AUS, Goumbook and Atlantis Atlas Project join forces to train citizen scientists and combat marine debris as part of UAE’s Year of Community

Students from American University of Sharjah (AUS) are playing an active role in tackling plastic pollution on the UAE’s shores as part of the "Empowering Ocean Stewards" pilot project, an initiative encouraging high school and university students in the UAE to engage in marine and coastal conservation and citizen science. The project was launched in November 2024 by Goumbook, a UAE-based social enterprise, and is funded by Atlantis Dubai’s Atlantis Atlas Project. 

As part of the initiative, Goumbook and AUS’ Dr. Sandra Knuteson, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences (BCE), trained 100 high school students in ocean literacy, plastic pollution awareness and the COLLECT methodology, which aims to engage students as citizen scientists. Two field trips have already taken place—one in November 2024 and another in February 2025— involving a total of 40 students. During these trips, students collected plastic waste and learned more about fieldwork and research techniques related to environmental conservation.

Nethanya Saji, an AUS environmental sciences student and an Eco Rep at the university’s Office of Sustainability, shared: "Being involved in this project allowed me to apply my knowledge to real environmental challenges. It's inspiring to see how we can all drive change if we come together." 

After the trip, the high school students visited AUS’ College of Arts and Sciences to analyze the plastic samples in the laboratories of the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. They learned how to use density separation and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to analyze and identify different types of plastics polluting the coastline. The data collected will be shared with global ocean pollution databases in collaboration with the Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean and Ocean Conservancy.

"This project equipped students with valuable scientific skills while instilling a strong sense of responsibility for environmental conservation. Seeing AUS students mentor high school participants in real-world research was amazing. I saw first-hand how it helped strengthen their leadership and mentoring abilities, and also inspired the younger students to take an active role in sustainability efforts in the UAE," said Knuteson, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sciences at AUS.

"Goumbook equips young people with the knowledge and tools to drive environmental awareness, social responsibility and climate action. The Empowering Ocean Stewards project was born with the aim to train young citizen scientists to gain tangible knowledge and skills on ocean literacy and plastic pollution. By applying scientific research methods in the field and in the lab, the high-school students have gained valuable tools to prepare them for future studies and careers in science. We are proud to work with committed institutional partners and students that have contributed to preliminary data on the abundance and distribution of plastic along the coastlines of the UAE,” Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder and MD, Goumbook.

The project continued with a second field trip in February 2025 to study how weather affects plastic accumulation along the coast. The results of that field trip will be analyzed in AUS’ labs in May 2025.  The data gathered will help to deepen the students’ understanding of local marine pollution and contribute to broader conservation efforts across the UAE.

Kelly Timmins, Executive Director, Sustainability & Marine Animal Operations, Atlantis Dubai, commented: "At Atlantis Dubai, marine conservation is at the heart of our mission, and we believe real change happens when communities come together. Through the Atlantis Atlas Project and our Contribution Programme, we are proud to support initiatives like the Empowering Ocean Stewards project, which equips young people with the knowledge and skills to take an active role in protecting our marine ecosystems. Seeing our Atlantis Atlas Ambassador colleagues join students in beach sampling sessions highlights the power of citizen science, and our contribution in tackling marine pollution. This collaboration is just the beginning—we remain committed to expanding community-driven conservation efforts and creating even more opportunities for people to engage in safeguarding our oceans."

AUS has been recognized internationally for its leading sustainability initiatives in the higher education sector, making it an excellent place to study the environmental sciences. Its Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Sustainability takes a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to tackling regional and global environmental challenges, exposing students to key concepts in the natural sciences, management and social sciences. 

For more information about AUS’ Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Sustainability, visit: www.aus.edu/cas/department-of-biology-chemistry-and-environmental-scienc... 

For more information about the work of the AUS Office of Sustainability, visit: www.aus.edu/sustainability