Education:

1985 — Ph.D. Marine Biology & Ecology (Microalgal production and taxonomy), Dept. of Oceanography, University of Wales, Britain

1979 — M.Sc. Marine Ecology (Phytoplankton taxonomy), Dept. of Oceanography, University of Alexandria, Egypt

1972 — B.Sc. in Marine Biology, University of Basrah, Iraq

University Positions:

2009 to present — Professor, Dept. of Marine Biology, Marine Science Centre, University of Basra, Iraq

2006 to 2008 — Phytoplankton Expert, Swedish Metrological and Hydrological Institute, Göteborg, Sweden

2005 to 2006 — Research Scientist, Dept. of Marine Ecology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

1996 to 2002 — Associate Professor, Dept. of Applied Biology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

1989 to 1996 — Assistant professor, Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Iraq

1986 to 1989 — Lecturer, Dept. of Fisheries & Marine Resources, Univ. of Basrah, Iraq

1979 to 1981 — Lecturer, Dept. of Biology, University of Basrah, Iraq

1976 to 1979 — Research Assistant, College of Science, Univ. of Basrah, Iraq

Awards/Honors:

2009, 2010 and 2011 — Award of Honor from the Minister of Higher Education, Iraq

2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 — Awards from the President of Basra University

Research Interests/Activities:

Member of a scientific team to investigate the effects of oil pollution on the Arabian Gulf sea water.

Teaching courses of General Biology , Gerneral and Aquatic Ecology in several universities for 25 years.

Lecturing for high school students in Educational Biology and Ecology.

Participating in scientific groups to study the impact of algal blooms on water quality in tropical waters.

Supervised a number of M.Sc. and Ph.D theses in the field of Aquatic Ecology.

Editor, Journal of Science, University of Basrah (1996).

Associate Editor of the Mesopotamean Journal of Marine Science.

Attendance of many international and local meetings and conferences on aquatic ecology and phycology.

Recent Reports Written:

Hydrological study on the Shatt Al-Basra Canal. A report submitted to Metka Co., Greece. 2012

Final Report on the Environmental Baseline Study and Management Plan for Baker Hughes Blending Plant, Rumaila Field, Iraq. Submitted to Baker Hughes Co. 2012

Report on the Environmental baseline Survey for the development of South Iraq ports, Marine Science Centre, Iraq, 2009

Algal situation in the the Skagerrak, Kattegat, the Sound and the Baltic Sea during the R/V Argos expedition, 6th - 11th of August, 2007

Algal situation in marine water surrounding Sweden, Oceanographic service 2007

Report on the filtration counting technique for Livsmedelverket samples, SMHI, Göteborg, Sweden, 2007

Several reports on the analysis results of samples from Bohuskust and Argos trips around the coasts of Sweden, 2007

Selected Publications:

Catherine Riaux-Gobin, Pierre Compère and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2012: SEM survey of some small-sized Planothidium (Bacillariophyta) from coral sands off Mascarenes (Western Indian Ocean)

Catherine Riaux–Gobin and Al-Handal A.Y. 2012. New species in the marine diatom genus Olifantiella (Bacillariophyta, Biraphidineae) from Rodrigues Island (Western Indian Ocean). Fottea 12 (2): 197-212.

Mid-Holocene dates for organic-rich sediment, palustrine shell, and charcoal from southern Iraq. RADIOCARBON, Vol 54, Nr 1

Riaux-Gobin, C., Compère, P. and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2012. SEM survey of some small-sized Planothidium (Bacillariophyta) from coral sands off Mascarenes (Western Indian Ocean). Nova Hedwigia, 141:295-314.

Riaux-Gobin, C., Compère, P. and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2011. Small sized Acyhnanthales (Bacillariophytaq) from coral sands off Mascarenes (Western Indian Ocean). Bibliotheca Diatomologica 57: 1-234.

Riaux-Gobin, C., Compère, P. and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2011. Species of the Cocconeis peltoides group with a marginal row of unusual processes (Mascarenes and Kerguelen Islands, Indian Ocean). Diatom Research 26:325-334.

Riaux-Gobin, C., Compère, P. and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2011. New Amphicocconeis species off Mascarenes (Western Indian Ocean) and related taxa. Diatom Research 1-11.

Al-Handal, A.Y. and Abdullah, D.S. 2010. Diatoms from the restored Mesopotamian marshes, South Iraq. Algological Studies 133: 65-103.

Riaux-Gobin, C., Romero, O. and Al-Handal, A.Y. and Compere, P. 2010. Two new Cocconeis taxa (Bacillariophyceae) from coral sands off the Mascerens (Western Indian Ocean) and some unidentified taxa. European Journal of Phycology, 45 (3):275-292.

Al-Handal, A.Y., C. Riaux-Gobin and A. Wulff 2010. Cocconeis pottercovei sp. Nov. and C. pinnta var. matsii var. nov., two new marine diatom taxa from King George Island, Antarctica. Diatom Research 25(1).

Riaux-Gobin, C., Romero, O. and Al-Handal, A.Y. 2009. Cocconeis costata var. subantarctica var. nov., A new marine diatom off Kerguelen Archipelago (Southern Ocean, Indian Sector). Diatom Research, 42: 393-404.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. Littoral diatoms from the Shatt Al-Arab Estuary, North West Arabian Gulf (2009). Cryptogamie, Algologie 30(2):1-31.

Wulff, A., Iken, K., Liliana, M., Al-Handal, A., Wienke, C. and Clayton, M. (2009). Biodiversity, biogeography and zonation of marine benthic micro- and macroalgae in the Arctic and Arctic. Botanica Marina 52: 491-507.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. and Wulff (2008) A. Benthic diatoms from Potter Cove, King George Island, Antarctica. Botanica Marina 51:51-68.

Al-Handal, A. Yousif and Wulff, A. (2008) Epiphytic diatoms on marine macroalgae from Potter Cove, King George Island, Antarctica. Botanica Marina 51 :411-435.

Al-Handal, A. Yousif, Riaux-Gobin, C., Romero, O.E. and Wulff,A. (2008). Two new species of the genus Cocconeis Ehrenberg; C. melchiroides and C. delmannii from King George Island, Antarctica. Diatom Research 23:269-281.

1.Wulff A, Zacher K, Hanelt D, Al-Handal A.Yousif., Wiencke C. (2008) UV radiation- a threat to Antarctic benthic marine diatoms? Antarctic Science 20:12-20

Saadoon, I, Bataineh, E. and Al-Handal, A. Yousif. (2008). Phytoplankton species composition and seasonal variation at Wadi Al-Arab Dam Lake, Jordan. Turkish J. Biology 32: 291-298.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif., Karlson, B., Edler, L. and Skijevik, A. (2006). Phytoplankton distribution, diversity and nutrient variations in the West coast of Sweden with special reference to harmful algae. 12th International Conference on Harful Algae, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Skjevik, A., Al-Handal, A.Yousif., Edler, L., Kuylenstierna,M., and karlson,B. (2006). Occurrence of Phytoplankton potentially causing shellfish toxicity in the Skagerrak, the Kattegat and the Sound (Öresund) 1985-2005. 12th International Conference on Harful Algae, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Al-Handal, A. Yousif. and Saadoun, I. 2001. Phytoplankton composition and physical-chemical features of a hypertrophic reservoir in North Jordan: King Talal Reservoir. Rev. Idriobiol. 40 (2-3): 305-320.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1995): Desmids of the Basrah district, south Iraq. Int. Rev. ges.Hydrobiol. 80(1): 89-102.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. and Al-Rekabi, K. (1995): Diatoms of a turbid lagoon in south Iraq. Rev.Idrobiol. 33: 17-38.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1994): Contribution to the knowledge of diatoms of Sawa lake, Iraq. Nova Hedwigia 59(1-2):225-254.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1995): Algae of the southern marshes of Iraq. In:N.A.Hussain(ed.), Marshes of Iraq. Publ.Mar.Sci.Centre, Basrah.

Al-Handal. A.Yousif. (1988): Plankton diatoms of the north west Arabian Gulf. Mar. Mesop. 3(1): 43-101.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1989): New additions to the algal flora of Iraq. J. Univ. Kuwait 16: 97-104.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1992): Algae of an organically polluted canal in Basrah. Mar.Mesop. 7(2): 167-194.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. and Abdullah,D.S. (1992): On the diatoms ecology of Basrah district, south Iraq. Mar. Mesop. 7(1): 35-48.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. and Abdulla, D.S (1992): Phytoplankton production and related ecological factors in the Shatt Al-Basrah canal, south Iraq. Mar. Mesop.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. , Al-Hakim, T. and Saleh, A. (1993): Nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria isolated from Shatt Al-Arab river. Mar.Mesop.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1991): Carbon fixation by benthic microalgae from Shatt Al-Arab river. 3rd Symposium on southern marshes, Basrah, 155-172.

Al-Handal,A.Yousif. (1989): Phytoplankton ecology and species composition in the north west Arabian Gulf. Tech. Report submitted to the Marine Science Center, Basrah.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif. , Al-Assa, S.A and Al-mukhtar,M. (1989): Observations on some filamentous algae from Shatt Al-Arab river. Mar.Mesop. 4(1):1-17.

Halim, Y. and Al-Handal, A.Yousif. (1980): The diatom flora of a eutrophic bay, the Eastern Harbour of Alexandria, Egypt. Acta Adriatica 21(1):271-298.

Al-Handal, A.Yousif., Shaban,A.A. and Al-Saboonchi, A. (1991): Phytoplankton of the Khor Al-Zubair lagoon, south Iraq. Mar.Mesop. 6(1):7-32.

1.Al-Handal, A.Yousif. and Hashim, A.A. (1990): Vertical distribution of functional chlorophyll a in the sediments of Shatt Al-Arab river. Mar.Mesop.5(2):263-274.