September 2021
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UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS
KHALIFA UNIVERSITY’S PHD PROGRAMS IN 15 FIELDS TO FURTHER EXPAND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN STRATEGIC AREAS FOR UAE AND REGION
FOUR NEW DOCTORATE PROGRAMS BY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL MASTER’S AND BACHELOR’S PROGRAMS ADDED FOR 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR
Khalifa University’s College of Arts and Sciences is
developing them into experts in these fields.
now offering four new PhD programs in Chemistry, Physics, Math, and Earth Sciences, raising the total
Dr. Arif said: “The new doctorate and Master’s
number of doctorate fields to 15 for the academic
programs further expand our academic and
year 2021-2022, and further widening human
research offerings, designed to create consummate
capital development in strategic areas of the UAE
professionals in all areas that are strategic to the
and the region.
UAE’s economy. We continuously evaluate the human capital needs of the UAE and the region to
The launch of the new Master’s and PhD
design our academic and research programs so that
programs represents Khalifa University’s
future engineers, scientists and healthcare experts
commitment to contribute human capital to the
will be fully equipped to face diverse challenges.
Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which aims to
We believe the new academic programs will attract
build a sustainable and diversified, high value-
more students to Khalifa University’s state-of-the-
added economy, as well as to achieve effective
art research and academic facilities where they
transformation of the Emirate’s economic base and
will be able to develop themselves into career
bring about global integration. These programs
professionals.”
will prepare the students for the job market of the future, equipping them with the knowledge of new technological advancements and innovations, and
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UNIVERSITY ACHIEVEMENTS
KHALIFA UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES KU-SDG AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO EQUIP STUDENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE ON UN SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES Khalifa University has announced the launch of the Khalifa University-Sustainable Development Goals (KU-SDG) Ambassador Program, a co-curricular program to teach students about innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership with a focus on sustainability through a series of workshops. Initiated by the Student Success Office, the Khalifa University-SDG Ambassador Program will build upon Khalifa University’s membership into the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and introduce the United Nations’ SDGs to the students. It will equip them with the knowledge to contribute towards giving back to the community and ways to develop practical innovative solutions. The workshop series will run from Fall to Spring and will be divided into six units – an introductory session, four themed units based on the 17 UNSDGs, and a closing session. Dr. Arif said: “The KU-SDG Ambassador Program reiterates our commitment to sustainability, renewable energy and green policies, especially
though Masdar Institute’s various research centers and facilities such as the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), Masdar Institute Solar Platform (MISP), and the Masdar Institute Environmental Monitoring Platform (MIEMP) at Abu Dhabi Mangroves. The program also compliments our various initiatives that support UAE’s Sustainability measures and will help further raise students’ awareness about global challenges that require an increased role for youth in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations.” He added: “This program is in line with the directives from the UAE leadership on developing and nurturing future professionals who will be experts in good governance, integrity and policymaking. We believe the students who join this initiative will be true ambassadors of the UAE’s progressive role in the global arena and bring honor to the country.”
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FACULTY ACHIEVEMENTS
ILSSI HONORS PROFESSOR JIJU ANTONY WITH LIFETIME OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO LEAN SIX SIGMA The International Lean Six Sigma Institute (ILSSI) presented Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, with the prestigious “Lifetime Outstanding Contribution to Lean Six Sigma” award in recognition for Dr. Antony’s work and contributions to the understanding and standardization of Lean Six Sigma, a team-focused managerial approach that seeks to improve performance by eliminating waste and defects. Dr. Antony has been a pillar in the field of Six Sigma. In 2004, he founded the Centre for Research in Six Sigma and Process Excellence (CRISSPE), the first Six Sigma research center in Europe. The center aims to further promote Six Sigma, Lean Strategy, Quality Management and Business Process Improvement Methods in the UK and Europe. The ILSSI is based in Cambridge, England and was established as a partnership of Lean Six Sigma professionals in the UK, EU, USA, Asia and the Middle-East that focuses on providing International collaboration, common understanding and standards for both Lean and Six Sigma principles, tools and techniques. The ILSSI offers training, certification, coaching, and consulting services directly and through the network. It also hosts an annual conference for Lean Six Sigma practitioners.
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
STUDENT BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING PAPERS ACCEPTED AT EMBC
The EMBS conference will be held virtually from 31 October to 4 November and will cover diverse topics of cutting-edge research and innovation in biomedical engineering and healthcare technology. Fitting the theme of ‘Changing Global Healthcare in the Twenty-First Century’, Dahlia Hassan investigated the efficacy of a model in determining how to help patients suffering from fainting, while Feryal Alskafi, MSc in Biomedical Engineering student, developed a model to identify emotions from bodily responses. Dahlia is currently a Teacher’s Assistant for Dr. Herbert Jelinek, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and will begin her Master’s degree in Spring 2022. HEART RATE MODEL TO HELP REDUCE FAINTING Vasovagal syncope is a medical condition that can lead to fainting. This is caused by a temporary drop in the amount of blood that flows to the brain from a sudden drop in blood pressure or a drop in heart rate. It is considered to be the most common cause of fainting that becomes even more common with age. Hassan proposed a new way of determining whether the self-training program can help patients with syncope. She developed a model that uses a patient’s electrocardiogram (ECG) data, which are electrical signals from the heart, to predict heart rate changes
and determine the efficacy of the home-based training program. MONITORING OUR EMOTIONS Wearable sensors are already used to monitor health—heart rate sensors are commonly used to keep an eye on heart health and predict any adverse events. Further advances in sensors have also been used to recognize emotions using physiological signals. However, there is no universally accepted model for emotions, which Alskafi set out to change. In healthcare, an individual profile that recognizes sources of stress, anxiety, depression or chronic diseases can be built by tracking emotions using wearable trackers. Alskafi recognized that while emotions are usually conveyed through body language and facial expressions, physiological manifestations of emotions could provide a more accurate representation. Alskafi’s results found that the model performed best when it had fewer emotions to choose between, showing that the study can be used as a basis for further research in machine learning classification and algorithm development.
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
PRE-MED STUDENTS SHARE RESEARCH EFFORTS AT KU’S VIRTUAL PMB RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM When established in 2019, KU’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences became the first institution to introduce US-style medical education in the UAE. The College continues to implement unique ways to support the UAE’s growing need for medical services and strengthens its ability to attract, retain, and train medical professionals. Each year, students are engaged in various activities designed to help them enter our Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program. Research is one such integral component. The Pre-Medicine Bridge (PMB) Program Research Symposium is a unique event that provides our transitioning students with an opportunity to showcase their research efforts. The Pre-Medicine Bridge Students were divided into 6 groups and each group was allocated a Research Advisor to mentor the students throughout their work on their research. The groups presented their research in the form of poster presentations on 15 July in a virtual research symposium event that was open to the entire KU Community. The judges, Dr. Theodore Burkett, Senior Lecturer & Acting Director, Preparatory Program, and Dr. Okobi Ekpo, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology, chose the two winners. The first place winner was the Renal Pathology group and the second place winner was the Medicinal Chemistry group.
CAPTION: THE RENAL PATHOLOGY GROUP WON FIRST PLACE.
CAPTION: THE MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY GROUP WON SECOND PLACE.
To view the winners’ posters and presentations and for more information about the PMBP Symposium, please visit: The Pre-Medicine Bridge Program Virtual Research Symposium 2021 - Khalifa University (ku.ac.ae)
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
STUDENT PRESENTS RESEARCH ON RISK OF SPACE WEATHER ON THE UAE HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SPACE WEATHER? Space weather is caused by activity on the Sun's surface. Although the Sun is really far away—about 150 million kilometers—from Earth, space weather can affect Earth and the rest of the solar system. The field of space weather is relatively new to the UAE, but research work being done by KU’s MA in International and Civil Security student Alia Al Hazami is shedding light on space weather’s impact and how the UAE can take steps to mitigate any negative effects from it. Alia conducted a workshop at the Sharjah Academy of Astronomy in August and at Khalifa University in September as part of her thesis research on the Risk of Space Weather in the UAE.
Dr. Athol Yates, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences, is Alia’s supervisor. The research Alia is conducting aims to quantify the risk that space weather poses to UAE critical infrastructure both in space, such as satellites that are needed for global communication, navigation and trade, and on the earth, such as power grids, communication networks and radar among others. While some countries such as the UK and US have recognized the need for including space weather as part of their national security risk assessment mitigation, there is no such public information for the UAE. “My research aims to explore the risk of space weather on the UAE’s critical infrastructure, economy, Armed Forces and society over the next five years by developing a risk assessment for the UAE on space weather through mapping out the likelihood, consequences and existing as well as future mitigation efforts,” Alia shared.
PATENT ISSUED & PUBLISHED PAPERS
Patent Issued Title
Memristor Based Sensor for Radiation Detection
KU Inventors
Dr. Baker Mohammad, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Director of the SystemOn-Chip Center; Dr. Maguy Abi Jaoude, Associate Professor of Chemistry and System-On-Chip Center Faculty ; Dr. Heba Abunahla, Research Scientist, System-On-Chip Center; and Dr. Mahmoud Al-Qutayr, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and System-On-Chip Center Faculty
Patent No
US 11,105,937 B2
Date of Patent
31 August 2021
Link
OPEN LINK
Published Papers in Q1 Journals
To view the link to the published article, please click here.
VIEW HERE
Title
Pharmacists’ Perceptions of the Use of Internet-Based Medication Information by Patients: A CrossSectional Surveys
Journal
PloS One
KU Author
Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Title
The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination Delay: A Modelling Study for Chicago and NYC Data
Journal
Vaccine
KU Author
Dr. Jorge P. Zubelli, Professor and Chair of the Mathematics Department
Title
Lymph Nodes-On-Chip: Promising Immune Platforms for Pharmacological and Toxicological Applications
Journal
Frontiers in Pharmacology
KU Authors
Aya Shanti,Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC) Research Associate; Dr. Nicholas Hallfors, HEIC Postdoctoral Fellow; Dr. Georg A. Petroianu, Professor and Chair of Pharmacology & Associate Dean of Research, College of Medicine and Health Sciences; and Dr. Cesare Stefanini, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of HEIC
PATENT ISSUED & PUBLISHED PAPERS
Title
Planar Analog Memimpedance Behavior in Reduced GO-Based Metal-Semiconductor-Metal
Journal
Materials & Design
KU Author
Dr. Heba Abunahla, Research Scientist, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Dr. Baker Mohammad, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Dr. Yawar Abbas, Research Scientist, Department of Physics; and Dr. Anas Alazzam, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Title
The Implementation of Lean Six Sigma for Operational Excellence in Digital Emerging Technology Companies
Journal
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
KU Author
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Title
A Novel and Practical Conceptual Framework to Support Lean Six Sigma Deployment in Manufacturing SMEs
Journal
Total Quality Management & Business Excellence
KU Author
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Title
Revisiting Ishikawa’s Original Seven Basic Tools of Quality Control: A Global Study and Some New Insights
Journal
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
KU Author
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Title
Evaluating Performance of Projects Using Six Sigma Approach
Journal
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
KU Author
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Title
Challenges in Establishing a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Convalescent Plasma Donation Program in a Multicultural Environment
Journal
Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
KU Authors
Dr. Manuel Algora, Clinical Professor, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Dr. Laila Osama Abdel Wareth, Clinical Professor, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
PATENT ISSUED & PUBLISHED PAPERS
Title
Medial and Lateral Posterior Tibial Slope Are Independent Risk Factors for Noncontact ACL Injury in Both Men and Women
Journal
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
KU Author
Dr. Natalie Keough, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Title
Power Projection of Middle East States in the Horn of Africa: Linking Security Burdens with Capabilities
Journal
Small Wars & Insurgencies
KU Author
Dr. Brendon Cannon, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences
Title
Impact of Educational Intervention to Promote Jordanian Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge and Perception Towards Antimicrobial Stewardship: Pre-Post Interventional Study
Journal
Infection and Drug Resistance
KU Author
Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Title
In Vitro Investigation of the Impact of Pulsatile Blood Flow on the Vascular Architecture of Decellularized Porcine Kidneys
Journal
Scientific Reports
KU Author
Dr. Peter Corridon, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Immunology
Title
Falling behind: The Role of Student Loans on Forgoing Healthcare
Journal
Health and Social Care in the Community
KU Author
Dr. Michael Babula, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences