We are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Global WtERT Council (WtERT) and Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Both organizations agreed to join forces to collaborate together to advance research and exchange experiences, knowledge and skills in the field of energy from waste. On October 27th, 2023, JUST organized a welcome ceremony to host the WtERT Jordan chapter at the Department of Civil Engineering, which will be a platform for the activities of students and researchers in the fields of Waste-to-Energy technologies.
Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) launched the activities of establishing the Jordanian branch of the Global Waste to Energy Research and Technology Council (WtERT®). The Civil Engineering Department at the university hosts the Council’s office in its capacity as the WtERT Council’s representative in Jordan. The activities were launched through a workshop under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Engineering, Professor Hanan Al-Nimri, who indicated that the university, based on its philosophy and commitment to achieving the principles of sustainability, had signed a memorandum of understanding with the WtERT council, which is based at Columbia University in the United States. The memorandum stipulates cooperation in the areas of research and exchange of experiences, knowledge and skills in the field of energy from waste. From his side, Professor Ayman Ababneh, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, welcomed the participants, and pointed out that the Department of Civil Engineering is one of the eight departments of the College of Engineering, which offers six academic programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, including the master’s program in Environmental Engineering, where all these programs are Accredited locally and internationally. He added that the Department of Civil Engineering is proud to host the Council’s branch, as this is consistent with the strategic directions of the department and reflects positively on research cooperation and the educational and learning process for students in the department.
Dr. Hani Abu Qdais, Professor of Environmental Engineering at JUST university and coordinator of the WtERT council branch in Jordan pointed out that the establishment of WtERT branch in Jordan and hosting it at JUST campus is a valuable opportunity to enable researchers and students to network and cooperate with other Council’s member universities to gain a knowledge on modern technologies in the field of energy recovery from waste by applying the principles of the circular economy and activating integrated waste management tools, so that this waste becomes a source of clean energy instead of energy deplete. In his lecture he gave at the workshop, Dr. Abu- Qadis reviewed the most appropriate technologies for recovering energy from waste in Jordan.
The Vice-President, International Relations of the Global WtERT Council, Mr. Reda M. Kabbaj, presented the council’s objectives, which are to identify the most appropriate technologies available for recovering energy from waste, conduct research related to that, and make the information resulting from this research available to all those interested through publishing scientific papers and reports and scientific publications. Mr. Kabbaj pointed out that the Council members include 28 universities and research institutions from all over the world. Among the major WtERT council activities is conducting specialized training courses and holding international conferences. Mr. Kabbaj praised the Council’s partnership with JUST, as the University has an international reputation and includes high-level researchers and experts.
During the workshop, which was attended by a group of professors, researchers, students and specialists, various lectures on technologies for energy recovery from waste were presented., Engineer Suhaib Ababneh spoke about energy recovery from Biowaste and their energetic potential. Eng. Islam Sharaan a master student in Environmental Engineering presented on the environmental impacts assessment of converting waste into hydrogen energy using life cycle assessment. In conclusion, Engineer Rama Abu Qamar, spoke about determining the amounts of potential energy in organic waste by measuring it using a calorimeter. After the conclusion of the workshop, the Dean of the College of Engineering cut the ribbon marking the opening of the Council’s headquarters in the Civil Engineering Department, which will be a platform for the activities of students and researchers in the fields of energy from waste.
About Global WtERT Council Inc. “WtERT®”
Founded in 2002, the Global Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council, WtERT®, is the foremost Non-forProfit research association on Waste-to-Energy (WtE) worldwide, founded by the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University, It bring together engineers and scientists from industry, government and Universities from 26 countries across the globe to collaborate together to advance both the economic and environmental performance of Waste-to-Energy technologies and disseminate all research and findings to the general public. WtERT® is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association (EIN: 45-3842166) that prides itself on being a unique Industryacademia consortium to advance Waste-to-Energy technologies. For more information about the organization, visit wtert.org.
About Jordan University of Science and Technology “JUST”
Jordan University of Scienceand Technology is recognized in scientific research locally and regionally. For example, it is first among all Jordanian universities in terms of scientific research activity and accomplishments. It is the only university in Jordan, which has been classified as one of the top fifty universities among 1460 universities and being among the top 3% of those universities in the Islamic world according to a study by the Center for the Islamic World for Training and Statistical Research, Economic and Social (SESRTCIC, Ankara Center). Having in mind JUST is the only University in the country which has been listed in the top fifty universities in the Islamic world. The study was based on the identification of the best research indicators which are objective and measurable, and included all the universities that are members of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC). The University is also known for its highly qualified faculty. Some faculty members are recognized internationally in their disciplines; two have earned the seventh and twentieth classifications of Leading Scientist (OIC); and others hold patents for their inventions. Faculty members at JUST have also earned over 95 distinguished national and regional research awards. visit www.just.edu.jo
