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Biography |
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Dr. Samira Omar Asem is the Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) (2016-2020). Responsible for management and leadership of R&D in Petroleum, Water Resources, Energy and Building, Environment and Life Science, Technoeconomic and advancing technology and innovation. She holds PhD from University of California, Berkeley in Wildland Resource Science and M.S. in Range Management from University of California at Berkeley and BSc in Botany & Chemistry from Kuwait University.
Throughout her career at KISR, she worked as “Principal Research Scientist” (G.20) at the Environment & Life Science Center. She joined KISR in 1973 as a young professional scientist and advanced in time to Principal Research Scientist, Division Director (DD) of the Food Resources and Marine Sciences (FRD) and Program Director of the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP). Throughout her career at KISR, she worked as “Principal Research Scientist” at the Environment & Life Science Center. She joined KISR in 1973 as a young professional scientist and advanced in time to Principal Research Scientist, Division Director (DD) of the Food Resources and Marine Sciences (FRD) and Program Director of the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP). She led and successfully completed several contractual research projects that were sponsored by funding organizations and governmental and private sectors. She led and successfully completed several contractual research projects that were sponsored by funding organizations and governmental and private sectors.
At international level, Dr. Samira is elected Regional Councilor for West Asia Region, Board member by election in the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), Executive Board Member and Vice President for the Arab Region in the Organization for Women in Science for Developing World (OWSD) and Board member in ICARDA. Her involvement includes issuing policies, developing strategies, reviewing finances and auditing, marketing, fundraising and programming. Currently, she has been appointed Member of the Board of Trustees for the Hamad Bin Khalifa University at Qatar.
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Abstract |
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Research and Development at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR): Way Forward for Biological Sciences |
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KISR was founded as a center for applied science in 1967 and celebrated its 50th Anniversary in November 2017. Its mission is to lead and partner internationally to develop, deploy and exploit the best science, technology, knowledge and innovation for the benefit of Kuwait and others. The R & D is conducted through 24 research programs spanning over five Centers and Sectors with 200 projects being implemented annually.
The presentation will focus on current R & D biological sciences with emphasis on relevant programs and projects at KISR in accord with Kuwait’s national development plan and SDGs with regard to food, life on land, life below water, good health and well-being and innovation. These thrusts areas are conducted at KISR in partnership with public and private sectors through four research programs, namely, Desert and Agriculture, Fisheries, Biotechnology and Food and Nutrition. Examples of success stories will be highlighted such as innovation and advance technologies for protected agriculture, use of eco-friendly soilless cultivation, introduction of interventions customized for Kuwait, food nutrition for healthy life, fisheries ecosystem-based management to avoid over-fishing, technology-based options for agriculture and biotechnological advancement for gene-mapping and molecular biology application for improvement of plant and microbe adaptability.
KISR also provides guidance and counselling for the government on the compliance for SDG’s requirements. Several R & D relevant projects are also being implemented through Government Initiative Programs in which the institute is presently conduction eight initiatives in alignment with the SDG’s.
Finally, KISR continues to utilize findings from its relevant biological research programs with the aim of making quantum leaps in advancing science-based evidence for incorporation in government decision impacting development plans. Good strides are being made which will pave the way for more R & D contributions in the years to come.
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