FOGQUEST INVITED TO THE 4TH MONT BLANC MEETING
How to Feed the Planet? What role can the social economy play?
CHAMONIIX – MONT BLANC, FRANCE
NOVEMBER 2009
The Mont Blanc Meetings are an international forum for social economy leaders. The main focus of this particular meeting was how to feed the planet. One of the main components of this meeting of 200 specialists is the international credit union movement. FogQuest was invited to be interviewed for the resource package on NGO experiences for the meeting and Dr. Robert Schemenauer was invited to make a presentation on FogQuest projects, successes and challenges, as well as lead workshop discussions related to water. It was an opportunity to contribute to a diverse group that among other things has a strong focus on issues such as: the preservation of the small farm, the protection of native seeds, the production and consumption of food that is grown close to one’s home, and the benefits of cooperative action in small communities. Some excellent contacts were made that will assist FogQuest in future fog collection projects.
FOGQUEST PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTED AT INTERNATIONAL EXPO 2008 in ZARAGOZA, SPAIN
JUNE 2008
The organizing committee of “The Water Tribune” invited Robert Schemenauer to speak on the opening day of the first week of EXPO 2008. The theme of the EXPO was “Water and Sustainable Development.” It was the world’s first themed EXPO and the focus of the first thematic week was “Water and Land.” The FogQuest contributions were: materials for the Positioning Document; an abstract in the 481 page Final Document; a paper for the CD representing the output of the thematic weeks; and an oral presentation on FogQuest projects and the importance of fog as a water resource for coastal and mountainous areas of the world.
DR. ROBERT SCHEMENAUER RECEIVES AN AWARD OF APPRECIATION FROM THE 4TH INTL. CONF. IN CHILE JULY 2007
The Scientific Committee of the 4th International Conference on Fog, Fog Collection and Dew awarded Dr. Robert Schemenauer a certificate of appreciation for the work he has done over the years to promote the science and applications of fog collection. The award was presented BY Professor Simon Berkowicz, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, at the conference banquet in La Serena, Chile, on 26 July 2007. Also receiving awards were FogQuest member, and Director of the Atacama Desert Center in Chile, Professor Pilar Cereceda, and Professor Adrie Jacobs of Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands.
FOGQUEST NAMED AS AN INTEL ENVIRONMENT AWARD LAUREATE BY THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
NOVEMBER 2006
FogQuest was honored to be one of the five Tech Museum of Innovation, Intel Environment, Award Laureates in 2006. The laureates are chosen from about 1000 nominated individuals and organizations from around the world. FogQuest did not receive the prize of $50,000 US at the ceremonies in San Jose, California, in November 2006 but was tremendously proud to have been included in this prestigious group. The photo shows Dr. Robert Schemenauer of FogQuest being presented the laureate award by the CEO of Intel.
FOGQUEST RECEIVES THE HUNDERTWASSER AWARD FROM GERMAN WATER FOUNDATION WASSERSTIFTUNG
OCTOBER 2005
We are very pleased to announce that the German water foundation, WasserStiftung, has awarded their Hundertwasser award for 2005 to FogQuest. This award is given out each year to an international NGO that meets WasserStiftung’s criteria for innovative ways to assist developing countries with their water needs. The award was given out in Munich, Germany, on 24 October 2005. The award is named after the famous painter Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The award, of a framed certificate and a cash gift of 5000 Euros, was made in a room of the historic Munich city hall.
For a four day period around the event, in the famous Marienplatz city square, a large fog collector constructed by FogQuest attracted widespread attention. The Hundertwasser award is signed by Minister Schnappauf of the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment, as well as directors of WasserStiftung, and was presented to Dr. Robert Schemenauer from Canada and Mr. Pablo Osses from Chile. In the evening, a fund raising dinner for 150 sponsors and supporters of WasserStiftung was arranged.
The events were widely covered in the German print and electronic media and were hosted by well known members of Germany’s TV and arts communities. Bob Schemenauer is an Emeritus Research Scientist with the Cloud Physics and Severe Weather Research Division and Executive Director of FogQuest. Pablo Osses is a Professor in the Institute of Geography of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago. FogQuest will begin a large fog collection project in Eritrea in December, in cooperation with WasserStiftung and Eritrean groups, to provide clean water to mountain villages.
Announcement: http://www.wasserstiftung.de/hundertwasserpreis.html (in German)
Newsletter: http://www.wasserstiftung.de/Neue_Dateien/wn_19.12.04web.pdf (in German)
DR. SAMPURNO BRUIJNZEEL
THE BUSK MEDAL FROM THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY IN THE U.K.
6 JUNE 2005
Sampurno has been a FogQuest member since 2003 and is an active supporter of our activities. He is an expert on tropical montane fog/cloud forest hydrology and has done excellent work measuring the importance of fog to forests in the tropics. We offer him our sincerest congratulations for this prestigious award. The press release and a copy of his acceptance speech are included below. He will soon be retiring from the Department of Hydrology and Geo-Environmental Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, The Netherlands, and we wish him the best in his new projects.
Press Release: Busk_VUA_press_release_UK_adaptation.pdf
Acceptance: RGS_acceptance_SB.pdf
DR. ROBERT SCHEMENAUER RECEIVES THE UNIVERSITY MEDAL AND DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST AWARD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, HILO AUGUST 2004
The Chancellor of the University of Hawai’i and the Second International Symposium of Tropical Montane Cloud Forests, meeting in Waimea, Hawai’i, granted on 1 August 2004, the University Medal and Distinguished Scientist Award for Career Achievement in Fog Science to Dr. Schemenauer, in Recognition of Distinguished and Sustained Research Contributions in Fog Science.
Dr. Schemenauer is the Executive Director of FogQuest: sustainable water solutions and an Emeritus Research Scientist, with the Cloud Physics and Severe Weather Research Division, of the Atmospheric and Climate Science Directorate of Environment Canada.