The Desert Environment Research Center (DERC) is a strategic initiative at UAEU established to serve as a leading regional hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research on desert and arid environments. The Center’s primary focus is on advancing knowledge and practical solutions for desert ecosystems, water resources, and climate change adaptation, directly supporting the UAE’s national development priorities, sustainability, and climate resilience.
DERC advances knowledge and practical solutions for desert environments through
interdisciplinary research, capacity building, and strategic partnerships.
To be a leading regional hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research on desert environments, supporting sustainability, climate resilience, and national development in arid regions.
Welcome to the Desert Environment Research Center (DERC) at United Arab Emirates University. As we embark on this vital journey, our mission is to establish the Center as a leading regional hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research dedicated to the unique challenges of desert and arid environments. At DERC, we recognize that the sustainability of our desert ecosystems and the resilience of our climate are central to the UAE’s national development priorities.
Dr. Hossam Said Khedr is an Assistant Professor, with a special focus on arid
lands and desert environments. His research combines satellite Earth observation,
geospatial analysis and AI-based modeling to assess land degradation, desertification
risk and sustainable land and water use. He has led and contributed to several national
and regional projects on agricultural development. Dr Khedr actively collaborates
with government agencies and international partners to translate geospatial research
into practical decision-support tools.
Dr. Mona Saad Ramadan is an Assistant Professor. Her research focuses on urban
sustainability, desert environments and geomatics, with emphasis on GIS, remote sensing
and machine learning. She works on environmental change, urban growth, land degradation
and climate-related risks in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in the UAE and
the wider Middle East. She has contributed to projects on flood risk, air quality,
environmental vulnerability and natural resources mapping. Her work integrates spatial
data, Earth observation and quantitative modelling to support evidence-based planning
and resilience in desert cities and desert environments.
Dr. Faisal Baig is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Desert Environment Research
Center (DERC), United Arab Emirates University. His research focuses on climate extremes,
hydrological modeling, drought analysis and the application of artificial intelligence
and remote sensing to address water and environmental challenges in arid regions.
He specializes in developing climate-resilient datasets and decision-support tools
for arid ecosystems, with particular expertise in rainfall extremes and sustainable
water resource management. His work integrates advanced computational methods with
field-based hydrology to support evidence-based climate adaptation and policy planning
in the UAE and other arid environments.
Our Researchers
Dr. Hossam Khedr
Dr. Mona Ramadan
Dr. Faisal Baig
Dr. Hossam Khedr
Assistant Professor
Dr. Mona Ramadan
Assistant Professor
Dr. Faisal Baig
Postdoctoral Researcher
