President's Memo - November 2021

November 2021

61

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

KHALIFA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES ORGANIZES WHITE COAT CEREMONY FOR THIRD COHORT OF 49 STUDENTS Khalifa University has announced 49 newly enrolled students at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) to study the 4+4 American curriculum MD program took their customary oath at a White Coat Ceremony, marking the start of their Fall 2021 classes.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “The Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences has made steady progress over the years, generating significant interest among the students and implementing community-focused collaborations and new initiatives. As we warmly welcome the third cohort of medical students to Khalifa University, we

During the ceremony, the class of 2025 cohort wearing their white coats, were officially welcomed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, and Dr. John Rock, Dean, Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, after which they pledged their allegiance to the medical code of ethics.

The White Coat Ceremony was streamed live on Khalifa University’s YouTube channel, with parents, friends and families participating virtually.

Currently, a total of 113 students have enrolled across the first three years of the four-year postgraduate MD program at CMHS.

believe they will contribute to the UAE’s healthcare ecosystem, not only through patient care but also through cutting-edge scientific and medical research that will benefit the community in general.”

Dr. John Rock said: “We are delighted to welcome our largest class to date with the time-honored tradition of donning their first medical white coat. This is an exciting time for them to be joining our new and developing MD degree program. Over the past year, we successfully forged partnerships that enable our students, under the guidance of faculty, to be fully immersed in the Abu Dhabi community, providing healthcare in hospitals, clinics, and homes.”

READ MORE HERE

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

KU SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED ICAPP 2021, REGION’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NUCLEAR ENERGY

The International Congress on Advances in

Co-sponsored by Emirates Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP) 2021, the region’s

Corporation, the Federal Authority for Nuclear

first-ever international conference on nuclear

Regulation, as well as the American, French,

energy, organized by Khalifa University, took

Korean and Japanese nuclear societies, ICAPP

place from 16 - 20 October in Abu Dhabi.

2021 provides a forum for leaders of the nuclear community to exchange information, present results

H.E. Ambassador Hamad AlKaabi, Permanent

from their work, review the status of the industry

Representative of the UAE to the International

and discuss future directions and needs for the

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Arif Sultan Al

deployment of new nuclear power plant systems

Hammadi, Honorary Chair, ICAPP 2021, Executive

around the world.

Vice-President, Khalifa University, H.E. Mohamed

In his welcome address, Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi

Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and

said: “We are proud to host the International

CEO, ENEC, attended the conference along with

Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants

representatives from UAE Federal Authority for

(ICAPP) 2021 in partnership with our sponsors and

Nuclear Regulation (FANR), industry experts,

highlight the success of the UAE in establishing and

stakeholders, and global leaders from the nuclear

successfully operating a nuclear power facility, the

energy community.

first in the Arab world.

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

Together with the global nuclear energy

Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant,

community, we also strongly support the

already commercially operational. It is the

role of nuclear power in achieving the net

single largest electricity generator in the Arab

zero greenhouse gas emissions goal, by

World, delivering clean electricity 24/7, and

ensuring consistent energy supply, and a wider

leading the largest decarbonization effort in the

integration of renewables to drive the clean

region.”

energy transition.”

“Beyond clean and abundant electricity, “Moreover, our campus is also home to

Barakah is powering the UAE’s sustainable

Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC),

growth. By creating high-tech industries,

which supports the UAE’s nuclear power

and high-value local nuclear supply chains,

program and delivers the key stakeholders

Barakah is a bridge to new R&D opportunities

goals for safe, clean and efficient nuclear

such as clean hydrogen production, sustainable

energy to meet the targets of Abu Dhabi’s

agriculture and deep space exploration.”

Vision 2030 and the UAE National Energy Strategy 2050. We are proud to be the sole

“Over the next 50 or more years, we will build

academic partner for ENEC from the early

on these successes and establish a truly

stages of the UAE’s nuclear energy industry,

knowledge-based net-zero economy using

and we are privileged to serve as the training

nuclear technology.” H.E Al Hammadi added.

arm for the nuclear energy industry in the UAE. As the first university in the UAE to offer

Sama Bilbao y León, Director-General, World

a Master’s and PhD programs in Nuclear

Nuclear Association (WNA), delivered the

Engineering, Khalifa University remains

first plenary titled “New Builds: The Legacy

committed to developing human capital,

Continues”.

facilitating knowledge-sharing in this strategic area.”

Nasser Al Nasseri, Chief Executive Officer, Barakah One Company, UAE, delivered a talk

H.E. Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing

on ‘Successfully Financing Nuclear New Build

Director and CEO, ENEC, said: “Nuclear energy

Projects’.

is a significant pillar of the UAE’s long-term energy mix and will be for decades to come.

Delegates will have virtual visits to the Barakah

The UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program

Nuclear Energy Plant, the first multi-unit

is an important demonstration that nuclear

operating nuclear plant in the UAE and Arab

projects can be delivered and operated safely

World. Unit 1 started commercial operations

and in a cost-efficient manner. In fact, nuclear

in April 2021, and Unit 2 was connected to

energy is a key contributor to a country’s

the UAE electricity grid in September 2021,

net-zero sustainable development. Today,

with two further units to come on line in the

nuclear and renewables are working together

coming years, generating up to 25% of the UAE

to generate clean electricity in the UAE with

electricity when fully operational.

TWO KU TEAMS WIN 1ST AND 2ND AT DUBAI WORLD CHALLENGE FOR SELF-DRIVING TRANSPORT Two teams from Khalifa University took first and second place for their innovative ground vehicle and drone at the 2nd Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport. The competition was held

by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) under the theme ‘Self-Driving Logistics’ and offered prizes over AED6 million.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, honored the winners during a ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Wednesday, 27 October 2021, in the presence of His Excellency Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, DirectorGeneral, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority.

The challenge is devoted to Self-driving Logistical

Services, including ground transport and drones. Over six weeks, the qualified projects and initiatives were subjected to various tests at a testing site in the Dubai Silicon Oasis.

Thirty-one academic institutions and international companies competed in the challenge, with seven teams making it to the finals in the Academia category.

Khalifa University won first place in the Academia category in the Ground Vehicles Challenge, winning US$100,000 for their robot with a unique mechanical design that makes it effective in rugged conditions and terrain. The robot features a driving program focused on risk management strategies, touchless package delivery, and the successful clearing of tests and obstacles.

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

The KU Ground Vehicle team was led by Dr.Majid Khonji, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Science, and included the following team members: • Eyad Shaklab, Research Assistant • Arjun Sharma, Research Associate • Rashid Alyassi, Research Engineer • Dr. Areg Karapetyan, Postdoctoral Fellow • Mustofa Basri, MSc student • Mohamed Nagy, MSc student • Murad Mebrahtu, MSc student Mohamed Al Zarooni, 2020 Al Nokhba member While in the Aerial Vehicles Challenge, Khalifa University finished second and won US$50,000 for a modified drone fitted with a dedicated cargo compartment. The highly reliable drone proved it can quickly deliver supplies in urban areas.

The KU Aerial Vehicle team was led by Dr.Hamad Karki, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and included the following team members: • Vishnu Badhran, Research Associate • Vidya Sudevan, PhD student • Hamdan Al Dhanhani, 2021 Al Nokhba member • Khaled Al Kaabi, 2021 Al Nokhba member • Abdullah Al Sherif, 2020 Al Nokhba member • Abdullah Al Ataishi, 2020 Al Nokhba member • Abdullah Al Hosani, 2020 Al Nokhba member

Dr. Fahad Al Maskari, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering and coordinator of the Al Nokhba Program – a KU program that trains National Service Associates from the UAE in the research and development of autonomous vehicle technologies – supported both winning teams in an advisory role.

Teams were evaluated based on three key elements: Safety, which included reliability, visibility handling, interaction with pedestrians, and speed control; usability, which included speed, ease of use, cargo safety and understandable behavior; and the level of maturity, which included passing the scenario and operator interaction, path planning, detection and prediction.

The challenge was part of the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport, which aims to highlight the leading role Dubai is playing in self-driving transport and to accelerate efforts to achieve the targets of Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy by attracting experts and technologies of self-driving transport to the UAE.

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

KHALIFA UNIVERSITY WINS INTERNATIONAL BID TO BRING PRESTIGIOUS IEEE INTELLIGENT ROBOTS AND SYSTEMS (IROS) CONFERENCE TO ABU DHABI IN 2024 Khalifa University of Science and Technology has announced it has won the right to host the Middle East’s first-ever IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), one of the world’s largest and most impactful robotics research conferences, in Abu Dhabi in 2024.

The Khalifa University bid, submitted in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and the UAE Ministry of Education, won against global competition from other leading international universities.

Abu Dhabi’s status as a major conference destination, the emirate’s focus on supporting new technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence systems, Khalifa University’s Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute, and the Center for Autonomous Robotic Systems (KU-CARS), played a significant role in clinching the deal in favor of the university.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Following the successful hosting of the MBZIRC 2020 that brought international acclaim to Abu Dhabi, we feel privileged to have won the international bidding now in collaboration with other UAE Government institutions to bring IROS, one of the world’s largest and most impactful robotics research conferences, not only to Abu Dhabi but to the Middle East, for the first time.

The IROS 2024 conference will help portray the UAE’s readiness to accept modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and Khalifa University’s involvement in furthering scientific innovation in this area. We believe the conference will substantially intensify adoption of robotic systems, machine learning and smart devices, while highlighting the advances made in this sector.”

READ MORE HERE

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS

KHALIFA UNIVERSITY AND DASSAULT AVIATION SIGN MOU ON AERONAUTICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION AT DUBAI AIR SHOW 2021 Khalifa University and global aerospace leader Dassault Aviation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish academic cooperation in developing aeronautical education and related research in the UAE, involving industrial experience as well as advanced technologies.

The two partners will jointly promote and implement cooperation in areas including collaborative high-skilled research programs, student sponsorships and internships, support to academic programs as well as capacity building and development. The MoU will build on existing strengths within Khalifa University in the critical aviation, space, and defense systems sectors, covering aeronautics and astronautical engineering, as well as the Aerospace Research and Innovation Center (ARIC) that drives innovation in these areas.

The MoU was signed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, and Philippe Perrin, Executive Vice-President International, on behalf of Eric Trappier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dassault Aviation, at Dubai Airshow 2021.

READ MORE HERE

KHALIFA UNIVERSITY AND ADPHC SIGN MOU TO COLLABORATE IN THE FIELDS OF PUBLIC HEALTH H.E Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Health, witnessed the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC) and Khalifa University that is made to identify better ways for both parties to work together in various public health aspects.

The agreement was signed by H.E Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Public Health Center (ADPHC), and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of the Khalifa University.

This MoU acts as a documentation of the joint strategic cooperation between ADPHC and the University. Khalifa University is a researchbased educational institution that seeks to graduate Emirati leaders and critical thinkers in

applied sciences and engineering field, while stimulating the growth of the fast-evolving knowledge economy in Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

Under the agreement, both partners shall cooperate in producing academic programs and research results made by the research team, members of the academic staff and scientists in the public health field.

READ MORE HERE

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS

KU FACULTY TO SERVE AS ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF SPE JOURNAL Dr. Emad Al Shalabi, Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering, has been invited to serve as an Associate Editor for SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, a journal published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). The journal covers a wide range of topics, including reservoir characterization, geology and geophysics, reservoir management, enhanced oil recovery, etc.

As Associate Editor, Dr. Al Shalabi will be working with Executive Editor Dr. Subhash Ayirala in overseeing the smooth and timely peer-review process and ensuring the successful publication of every issue.

Congratulations, Dr. Al Shalabi on your new appointment!

IICS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR JOINS WASHINGTON DC THINK TANK Dr. Li-Chen Sim, Assistant Professor at the Institute of International and Civil Security (CHSS), has been appointed as a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC. Founded in 1964, the MEI is the oldest Washington-based think tank dedicated solely to the study of the Middle East. She will contribute to the MEI’s new program on Energy and Economics through webinars and articles on the political economy of Asia, Russia, and the Gulf; in so doing she will augment KU’s international outreach and networking efforts.

You can view her profile on the MEI website here: https://www.mei.edu/ profile/li-chen-sim

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS

DR. LINDA ZOU CHOSEN TO BE THE DEPUTY OF THE MBRAS WOMEN IN SCIENCE COMMITTEE Dr. Linda Zou, Professor of Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering, was selected by the Emirates Scientists Council to be the Deputy of the Women in Science Committee of the Mohammed bin Rashid Academy of Scientists (MBRAS). Dr. Zou will be working with committee lead Dr. Saeeda Al Marzouqi and the other committee members to represent women in the science community.

The committee aims to advocate the attraction, promotion, and retention of women in STEM fields. It will support and encourage women faculty and researchers to engage and thrive in their chosen careers, specifically in STEM, where women are still relatively minorities.

“Women scientists have overcome many difficulties to be in current positions and made great contributions to the university and science. Our aim is to promote sustainable engagement and growth, to be recognized and have the same opportunity without facing disadvantages,” Dr. Zou said.

Dr. Zou is regarded as an expert in water technologies and cloud seeding materials and is well-known for her ground-breaking research using nanotechnology to develop cloud seeding materials.

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS

KU FACULTY JOINS THE MOHAMMED BIN RASHID ACADEMY OF SCIENTISTS ROSTER

participate in the new Youth Member category.

The KU members join other prominent scientists from around the UAE who were selected. The total number of members that form the MBRAS second cycle is 64, along with 45 new affiliate members and 40 new youth members. This

Eighteen Khalifa University faculty members have

brings the total number of members in MBRAS

been selected to be part of the second cycle of the

to 97, in addition to 85 affiliate members.

prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Academy of Scientists (MBRAS), the primary body of the UAE’s

Khalifa University is deeply committed to the

science community composed of top researchers

UAE’s knowledge economy transformation and

from different institutions in the country.

to empowering the local community, which is why it is proud to see many of its faculty and

The Khalifa University MBRAS members were

students pool together with other experts in the

selected for their expertise in their respective

country to explore new ways to drive scientific

fields. In addition, four KU students were selected to

progress in the country.

FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to the KU faculty and students who were selected!

The KU members include: Health and Medical Science Member: • Dr. Abu Adem, Professor of Pharmacology Engineering and Technology Members: • Dr. Cesare Stefanini, Professor of Biomedical Engineering • Dr. Giovanni Palmisano, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering • Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering • Dr. Khaled Salah, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Dr. Kyriaki Polychronopoulou, Professor of Mechanical Engineering • Dr. Matteo Chiesa, Professor of Mechanical Engineering • Dr. Mohamed El Moursi, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Dr. TieJun (TJ) Zhang, Professor of Mechanical Engineering • Dr. Ammar Nayfeh, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Dr. Ahsan Ul Haq Qurashi, Associate Professor of Chemistry • Dr. Tarek El Fouly, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Affiliate Members: • Dr. Amal Al Ghaferi, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering • Dr. Baker Mohammad, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Dr. Daniel Choi, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

• Dr. Davor Svetinovic, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science • Dr. Faisal Al Marzooqi, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering • Dr. Khalifa Al Hosani, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Youth Members: • Ayesha Alkhoori, PhD in Engineering • Falah Alhammadi, PhD in Engineering • Ahmed Aldhanhani, BSc in Mechanical Engineering • Aaesha Alnuaimi, BSc in Computer Engineering • Taimur Hassan, PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

READ MORE HERE

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

KU STUDENT AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH AT QUWA FORUM Khalifa University Graduate Teaching Assistant and PhD candidate, Jawaher AlYammahi, has been awarded an Excellence in Research award from the Second Forum for Women in Research hosted by University of Sharjah.

Quwa: Empowering Women in Research and Innovation categories address the most important issues, topics and priority research challenges in different fields, including health sciences, medicine, engineering, and computing and informatics.

Coinciding with Emirati Women’s Day, the Quwa

forum was held on 26 August with the 7th International Conference on Arab Women in Computing event.

AlYammahi won the award for engineering for her paper on water-based extraction of sugar from dates. With Rambabu Krishnamoorthy, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Dr. Fawzi Banat, Professor of Chemical Engineering, AlYammahi used a novel technique to extract sugars and micronutrients from dates for use in sugar-alternative products.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

“Recently, consumers have been preferring

PhD candidate Lamees Al Qassem created

natural fruit sugar products, rather than

a framework for managing cloud workloads

commercial refined sugar, thanks to growing

with Dr.Ibrahim Elfadel, Professor of Electrical

awareness of the various health risks and

Engineering and Computer Science, Dr. Ernesto

diseases related to white sugar,” AlYammahi said.

Damiani, Professor and Senior Director of the

“Date palm fruit is an excellent – and green –

Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute, and

source for the glucose and fructose sugars that

Dr. Thanos Stouraitis, Professor and Department

are a great alternative to the sucrose of refined

Chair of Electrical Engineering and Computer

sugar. However, dates have a gummy consistency,

Science.

tough skin and rigid cell membrane, hindering the extraction of these alternative sugars, and

Dr. Maisam Wahbah, Post-doctoral Fellow,

current techniques just aren’t good enough.

developed an algorithm to capture ECG signals

We used sub-critical water extraction to get 81

from babies still in the womb in the early

percent of the sugar from the dates, compared

stages of pregnancy with Dr. Ahsan Khandoker,

to the very low amounts seen using standard

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering,

techniques.”

and Dr. Mohammad Zitouni, Post-doctoral Fellow.

Sub-critical water extraction is a new and

Maryam Alhasmi and Dr. Balasubramanian

powerful technique that uses hot water and

Vaithilingam, Principal Research Scientist,

high pressure to extract different compounds

created a porous material from carbon to capture

from natural sources, like sugars from dates. It

carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

is recognized as a safe, cost-effective and more environmentally-friendly method as it uses water

PhD candidate Fahmi Anwar and Dr. Georgios

rather than other solvents in the process.

Karanikolos, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, developed a novel material

AlYammahi and her team were joined in the

for separating ethylene from ethane in the

competition by other female researchers and

petrochemical industry.

students from Khalifa University.

Dr. Saeed Alkhazraji, Associate Professor of Dr. Ameena Al Sumaiti, Associate Professor of

Chemical Engineering and Senior Director of

Electrical Engineering, designed a multi-strategy

Petroleum Institute, and Anjali Goyal, Research

planning support tool for electricity supply

Assistant, collaborated with researchers from

management.

Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi to develop natural particles to remove oil from

With Dr. Mahmoud Meribout, Professor of

water after an oil spill.

Electrical Engineering, MSc students Asma Baobaid developed an artificial intelligence

PhD candidate Amani Alhammadi and Dr. Daniel

platform for face recognition and Budoor

Choi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering,

Alblooshi developed an autopilot system for

analyzed the performance of lithium ion batteries

autonomous vehicles.

in low-temperature space applications.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

KU BSC STUDENT TAKES THIRD PLACE IN EUROSKILLS COMPETITION EuroSkills is a vocational skills competition staged as a European championship every two years. The competition focuses on the outstanding achievements of young, talented, and skilled professionals, with around 400 participants competing in vocational categories from the industrial, craft, and service sectors.

“Having the opportunity to participate in EuroSkills was one of the best and most challenging experiences in my life,” Hanan said. “I trained for 7 to 10 hours every day, including weekends, for three months before the competition, while still keeping up with my university workload to stay on my graduation plan.

AFTER TAKING FIRST PLACE IN THE EMIRATESSKILLS COMPETITION IN THE CNC TURNING CATEGORY, BSC IN COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT HANAN AHMED ALSHAMSI WENT ON TO REPRESENT THE UAE IN THE SAME CATEGORY AT EUROSKILLS 2021 IN GRAZ, AUSTRIA. After taking first place in the EmiratesSkills competition in the CNC Turning category, BSc in Computer Science student Hanan Ahmed Alshamsi went on to represent the UAE in the same category at EuroSkills 2021 in Graz, Austria. She was the first UAE representative to compete in the CNC category, which stands for Computer Numerical Control Turning, used to produce the precise and interactive parts of complex products from smartphones to airplanes.

The UAE was one of only three guest countries, which meant that while we were part of the competition, we didn’t get medals, but the opportunity to go and gain experience and make connections was our reason for going.

It was definitely challenging. I was up against people who had been training full-time for over three years on a completely different machine than the one I trained on. Despite that, I performed really well and took third place.”

For her first time competing in an international competition and despite her limited time training and other commitments to her studies, Hanan showcased her talent and expertise in CNC turning, taking third place in her category.

Her visit to EuroSkills 2021 was a stop on the journey to the 2022 WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, where she will test her abilities against the best of the best in the world.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

KU MSC STUDENT AWARDED GOLDEN VISA Muhammad Taha applied for the Golden Visa with the support and recommendation of Khalifa University faculty, including Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice President for Academics and Student Services, and Dr.Dimitrios Kyritsis, Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering Department.

Khalifa University’s Muhammad Taha Ansari, MSc in Mechanical Engineering student, has been awarded the Golden Visa – a long-term residence visa issued by the UAE government to bright students with promising scientific capabilities.

Originally from Pakistan but born and raised in the UAE, Muhammad Taha is thankful to the UAE government and its leadership for giving him this unique opportunity.

“I will always work the extra mile to make my nations proud, and will always work for the betterment of my society,” he shared.

“I would like to thank Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi for recommending my name and having trust in me, followed by the efforts of Dr. Kyritsis who always supported me.

And I would also like to thank my advisor Dr. Jarrar, who has always guided me throughout my journey,” Muhammad said.

Muhammad Taha is currently in his final year of his Master’s program in Mechanical Engineering, and is also pursuing a concentration in Space Systems and Technology. He works on Khalifa University satellite projects at the University’s YahSat Space Lab and the Khalifa University Space and Technology Innovation Center (KUSTIC). He has helped develop the DhabiSat and Light-1 as satellites.

He is currently working to publish his research work related to ADCS (Attitude

Determination and Control Systems), and will be converting his Master’s research into a space application tool that will facilitate future missions in the field of space. He also plans to continue his studies after he graduates, and looks forward to pursuing a PhD in the field of space technology and to then go on and work for a Space Agency.

Muhammad Taha was awarded the Golden Visa due to his high CPGA (3.99/4.0) which he received during undergraduate studies at Khalifa University, where he majored in Mechanical Engineering. He has several accolades under his belt already. He served as President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Chapter, and was also leader of the Team Solar Smart Vehicle, which was represented at several conferences and exhibitions. He was also part of several KU competitions and won first place at Hackathon 3.0 and second place at Hackathon 4.0.

Muhammad Taha now has a ten-year visa that can be automatically renewed, allowing him to live, work, and study in the UAE without requiring a national sponsor.

BOOK CHAPTER & PUBLISHED PAPERS

Book Chapters Title

Optically Active Metal Oxides for Photovoltaic Applications

Book

Chemically Deposited Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides for Photovoltaic Applications

Publisher

Springer Nature

KU Authors

Dr. A. C. Lokhande, Mechanical Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow; Issam A. Qattan, Associate Professor of Physics; and Dr. Shashikant P Patole, Assistant Professor of Physics

Link

CLICK HERE

Published Papers in Q1 Journals

To view the link to the published article, please click here.

VIEW HERE

Title

Encapsulation Capacity of β-Cyclodextrin Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles towards Creatinine Enhances the Colorimetric Sensing of Hydrogen Peroxide in Urine

Journal

Nanomaterials

KU Authors

Shashikant P Patole, Assistant Professor of Physics

Title

Insulin Signal Transduction Perturbations in Insulin Resistance

Journal

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

KU Authors

Dr. Abdu Adem, Professor of Pharmacology

Title

Ultrafast Electron Holes in Plasma Phase Space Dynamics

Journal

Scientific Reports

KU Authors

Dr. Ioannis Kourakis, Associate Professor of Mathematics

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Title

Wearable Bifocal Contact Lens for Continual Glucose Monitoring Integrated with Smartphone Readers

Journal

Small

KU Authors

Dr. Mohamed Elsherif, Mechanical Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow; Dr. Fahad Alam, Mechanical Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow; Dr. Ahmed E. Salih, Mechanical Engineering Research Associate; and Dr. Haider Butt, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Title

Are We Missing Something When Evaluating Adsorbents for CO2 Capture at System Level?

Journal

Energy and Environmental Science

KU Authors

Dr. Daniel Bahamon, RICH Research Scientist; Dr. Lourdes F Vega, Dr. Lourdes F. Vega, Director of RICH Center and Professor of Chemical Engineering; and Dr. Ahmed AlHajaj, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and RICH Faculty Member

Title

Contraceptive Effectiveness of an FDA-Cleared Birth Control App: Results from the Natural Cycles U.S. Cohort

Journal

Journal of Women’s Health

KU Authors

Dr. Juan Acuna, Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Population Health

Title

Dual-Functional Paired Photoelectrocatalytic System for the Photocathodic Reduction of CO2 to Fuels and the Anodic Oxidation of Furfural to Value-Added Chemicals

Journal

Applied Catalysis B: Environmental

KU Authors

Dr. Bharath Govindan, Chemical Engineering Research Scientist; Dr. Rambabu Krishnamoorthy, CMAT Postdoctoral Fellow; Abdul Hai, Chemical Engineering Research Assistant; Dr. Mohammad Abu Haija, Associate Professor of Chemistry; and Dr. Fawzi Banat, Professor and Chemical Engineering Department Chair

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Title

Falling Behind: The Role of Student Loans on Forgoing Healthcare

Journal

Health and Social Care in the Community

KU Authors

Dr. Michael Babula, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences

Title

Macroscopic Covalent Organic Framework Architectures for Water Remediation

Journal

Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology

KU Authors

Dr. Abdul Khayum Mohammed, Chemistry Postdoctoral Fellow; and Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Title

Viologen–Cucurbituril Host/Guest Chemistry – Redox Control of Dimerization Versus Inclusion

Journal

RSC Advances

KU Authors

Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Title

Novel Static Magnetic Field Effects on Green Chemistry Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Journal

Scientific Reports

KU Authors

Dr. Siobhan O’Sullivan, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics; and Dr. David Sheehan, Professor of Chemistry

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Title

Quantum Probes for the Characterization of Nonlinear Media

Journal

Entropy

KU Authors

Dr. Berihu Teklu, Assistant Professor of Mathematics

Title

British Naval Assistance at the Twilight of Empire: The Case of Abu Dhabi, 1966–1968

Journal

International Journal of Maritime History

KU Authors

Dr. Athol Yates, Assistant Professor and Acting Program Chair for the Institute of International and Civil Security and Dr. Ash Rossiter, Assistant Professor of International and Civil Security and of Humanities and Social Sciences

Title

Outcomes of Intravascular Ultrasound Versus Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Percutaneous Coronary Angiography: A meta Regression-Based Analysis

Journal

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions (CCI)

KU Authors

Dr. Noora AlHajri, Epidemiology and Population Health Instructor

Title

Unraveling Japan’s Aircraft Carrier Puzzle: Leveraging Carriers’ Symbolic Value

Journal

Asian Security

KU Authors

Dr. Brendon Cannon, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences and Dr. Ash Rossiter, Assistant Professor of International and Civil Security and of Humanities and Social Sciences

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Title

Detecting Variations in Ovulation and Menstruation During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Using Real-World Mobile App Data

Journal

Public Library of Science (PLOS) One

KU Authors

Dr. Juan Acuna, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health

Title

Two-Dimensional Nitrogenated Holey Graphene (C2N) Monolayer Based Glucose Sensor for Diabetes Mellitus

Journal

Applied Surface Science

KU Authors

Dr. Muhammad Sajjad, Postdoctoral Fellow, Physics Department and Dr. Nirpendra Singh, Assistant Professor of Physics and CeCaS Faculty

Title

Atmospheric Rivers Drive Exceptional Saharan Dust Transport towards Europe

Journal

Atmospheric Research

KU Authors

Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab, Dr. Ricardo Fonseca, Research Scientist, ENGEOS Lab, and Dr. Narendra Nelli, Postdoctoral Fellow, ENGEOS Lab

Title

Enriched Transcriptome Analysis of Laser Capture Microdissected Populations of Single Cells to Investigate Intracellular Heterogeneity in Immunostained FFPE Sections

Journal

Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal

KU Authors

Dr. Mohamed Rahmani, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Title

What Have We Learned by Multiscale Models on Improving the Cathode Storage Capacity of Li-Air Batteries? Recent Advances and Remaining Challenge

Journal

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

KU Authors

Khizar Hayat, RICH Graduate Student; Dr. Lourdes F. Vega, Director of RICH Center and Professor of Chemical Engineering; and Dr. Ahmed Al Hajaj, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and RICH Faculty Member

Title

Estimating the Viral Loads of SARS-CoV-2 in the Oral Cavity When Complicated with Periapical Lesions

Journal

BMC Oral Health

KU Authors

Dr. Thenmozhi Venkatachalam, Physiology and Immunology Postdoctoral Fellow

Title

Calcium and Citrate Protect Pisum Sativum Roots Against Copper Toxicity by Regulating the Cellular Redox Status

Journal

Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

KU Authors

Dr. David Sheehan, Professor of Chemistry

Title

Simulation and Validation of Porosity and Permeability of Synthetic and Real Rock Models Using ThreeDimensional Printing and Digital Rock Physics

Journal

ACS Omega

KU Authors

Ezdeen Ibrahim, Geosciences Graduate Student; Dr. Mohamed Soufiane Jouini, Associate Professor of Mathematics; and Dr. Fateh Bouchala, Assistant Professor of Earth Science