Latest news with #Yordi
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi inspires next generation of marine champions through SeaWorld's One Ocean mission
8 June 2025 23:43 KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI)The UAE is emerging as a regional leader in marine conservation, research, and public engagement, with its environmental institutions spotlighting the ocean's vital role in sustaining life and advancing conversations on sustainability and youth year's World Oceans Day - marked on June 8 - was the largest in history, with events in more than 178 countries and a strong focus on youth leadership. From Abu Dhabi to Poland to Guam, young advocates raised their voices in a growing global call to protect the ocean. The theme, 'When Youth Lead, Our Ocean Wins', reflected the movement's drive to empower the next generation to act for a more just and sustainable the UAE, institutions like SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, are putting that vision into practice. Central to SeaWorld's mission is its One Ocean philosophy, which emphasises the deep interconnectedness between human life and marine ecosystems.'World Oceans Day is a moment to reflect on the responsibility we all share in protecting the ocean,' Rob Yordi, Zoological Vice President and General Curator at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, told Aletihad. 'At SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, our mission is rooted in the One Ocean story and that all life on Earth is deeply connected to the ocean, and the ocean connects us all.'Through eight immersive marine-themed realms, SeaWorld invites guests into a journey of discovery guided by expert zoologists and educators. Alongside other institutions like the National Aquarium, it is taking on a leading role in educating the next generation about the importance of ocean habitats. At this marine life theme park, experiences are 'designed to spark curiosity, inspire discovery, and raise awareness about the different marine species and the vital ecosystems they inhabit', Yordi addition to its public offerings, the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre plays a crucial role in marine science and conservation in the UAE. Yordi highlighted the centre's collaborative approach, believing it to be the cornerstone of the centre's success. 'We are always keen on conducting partnerships with educational institutions and universities. We already did so with NYU Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD), and with Miral's partnership with ADEK through the centre,' he said. 'With the support of these institutions, we are able to inspire and engage the next generation of marine advocates, expanding our reach and impact across the youth community,' Yordi the centre's recent achievements was the region's first Arabian Scientific Seagrass Workshop, which brought together researchers and conservationists to tackle the urgent and understudied issue of seagrass habitats. Another major milestone is the rescue and rehabilitation of over 500 marine animals, in partnership with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. 'We are extremely proud to have recently reached a major milestone of rescuing and rehabilitating over 500 injured and distressed animals … with many returned to their natural habitats,' Yordi Lasting Change World Oceans Day is not just about events or education, it's about shaping the future, a vision clearly echoed by the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council. This council includes 25 young changemakers from 24 countries who organise clean-ups, policy campaigns, and year-round advocacy efforts.'Youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow - we are leading today,' said Paulina Slawek, a council member from Poland. 'Our voices, perspectives, and solutions are already reshaping climate discourse.'The UAE's engagement with World Oceans Day aligns with its broader environmental goals and its positioning as a hub for sustainable development and innovation. With projects like SeaWorld Yas Island, robust public-private partnerships, and rising youth involvement, the UAE is creating a unique model of marine conservation that bridges education, science, entertainment, and advocacy. 'Protecting the ocean is not a one-day effort - it's an ongoing commitment. Through collaboration, education, and innovation, we hope to inspire lasting change that ensures the health of our oceans for generations to come,' Yordi said.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Austin nonprofit to host community technology and arts festival
An Austin-area nonprofit is hosting an interactive festival this week celebrating technology and the arts, with the goal of exposing young Latinas to education and careers in STEM. Latinitas will host its inaugural TechKermés event on Friday, featuring performances, food and interactive activities with local tech companies such as Dell Technologies, Applied Materials, CapMetro, Electronic Arts, NXP Semiconductors and more. "This is part of our community component," Latinitas spokesperson Salwa Yordi told the American-Statesman. This is an opportunity to gather our families, any families in the community, to kick off the summer with us and get to do something different." Founded in 2002, Latinitas aims to empower young girls and communities through "culturally relevant" education. The organization hosts events, like TechKermés and its annual Startup Chica conference, to expose Latino students, especially girls, to careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math, Yordi said. According to a 2024 report by the Kapor Foundation, one in 10 U.S. workers in technology is Latino, with 5% of executive leadership roles and 3% of tech company board seats held by Latino professionals. The report also found that, despite comprising only 10% of the tech workforce in the U.S., Latinos make up about 11.5% of laid off workers in the industry. That same study found that 78% of Latino students have access to foundational computer science courses in high school, compared with 82% of white students and 89% of Asian students. "The numbers when it comes to Latinas in tech, the percentage is really, really low," Yordi said. "These events give them the opportunity to think of a career that they want to engage with. Also, the digital literacy component, too. It's an opportunity to create an ecosystem where somebody that looks like them, speaks Spanish, talks in their language, shares their work, they could see themselves in tech someday." TechKermés will have interactive activities in robotics, virtual reality, 3D printing, drones and more, as well as five performers from different Latin American countries, Yordi said. When: Noon to 4 p.m. on May 31. Where: H-E-B Eastside Tech Hub at 2416 E. Sixth St. Parking: There will be limited free parking at the H-E-B Eastside Hub on E. Seventh Street. Tickets: The event is free and does not require tickets to attend. Latinitas does have an RSVP link to register for the event, or attendees can simply show up. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What to know about Latinitas' tech and arts festival
The National
03-05-2025
- Science
- The National
'A hidden treasure': Scientists rally to protect the Gulf's overlooked seagrass meadows
Vital to dugongs, sea turtles, fish nurseries and carbon storage, seagrass meadows are among the ocean's most critical – and at the same time most overlooked – ecosystems. Yet, they are disappearing at alarming rates around the world. Scientists from across the region gathered in Abu Dhabi for the first Arabian Seagrass Workshop last week, aiming to change that narrative. Held at the Yas Seaworld Research and Rescue Centre, the event marks a major step forward in spotlighting the Gulf's underwater grasslands, and accelerating efforts to conserve and restore them. "Seagrass is a building block," Rob Yordi, general curator at the centre, told The National. "It's the food source and shelter for so many organisms -small fish, invertebrates, sea turtles, and of course – dugongs." The UAE is home to the worlds second largest population of dugong, with 3,000 living off the country's shores. A single dugong, Mr Yordi explained, can consume up to 40 kilograms of seagrass in a day. "So you need vast, healthy meadows. But, what we've seen over decades is decline. We are trying to figure out why – and how to reverse it." The centre is conducting field research off the Abu Dhabi coast and running lab-based trials to better understand how to propagate, replant, and restore degraded seagrass beds. Speaking at the event in Abu Dhabi, Dr Emma Jackson, president of the World Seagrass Association said "seagrass meadows continue to be lost and degraded at a global scale." She highlights that about a third of mapped European seagrass meadows for example have already been lost. According to the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the mapped extent of the emirate's seagrass area is well over 3,000 square kilometres – with the main concentrations found around Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve and Al Yasat Marine Protected Area. This represents 80 per cent of all seagrass habitat in the Arabian Gulf. "These meadows support the second-largest dugong population in the world, after Australia," Noura Al Mansoori, marine biodiversity specialist at EAD, told The National. "And, most people don't even realise they exist. Seagrasses are underwater, and they're often mistaken for seaweed, but they're completely different. These are flowering plants with roots and rhizomes, adapted to a marine environment." Al Mansoori said the Gulf's extreme summer conditions, where water temperatures can exceed 35°C, presents unique survival challenges. "That's above tolerance for many species around the world. But our seagrasses hang on. They're resilient, but they need help." EAD is deploying AI technology to map historic trends and identify priority restoration zones, building on decades of monitoring and conservation work. One of the key goals of the Abu Dhabi summit was to lay the foundations to create a regional framework for research and action. Delegates presented national data and participated in gap analyses and planning sessions focused on data from around the region. Dr Elise Marquis, director of the Yas Seaworld Research and Rescue Centre confirmed that a technical report – "the first of its kind for the region"- will be produced following the session to guide future collaboration. Looking ahead, the region's seagrass science community is preparing for a bigger stage, Abu Dhabi will host the 16th International seagrass Biology Workshop in 2026, bringing together the world's top experts. "The momentum is here," said Dr Marquis. "We've undervalued these meadows for too long. It's time we gave them the recognition and protection they deserve."
