Prize will be presented by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi during the 11th International Workshop on Advanced Materials (IWAM), which attracts leading international scientific figures to Ras Al Khaimah

February 21, 2019, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, will on Monday present the inaugural Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi International Prize for Materials Research to internationally renowned scientist Professor C. N. R. Rao. 

The Prize, which comprises a gold medal, commemorative plaque and the sum of US$100,000, will be awarded to Professor Rao on the second day of the 11th annual International Workshops on Advanced Materials (IWAM), organized by the Ras Al Khaimah Center for Advanced Materials (RAK CAM). 

His Highness Sheikh Saud said: 

“The Prize Committee was unanimous in its decision to award the inaugural Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi International Prize for Materials Research to Professor Rao. He has been a staunch supporter of RAK CAM since its inception in 2007 and I am delighted that someone of his distinction is the first recipient of this important prize.”  

Professor Rao is Honorary President and Linus Pauling Research Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bangalore, India, where RAK CAM’s Sheikh Saqr Laboratory is based. He has published more than 50 books, written more than 1,600 scientific papers and has been elected to the Fellowships of most of the world’s scientific academies. 

In 2014, he received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, for his contributions to science in India and he is a great ambassador for the promotion of science in the developing world. 

The Prize is designed to both encourage the development of the field of materials science in the region and to reward those who have made a significant contribution to the discipline.