Photowalk: Emirates Soil Museum, ICBA Experimental Garden and the Halophytic Kitchen Lab

Poras Dhakan is a practicing lawyer, photographer and a Fairtrade goldsmith. Poras was born in India and raised in Dubai, having moved here with his family in 1989. He is passionate about analogue photography and alternative printing processes and helps run 'Analog Photography in UAE' group. Poras is a Fairtrade registered goldsmith and an advocate for the use of Fairtrade metals in jewellery making.

He often merges photography with jewellery-making to create wearable works of art. Poras' pendants were part of the Tanween+ collection at Tashkeel, where they were showcased during Dubai Design Week 2019.

Poras is currently pursuing his MFA in Photography at the University of Ulster and he is a member of Tashkeel.

ICBA's Team:
Dr. Dionysia Angeliki Lyra joined ICBA as Post-Doctoral Researcher in 2013. Prior to that, she had been on a post-doctoral fellowship at the Laboratory of Agronomy at the Agricultural University of Athens where she was involved in the evaluation of barley genotypes for drought resistance and crop yield.
She holds a Ph.D. degree in Plant Science from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece and she has received scholarships and grants from the Hellenic Ministry of Educational Affairs, E.U., European Weed Research Society, Arab-American Frontiers, USAID and private sector.
Currently she is working on the evaluation of Salicornia bigelovii germplasm and its cultivation potential in coastal desert areas and on Integrated Agri- Aquaculture Systems (IAAS) using reject brine from inland desalination units. She has authored and co-authored over 50 publications, including a technical manual on principles of sustainable agriculture and water management, articles in peer-reviewed journals, conference papers and research reports.

Mr. Bilal Saleh, Chef
Chef Bilal Saleh was lured into the culinary world when his passion for this industry and for food was recognized at an early age. Bilal went on to study the culinary arts at the Lebanese Culinary Institute, where he learned to develop his own unique style and flair. He continued with his career at exclusive restaurants and hotels worldwide.
Over the years, Bilal has worked under influential leaders of the Lebanese culinary profession who helped shape his style and depth of knowledge. After moving to Dubai, Bilal was appointed in top Dubai restaurants. Bilal balances his culinary career with enjoying every spare moment with his children.
Bilal's culinary philosophy and passion reflects the growing trend towards a healthier and down-to-earth lifestyle. Working with neighboring farmers to seek out the finest in regional and local organic produce is the essence of his Lebanese cuisine. His preference is to allow the natural flavors of food to express themselves.
In addition to cooking, Bilal's passion is to help younger chefs to discover their own talents in the same way that he was encouraged. Bilal believes whole-heartedly in staying active, continuously learning, and always having fun.

Ms Ryma Affani, Soil Museum Curator
Ms. Ryma Affani is Curator at the Emirates Soil Museum. She has extensive experience working with youth and managing, developing, and implementing a variety of integrated STEM educational programs aligned with different curricula, with a focus on hands-on learning with real-world applications. She has trained and mentored several teams winning robotics competitions in Canada and the UAE.
She holds a B.Sc. degree in Environmental Geography, with a specialization in the Physical Environment, from the University of Montreal in Canada. Her studies focused on the components and mechanisms governing the evolution of natural geosystems such as climate change, soil contamination, and watershed dynamics, as well as modelling and remote sensing methods. She also holds a degree in applied Arts and Sciences from the University of Montreal and a Montessori Teaching Diploma from the North American Montessori Center, Canada.