Latest news with #ZayedNationalMuseumResearchFund
Al Etihad
20-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Zayed National Museum opens applications for 2025 Research Fund
20 May 2025 20:47 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the United Arab Emirates, invites researchers from around the world to apply to the 2025 Zayed National Museum Research Fund before 14 July 2025. The Research Fund, which amounts to a total of AED1 million, supports research projects contributing to the preservation, advancement of knowledge and understanding of the United Arab Emirates' heritage and culture, as well as that of the wider Research Fund is inspired by the values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, through its commitment to ambitious and rigorous research that preserves and revives the UAE's deep heritage, while fostering knowledge, innovation, and resilience. The fund provides both large and small grants, targeting seasoned researchers as well as those at the beginning of their careers, whose work aims to deepen our collective understanding of the history and culture of the United Arab Emirates and wider Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, said: "The nurturing of the generation of knowledge and creativity supports our commitment to preserve and promote the treasured cultural heritage of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, in line with the inspiring example set by our founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed. The UAE has long been a crossroads of cultures, ideas, and progress, and the Research Fund is a natural extension of that legacy, empowering researchers to push the boundaries of discovery which shape our understanding of the past and inform our collective future. These insights not only provide new knowledge, but inform the present, fostering pride and a stronger sense of cultural identity in our youth and all members of the community, and enabling us to further share our heritage with the world." Applications will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from Zayed National Museum and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, as well as external subject matter experts. The research projects will be assessed against criteria such as research methodology, experience, outcomes, and alignment with the museum's Peter Magee, Director of Zayed National Museum, said: "Each year, the Zayed National Museum Research Fund enables researchers and academics to dig deeper into our past, revealing valuable insights into the history, heritage and traditions of the United Arab Emirates and the region. By supporting original scholarship, the Research Fund contributes to a growing body of knowledge that informs the present and preserves cultural continuity. Rooted in the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, whose vision championed education and heritage, these grants play a vital role in cultivating intellectual engagement and strengthening a shared sense of identity.'Dr Magee continues: 'As a research institution, I am immensely proud of the pivotal role Zayed National Museum plays in preserving the rich history and culture of the region for future generations and inspiring the next cohort of historians, archaeologists, and thinkers.'The key themes of the Research Fund include the life and achievements of the UAE's Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the archaeological and intangible history of the UAE, the archaeology and history of the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, and conferences and invited lectures that revolve around the themes in 2023, Zayed National Museum's Research Fund has now supported 18 projects from countries across the globe, including China, Egypt, India, Italy, France, Oman, Poland, UAE, UK and USA. The projects supported by the fund represent a wide variety of topics and fields – from the rock art of Southern and Eastern Arabia, to Sheikh Zayed's legacy, and its role and impact on UAE's society and culture. Previous recipients of the fund have gone on to research population history of the region through analysis of ancient DNA, historical trade routes between India and the Arabian Peninsula, and shifts in the cultural landscape among the Early Bronze Age inhabitants of the Al Ain by the legacy of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Zayed National Museum will be the most comprehensive source of information of the nation's history and culture, tracing the story of this land from ancient times to the present day. Through immersive exhibitions, active research, and engaging public programming, the museum builds on Sheikh Zayed's vision, upholding the values he stood for, including progress, collaboration and the preservation of heritage. Researchers can apply to Zayed National Museum's Research Fund before 14 July 2025 by visiting this link:
The National
03-04-2025
- General
- The National
Emirati cultural champions among winners of Dh1m Zayed National Museum Research Fund
Four Emirati researchers have been named among eight recipients of an annual Dh1 million fund aimed at deepening understanding of the UAE's rich history and culture. The group of winners in the second Zayed National Museum Research Fund, announced on Thursday, comprises leading university academics, lecturers and professors drawn from the Emirates, Italy, India and the US. They have been chosen for crucial funding support by an expert panel which assessed the projects of 79 applicants from around the world. They will share the Dh1 million grant pool in order to further work exploring the UAE's past and present, including a comprehensive encyclopaedia of the country's native trees and a study of its modern architecture and contemporary landmarks. 'Zayed National Museum's Research Fund exemplifies Sheikh Zayed's commitment to learning about our past and fostering knowledge of the region's history and culture,' said Mohammed Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism. 'The research fund not only supports researchers but also contributes to preserving the rich tangible and intangible heritage of the United Arab Emirates. 'Through these diverse research projects, the research fund spans a variety of topics which will shed new light on the deep history and culture of the United Arab Emirates and broader region.' Peter Magee, director of Zayed National Museum, said the awarded highlighted how the flagship museum – which is due to open at the end of this year as part of the Saadiyat Cultural District – will seek to be at the heart of efforts to champion national culture. 'This research fund is one of the many ways Zayed National Museum is supporting research into the culture and heritage of the UAE and the wider region,' he said. 'Following the success of last year's inaugural round of funding, we're proud to announce the new cohort of researchers. We were very impressed with the applications which represent a wide range of specialisms – from archaeology and architecture to Sheikh Zayed's lasting legacy. 'I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the recipients, and I look forward to hearing about the outcomes of their research.' Dr Fatema Al Mazroui, head of the Historical Archives Department at Abu Dhabi's National Library and Archives, is delving into the origins of the capital's education system for a project called History of Formal Education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: A Reading of Qasr Al Hosn Documents (1957–1966). Fatema Al Shehhi and Hessa Al Shehhi, of the Department of Antiquities and Museums, are joining forces to investigate how the nation's love of pottery developed. Their work is called Reconstructing the History, Technology, and Uses of Pottery through the Study of Pottery Shards from Ras Al Khaimah Archaeological Sites. Marwan Al Falasi is writing the Encyclopaedia of Native Trees in the UAE: Perennial and Annual Trees, Compilation, Collection, Analysis and Commentary. The book will feature illustrations and details of the rich array of trees native to the Emirates. Dr Khaled Alawadi will continue work on a project celebrating modern day architectural wonders which dominate the country's skyline in a project called Transnational Heritage: Putting UAE's Modern Architecture and Contemporary Landmarks on the Map. Michele Degli Esposti, from Italy, is an associate professor at the Institute for Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, Polish Academy of Sciences. He received funding for the Abraq Research Project: Life and Death in South-East Arabia in the Second Millennium BC. Dr Akshyeta Suryanarayan, from India, is a Gerald Averay Wainwright postdoctoral fellow at the McDonald institute for archaeological research at the University of Cambridge. She was recognised for her work, Understanding Long-Term Vessel Use in South-Eastern Arabia Through Organic Residue Analysis. Prof Yasser Elsheshtawy, from the US, is an adjunct professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. His research project is Zayed's Gift to the People: A Typo-Morphological Study of the UAE National House. Dr William Zimmerle, also from the US, is a senior lecturer in arts and humanities and an affiliated faculty member of the Arab Crossroads Studies Programme and History Programme at New York University Abu Dhabi. His research is The Rock Art of Southern and Eastern Arabia; A Virtual Study Centre for the Digital Preservation of Petroglyphs in the UAE.
