Sharjah: American University of Sharjah Professor Steve Griffiths, Vice Chancellor for Research, has been named the UAE National Champion in the fourth edition of the Frontiers Planet Prize. The selection marks the UAE's debut in the global competition, which recognises excellence in research regarding planetary boundaries.
According to Emirates News Agency, Dr. Griffiths has been honored for a landmark study published in Nature Reviews Chemistry that assesses chemical innovations required to scale carbon capture technologies across diverse industrial settings. The UAE National Champion award recognises Dr. Griffiths and his co-authors for their insightful research on carbon capture technologies, which was conducted in collaboration with a team led by Dr. Griffiths and Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer from Heriot-Watt University, along with other notable scholars.
The research paper assesses the chemical innovations needed to deploy carbon capture at scale, considering the considerable variations in CO2 concentration, temperature, and pressure across industrial exhaust gases. Dr. Griffiths emphasized the significance of this study by stating that emissions from industries such as cement, steel, and chemicals account for a substantial portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. The study evaluates five families of carbon capture technology at or beyond the prototype stage, offering a clear, evidence-based guide for industry and policymakers.
This recognition highlights the expanding international impact of AUS research, aligning with both regional and global sustainability agendas. The study's findings have also been integrated into a policy report developed with the United Nations University and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Dr. Griffiths, whose win was announced on Earth Day 2026, will present his work at the Frontiers Planet Prize Award Ceremony in Davos in January 2027. He remains a contender for the competition's million-dollar international prize.