Emirati PhD Researcher Omar Abdulrahman Alattas to Represent UAE鈥檚 Polar Research Centre, Khalifa University in 34th Annual Bulgarian Antarctic Research Expedition
In a milestone that extends the UAE鈥檚 scientific reach to one of the most remote regions on Earth, Khalifa University PhD researcher Omar Abdulrahman Alattas, has been selected by the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) to join the UAE scientific team participating in the 2025鈥�2026 Bulgarian Antarctic Research Expedition.听
Supervised by Dr. Frantz Gerard Ossa Ossa from the Earth Science Department and Polar Research Centre (PRC), Omar Alattas will join the expedition, heading to Livingston Island, Antarctica. Beginning on 15 December 2025, and expected to conclude on 19 January 2026, this international collaborative expedition will contribute valuable findings to the UAE鈥檚 broader efforts in climate monitoring and environmental sustainability.
The research expedition aligns with the goals of the Emirates Polar Program, supporting global climate and environmental initiatives, while advancing scientific collaboration. It also complements the work of the UAE鈥檚 PRC at Khalifa University, which aims to strengthen the UAE鈥檚 leadership in polar science and applied technologies through Scientific Exploration in the Poles.听
Organized by the NCM in collaboration with the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, the expedition is part of the 34th annual Bulgarian Antarctic Research Expedition, which brings together international scientists to monitor the health of the Antarctic ecosystem and study climate dynamics, seismic activity, and glacial movements in one of the planet鈥檚 most extreme environments. The collaboration, launched during last year鈥檚 expedition, was commended by Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), for advancing the UAE鈥檚 contribution to global polar and climate research.
The UAE delegation will follow the established Antarctic route, traveling more than 33,000 kilometers across several continents – from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, the world鈥檚 southernmost city – before boarding a research vessel bound for Livingston Island, Antarctica. Once there, the team will build on the achievements of the 2024 UAE scientific mission, which supported the installation of advanced meteorological and seismic monitoring stations to study climate variability and environmental change across the Antarctic region.
Representing Khalifa University, Omar Alattas will work alongside scientists from several countries during a two-week field study at the St. Kliment Ohridski Bulgarian Antarctic Base, located on Bulgarian Beach in the eastern part of Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands. The data collected will help improve our understanding of how soil biospheres respond to greenhouse gas releases during permafrost thawing in polar regions, and what these responses mean for global climate change and planetary health.
Prof. Mohammed Ali, Chair of Earth Science at Khalifa University, said: 鈥淥ur PhD student Omar Abdulrahman Alattas鈥� participation marks a proud moment for Khalifa University and underscores the UAE鈥檚 growing role in global polar science. Through such collaborations, Khalifa University continues to build national expertise in areas vital to climate resilience, sustainability, and scientific diplomacy. This mission also reflects a new generation of Emirati scientists advancing the UAE鈥檚 contribution to global discovery鈥攆rom the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula to the icy frontiers of Antarctica.鈥�
Omar Abdulrahman Alattas added: 鈥淭he UAE鈥檚 participation in this global scientific effort reflects the nation鈥檚 commitment to advancing climate research and empowering Emirati scientists. It is truly an honor to represent Khalifa University on a journey to one of the most remote and extraordinary places on Earth. Phenomena affecting Antarctica are not confined to the continent鈥攖hey can influence our environment here in the UAE, thousands of kilometers away.鈥�
Alisha Roy
Science Writer
