The 11th SKF conference took place from May 13th to May 16th 2017 at the stunning Mövenpick Dead Sea Hotel in Jordan.
The conference has received the Patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and coincides with the launch of our partner the SESAME center.
Jordan, this year’s host country, is an example of stability and good governance in the Middle East despite being resource-poor and having had to face repeated massive waves of refugees influx. The country is also the seat of SESAME, an advanced light source research center founded by the UNESCO with statutes similar to those of the CERN. This project is a perfect illustration of SKF’s and the CERN “Science for Peace” motto as scientists from throughout this often troubled region will work together using tools from X-rays to infra-red radiation.
Our meeting started with a visit of the facilities of SESAME on the morning of the 13th of May following which the conference was formally opened by Dr. Khaled Toukan at 16:30.
The conference focuses on Jordan and its neighbors and will examine all the factors that are necessary to insure the region’s sustainable development such as Energy, Transports, Agriculture and Food Security, Water, Capacity Building, and Integration of Women to the workforce.
Read the recommendations of the conference: Recommendations SKF 11
Program
Download the program
09h00
Presentation of current experiments at SESAME
German Physical Society, Council of SESAME
Rolf-Dieter HEUER
Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer is an experimental particle physicist. He has been CERN Director-General from January 2009 to December 2015. His mandate is characterised by the start of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) 2009 as well as its energy increase 2015, the discovery of the H-Boson and the geographical enlargement of CERN Membership. He also actively engaged CERN in promoting the importance of science and STEM education for the sustainable development of the society. From 2004 to 2008, Prof. Heuer was research director for particle and astroparticle physics at the DESY laboratory, Germany, where he oriented the particle physics groups towards LHC by joining both large experiments, ATLAS and CMS. He has initiated restructuring and focusing of German HEP at the energy frontier with particular emphasis on LHC.
Since April 2016 he is President of the German Physical Society. He is designated President of the Council of SESAME (Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East). He is also one of the seven members of the High Level Group of scientific advisors to the European Commission’s new Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) which was launched in November 2015.
Prof. Heuer has published over 500 scientific papers and holds many Honorary Degrees from universities in Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada. He is Member of several Academies of Sciences in Europe, in particular of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and Honorary Member of the European Physical Society. In 2015 he received the Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2016 he was appointed a Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French Republic.
10h00
Departure for visit at SESAME site
Visit of the Middle East’s first major international research centre together with users from around the region.The visit will be guided by Scientific Director Giorgio Paolucci and Technical Director Erhard Huttel and users of the SESAME facilities.
Opening Session
16h30
Introducing the Sharing Knowledge Foundation
Sharing Knowledge Foundation
Robert KLAPISCH
Robert KLAPISCH entered the French CNRS after graduating from Ecole de Physique et Chimie de Paris. His PhD work, under René Bernas, a pioneer in Mass Spectrometry was about the nucleosynthesis of the rare light elements Lithium Beryllium and Boron and the puzzle of how they survive being burnt by fusion. This led him to using CERN accelerators and to participate in its advisory committees. He left CNRS in 1981as Herwig Schopper CERN DG asked him to become Director of Research (1981-1987). Carlo Rubbia the new DG (1989 to 1993) asked him to be his adviser and to boost the CERN Communication Policy. He organized the LEP Inauguration Ceremony in 1989 and directed a Pavilion at the 1992 Seville Expo. After the end of Rubbia’s mandate he co-authored the proposal for the Energy Amplifier, a new approach to nuclear energy (1993-1997). In 2002, he was appointed by President Chirac to the Committee preparing the “Charte de l’Environnement” which has since become a part of the French Constitution. As President of the French Association for the Advancement of Science (2000-2003), he advocated a North-South Scientific Dialogue between scientists from Europe and those from Less Developed countries, from the African Continent and the Middle East, as a privileged means to avoid the infamous “Clash of Civilisations”. This led him to set up in 2006 a dedicated “Sharing Knowledge Foundation” (SKF), which he chairs. President Sarkozy promoted him Officier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2007.
Robert Klapisch passed away on the 21 March 2020.
17h00
Address by His Excellency the Prime Minister of Jordan
Represented by HE Khaled Toukan
Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Hani Al Mulki
Hani Al Mulki the current Prime Minister of Jordan, he served as interim between 29 May 2016 and 25 September 2016, until the Jordanian general election, 2016 were concluded. Previously Al-Mulki held several ministerial and diplomatic positions, and he was Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority before his designation as Prime Minister by King Abdullah II.
He served as Jordan’s ambassador to Egypt and as Jordan’s permanent representative at the Arab League. He has held several ministerial positions; water, energy, supplies, industry and foreign affairs ministries.
Mulki chaired the negotiating committee which produced the Israel-Jordan peace treaty between Jordan and Israel in 1994. During his time as foreign minister, Jordan experienced diplomatic issues with both Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Mulki was appointed as Scientific Advisor to the King, and then a member of the Senate. On 9 February 2011, Mulki was reappointed as Minister of Trade and Industries. On 9 November 2014, he was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, replacing Kamel Mahadin. On 29 May 2016, Mulki was appointed as the Prime Minister of Jordan, succeeding Abdullah Ensour. His cabinet was sworn in on 1 June. After the 2016 general election Mulki order a cabinet reshuffle, which resulted in three new portfolios, 22 ministers remaining and the introduction of 7 new ministers.
Khaled Toukan
Chairman of The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission and Director of SESAME |
JAEC and SESAME | Jordan
Dr. Toukan is the Chairman of Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, served previously as the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (2011), Minister of Education from 2000 to 2007, and Minister of Higher Education (2001-
2002) and (2005-2007). Dr. Toukan was the President of Al-Balqa Applied University (1997-2001), Jordan; he also held the position of Dean of Faculty of Engineering & Technology and Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan; Research Scientist at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany; and Associate Research Scientist at the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Toukan holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1978-1982), and M.Sc. degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Michigan (1976-1978), and a B.E. degree in Electrical
Engineering from The American University of Beirut (1971-1976). Dr. Toukan’s awards include the UNESCO Ghandi Medal of Peace (2003), the Royal Grand Gordon of Alkukab Al-Urduni (2003), the Theos J. Thompson Fellowship (1980-81) in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at M.I.T., Legion de Honore from the French Republic (2004), and Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany (2006) and King Hussein’s Medal of Excellence (2008).
Born in Amman in 1954, Dr Toukan is married with three children. He is a Member of the International High Level EFA Group, a member of H.M. King Abdullah II Economic Consultative Council and presently is Director of SESAME and serves also as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University of Jordan.
17h15
Keynote address
On the successful completion of SESAME and new era for science in the Middle East.
Khaled Toukan
Chairman of The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission and Director of SESAME |
JAEC and SESAME | Jordan
Dr. Toukan is the Chairman of Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, served previously as the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (2011), Minister of Education from 2000 to 2007, and Minister of Higher Education (2001-
2002) and (2005-2007). Dr. Toukan was the President of Al-Balqa Applied University (1997-2001), Jordan; he also held the position of Dean of Faculty of Engineering & Technology and Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan; Research Scientist at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany; and Associate Research Scientist at the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Toukan holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1978-1982), and M.Sc. degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Michigan (1976-1978), and a B.E. degree in Electrical
Engineering from The American University of Beirut (1971-1976). Dr. Toukan’s awards include the UNESCO Ghandi Medal of Peace (2003), the Royal Grand Gordon of Alkukab Al-Urduni (2003), the Theos J. Thompson Fellowship (1980-81) in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at M.I.T., Legion de Honore from the French Republic (2004), and Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany (2006) and King Hussein’s Medal of Excellence (2008).
Born in Amman in 1954, Dr Toukan is married with three children. He is a Member of the International High Level EFA Group, a member of H.M. King Abdullah II Economic Consultative Council and presently is Director of SESAME and serves also as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University of Jordan.
17h45
Keynote address
Does science bring peace? How does CERN contribute?
Frédérick BORDRY
Technology and Accelerators Director |
CERN | Switzerland
Frédérick BORDRY, has a degree in engineering and a PhD in energy conversion from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse (INPT). After a two-year teaching post at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil), he took up a teaching and research post in Toulouse before joining the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in 1986. From 2009 to 2013, he was the Head of the CERN Technology Department. Since January 2014, he is the Director of Accelerators and Technology, responsible for the operation and exploitation of the whole CERN accelerator complex, with particular emphasis on the LHC and for the development of new projects and technologies. As a convinced advocate of international exchange in the cultural, political and scientific fields, he has devoted a considerable amount of time towards reflecting on issues relating to education, research, and multilingualism.
Science for Peace
09h00
Round table
Moderator: John Ellis
Presentation of A. Abdelghany
Presentation of A. Bassalat
Presentation of P. Fassnacht
Presentation of F. Piuzzi
John ELLIS
John ELLIS is the Clerk Maxwell Professor of Theoretical Physics at King’s College in London. After his 1971 PhD from Cambridge University, he worked at SLAC, Caltech, and CERN (Geneva), where he was Theory Division Leader for six years. His research interests focus on the phenomenological aspects of elementary particle physics and its connections with astrophysics, cosmology and quantum gravity. Much of his work relates directly to interpreting results of searches for new particles. He was one of the first to study how the Higgs boson could be produced and discovered. He is currently very active in efforts to understand the Higgs particle discovered recently at CERN, as well as its implications for possible new physics such as dark matter and supersymmetry. He also studies possible future particle accelerators, such as the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) and future circular colliders, and is known for his relentless efforts to promote global collaboration in particle physics. John Ellis was awarded the Maxwell Medal (1982) and the Paul Dirac Prize (2005) by the Institute of Physics. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1985 and of the Institute of Physics in 1991, has several honorary doctorates and is an Honorary Fellow of King’s College Cambridge and of King’s College London. He was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2012.
Amr Abdelghany
Associate Professor Dr. Amr Mohamed Abdelghany obtained his PhD degree from Mansoura University in Experimental Physics 2010. Currently Dr. Amr serves Spectroscopy Department at National Research Center in Egypt. He has published numerous refereed articles in professional international journals two books. Dr Amr’s field of expertise’s are spectroscopy and Material Science.
An-Najah National University
Ahmed Bassalat
Ahmed Bassalat is assistante professor in Physics Department at An-Najah N. University. He got his PhD in Particle Physics from Paris Sud-11 University in Orsay-France in 2015. He is working for ATLAS experiment in Higgs analysis and detector upgrade. He is the chair of the annual Winter school in High Energy Physics in Palestine (WISHEPP). He is working to create the first seed of Working group in HEP in Palestine and getting Palestinian universities involved in the LHC experiments at CERN, ATLAS in particular.
Sharing Knowledge Foundation / CERN
Patrick FASSNACHT
Patrick FASSNACHT started his career in Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics at the University of Strasbourg in 1979. Later moving to the Centre de Physique des Particules in Marseille he also shifted his focus to High Energy Physics joining the CPLear (asymmetry matter/anti-matter) collaboration and finally to ATLAS (one of the four large LHC experiments at the LHC (Large Hadron Collider)). To the latter he contributed as Test Beam coordinator and later, for six years, as Technical Coordinator of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter system. He was responsible for getting the calorimeters assembled, integrated into the cryostats and commissioned. From April 2004 onwards, for a period of more than six years, he was acting as CERN ATLAS Team leader, leading a group of close to 200 users. During that period he had numerous interactions with the many ATLAS Users coming to CERN; which lead him to become an Advisor to the DG for the MENA, 2012 onwards. Since 2018, Patrick is also the Vice President, Communications of SKF.
French Society of Physics
François PIUZZI
Physical chemist (basic research) PhD in Physical Chemistry, Research engineer at the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) since 1982, retired 2014. Teaching: application of lasers in Physical Chemistry at University Paris XI (Orsay) and at the University Paris VI (Jussieu).
Research management: Member to the National Agency for Research. (ANR) “Scientific Committee Sciences for Engineering” (2005-2007). Project officer for Nanosciences at the French ministry of high Education and Research (MESR 2010-2013), French delegate to the NMP (Nanosciences Materials Production) committee of the EU commission at Brussels. Member of the committee of the “Photoniques” Journal (Journal of the French optical Society) (since 2006). Founder of the Instrumentation award in Physical Chemistry (2007). Member of the Board of the Division of Physical Chemistry (SFC-SFP) (since 2004).
International cooperation in science : Chairman (2016-now) of the “Physics without Borders” commission of the French Physical Society. Former Chairman of the Inter-division group “Physics for Development” of the European Physical Society (EPS) (2009-2015). Founder and former president of the association “Puya Raimondi”, Franco-Peruvian and Latino-American scientific cooperation association (2004-now). Member of APSA committee (Association pour la Promotion Scientifique de l’Afrique) and co-organizer of the « Rencontres des Jeunes Chercheurs Africains Francophones » (2014 and 2016). Honorary Professor of the National University of Engineering (UNI) (2005) and the University Ricardo Palma (2013), Lima, Peru.
Investing in sustainable development and resilient projects in Jordan and MENA
11h00
Round table
Moderator: Henry Marty-Gauquié
Presentation of P. Delleur
Presentation by S. E. Kalb
Presentation by U. Steinhorst
Sharing Knowledge Foundation
Henry MARTY-GAUQUIE
Member of the Scientific Advisory Council | Sharing Knowledge Foundation | France
With Graduations in International Law and Political Science, he has dedicated his whole career to the European integration. In 1978, he begins by working for the French Prime Minister (Raymond Barre) in the legal department of the S.G.C.I., now S.G.A.E. From 1981 to 1989, he served at the European Court of Justice as First Secretary at Law of the French Judge, and at the European Court of Auditors as deputy-Legal Counsel and Director of the President’s Private Office. In 1989, he joins the European Investment Bank where he is appointed Spokesperson and Director of EIB Group’s Communication. In late 2003, he becomes the EIB Group Representative in Paris, also in charge with the institutional liaison with non-EU International Organisations. Although retired since end of 2016, he has kept various responsibilities such as Board Member of the French Institute for PPP(IGD), Paris, and Member of the Advisory Board of the FEMISE Network, Marseille and Cairo. He is also Member of the Scientific Councils of the Sharing KnowledgeFoundation, Geneva, of the Association Euromed-IHEDN, Marseille and Paris, and has joined the “Groupe d’analyse JFC Conseil”.Ordre du Mérite européen : Silver Medal.
Philippe DELLEUR
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs |
Alstom | France
Philippe DELLEUR is Senior Vice President, Public Affairs in Alstom. Between 2011 and 2015 he was SVP, International Network and President of Alstom International. He joined Alstom in 2006 as Senior Vice President South Europe-Africa- Middle East, then SVP Latin America and President of Alstom Brazil. Before joining Alstom he worked in the French Ministry of Economy and Finances for 23 years, notably as Managing Director of the Public Procurement Agency, Deputy Secretary of Trade and member of staff of the Minister of Economy and Finance, Michel Sapin. He is a graduate of the ENA (French National School of Administration), Sciences Po Paris and holds a Law Degree.
Sovereign Investor Institute (SII), KLTI Advisors
Scott E. Kalb
Chairman, CEO and Founder | Sovereign Investor Institute (SII), KLTI Advisors | USA
Chairman of the Sovereign Investor Institute (SII), a membership organization of Institutional Investor and the world’s largest private-sector led community for sovereign and government funds. He is CEO and founder of KLTI Advisors, a firm dedicated to helping institutional investors build and protect capital over the long-term. In addition, Scott also was appointed Fellow and Senior Advisor at New America for Bretton Woods II, an initiative focused on encouraging large, long-term institutions to engage in sustainable investing and commit a portion of their assets into impact investing in the developing world.
During 2009-2012, Scott served as the CIO and Deputy CEO of the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), Korea’s US$85 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund, and is one of the few foreigners appointed to manage another country’s sovereign wealth fund portfolio. During his time at KIC, assets under management grew from US$19 billion to US$60 billion. Prior to KIC, Scott was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Balyasny Asset Management (BAM), a multi-strategy hedge fund firm (2006-2008), CEO and Senior Portfolio Manager at Black Arrow Capital Management (2002-2006) and Senior Equity Portfolio Manager at Tudor Investment Corp (1999-2002). Scott also worked at Citigroup for ten years (1990 – 1999), serving as Managing Director of International Asset Management (1995-1999) and of International Equity Research (1990-1995).
Since 2009, Scott has been a member of the WE Forum Global Agenda Council on the Future of Investing He also is on the Advisory Board of the Private Capital Research Institute, a Harvard based initiative dedicated to furthering the understanding of private capital. Scott has written numerous articles regarding long-term investing and the sovereign fund community. He lived in Asia for over fifteen years, speaks Korean and has an AM Degree from Harvard and a BA degree from Oberlin College. Scott lives in Greenwich CT.
Ulrike Steinhorst
President | Nuria Consultancy | France
Ulrike Steinhorst, a German national, has a long experience in senior executive functions, notably at the French utility EDF, the German Degussa Group and the European aeronautics, space and defense company Airbus, with an internationally oriented career and a strong industrial and strategic dominance. Ulrike Steinhorst dedicates at present most of her time to her non-executive Board memberships and to her consulting firm Nuria Consultancy.
After a fascinating experience as advisor to the French Minister of European Affairs during the German re-unification process, she joined the French utility EDF in 1990 for 9 years, holding different functional and operational positions. She changed company and industrial sector when joining the German chemical group Degussa in Germany, first as HR Director in one of the 3 Divisions, later as head of leadership development at Group level. In 2003, Ulrike took over the responsibility for Degussa’s French affiliates in Paris and headed also the representative office of the Group in Brussels. From 2007 to 2012, Ulrike Steinhorst worked closely with CEO Louis Gallois as his Chief of Staff at the helm of EADS/ Airbus Group. She joined the Corporate Technical Office as Head of Strategy, Planning and Finance in 2012 and left Airbus in June 2017. Ulrike is a German lawyer (Ass. Iur.) and holds an EMBA from CPA/HEC. Graduated from the University Paris II – Panthéon in public law, she is also a former student of Ecole Nationale d’Administration. She is currently completing her coaching certificate (ICC) at INSEAD, Fontainebleau.
Energy diversification, a key to Jordan development. Session chaired by Khaled Toukan
14h00
Fossils fuels in the MENA: changing regional dynamics
Bruno WEYMULLER
Membrer of TOTAL Associated Professors |
TOTAL | France
Bruno Weymuller has been Executive Vice President at Total, member of the Executive Committee (2000-2008) in charge of Strategy and Risk Assessment. After joining Elf Aquitaine group in 1981 he has held various management positions in the upstream division both in France and abroad, and has been Chief Financial Officer from 1994 to 2000. He has begun his career in the French civil service at the Ministry for Industry from 1972 to 1978. He joined the Prime Minister Raymond Barre’s cabinet from 1978 to 1981.
He is presently director in the board of the French Energy Council. He is a professor at « L’Institut Français du Pétrole et des Énergies Nouvelles. » and a member of Total Professors Associates. He works on the economics of energy and on the interactions between energy and environment. Bruno Weymuller is an alumnus from the École Polytechnique. He is also a graduate of the École des Mines in Paris. He holds a Master of Science of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Harkness Fellow).
14h45
New perspectives for nuclear energy in Jordan and abroad
Moderator: Bruno Lescoeur
Observatoire Méditerranée de l'Energie
Bruno Lescoeur
Bruno Lescoeur, 63, is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (1973), the École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Économique (ENSAE), and the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (1978). He joined EDF’s General Economic Studies Department in 1978 He moved to London in 1990, where he negotiated and established EDF’s position in the new organisation of the British electricity industry. In 1993, he joined the finance division of EDF and became Deputy Chief Finance Officer.
In 1998, he was appointed Chairman & CEO of London Electricity, which he developed into what became EDF Energy. In 2002, he is Director of Generation, Engineering and Group Trading, at a time when EDF choose to build the new EPR nuclear power station in Flamanville. In 2005, as member of the Executive Committee, he took responsibility for international activities. He negotiated EDF’s withdrawal from Latin America and was an advocate of EPR internationally, both in the USA (2007 agreement with Constellation) and in China (Taishan). In 2008, as Head of EDF’s Gas Activities, he negotiated a cooperation agreement with Gazprom (including EDF’s participation to the South stream project), and led the development of the Dunkirk re-gasification terminal, in partnership with TOTAL and Fluxys. In 2010, he also took responsibility for Italy and Southern Europe. In April 2011 he was appointed CEO of Edison Spa in Italy, remaining also Head of the EDF group Gas Activities.
In 2016, Bruno Lescoeur was appointed Senior Advisor to the Chairman & CEO of EDF. He is has been the Chairman of the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Energie since 2013.
15h00
Keynote by Khaled Toukan
On the development of nuclear power in Jordan
Khaled Toukan
Chairman of The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission and Director of SESAME |
JAEC and SESAME | Jordan
Dr. Toukan is the Chairman of Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, served previously as the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (2011), Minister of Education from 2000 to 2007, and Minister of Higher Education (2001-
2002) and (2005-2007). Dr. Toukan was the President of Al-Balqa Applied University (1997-2001), Jordan; he also held the position of Dean of Faculty of Engineering & Technology and Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Jordan; Research Scientist at Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany; and Associate Research Scientist at the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Toukan holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1978-1982), and M.Sc. degree in Nuclear Engineering from University of Michigan (1976-1978), and a B.E. degree in Electrical
Engineering from The American University of Beirut (1971-1976). Dr. Toukan’s awards include the UNESCO Ghandi Medal of Peace (2003), the Royal Grand Gordon of Alkukab Al-Urduni (2003), the Theos J. Thompson Fellowship (1980-81) in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at M.I.T., Legion de Honore from the French Republic (2004), and Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany (2006) and King Hussein’s Medal of Excellence (2008).
Born in Amman in 1954, Dr Toukan is married with three children. He is a Member of the International High Level EFA Group, a member of H.M. King Abdullah II Economic Consultative Council and presently is Director of SESAME and serves also as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of University of Jordan.
15h30
Keynote by Alain Bugat
An immersed Small Modular Reactor : Seanergie project
Alain Bugat
President of the National Academy of Technology of France (2015-2016). A career fully dedicated to advanced technologies, inside government owned research organizations and industrial companies. Two main activities: energy, nuclear energy and renewables and second : information technologies. Last executive position: Administrateur Général (Chairman and CEO) of the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). Founder in 2009 and present Chairman of NucAdvisor, an advisory and engineering company dedicated to consultancy and owner’s engineer services for new nuclear programs, especially for “Newcomers” countries.
16h00
Keynote by Bruno Lescoeur
Observatoire Méditerranée de l'Energie
Bruno Lescoeur
Bruno Lescoeur, 63, is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (1973), the École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Économique (ENSAE), and the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (1978). He joined EDF’s General Economic Studies Department in 1978 He moved to London in 1990, where he negotiated and established EDF’s position in the new organisation of the British electricity industry. In 1993, he joined the finance division of EDF and became Deputy Chief Finance Officer.
In 1998, he was appointed Chairman & CEO of London Electricity, which he developed into what became EDF Energy. In 2002, he is Director of Generation, Engineering and Group Trading, at a time when EDF choose to build the new EPR nuclear power station in Flamanville. In 2005, as member of the Executive Committee, he took responsibility for international activities. He negotiated EDF’s withdrawal from Latin America and was an advocate of EPR internationally, both in the USA (2007 agreement with Constellation) and in China (Taishan). In 2008, as Head of EDF’s Gas Activities, he negotiated a cooperation agreement with Gazprom (including EDF’s participation to the South stream project), and led the development of the Dunkirk re-gasification terminal, in partnership with TOTAL and Fluxys. In 2010, he also took responsibility for Italy and Southern Europe. In April 2011 he was appointed CEO of Edison Spa in Italy, remaining also Head of the EDF group Gas Activities.
In 2016, Bruno Lescoeur was appointed Senior Advisor to the Chairman & CEO of EDF. He is has been the Chairman of the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Energie since 2013.
17h00
Tapping on infinite resources: Innovative renewable energy projects in Jordan and MENA
Moderator: Bruno Lescoeur
Observatoire Méditerranée de l'Energie
Bruno Lescoeur
Bruno Lescoeur, 63, is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (1973), the École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Économique (ENSAE), and the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (1978). He joined EDF’s General Economic Studies Department in 1978 He moved to London in 1990, where he negotiated and established EDF’s position in the new organisation of the British electricity industry. In 1993, he joined the finance division of EDF and became Deputy Chief Finance Officer.
In 1998, he was appointed Chairman & CEO of London Electricity, which he developed into what became EDF Energy. In 2002, he is Director of Generation, Engineering and Group Trading, at a time when EDF choose to build the new EPR nuclear power station in Flamanville. In 2005, as member of the Executive Committee, he took responsibility for international activities. He negotiated EDF’s withdrawal from Latin America and was an advocate of EPR internationally, both in the USA (2007 agreement with Constellation) and in China (Taishan). In 2008, as Head of EDF’s Gas Activities, he negotiated a cooperation agreement with Gazprom (including EDF’s participation to the South stream project), and led the development of the Dunkirk re-gasification terminal, in partnership with TOTAL and Fluxys. In 2010, he also took responsibility for Italy and Southern Europe. In April 2011 he was appointed CEO of Edison Spa in Italy, remaining also Head of the EDF group Gas Activities.
In 2016, Bruno Lescoeur was appointed Senior Advisor to the Chairman & CEO of EDF. He is has been the Chairman of the Observatoire Méditerranéen de l’Energie since 2013.
Jordan Renewable Energy Fund (JREEEF)
Rasmi Hamzeh
Executive Director; Jordan Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF). EFQM 2013 Certified Assessor. CEO/Co-Founder CSRArabia/ Consulting Company. EFQM Assessor Certification. Assessor at King Abdullah II Center for Excellence Award, Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Government Performance and Dubai Government Excellence Program. Consultant /Business developer, SME’s Capacity Building and Enhancing Entrepreneurs capabilities, SME’s and Entrepreneurs. PMP certification. Daily columnist/writer of newspaper articles regarding political, economic, social and cultural issues.
Hanna Zaghloul
Hanna Zaghloul is the Chief Executive Officer at Kawar Energy (an eco-friendly project development company) since 2008. At Kawar Energy, Zaghloul directly leads several projects in renewable energy including the developmen of ’Shams Ma’an’ a 52.5-megawatt photovoltaic (solar energy) project at the southern part of Jordan.
Zaghloul is particularly interested in ’Shamsi’, a community-scale distributed renewable energy project enticing households and businesses to become clean-energy producers, while also making use of smart-grid technologies, storage solutions and services for energy efficiency and management.
Zaghloul is a founding and ex-board member/ vice chairman of EDAMA initiative and business association, Jordan’s blueprint for a green economy. EDAMA Association formed as a private sector-partnership that seeks innovative solutions for energy and water independence. He is also a founding member and ex-President for the Jordan Energy Chapter, JEC, representing the Association of Energy Engineers, AEE, in Jordan.
In addition to Mr. Zaghloul Energy career that started in 2008, he has over 20 years of experience and strong involvement in the Jordanian Information and Communication Technologies, ICT, field during which he headed several IT companies involved in software development, infrastructure, storage, communications, training and consulting.
Mr. Zaghloul is one of the initial team members to work on Jordan ICT Strategy formulated by the REACH initiative in addition of being a previous board member of INTAJ, Jordan’s ICT business association, where he served as Secretary General. Currently he is a board member of several IT and Energy companies. Mr. Zaghloul holds a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine.
Agriculture and Food security
09h00
Food Security in Subsaharan Africa
Session Chairs: Jean-Christophe Debar et Lionel Gbaguidi
Jean-Christophe DEBAR
Jean-Christophe DEBAR, trained as an agronomist, started his career as an agro-economist at the Embassy of the United States in France. He has been a consultant in international farm policy and agricultural economics, and the editor of Agri US Analyse, a monthly newsletter on US agriculture. Since 2011, he has been the director of the Foundation for World Agriculture and Rurality (FARM), based in Paris. FARM is a think tank devoted to the promotion of productive and sustainable agricultures and food value chains in developing countries. It also supports producer organizations in Africa. FARM’s entrepreneurial vision of agriculture focuses on the emergence of small and medium farms, and their ability to supply to local markets.
Lionel GBAGUIDI
Emergency Management Specialist | FAO | Benin
Lionel GBAGUIDI serves as Emergency Management Specialist at FAO-Emergency Management Center for Animal Health. Before joining FAO, he worked as independent consultant for international organizations (FAO, USAID, and USDA) in West Africa on the prevention and the control of Infectious Diseases (Avian Influenza, Anthrax,..), the adoption of the one health approach for public and veterinary health systems in developing countries and on the analysis of agricultural value chains. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tunisia National Veterinary School in 2001. Afterward, he pursued graduate studies in Epidemiology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp (Belgium). He also holds a Master in Toxicology from Tunis Medical School and a graduate certificate in avian pathology from the French National veterinary school of Alfort.
09h10
Food security in sub-Saharan Africa
Jean-Christophe DEBAR
Jean-Christophe DEBAR, trained as an agronomist, started his career as an agro-economist at the Embassy of the United States in France. He has been a consultant in international farm policy and agricultural economics, and the editor of Agri US Analyse, a monthly newsletter on US agriculture. Since 2011, he has been the director of the Foundation for World Agriculture and Rurality (FARM), based in Paris. FARM is a think tank devoted to the promotion of productive and sustainable agricultures and food value chains in developing countries. It also supports producer organizations in Africa. FARM’s entrepreneurial vision of agriculture focuses on the emergence of small and medium farms, and their ability to supply to local markets.
Lionel GBAGUIDI
Emergency Management Specialist | FAO | Benin
Lionel GBAGUIDI serves as Emergency Management Specialist at FAO-Emergency Management Center for Animal Health. Before joining FAO, he worked as independent consultant for international organizations (FAO, USAID, and USDA) in West Africa on the prevention and the control of Infectious Diseases (Avian Influenza, Anthrax,..), the adoption of the one health approach for public and veterinary health systems in developing countries and on the analysis of agricultural value chains. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tunisia National Veterinary School in 2001. Afterward, he pursued graduate studies in Epidemiology at the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp (Belgium). He also holds a Master in Toxicology from Tunis Medical School and a graduate certificate in avian pathology from the French National veterinary school of Alfort.
10h10
Desert agriculture, innovation from Nabateans till today
Round table
Moderator: Uriel Safriel
Presentation of P. Berliner
Presentation of T. Oweis
Presentation of M. A. Mudabber
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Uriel Safriel
Professor Emeritus of Ecology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Former: Director of the Blaustein Institute for Desert Research of Ben-Gurion University, Chief Scientist of the Israeli Nature Reserves Authority, Chair of the Committee of Science and Technology and Co-chair of the Science-Policy Interface of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. Currently Chair of Israel National Ecosystem Assessment, and of Israel National Man and Biosphere Committee.
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Pedro Berliner
Prof Emeritus Pedro Berliner, a member of the Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Berliner’s main research interest is the efficient use of water in rainfed agricultural systems and planted forests in drylands. He has studied and developed the techniques that make use of flood waters for the irrigation of orchards and forests planted in arid zones, with a focus on the evaporation of water from the surface of bare soils and between the rows of crops. He is involved in the development, testing and modeling of agricultural techniques that increase the water use efficiency of crops and planted forests. The results of these studies have been published in leading scientific journals and he has served as a referee for numerous scientific journals and funding agencies. In addition to BGU, he has held a research post in South Africa and was a visiting professor in Spain, Japan and Mexico and was the Director of the Blaustein Institutes from 2010 to 2014. He is currently Israel’s Focal Point for the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification and incumbent of UNESCO Chair “Plant water relations in sand dunes”.
International Center for Agricultural Research in the...
Theib Oweis
Currently acting director of the Integrated Water and Land Management Program (IWLMP) at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Formerly, Distinguished Guest Professor of water management in agriculture at the International Platform for Dryland research and Education (IPDRE) of Tottori University in Japan. Since 1991, worked for ICARDA as Director of research, scientist, and research manager. Earlier, worked for the University of Jordan, Amman, as an assistant professor in irrigation and drainage and in the 70’s worked for Dar Alhandash Consultants (Shaer and Partners) as a field irrigation engineer in south Yemen. Received a BSc. degree in agriculture from Aleppo University, Syria in 1972 and MSc and PhD degrees in agricultural and irrigation engineer from Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA in 1980 & 1983. Has over 40 years of experience in international research, development and human capacity building and in the management of water for agriculture in the dry areas. Author of over 200 refereed journal publications, books/book chapters and conference proceedings in the areas of water use efficiency, supplemental irrigation, water harvesting, water productivity, deficit irrigation, salinity and the management of scarce water resources.
National Center for Agricultural Research and Extention...
Mohammed Ali Mudabber
Graduated from the University of Jordan in 1980 (B.Sc. in Soil and Irrigation) and in 1987 (M.Sc. in Soil and Irrigation). Currently working as a Director of the Water and Environment Research Directorate at the National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (NCARE). Work experience is 10-years work at the ministry of agriculture and 19-years work at NCARE). Experience includes soil conservation expert and water management. A coordinator for several projects working in the fields of wastewater-reuse, use of marginal water and irrigation management information system. An irrigation expert in the project “Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Irrigated Agricultural Productivity in Lebanon and Jordan – ENSIAP” since February 2013.
11h40
Keynote by Martin Gastal
How can high energy physics help the water shortage?
Martin Gastal
CMS Engineering and Technology Interface |
CERN | Switzerland
Mr.Martin Gastal (MBA and MSc Physics) is a senior staff member of CERN, the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Mr.Gastal has been since 2006 the manager of the CMS experimental area, which includes the planning, coordination and follow up of all the activities of one of the largest and most advanced machines that human kind has ever built. Mr.Gastal is also a facilitator for the integration of new institutes into the CMS collaboration through engineering and technological engagement. He stimulates the development of many projects that, using CERN technology, benefit the local communities and promote economic development.
What answers to the water crisis in Jordan and the MENA?
13h45
Challenges of the water sector in Jordan and updates from the Red-Dead project
Moderator: Koussai Quteishat
Presentation of M. Al Zoubi
Presentation of P. Bachelery
Presentation of N. Zoubi
Jordan River Consultancy Services
Koussai Quteishat
General Manager | Jordan River Consultancy Services | Jordan
Koussai Quteishat is the General Manager of Jordan River Consultancy Services, JRC, a private consultancy firm on water institutional issues. He is also the President of Jordan Desalination and Reuse Association, a Jordanian NGO. Both entities serve as a resource providing access to Jordanian water professionals in all aspects of water and wastewater ranging from policy and governance to institutional management and day to day operations. Mr. Quteishat gained extensive technical expertise in five major specialties: water and wastewater, geotechnical engineering, desalination, and contract management. Mr. Quteishat has had long term involvement in regional and international water issues in public and private settings; served on many international committees and has given presentations worldwide on the topics of water, water management, desalination, project finance, as well as regional and peace process water issues.
The Higher Population Council
Maysoon Al-Zoubi
Maysoon Al-Zoubi currently the Secretary General of the Higher Population Council. She got a bachelor of Engineering at the University of Jordan in 1986. Then, she attended many specialization courses abroad. She got a Master of Water Demand Management at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. From January 2009 to July 2012, she has been the Secretary General of the Jordan Ministry of Water & Irrigation. Her professional experience is quite extensive and was accumulated mainly at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. She joint the Hashemite Royal Court as Senior Policy Analyst / Economic Affairs Department from 2007 to 2009. Before that, she was seconded to the Prime Ministry of Jordan as Senior Infrastructure Specialist from April 2005 to April 2007. She has involved in providing objective, timely and proactive analysis with respect to international and domestic economic issues through constant coordination with various stakeholders including both the private and public sectors. Recommend a set of policy priorities and directions in accordance with Jordan’s strategic and national objectives. Prepare an extensive report providing sector overview that includes: main sector indicators in comparison to previous years, recent developments, and challenges.
Maysoon Zoubi has a long and prestigious career increasing accountable, sustainable, water sector management and governance for Jordan’s water resources. Maysoon Al-Zoubi has 29 years of experience managing water resources and utilities in Jordan demonstrating political savviness and diplomacy working closely with numerous political and private stakeholders. Eng. Maysoon Al-Zoubi served as the Technical Committee Chair for the ambitious Red to Dead Sea Project, Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change, Jordan. She is a WANA Institute’s Academic Advisory Board Member, Blue Peace Core Group member, chaired by HRH Prince Hasan Bin Talal, and The Jordanian Engineers Association’s Representative in Arab Engineers Union Committee of Water and Natural Resources.
Samra Plant Operation & Maintenance Co. Ltd
Patrick Bachelery
Patrick Bachelery is the General Manager of Samra Plant Operation & Maintenance Co. Ltd, the current operator of the biggest Wastewater Treatment Plant in Jordan, located in Zarqa, Hashimiyyah. He has been working in the field of potable and sewage water for 25 years and has occupied different management positions in engineering and operation for Suez Group, one of the world leaders in environment services. During the last 14 years, he specialized in operation of wastewater treatment plants and also managed different projects in treated wastewater and sludge reuse in agriculture.He holds a Master of Science in Hydraulics, water resources option, from l’ECOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE D’HYDRAULIQUE et de MECANIQUE (Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble), France.
Nabil Zoubi
Education: BSc in Civil Engineering/ University of Alabama/USA 1982; MSc in Hydraulic Engineering/University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K/1990. Current Work Position: Director/ Red Sea- Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project; and Chairman of Board of Directors/ Wadi Araba Development Company.
15h30
What is the role of technology in meeting improving sanitation and SDG6?
Alison PARKER
Alison PARKER has a large research activity in technologies for urban sanitation. She is leading Cranfield University’s response to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s challenge to “Reinvent the Toilet”, using novel membrane technology to treat human waste on-site. She is working at both ends of the technology development process – helping to develop a novel technology for Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and in testing “off the shelf” systems for Water and Sanitation for Urban Poor (WSUP). Supporting stakeholders to provide safe water supplies is another research focus through Alison’s work in WASHTech project, a European project aiming to help African decision makers decide which water and sanitation technologies to use in their projects and Community Water Plus, an AusAID funded project aiming to understand what support communities in India need to manage their water supplies. She also has research students working on Water Safety Plans in Malaysia, Nigeria, Jamaica, India and Uganda and on the transition of urban communities between informal supplies and piped systems in Kenya. She is the Course Tutor of the MSc in Community Water and Sanitation.
16h00
The water crisis in Gaza: blueprint for solutions
Moderator: Miriam Balaban
Presentation of Y. Abu Mayla
Presentation of C. De Bruyne
European Desalination Society
Miriam Balaban
Miriam BALABAN is a graduate in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. She is the founder of Desalination, the international journal for desalting and purification of water, and was its Editor-in- Chief from 1966 to 2009. In 2009 she launched the monthly journal Desalination and Water Treatment to accommodate the growing flood of papers in the field and enable prompt publication. She is editor and publisher of the Desalination Directory, the international online database in desalination water reuse. She is the Secretary General of the European Desalination Society with its headquarters in Italy, where she organizes courses, conferences, and workshops in desalination. She is associated with the desalination program – Center for Clean Water and Energy – in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Desalination Association and Star of Honor from the President of Italy. She has been adviser to the African Academy of Science in establishing the journal “Discover” and establishing the African Association of Science Editors.
Yousef S. Abu Mayla
Ph.D. in Hydrology. Manchester University, England, (1984 – 87). ( Hydrologic and Geomorphic Processes in Coombs Brook Macclesfield forest U. K. ). Thesis: The problem of Water in Jordan – East Bank. Lecturing in Hydrology and environmental Science Al Azhar University – Gaza ; and the Islamic University of Gaza.
Research and Activities: about 57 paper – and about 25 Project. Attended a number of workshops and conferences in water and environmental issues. Also participated in all the meetings of the Multilateral Negotiations on the Middle East Peace Process for water (1991-1995).
Charlotte De Bruyne
Charlotte joined OQ in August 2015. Besides her extensive experience in the water sector, she completed a PhD in transboundary water management at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Before OQ, she worked as a consultant for the Center of Transboundary Water Management of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies in Israel and the Palestinian Territory, the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka and South Africa and OXFAM GB in the DR Congo.
Abraham Tenne
Senior Consultant on Water, Wastewater, Desalination, Energy | Private consultant | Israel
Chemical Engineer B.Sc graduated in 1973. Worked for many years in the chemical industry and in the water sector as project manager and general management.In the years 2005-2015 worked for the Israeli Water Authority as Head of desalination Division and Chairman of the WDA (water desalination administration). The Water Authority is the governmental authority regulating the water sector and including all water and waste water issues in Israel.
Since 2016 working as a senior consultant on Water, Wastewater, Desalination, Solid municipal waste (waste to energy) and Clean and Renewable Energy.
17h30
Sharing knowledge about agriculture in arid land
Presentation of S. Kronich
Presentation of Z. Ezery
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Zubaida Ezery
Zubaida Ezery is from Akko, and currently living in Beer Sheva. Zubaida is a coordinator of Gray water system in the Bedouin communities in the Negev project, part of the Center for Transboundary Water Management (CTWM) at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies started working at The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) recently as an environmental education project coordinator, her job includes being in charge of two projects that deal with pupils and teachers.
Zubaida was a student at the Arava Institute in spring 2013 and a PA in full 2014. Before that, she worked as a lab manger in a wastewater and effluent tests lab. Zubaida is a Phd Student candidate at the Faculty of Health Sciences in the Department of Health Systems Managemen, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Has a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Haifa University, In February 2015, supported by the Arava institute, she wrote her thesis at Ben-Gurion University on “Inadequate Wastewater Infrastructure Effect on the Health and Environment of the Bedouin Population in the Negev”.
Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Shira Kronich
Associate Director of the Center for Transboundary Water Management (CTWM) at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, www.arava.org, and the Wastewater Manager at the Eilot Regional Council. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Melbourne in Environmental Engineering and Master’s degree from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in G/local Community Development. Her work at CTWM focuses on providing a platform for regional water professionals and policy makers to cooperate in water conservation, desalination, wastewater treatment and education. The center facilitates direct communication among regional water professionals in the three lower riparian states of the Jordan River and Dead Sea Basin (Israel, Palestine and Jordan. She was the project manager for an EU Marie Curie Action and a USAID Conflict Mitigation and Management grant focused on the conflict resolution aspects of regional water, food and energy challenges between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
Ms. Kronich is currently the Co-Chair and Coordinator of the Arava Institutes Track II Environmental Forum which aims to “promote cross-border environmental agreements between Jordan, Israel and Palestine, with the objectives of improving lives, protecting the environment, and supporting sustainable resolution of conflict.”
Munqeth Mehyar
Munqeth Mehyar serves as Chairman and Jordanian Director of EcoPeace Middle East which is a unique regional organization that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian and Israeli environmentalists to promote sustainable development and advance peace efforts in the Middle East. The organization has offices in Amman, Bethlehem and Tel-Aviv, and employs over 40 paid staff and actively involves hundreds of volunteers.
09h00
General Discussion and Preparation of recommendations