoring groundwater and
vegetation dynamics, EO offers vital, high-reso-
lution insights into the environmental challenges
of arid and semi-arid zones. These tools enable
policymakers to move from crisis response to
proactive adaptation, with AI accelerating
early-warning
capabilities.
By
integrating
science, technology and local knowledge, the
MENA region is leveraging EO not just for
data—but
for
decisive,
community-driven
action.
Closing the issue in our Student Voice section,
Karam Abuodeh, a Computer Science and Soft-
ware Engineering student at the University of
Birmingham
Dubai,
UAE,
reflects
on
how
cross-sector collaboration is essential to tack-
ling the climate crisis. Drawing on experiences
from international climate simulations, COP28
and internships in tech and fintech, Karam
emphasizes that sustainable progress depends
on uniting technology, policy, education and
social justice. Whether simulating global negoti-
ations or organizing youth-led MUN conferences,
he argues that empowering diverse voices—es-
pecially youth—is key to creating resilient, inclu-
sive systems. His article is a call to action for
integrated,
interdisciplinary
approaches
to
climate leadership.
These brief summaries simply cannot do justice
to the complex topics that these writers detail
with such skill and reverence for the key issues at
stake. I hope you’re inspired to think about how
your own skillsets can meaningfully contribute to
solutions in this time of global need.
05
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
Apply and join
one of the top 50 universities
in the world !
Globally recognised French degrees accredited by the UAE
*T&C apply
Scan the QR code to explore our programmes
and start your application today!
⬣
24 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
⬣
Programmes taught in French and English
⬣
International student exchange programmes
⬣
Multidisciplinary research led institution
⬣
Excellence scholarships
⬣
Diverse student population of 90+ nationalities
⬣
In Abu Dhabi, named safest city in the world
41
st
Shanghai ranking
Worldwide in 2024
93k
Sqm state-of-the-art campus
with onsite sports facilities,
dorms and library
Nobel prizes
since 2004
3k
Alumni
st
French university
established in Abu Dhabi
School of
Law, Economics
and Business
1st
French university
for publication impact
(Leiden Rankings 2024)
19th
Internationally
(THE Young University Ranking 2024)
School
of Arts and
Humanities
1st
Humanities
education university
(Forbes Middle East Award 2019)
1st
Communication
school in France
(Le Figaro Étudiant 2024)
School of
Data, Science
and Engineering
4th
Worldwide
for Mathematics
(Shangai Ranking 2023)
17th
Worldwide
for Physics
(Shangai Ranking 2023)
How Harnessing Remote
Sensing and Earth Observation
is a Consorted International
Effort Not to be Overlooked
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES
The capacity to systematically observe and
analyze the Earth remotely has become a foun-
dation of modern environmental science, crisis
management and infrastructure monitoring. In
the wake of these concepts, remote sensing and
earth observation have emerged as important
tools to address environmental and biodiversity
change, monitor and anticipate natural disas-
ters and evaluate the readiness of existing infra-
structure. Aided and augmented by AI, the use of
satellite technologies, ground-based systems
and airborne ground-based technologies, such
as computer vision or other in-situ data or
airborne
probes
(like
drones),
facilitate
advanced and precise analytics to optimize the
use of the abundant data collected and
captured over long periods of time. The unleash-
ing of The New Space Economy, which allowed
the commercial sector to enter the Space com-
munity after it had been monopolized by
governments, helped tremendously by opening
up new innovation channels for active and
high-resolution sensing (at sub meter level).
After completing my PhD at Imperial College
London and holding various other positions such
as Director of the Integrated Space Science Engi-
neering Program, Advanced Research Fellow at
the Department of Civil and Environmental Engi-
neering and Security Fellow at The Institute of
Security Science and Technology, I founded
Astraterra. Our UK-based company specializes in
positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) and
Earth observation (EO) data modelling and
integration, toward the goal of supporting
environmental, social and economic resil-
ience. We serve multiple industries, including
connected and smart cities, sustainability and
environmental monitoring and resilient infra-
structure. Designing for seamless integration
into existing workflows, Astraterra adapts
evolving technologies and ensures secure,
compliant data handling. By fusing multiple
data sources, it provides accurate, actionable
intelligence and creates tailor-made special-
ised platforms and applications.
My professional mission inside and outside of
Astraterra is to pursue Science, Technology
and Innovation with a mindset of inclusion,
equity, sustainability and human-connected
CONOPS. In the following article, I reflect on
both the power of EO and also accessibili-
ty-related questions that must be addressed
by the international community from my
perspective as an industry professional.
Dr. Mireille Elhajj
CEO and Founder, Astraterra
Visiting Associate Professor and Industrial Advisory Board Member,
Imperial College London, UK
08
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
Dr. Mireille Elhajj
CEO and Founder, Astraterra
Visiting Associate Professor and Industrial Advisory Board Member,
Imperial College London
09
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
The Power of Earth Observation and
Remote Sensing
EO is not merely about monitoring changes, it is
also important for Early Warning Systems and
building resilience. By accepting risks and natural
hazards, we can understand risk and be better
prepared, as well as rebuild more effectively a skill
that a country like Japan has mastered given its
hazardous geographical location. EO is at the heart
of understanding these risks and improving our
resilience. Crisis management is among the most
common uses of remote sensing. Natural disasters
such as earthquakes, tropical cyclones and wild-
fires require an immediate response where satellite
images provide a clear overview of affected areas.
For example, data from NASA’s MODIS and ESA
Sentinel-3 satellites facilitated the tracking of fire
spreads in near-real time, making recommenda-
tions for favorable evacuations and firefighting
efforts during the Australian bushfires in 2019 and
2020. Similarly, flood estimation models harness
hydrological recreations alongside remote detec-
tion information to foretell inundation zones and
facilitate evasion efforts.
Similarly, within the energy division thermal imag-
ing is broadly adopted to screen power stations
and electrical networks. By recognizing heat anom-
alies in transformers and substations, remote sens-
ing helps detect overheating components before
they fail, guaranteeing continuous and efficient
energy supply. Also, pipeline systems transporting
oil and gas benefits from remote sensing, as satel-
lite-based thermal and hyperspectral imaging can
identify
leaks
and
anticipate
environmental
contamination.
The beauty of EO is that it can also be layered and
integrated with other various applications such as
Global Navigation Satellite Systems or PNT data to
create geofenced maps or, in the example of urban
“Remote sensing data aids
in disaster preparedness
enabling municipal
authorities to estimate
flooding risks, pinpoint
susceptible infrastructure
and optimize emergency
management strategies “
infrastructure and planning, into Geographic Infor-
mation Systems (GIS). These innovations are used to
analyze traffic designs in cities, optimize road
systems and upgrade land-use planning. Remote
sensing data aids in disaster preparedness enabling
municipal authorities to estimate flooding risks,
pinpoint susceptible infrastructure and optimize
emergency management strategies in the case of
roads, for example.
Challenges and Opportunities:
Of course, this technology needs to be underpinned
by accessibility of data and sophisticated models in
addition to parametric solutions, without which no
digital shadowing can be created. Various interna-
tional organizations exist to facilitate access to this
data like the United Nation’s Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNDRR), Space-based Information for
Disaster Management and Emergency Response
(UNSPIDER) and The International Charter: Space and
Major Disasters, an international mechanism that can
be activated in the case of disasters. Additionally, the
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOS),
UN-SPIDER and a few others act as cooperating
bodies, besides the data provided from major space
agencies such as NASA, ESA and JAXA.
The global North displays great capabilities in EO and
remote sensing through governmental programs
such as the European Copernicus or the proliferating
commercial ecosystem. They are joined by a few
select Asian countries like Japan, and recently India,
but the situation in the emerging countries of the
Global South is not as advanced as many of these
countries don’t own the relevant infrastructure, nor
the funding and capabilities to level up. Paraguay, for
example, when hit by their latest flooding, activated
their call to The International Charter, who provided
them with a raw data set. Paraguay, however, doesn’t
have enough in-house capabilities to process the
data. Having secured strategic relationships with their
10
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
“
In a world governed by natural and
man-made hazards, cross border
collaboration, data sharing and
open data policy are crucial. The
more diversified these partnerships
are, the better protected a country
with limited resources is.
“
neighbouring countries and leveraging their interna-
tional agreements with the likes of JAXA, ESA and NASA
and UNSPIDER, they were able to get the data
processed for them. The data was then ready to be
used and analyzed according to their needs, in addi-
tion to a technical mission for support from UNSPIDER.
Conversely, this privilege is not always guaranteed for
countries who have not secured themselves the
necessary political and strategic relationships and
agreements.
In a world governed by natural and man-made
hazards, cross border collaboration, data sharing and
open data policy are crucial. The more diversified
these partnerships are, the better protected a country
with limited resources is. The secret then doesn’t
necessarily lie in owning capital intensive assets in
space, but rather leveraging the existing rich and
diversified capacities out there and harnessing the
power of combining open-source and commercial
data. The strides that firms have achieved advanced
the development of sensor resolution, information
processors and the application of AI in data analytics.
Growth in commercial satellite constellations, operat-
ed by companies like Planet Labs and Maxar Technol-
ogies, have made it somehow economically feasible
to acquire high-frequency, high-resolution imagery
for near real-time Environmental Monitoring; however,
not to certain emerging countries with limited funding.
By combining the two types of data in an applica-
tion-specific platform, one can increase the aptitude
and scope of what’s already out there. This combina-
tion of data is boosted by AI to re-evaluate anomalies
and features seen from radar satellites (for example,
in urban spaces) at an unprecedented level of granu-
larity. An additional issue is the last mile through cloud
capacity and releasing resources to communities
who don’t have data access to commercial sets.
However, there are fundamental needs in the Global
South. The first need being capacity building and
education in the field, and the second is funding this
value-add, as commercial data is not free of charge
and can be very costly. Despite the fact that many
national space agencies acquire this commercial
data, combine it with open-source data and offer the
solution to its users, independent access to commer-
cial data remains a genuine must, given their valuable
contribution to resolution and technique. But various
emerging countries don’t have a space agency or
don’t have the right human capabilities. All the above
are heavily underpinned by education, capacity build-
ing and funding from international communities such
as the World Bank and the United Nations who can play
a major role in fostering the exchange of data and the
capacity to process and analyze data when and where
needed, away from any political levers.
As the world continues to face more pressing chal-
lenges, effective bi-lateral and international agree-
ments will prove increasingly important for policymak-
ing, disaster response and relief communities. Howev-
er, many challenges lie beyond this, including band-
width capacity, power and electricity being unavaila-
ble, cloud capacity and the absence of a representa-
tive entity who can deal with acquired EO data such as
a space agency or a dedicated team. The path may be
long for some, but there is nothing a consorted effort
backed by international organizations that cannot
achieve.
11
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
Dr. Angela Brooks-Wilson,
Dean of Science, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Distinguished Scientist, Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Canada
LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
12
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
Professor Brooks-Wilson, we’re so pleased to
have the opportunity to speak with you today
in this special issue of UniNewsletter. As is
tradition with our Leadership Spotlight inter-
views, could you please introduce yourself to
our readers, including how you came to take
up your current post as of Dean of Science at
SFU?
Thank you, I’m so pleased to talk with you.
Coming back to SFU felt like coming full circle to
me. I went to SFU as an undergraduate student
in Biochemistry, and had what I call the full
academic adventure studying in different
places, before coming home again. I went to
Toronto for a Master’s degree, then studied
human genetics for my PhD at the University of
British Columbia (UBC), followed by a short
post-doctoral fellowship at the University of
Washington. I then did something unusual at
the time, and joined a biotechnology company,
Sequana Therapeutics, in San Diego, followed
by a company in Vancouver, Xenon Pharma-
ceuticals. After working in industry for 7 years I
was very lucky to have a chance to join the
famous Genome Sciences Centre at BC Cancer
in Vancouver. I came from an unusual direc-
tion—from industry back to an academic
research environment—and it was truly won-
derful to arrive there and have full license over
what I would investigate in my independent
cancer genetics research lab. Building on some
existing strengths of BC Cancer in lymphoid
cancers, and collaborating with excellent
cancer epidemiologists there, I started work-
ing on the genetics of lymphoid cancers, and
soon afterward added research on healthy
aging, studying exceptionally healthy ‘Super
Seniors.’
My initial faculty position was at UBC, but my
appointment shifted to SFU in 2008. It was at
SFU that my interest in leadership was piqued
and grew. My department chair asked if I
would lead the departmental graduate pro-
gram, and I said yes (because someone
needed to do it!) but quickly found that it was
really satisfying to help graduate students
and supervisors resolve issues and get their
studies and projects back on track. I and my
committee of colleagues clarified timelines
and processes, reduced course requirements
and created a direct entry pathway for top
BSc students to go directly into the PhD pro-
gram. During this time, I also led the Interdis-
ciplinary Oncology Graduate Program at BC
Cancer, and with my colleagues there
expanded it to be a multi-institutional Gradu-
ate Specialization.
I was invited to be Associate Chair and then
Chair of the Department of Biomedical Physi-
ology and Kinesiology, and found it very satis-
fying
to
streamline
processes,
improve
teaching spaces and resolve diverse prob-
lems. I’ve found that when you take on lead-
ership of a small thing, and you not only don’t
Fostering Future-Proof Collaborations
at Simon Fraser University (SFU):
An Interview with Professor Angie Brooks-Wilson,
Dean of Science, SFU, Canada
13
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
break it but make it work better, you get invited
to lead a larger thing, and if you don’t break
that larger thing, you get invited to lead an
even larger thing. During the pandemic, when I
had just guided the department through learn-
ing how to put our courses online, and how to
help each other manage that substantial chal-
lenge, I was invited to be the Associate
Vice-President Research (AVPR) pro tem. After
ensuring that an excellent colleague was
willing to take over as department Chair, I
moved into the AVPR pro tem role. That role was
super interesting and satisfying, with a wonder-
ful team, and involved helping to keep research
funded and moving forward during the pan-
demic. It was very tempting to stay in that role
but I was offered the role of Dean of Science,
and took it up because it involves responsibility
for both the success of people and research, as
well as the provision of support for faculty
members and our undergraduate and gradu-
ate students. Though it is a complicated and
often challenging role, it is very satisfying to
lead the Faculty of Science and help students
and scientists in 8 different disciplines achieve
their best learning and research.
SFU has positioned itself as a leader in inter-
disciplinary research, particularly in environ-
mental science and public health. As Dean of
Science, how do you see this approach shap-
ing the university’s impact on global environ-
mental challenges?
Climate research is SFU’s top research priority,
and the university is moving this research
forward through the Vice-President Research
and Innovation’s unifying project, Community
Centred Climate Innovation (C3I). C3I is found-
ed on community partnerships and a commit-
ment to Indigenous perspectives and knowl-
edge. It involves SFU researchers and members
of communities, particularly First Nations com-
munities, in climate resiliency and adaptation
research. Research in Faculties across the
university is connected to C3I.
In the Faculty of Science, research on hydrogen
fuel cells led by renowned researchers in our
Department of Chemistry, and in the Faculty of
Applied Sciences, has led to a commitment to
build a Hydrogen Hub on SFU’s Burnaby
campus. It helps that SFU has an exceptional
innovation ecosystem that supports invention
and entrepreneurship; one particularly inspira-
tional story is how a professor and a graduate
student made a discovery and founded the
award-winning company IONOMR Innova-
tions, which develops hydrogen fuel cell
membranes.
SFU life sciences research also relates strong-
ly to environmental research. The depart-
ment of Biological Sciences includes promi-
nent researchers working on salmon and
shark conservation. The Faculty of Health
Sciences has a leading multidisciplinary
research cluster on planetary health, a field
that is informed by environmental health and
ecosystem
approaches
to
health.
The
Department of Earth Sciences is researching
the effect of climate change on glaciers and
on natural hazards—graduates from their
program are in high demand by employers.
At SFU, awareness of environmental and sus-
tainability issues is high, and I want to give a
special shout-out to our SFU student groups
who organized, communicated and were key
influencers of the university’s decision to
proudly divest from fossil fuels.
The School of Environmental Science at SFU
was founded to address complex environ-
14
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
mental issues through a multidisciplinary lens.
How has this initiative evolved, and what oppor-
tunities does it create for research, policy impact
and student engagement?
SFU is fortunate to have a dedicated Faculty of
Environment, underlining the university’s clear
commitment to education and research on the
environment. Their departments are highly multi-
disciplinary. The Environmental Science depart-
ment includes leading researchers on oceans,
rivers, watersheds and coastal and subalpine
ecosystems, among other topics. The Geography
department unites social and physical geography
in studies from political economies to earth
systems. In the School of Resource and Environ-
mental Management, social and natural scientists
use interdisciplinary research approaches and
train students to be agents to improve deci-
sion-making in environmental management. And
in the renowned SFU Archaeology Department,
students can engage in research topics ranging
from the megafauna of the distant past to the
innovative clam gardens used by British Colum-
bia’s Coast Salish peoples. The fusion of physical
and social sciences in the Faculty of Environment
supports inter- and multi-disciplinarity, and posi-
tions their research and students to make an
impact on society in many ways, including
through policy impacts.
As you touched on, universities play a critical
role in informing public policy. From your per-
spective, how can academic research at SFU
help shape policy decisions on climate resil-
ience, environmental health and energy transi-
tions?
Research universities like SFU are at the forefront
of finding solutions to societal challenges like
climate change and finding strategies for miti-
gation and adaptation to promote climate resil-
ience. At SFU in particular, there is great strength
in community-based research and we are truly
engaged with our local communities. Policy
researchers, particularly those who are part of
the School of Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts
and Social Sciences, are part of the communi-
ty-based research projects that make up the C3I
initiative. This positions the research projects,
and SFU, to help shape sustainable policy that is
based on sound research evidence and an
understanding of the needs of communities.
To centralize your own profile as a researcher,
your work has focused on genetic and environ-
Though it is a
complicated and
often challenging
role, it is very
satisfying to lead the
Faculty of Science
and help students
and scientists in 8
different disciplines
achieve their best
learning and
research.
“
“
15
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
mental factors in cancer. Could you tell our
readers more about this as well as other pro-
jects you’re working on?
My research has two parts, research on cancer
(disease) and research on health. In recent
years my lab has focused more on our Healthy
Aging Study of Super Seniors, who we define as
people who are 85-years-old or older, and have
never been diagnosed with cancer, cardiovas-
cular disease, diabetes, major pulmonary
disease or dementia. So, the trait we are study-
ing is freedom from 5 major diseases of aging,
to the age of 85. The 5 diseases chosen are ones
that are serious for people and are also very
expensive for healthcare systems. Our oldest
participants were two brothers who lived to 109
and 110-years-old. It is a positive study to do,
because everyone hopes they can qualify to be
in it! On the lifestyle side, the most notable thing
about the Super Seniors is that they are physi-
cally active—as active as midlife adults. On the
genetics side, we have found variants that
correlate with being a Super Senior (they are
less likely to carry the known Alzheimer disease
risk variant APOE4, and they are more likely to
carry a variant in the HP gene that produces
haptoglobin, a protein that binds up free hemo-
globin released from damaged red blood cells).
A few years ago, we looked at the telomeres
(specific DNA sequences that cap the ends of
chromosomes) of the Super Seniors, wonder-
ing if they would have telomeres that were
long for their age. Instead, we found that the
group of Super Seniors showed telomere
lengths closer to an inferred optimal value,
than those of a comparison group. This finding
motivated us to move to using larger data
sets, in particular the Canadian Longitudinal
Study on Aging, to ask if there are other traits
for which healthy people are closer to previ-
ously unrecognized ‘sweet spots.’ I am working
with an amazing collaborator, Dr. Lloyd Elliott at
SFU, and together with our graduate students
we have found many body and blood meas-
ures that show sweet spots implying that
these traits are important for healthy aging.
Interdisciplinary research often faces struc-
tural barriers, from funding limitations to
siloed departments. What strategies has SFU
adopted to foster collaboration across disci-
plines, and what more can be done at the
institutional level?
SFU has an innovative Individualized Interdisci-
plinary Studies (IIS) Graduate Program, in
which graduate students can do interdiscipli-
Research universities like
SFU are at the forefront of
finding solutions to
societal challenges like
climate change and
finding strategies for
mitigation and
adaptation to promote
climate resilience. At SFU
in particular, there is
great strength in
community-based
research and we are truly
engaged with our local
communities.
“
“
16
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
nary research for their thesis project, super-
vised by professors in many different disci-
plines. The IIS program is incredibly flexible, as
you can combine any disciplines of study. Dr.
Lloyd Elliott and I co-supervise an Interdiscipli-
nary PhD student, who has been able to learn
about biology and genetics from me, and has
worked with Lloyd to develop new statistical
techniques to find sweet spots in biological
data, then identify genetic loci that affect how
close an individual is to those optimal values.
This kind of project is interdisciplinary and
innovative, and was also a tremendous
amount of fun because all of us were learning
from each other at the same time.
Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for
advancing interdisciplinary environmental
research at SFU? Are there any major initia-
tives or areas of growth you hope to champi-
on in the coming years?
As a Dean, I try to balance promotion of really
good ideas put forward by others, with my own
ideas to help the Faculty of Science and its
members,
and
SFU,
succeed.
Individual
researchers and departments are passionate
about their own work, and so encouraging
growth of successful collaborative groups
within and between departments is one of my
main goals. An example is the excitement of
rebuilding the capacity of our renowned Pest
Management Program, which is more relevant
than ever in the time of climate change. Others
include growing clusters of excellence in quan-
tum information, and astroparticle physics, in
As a Dean, I try to balance promotion
of really good ideas put forward by
others, with my own ideas to help the
Faculty of Science and its members,
and SFU, succeed. Individual
researchers and departments are
passionate about their own work, and
so encouraging growth of successful
collaborative groups within and
between departments is one of my
main goals.
“
“
the SFU Physics department, the only depart-
ment in Canada to have two Canada Excel-
lence Research Chairs.
I am also very enthusiastic about our Faculty
of Science strategies to enhance the experi-
ences of undergraduate students. This
includes programs of interest to students
who aspire to careers in health research,
including at the new SFU Medical School. SFU
is a great place to be a student efforts will
eventually bear fruit.
17
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
In an age struggling with the burden of
climate change, pollution and an existential
imperative to become sustainable, it has
become ever clearer that there are no silver
bullets in any one discipline. Having worked
on the interface between science, policy,
health and education for many years, I have
grown to be convinced—deeply and irrevo-
cably—of the power of interdisciplinary
cooperation to create positive change.
This conviction has not only influenced the
studies I undertake. It has informed my lead-
ership, taught my classes and reinforced my
passion in addressing thorny environmental
issues that impact real people in real-time.
A Journey Based on Purpose
As Chair of the Department of Environment,
Health and Safety at the College of Health
Sciences at Abu Dhabi University (ADU),
United Arab Emirates (UAE) I’ve had the
opportunity to contribute to the academic
success of the world’s future environmental
stewards. With my colleagues in the college,
we’ve developed programs that not only
impart knowledge but also fuel curiosity, test
assumptions and prioritize action.
ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES
Shattering Boundaries:
How Interdisciplinary Research Is Propelling
Environmental Innovation
Dr. Rahaf Ajaj
Chair, Department of Environmental Health & Safety
College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
20
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives
My classes—on subjects ranging from environ-
mental policy to pollution monitoring—are not
theoretical exercises. They are designed to
engage science with the communities we serve,
encouraging students to critically evaluate the
world in which they live and their place within it.
My work doesn’t end at the classroom door, how-
ever. I’ve also had the privilege to represent the
UAE on the world stage on a number of fronts,
including as a member of the High-Level UN Food
Systems Advisory Board, working to address sus-
tainability and food security in an ever-changing
climate. Here in the UAE, I serve as the local chap-
ter leadership of Women in Renewable Energy
Canada (WiRE), fighting to achieve gender parity
in the energy industry and promoting initiatives
that develop sustainable innovations throughout
the nation. Additionally, I serve as the cluster lead
for public health and climate change at the Minis-
try of Environmental and Climate Change, where I
oversee initiatives that bridge the critical intersec-
tion of human health and environmental sustain-
ability.
Where Disciplines Meet, Innovation Emerges
If I’ve learned one thing over and over again, it’s
this: the biggest breakthroughs are found in cross-
roads. Interdisciplinary science does not exist to
follow a trend—it’s a necessity. Environmental
issues are never purely scientific. They are eco-
nomic, technological, social and political. Solving
them demands a confluence of expertise and a
desire to enable collaborations across bounda-
ries.
My own path of inquiry started with radiation
science—in particular, measuring concentrations
of radionuclides in agricultural soils through gam-
ma-ray spectrometry. This initial work informed
me of the value of knowing about hazards
in the environment in granular terms. It also
paved the way to even greater, more interdisci-
plinary questions.
In a recent study, we employed Gaussian Process
regression
models—a
machine
learning
approach—to create maps of radiation levels in
soils in the UAE. This was not merely a technical
success. It was a multidisciplinary success that
converged on data science, geostatistics, public
health and environmental monitoring to create
maps that can be used by policymakers to take
action.
In the same vein, our work on sustainable smart
cities involved working with experts in fields such
as engineering, city planning and policy to probe
what it would mean to turn Abu Dhabi into a city
fit for the future: resilient, inclusive and funda-
mentally human-centric.
From Wind Turbines to Wastewater: A Broader
Perspective
One project that I found to be really inspiring was
the Vortex Bladeless Wind Turbines—a new kind
of renewable energy device with the potential to
transform the way cities power themselves.
“
Having worked on the
interface between science,
policy, health and education
for many years, I have grown
to be convinced—deeply and
irrevocably—of the power of
interdisciplinary cooperation
to create positive change.
“
“Environmental issues are never
purely scientific. They are
economic, technological, social and
political. Solving them demands a
confluence of expertise and a desire
to enable collaborations across
boundaries.”
21
World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives |
Science has to serve
all populations,
particularly those
traditionally
underserved or
marginalized.
Inclusivity isn’t only
a moral imperative;
it’s key to achieving
sustainable
development
objectives.
“
Through a fusion of experimental design and
numerical simulation, we studied aerodynam-
ics, structural efficiency and environmental
advantages. Once again, it was the fusion of
disciplines that brought this work to fruition.
Similarly urgent is what we’ve accomplished in
nuclear wastewater. With growing energy
demands worldwide and the growth of nuclear
options, the environmental hazards posed by
radioactive wastewater can’t be dismissed.
Our study explored treatment technology and
policy recommendations to help ensure these
systems are not only reliable but sustainable.
Where Science Intersects with Health and
Behavior
One of the closest to my heart is probably the
interface between public health and environ-
mental science. In a study in the UAE into
improper drug disposal, we revealed an
alarming disparity: plenty of public knowledge
but low levels of safe disposal. Medicines were
being disposed of through household waste,
risking harm to both the environment and
people.
More than scientific knowledge is needed to
solve this type of issue. Behavioral knowledge,
cultural sensitivity, as well as systems thinking
are
needed.
Our
proposals—involving
take-back initiatives and public information
campaigns—represented an interdisciplinary,
all-inclusive approach.
And
the
same
interdisciplinary
thinking
informed our recent work in a national
indoor-air-quality research strategy. Poor
indoor-air-quality isn't a technical prob-
lem—it’s
a
public-health
emergency.
By
blending policy systems, input from stake-
holders and environmental-health informa-
tion, we developed a roadmap for actionable
transformation.
Turning Research into Policy
For me, research is strongest when it crosses
the laboratory walls and out into the world.
That has informed my focus on aligning Indus-
try 4.0 technology with poverty alleviation
efforts—using AI and blockchain not as inno-
vations in their own right, but as instruments of
equity and effect. This conceptual frame
based on Sustainable Development Goal 1 is
one more instance of what occurs when fields
converge on the basis of values.
Recognition and Responsibility
I am indebted to the professional awards I
have
received—including
my
Chartered
Scientist designation by the Science Council
and the Institution of Environmental Sciences.
“
22
| World-Saving Environmental Sciences: Future-Ready Perspectives