Saif Mohammed Al Ghais, Ph. D. – Associate Professor of Marine Biology (Environmental Science). He acquired B.Sc. degree in Biological Sciences from Seattle Pacific University, USA and Ph.D. degree in Marine Biology from the University of Liverpool, UK and thereafter has been associated with the teaching and research programs of the UAE University in biological and environmental sciences as a teaching staff member of Biology Department and the Head of Marine Environment Research Section. He was leading the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as its Secretary General from 1996 – 2001.
Dr. Al Ghais is a marine biologist dedicated to the cause of environment conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the country.
He is well known for his contributions to some pioneer projects in the UAE such as characterization and compilation of fish species inhabiting the UAE waters, the rehabilitation and conservation of mangrove ecosystem, the conservation of sea turtles and dugong and the impact assessment of environmental pollution. He was awarded research grants by the Shell companies in the UAE to support mangroves and sea turtles conservation projects. The first comprehensive and systematic study of nesting and behavior, feeding grounds, breeding and life cycle and ecology of marine turtles undertaken by Dr. Al Ghais and associates in the UAE is valuable for an understanding of their status, biology, distribution and conservation, which is of international importance because these endangered species are migratory in nature and five of the seven recognized species of marine turtles visit the UAE coastal waters.
Dr. Al Ghais has been also contributing to the environmental protection and management efforts of other government and non-government organizations on the national and international level.
Dr. Al Ghais has published more than 28 research papers in reputed international journals, participated in more than 42 meeting and conferences (25 professional presentations ) and secured the prestigious life membership of a number of renowned scientific societies of the world such as The American Fisheries Society, The Fisheries Society of the British Isles, International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management and The Estuarine and Coastal Science Association and as documents editors / Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy. He has been invited by the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Center Honolulu Laboratory and Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory at Sequim, Washington to undertake collaborative research programs in marine sciences. He was on a Fulbright Scholarship at Western Washington University in Washington State from September 2000 until October 2001. Currently he is the Vice-Chair for Western Indian Ocean IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, and Adjunct Professor at Western Washington University.
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