On 1 November 2015, Chad Staddon gave a lecture entitled “Thirsty Cities: could cities be both the cause and the solution to today’s water woes?” to an appreciative audience of faculty and students at United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE. The lecture was co-sponsored by the College of Science and the National Water Centre and is part of a growing relationship between UAEU and IWSN, particularly around issues to do with urban water management, water technologies and the water-food-energy nexus. In addition to the lecture Chad spent three days meeting with faculty and students to discuss areas of common interest, focusing specifically on staff/student mobility between UAEU and IWSN research centres and collaborative bidding. Chad was also able to meet with stakeholders within the water services sector pursuant to a forthcoming water-city case study of Abu Dhabi.
During the visit, Professor Ahmed Ali Murad, Acting Dean of the College of Science, presented Chad Staddon with a token of appreciation for his efforts to build collegial relations with UAEU.