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“No Simple Answer” to Role of Science in U.S.-Middle East Relations, Expert Says
Newswise — According to Thomas Lippman, adjunct scholar with the Middle East Institute, there are both advantages and accompanying concerns regarding scientific collaboration in the Middle East. Lippman’s remarks appear in the latest edition of Conversations – an online discussion focused on the transforming impact of science. Conversations is a project of the U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF). In his interview, which can be found online at http://www.crdf.org/conversations, Lippman sees an excellent opportunity for science partnerships to spread education and awareness in the Middle East. However, he also cautions that America’s most dangerous enemies today are just as technologically advanced as we are, and that scientific cooperation may not always be beneficial. That being said, scientific collaboration has been very successful throughout some Middle East nations, such as Saudi Arabia, where Western cooperation and development helped to modernize the oil industry. However, he acknowledges that these opportunities for scientific advances are not yet available everywhere in the region. “You’re talking about a massive need for scientific education that can bring enlightenment in place of superstition,” says Lippman. “My guide on a tour through the Atomic Energy Research Institute in Riyadh was a young man who got his nuclear engineering degree in the University of Maryland. You see much less of that in countries such as Syria and Egypt where they’ve lacked capital to get into the kind of advanced technological cooperation, than we see in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.” Conversations is a monthly exploration of the top issues of our time through the lens of science. Conversations features diverse panels including authors, policymakers, scientists, journalists and those who work on the front lines of major challenges. The latest edition focuses on the role of science in U.S.-Middle East relations and features, along with Lippman, Dr. Beriwan Khailany of the Kurdistan Ministry of Higher Education and Research, and others. About CRDF
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