Omran Sharaf, Emirates Mars Mission director. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Omran Sharaf, Emirates Mars Mission director. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Sarah Al Amiri, the UAE's Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, is playing an important role in space exploration. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Sarah Al Amiri, the UAE's Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, is playing an important role in space exploration. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Omar Al Shehhi, lead of integration and testing of the Hoep spacecraft. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Omar Al Shehhi, lead of integration and testing of the Hoep spacecraft. Photo: Emirates Mars Mission
Mohammed Wali, deputy project manager of the launch team. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission
Mohammed Wali, deputy project manager of the launch team. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission

UAE

UAE’s Mars project director among top 50 future leaders in global list

Omran Sharaf makes it to Project Management Institute's league of 'new generation of leaders'

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir

August 31, 2021

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  • Arabic

The man who led the UAE’s mission to Mars has been named among the world’s top 50 future leaders by the Project Management Institute, a global non-profit professionals association.

Omran Sharaf, 37, project director of the Emirates Mars Mission, has been leading a team of engineers and scientists since 2014 to make the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission a success.

The spacecraft, called Hope, reached the Martian orbit on February 9 of this year, and has been sending back images and science data on the planet's atmosphere.

Mr Sharaf has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Virginia and a post-graduate degree in science and technology policy from South Korea’s Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

He started working with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in 2006, when it was called the Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.

Sarah Al Amiri, the Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chairperson of the UAE Space Agency, congratulated her colleague on being named in the 2021 global achievers' list.

“Congratulations, Omran Sharaf, on being selected as one of PMInstitute 2021 Future 50,” she tweeted.

Read more

Hope probe ‘only the beginning’ of UAE's journey into deep space

Sarah Al Amiri interview: space will have direct impact on UAE economy in next five years

Some of the other professionals in the list include those who work in companies such as Amazon, TikTok, Emaar and Dell.

"With a deep sense of social responsibility, this next generation of leaders are deeply committed to protecting the natural environment, driving diversity and fostering environments of inclusion, and making the world a better place,” Michael DePrisco, chief operating officer of Project Management Institute, said.

"In an exceptionally challenging year, this new generation of leaders have stepped to drive innovation around the globe.”

The complete list is available online.

Images taken by the UAE's Hope probe - in pictures

The first image of Mars as taken by the UAE's Hope probe, which arrived at the planet on February 9.
The first image of Mars as taken by the UAE's Hope probe, which arrived at the planet on February 9.
This image taken by the Hope probe's ultraviolet spectrometer (one of its three scientific instruments) shows sunlight reflecting off the extended cloud of atomic hydrogen gas that surrounds the planet Mars. The sunlight is visible only as a dark disk hidden inside the fog of gas. The Emirates Mars Mission team said that no other mission have made such kind of recordings before.
This image taken by the Hope probe's ultraviolet spectrometer (one of its three scientific instruments) shows sunlight reflecting off the extended cloud of atomic hydrogen gas that surrounds the planet Mars. The sunlight is visible only as a dark disk hidden inside the fog of gas. The Emirates Mars Mission team said that no other mission have made such kind of recordings before.
The UAE's Hope probe captured a high-resolution photo of Mars.
The UAE's Hope probe captured a high-resolution photo of Mars.
The Hope probe has shared new images from its journey in the orbit of Mars.
The Hope probe has shared new images from its journey in the orbit of Mars.
This image was taken by the infrared spectrometer, another instrument on the Hope probe, from an altitude of about 15,000 kilometres. The image shows the surface temperature (left), centred on the Tharsis region of Mars. Dawn can be seen towards the right side. The low surface temperatures observed are due to the dusty nature of the Martian surface. An elevated nighttime atmospheric temperature at 25 km altitude (right) is also observed over the Tharsis region.
This image was taken by the infrared spectrometer, another instrument on the Hope probe, from an altitude of about 15,000 kilometres. The image shows the surface temperature (left), centred on the Tharsis region of Mars. Dawn can be seen towards the right side. The low surface temperatures observed are due to the dusty nature of the Martian surface. An elevated nighttime atmospheric temperature at 25 km altitude (right) is also observed over the Tharsis region.
These images were captured by the eXploration imager, a high-resolution camera on the Hope probe. The red channel clearly shows the dark and light features of the Martian surface, while the water ice clouds stand out in the ultraviolet channel.
These images were captured by the eXploration imager, a high-resolution camera on the Hope probe. The red channel clearly shows the dark and light features of the Martian surface, while the water ice clouds stand out in the ultraviolet channel.
Hope probe sent back an image of the Cerberus Fossae, an area on the planet known for 'Marsquakes'.
Hope probe sent back an image of the Cerberus Fossae, an area on the planet known for 'Marsquakes'.
Surface and atmospheric temperature readings collected by the UAE's Hope probe.
Surface and atmospheric temperature readings collected by the UAE's Hope probe.
Discrete aurora on Mars captured by UAE's Hope probe
Discrete aurora on Mars captured by UAE's Hope probe
Discrete aurora on Mars captured by UAE's Hope probe
Discrete aurora on Mars captured by UAE's Hope probe
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While you're here
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
While you're here
SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS

Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi 
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)

Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina 
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil

Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)

While you're here
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

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Kareem Shaheen on Canada
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULT

Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')

Plastic tipping points
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

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Essentials

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.

The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.

 

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Updated: August 31, 2021, 11:31 AM`
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