Muscat: In a bid to spur innovation in small scale desalination technologies, MEDRC has launched in partnership with USAID, an international call for research proposals.
To engage the broadest possible community of researchers and innovators from across the world, MEDRC’s desalination innovation strategy has two approaches - an innovation inducement prize called the ‘Oman Humanitarian Desalination Challenge’ carrying a $700,000 cash prize, and the international research call announced today with support from USAID.
The Oman Humanitarian Desalination Challenge Prize is a joint initiative led by MEDRC and The Research Council (TRC) with funding provided by the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science. The $700,000 cash prize will be awarded to the team or person that delivers a hand-held, low-cost, off-grid desalination device that can be rapidly deployed in the aftermath of a humanitarian crisis.
Small-scale unit
MEDRC are specifically looking for proposals that adopt a highly innovative approach, that might eventually lead to the development of the hand-held single user device that the $700,000 Prize looks for.
The organisation’s Centre Director, Ciar?n ? Cuinn said ‘In desalination the R&D focus usually centers on upscaling desalination plants to help meet demand and guarantee returns on investment. Through the support of our partners The Research Council (TRC) and USAID, MEDRC is looking at the absolute reverse. We want to put the power of a desalination plant into the hands of an individual, offering them a means to safely produce clean fresh water for themselves and their families whenever, wherever they need it.
MEDRC has invited interested applicants to visit their website www.medrc.org/research for further details on the research call and to apply.
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