To address climate change health impacts through new approaches and systems science with a diverse multidisciplinary team of scientists and offer scalable solutions for the most vulnerable global communities.

Principal Investigator

Executive Committee

Wael Al-Delaimy, director
Wael Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD, is a professor of public health at UC San Diego, and is principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Global Center on Climate Change and Water Energy Food and Health Systems, and developed and co-leads the NIH’s GeoHealth Hub on Climate Change and Health in the Middle East and North Africa. He is a multidisciplinary epidemiologist who works across different topics ranging from chronic diseases, to climate change, tobacco, ethics, health policy and mental health, with a focus on vulnerable populations. His work on climate change is focused on policies in adaptation through multidisciplinary capacity building in low-resourced countries and through community engagement. He led the first International Network for Epidemiology in Policy Climate Change Policy Brief while he was chairing the organization and developed the process for creation of policy briefs to engage epidemiologist in supporting evidence-based policies. He led the editing and co-authored with other notable scientists, faith leaders, and policy makers chapters in the book Health of People, Health of Planet, and Our Responsibility by Springer Nature. His work with communities involves immigrants and refugees, and indigenous population globally and locally.

Rabi Mohtar, deputy director
Rabi Mohtar, PhD, leads the Water Energy Food Nexus Group at Texas A&M University as an endowed professor. Academically, he was the dean of the College of Agriculture at the American University in Beirut and the executive director of the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, and he has many other leadership responsibilities in his past and current academic position. He has an exceptional professional leadership track record having served as an advisory panel member for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as part of the International Steering Committee and Board of Governance for the World Water Council, and as vice president, Governance Committee, executive board Member, and chair of the Task Force and Chapters Oversight Committee for the International Water Resources Association. He is a member of the Global Agenda Council on Water Security and member of the Global Agenda on Climate Change of the World Economic Forum. Therefore, his skills as a leader and mentor will support the center and the director with added experience and vision that will span across the different groups and cores.

Ahmed Al-Salaymeh, principal investigator for University of Jordan
Ahmed Al-Salaymeh, PhD, is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Jordan. He is an expert in the field of energy regulation, a certified energy manager, a certified carbon reduction manager, and has taught an energy regulation course as part of the master’s program of regulation and competition in cooperation with the College of Europe. He was the coordinator at the University of Jordan for “WaSec: Innovations in Water Education Programs: Enhancing Water Security and Socio-economic Development in the Eastern Mediterranean under Climate Change.” Currently, he is the general coordinator for three Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education projects from Europe, and the regional coordinator for three Erasmus+ Vocational Education and Training projects from Europe. He is a member of the Jordanian Government Nexus Committee.

Mohammed Salahat, principal investigator for The Hashemite University
Mohammed Salahat, PhD, is an associate professor of water and land use at Hashemite University in Jordan who has led many international and local projects as a principal investigator or co-investigator. He spent four years in Saudi Arabia as a senior engineer on an irrigation systems project, working with team members from different nationalities and backgrounds. During that time, he gained practical experience in teamwork management and motivating teams to work to their full capacities. At Hashemite University, he is an active member in campus committees, and has held leadership roles, including department chair, and was a member of the Water Resources and Environment Committee of the Jordanian Agricultural Engineering Association.

Christine Kirkpatrick, data core lead
Christine Kirkpatrick leads the San Diego Supercomputer Center’s (SDSC) Research Data Services division, which manages large-scale infrastructure, networking and services for research projects of regional and national scope. Her research is in data-centric AI, working at the intersection of ML and FAIR, with a focus on making AI more efficient to save on power consumption and “time to science.” Kirkpatrick serves as principal investigator of the FAIR in ML, AI Readiness & Reproducibility RCN which focuses on promoting better practices for AI, improving reproducibility and exploring research gaps in data-centric AI. In addition, Kirkpatrick founded the GO FAIR US Office, is principal investigator of the West Big Data Innovation Hub, is on the executive committee for the Open Storage Network. Kirkpatrick serves as a member of The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine board on research data and information to improve the stewardship, policy and use of digital data and information for science and the broader society. She serves as the secretary general of the International Science Council's Committee on Data, co-chairs the FAIR Digital Object Forum, is on the advisory board for the Helmholtz Federated IT Services and served on the National Academies of Sciences’ U.S. National Committee for the Committee on Data.

Jamila Abuidhail, The Hashemite University
Jamila Abuidhail, RN, MSN, PhD, IBCLC is the dean of Faculty of Nursing at The Hashemite University, and a professor at the Maternal, Child and Family Health Care Nursing Department in the Faculty of Nursing/The Hashemite University, Jordan. She has been a member in the Jordanian Nurses and Midwives Council; board member in Sigma Theta/Jordan Charter (since 2023); member in International Lactation Consultant Association since 2020; and chair of Breastfeeding Support Association in Jordan since 2022. She has worked on multiple projects focused on breastfeeding, antenatal and postnatal breastfeeding education.  Dr. Abuidhail’s research interests are maternal and child health issues, specifically breastfeeding, reproductive health, health education, women's health and health informatics in maternal nursing care.

Debbie Loomis, program manager

Debbie Loomis brings more than 25 years of expertise working in the public health field through education and engagement at the local, national, and international level. With an emphasis on medical sociology and applied methods, her areas of specialization include research, capacity building, training and facilitation, curriculum development and community organizing. Debbie's project management skills include administration and oversight of programs dedicated to improving awareness, access and implementation of wellness efforts among under-resourced communities. 

Collaborative Consortium

Research Core

The Research Core will highlight the interconnectedness of water, energy, food and health sectors (WEFH) through the development of a dynamic decision support tool. The coordination of planning, financing,and governing these sectors in order to achieve sustainable development and promote the well-being of individuals and communities will be a primary focus. The WEFH tool will guide evidence-based actions to improve health resilience under growing climatic, demographic and geopolitical shocks that can be scaled-up regionally and globally.

Community Engagement

The Community Engagement Core will ensure equitable and ethical involvement of local stakeholders in the implementation of proposed interventions. These stakeholders include residents in rural agricultural regions and refugees who suffer from poverty and geopolitical strife. Vulnerable communities around the globe are experiencing drastic impacts on their water resources due to the effects of climate change, and involving local residents in the development of solutions will lead to better success for improving health outcomes. Communities will be partners, rather than just participants.

Community Advisory Board

Eng. Doa’a Lutfi Al-Derbani, Advisory Board Liaison. Climate Action Network (CAN) Jordan. 

Eng. Musa Al-Khaldi, Jordan Water Authority

Dr. Rasmi Khazaalah, Media Consultant. Journalist, Jordan News Agency, Faculty member, Jerash University

Dr. Samer Makahlah, Health Appeal

Dr. Raed Ghareeb, ISNAD

Eng. Ahmad Mayyas, Wastewater Consultant

Data Core

The Data Core will focus on curating and managing online information, building capacity and training our partners in Jordan, offering technical assistance to the Research Core, and facilitating collaboration with activities related to data collection, broad community engagement and policy advancement. This Core will provide data analysis, computational support and visualization to help the health research community make informed decisions about sustainability and model developments in the region.

Pilot Projects

The GC3WEFH has funded several projects in Jordan to support sustainability and resilience on a local level. Focus areas include drought tolerant agriculture, health impacts of climate conditions, community farming, training medical staff on climate related health issues, energy conservation efforts in schools, empowering women and youth with in-house farming, and the installation of greywater systems for water security. 

The pilot grants program functions as the primary funding mechanism within the GC3WEFH Center’s Community Engagement Core, explicitly designed to support applied scientific research with on-the-ground implementation. The program was built from scratch, modeling its operational principles on small grants initiatives established by major international organizations such as U.N. agencies and The European Commission. 

Five Themes

Environmental Justice and Sustainability
Promoting environmental protection and sustainable resource management.

Climate Change and Health
Assessing the impact of climate change on public health.

Community Empowerment
Empowering women, youth and vulnerable communities.

Food Security and Nutrition
Combating malnutrition and enhancing food security.

Sustainable Agriculture
Promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices.

Beyond funding, the program serves as an engine for organizational capacity building. Grantees participate in monthly or bi-monthly reviews with GC3WEFH teams to ensure compliance, troubleshoot field challenges and gather vital evaluation data. As one project leader highlighted, the collaborative oversight was transformative: 

"It’s not only just the money, the advice from the committee of the center was so helpful … we finalize it, finding the most appropriate and searchable approach." 

The program has successfully awarded nine projects across three calls, turning broad resilience goals into practical realities for vulnerable populations in a wide representation of communities across Jordan. 

The following project were implemented in April 2024:

Thriving Amidst Heat: Sustainable Okra and Quinoa Cultivation in the Jordan Valley for Enhanced Community Livelihoods

Community organization: General Union for Jordanian Farmers.  

Project outcomes: Planting 5,000 square meters of drought-tolerant okra proved to use 40 percent less water than the control crop of Jew’s Mallow. The economic impact provided a net profit of approximately 1,000 Jordanian dinars (JD) for the farmers and achieved the social target of creating seasonal jobs for local female workers. Okra is low in calories and highly nutritious packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, antioxidants and has many beneficial impacts in lowering blood sugar, improving digestion and lowering cholesterol.  

The Impact of Climate Change on NCD Patients' Health Status  

Community organization: Health Appeal Society 

Project outcomes: Tracking non-communicable disease (NCD) patients treated inside the Za’atari Refugee Camp over a six-month period successfully established baseline data and showed an association between the occurrence of heatwaves and dust storms and poor outcomes among those with NCDs. The evaluation showed that individuals suffering from asthma were significantly more susceptible to the adverse effects of dust storms, resulting in informed recommendations to pilot evidence-based mitigation strategies within the camp during dust storms and heatwaves for those with NCDs and especially asthma. 

Nursing Climate Resilience  

Community organization: Green Generation Foundation 

Project outcomes: The project successfully equipped a cohort of climate-conscious healthcare professionals by training third-and-fourth-year nursing students in northern Jordan with the knowledge and skills needed to address climate-related health challenges. Training workshops, open-space discussions and an innovation competition sparked the creation of student-designed projects to address water conservation, disease prevention and health education tailored to Jordan’s unique environmental challenges. The graduates were recognized in an official ceremony at Hashemite University as leaders in the field of health care and climate change. 

Water Conservation Pilot Project in Mafraq, Jordan 

Community organization: ISNAD International Center for Empowerment and Development 

Project outcomes: The project transformed a local school into a smart school by updating outdated infrastructure with smart water technologies. This included educational sessions, promoting sustainable use practices and installing water faucets with sensors to limit water wasting. There was an improved understanding of water and energy conservation after educational intervention among students. 

Piloting Greywater Systems for Climate Security in Mafraq 

Community organization: Royal Scientific Society (Water and Environment Centre) 

Project outcomes: By installing three greywater treatment systems in the Za’atari Refugee Camp, the project proved that modular, low-cost drawer compacted filter technology is efficient and highly suitable for arid, resource-constrained humanitarian settings. Treated effluent met or exceeded the Jordanian standard for greywater reuse, the intervention established a scalable model with a small land footprint (less than three square meters per unit), and beneficiaries reported reduced water stress anxiety and improved hygiene confidence. 

The following projects were implemented in January 2025 and May 2025:  

Seeds of Change: Climate-Smart Rooftops and Urban Trees for Irbid 

Community organization: Al-Farouq Charity Society for Orphans Care 

Project outcomes: Participants from 40 households in the Irbid Refugee Camp harvested approximately 7,000 rooftop seasonal vegetables, resulting in a family food savings of 1,800 to 2,400 JDs. Ten participants engaged in open-field harvesting of 80 kilograms of okra, which generated approximately 2,400 JDs in collected income and provided 160 direct family meals. Mental health and well-being were measured, and the project demonstrated the therapeutic power of connecting people with nature in a high-stress refugee camp.  

Mitigation Strategies for Asthma Patients in Za’atari Refugee Camp 

Community organization: Health Appeal Society 

Project outcomes: A 10-month intervention study targeting 50 asthma patients in the fragile environment of Za’atari Refugee Camp developed an asthma toolkit guide structured around three pillars: education and awareness, practical action (using locally available material to mitigate dust) and follow-up care. Evaluation demonstrated that the participants who were in the intervention group were significantly more likely to control their asthma compared to controls even during severe weather events, proving that structured, low-cost community interventions can build measurable clinical resilience against climate shocks. 

Empowering Women and Youth Through Sustainable and In-House Farming  

Community organization: SEEDS 

Project outcomes: The project trained 12 females and 14 males (aged 21-30) in southern Jordan on sustainable, climate-smart home farming practices. Results demonstrated adaptability to climate variations, the creation of income generating opportunities and the motivation for enhanced, sustainable food security. 

Climate-Resilient Community Farms: Combating Malnutrition in Ar-Ramtha’s Vulnerable Households 

Community organization: Masafat Without Borders Agricultural Association 

Project outcomes: The project established climate-smart community farms in low-income and refugee-affected areas of Ar-Ramtha in northern Jordan which provided a sustainable, localized food source for 20 low-income families. Agricultural productivity included successful cultivation of iron rich and nutrient dense crops such as broccoli, spinach, beetroot, arugula and peas, with a 30 percent reduction in water use. Economic impact included seasonal net profit of 2,400 JD, with each participant earning 120 JD from surplus sales, enhancing household income and self-sufficiency. Overall, the project demonstrated that community-based, climate smart farming can simultaneously strengthen nutrition, income generation and environmental sustainability. The outcomes provide a replicable model for expanding similar interventions to other regions of Jordan.  

Texas A&M Capstone Project: Community Roots

World Water Council Recognition

Desalination Unit

PRIM&R Service Award Recipient

Principal Investigator Wael Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD, was awarded the 2025 PRIM&R Service Award, honoring his exceptional leadership, mentorship and pioneering contributions to bioethics, research integrity and public health. Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the highest ethical standards in research since 1974.

Wael Al-Delaimy, MD, PhD, (center) received the 2025 PRIM&R Service Award during a presentation with PRIM&R Executive Director Ivy R. Tillman, EdD, CIP, (right) and PRIM&R Board Chair Gianna McMillan, MA, DBe (left). The presentation took place at PRIM&Rʼs annual conference in Baltimore.

In 2025, Drs. Wael Al-Delaimy and Rabi Mohtar were cited in the Jordan News Agency on the 2025 CCHAR conference and the leadership role Jordan is taking on addressing climate related issues.

Takreem Foundation Laureate 

Center Deputy Director Dr. Rabi Mohtar, has been selected by the TAKREEM Foundation as a Laureate recipient of the 2025 Sustainability & Environmental Leadership Award. Laureates are from a wide spectrum of professional fields including science, art, business and humanities. 

Facing the Future of Water Scarcity

Advisory Group on Embedding Ethics in Health and Climate Change Policy

December 2024
Prinicipal Investigator Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy was selected as one of 12 global experts, and the only one from the United States, to advise the World Health Organization on the ethics of health and climate change policies.

Nursing Climate Resilience 

October 2024
As part of the GC3WEFH community pilot projects, the Nursing Climate Resilience project was implemented by Green Generation Foundation in Jordan, in partnership with faculty of nursing at The Hashemite University. A celebration of the third and fourth year nursing students who participated in the program took place at the university. The event was attended by the Dr. Khaled Hyari, president of the university, Dr. Mohamed Salahat, the PI of the center at the university, and Dr. Jamila AbuDhail, dean of nursing and co-PI. Dr. Dheaya Alrousan, executive director of the Green Generation Foundation and professor at Hashemite University, awarded the students who were trained on linkages between climate change and health, policies and practices, sustainable health systems, climate change science and advocacy. The aim of the program was to prepare the nursing students for future engagement in confronting climate change as they enter the labor market. Because nurses play a significant role in the relationships among patients, families and communities, educating them about health impacts will empower them to combat the effects of climate change in their future work.

Triton Leaders Conference

February 2024
Dr. Al-Delaimy participated in a panel forum moderated by Margaret Leinen, PhD, UC San Diego vice chancellor for marine sciences, dean of the School of Marine Sciences and director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The discussion centered around global and local health impacts of climate and air pollution. The well attended-event discussed how UC San Diego is leading the way in advancing the research on climate change health impacts locally, nationally and globally. Dr. Al-Delaimy described his ongoing projects on climate change in the Middle East and North Africa, including the GeoHealth Hub and the Global Climate Change Center. He also addressed questions from the audience about the challenges of climate change in terms of prevention, estimating the risks and protecting the most vulnerable in the population.

Jordan Site Visit

December 2023

The team in discussion with local well owner and farmer on implementing the proposed water desalination unit.

Visit to the Zataary Syrian refugee camp solar energy station.