Issue 13 I Nov 2021
Epidemiological modelling tool to boost safety at Expo 2020 Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences Organizes White Coat Ceremony for Third Cohort of 49 Students
Student Biomedical Engineering Papers Accepted at EMBC
Research on Sustainable Refrigeration System Nabs 2nd Place Win at the 8th Undergraduate Research Competition
Two Khalifa University student
Student Presents Research on Risk of Space Weather on the UAE
BASF Honors 10 Winners of Khalifa University’s YFEL Case Study Competition on ‘AI for Sustainable Farming’ Organized by EBTIC
papers have been accepted at
Reward Workshop ‘CliftonStrengths
the 43rd Annual International
Assessment’ Helps Winning YFEL
Conference of the IEEE Engineering
Members to Dive Deep into Their Own
in Medicine and Biology Society.
Talents and Strengths
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Two Faculty Members Recognized in 2021 SPE International and Regional Awards
Inspirational Talk with Maryam AlHabroosh, Head of Mahali Program at noon
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Khalifa Innovation Center Organizes ‘Innovation Open House’ on 5 October at Khalifa University Main Campus
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MY CAMPUS, MY COMMUNITY
KU Celebrates World Teachers’ Day by Awarding Outstanding KU Teachers
Student & faculty achievements, and campus activities
In honor of World Teachers’ Day, we are delighted to recognize the faculty, laboratory teaching staff, and teaching assistants who have had a profound impact on students’ learning through their exemplary teaching. Three faculty members – one from each of the University’s three colleges – are the recipients of this year’s Teaching Awards for their excellence in teaching. KU students played a vital role in this year’s nominations. The top nominees from each category were requested to submit an electronic portfolio of innovative teaching evidence. Through a rigorous selection process, the finalists for the year 2021 have been announced on World Teachers’ Day by the Provost’s Office. The focus for this year’s awards was on teachers who had a profound impact on students during the transitioning to online learning which coincides with the World Teachers’ Day 2021 theme of “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery.” The theme recognizes teachers for their tireless efforts to keep teaching even during hardships like COVID-19 Pandemic. The three awardees are: • Dr. Ali Abdulkareem AlHammadi, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering • Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor, Pharmacology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences • David Anthony Young, Lecturer, Preparatory Program, College of Arts & Sciences Additionally, three lab engineers – one from each college – were awarded the Teaching Support Award. They are: • Haya Al Anid, Lab Engineer, Chemical Engineering • Daniel Johannes Van Tonder, Lab Assistant, Anatomy and Cell Biology • Gigi Xavier, Lab Technician, Chemistry Department While PhD student Ayesha Abdulla Alkhoori was awarded the Teaching Assistant Award. Congratulations to all our winners!
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Four-Day Fall 2021 Orientation Welcomes Newly-Enrolled Undergraduate, Post-Graduate and Medical Students NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE BACHELOR’S IN CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, AND EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES, MASTER’S IN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING, AND PHD IN CHEMISTRY, EARTH SCIENCES, MATHEMATICS, AND PHYSICS
A four-day virtual undergraduate and postgraduate Fall 2021 orientation program was held for the newly enrolled students for the 2021-2022 academic year, acclimatizing them with the learning process at the university. From Fall 2021, Khalifa University is offering new bachelor’s programs in Cell and Molecular Biology, and Earth and Planetary Sciences, as well as a new Master’s program in Aerospace Engineering. In doctoral programs, Khalifa University now additionally offers PhD in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics. The Fall 2021 Undergraduate Student Orientation was held from 1617 August, and the Fall 2021 Post-Graduate Student Orientation from 18-19 August. Senior Khalifa University leadership, deans of all three colleges, faculty members and administrative officials will interact with the students, offering details on the various academic programs, the state-of-the-art research and laboratory facilities, as well as the campus amenities, helping the students to familiarize themselves with the Khalifa University community. Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice-President, Academic and Student Services, Khalifa University, said: “Reflecting our status as a consistently top-ranked university in the UAE, the undergraduate and postgraduate orientation program for Fall 2021 is designed to welcome and facilitate a smooth transition of students into the Khalifa University community. The event provides an opportunity for the students and their families to understand the world-class learning environment we offer at Khalifa University, and we are delighted to welcome them into this vibrant community. We look forward to their fresh ideas and the energy they bring to our campus, because it is they who make us what we are.”
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MY CAMPUS, MY COMMUNITY
Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences Organizes White Coat Ceremony for Third Cohort of 49 Students
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 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.”
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. 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.”
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. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “The Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences has made steady progress over the years, generating
Last year, the second cohort of medical students received white coats at the ceremony, which symbolized welcoming the first-year students to the practice of medicine, elevating the value of humanism as the core of health care. The white coat, which stands as a symbol of the medical profession, also represents a student’s transition to a scientific approach to medicine, while signifying the commitment to the practice of medicine and the patientphysician relationship. Over the years, the Khalifa University College of Medicine and Health
Sciences has registered remarkable achievements, including publishing 110 research papers in respected international scientific and medical journals. Khalifa University CMHS PubMed-listed research papers address a wide array of biomedical topics of relevance to the UAE and beyond, ranging from the Arab genome to diabetes, nanoparticles to cardiovascular and medical education. Over the past year, the Khalifa University CMHS received approval from the UAE’s Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) for implementation of the Clinical Phase of the MD program. This significant milestone for the university enabled the first cohort of CMHS medical students to commence their clinical clerkships in April of this year. Khalifa University continues to offer pipeline programs to stimulate interest and enhance the qualifications of potential applicants to the CMHS MD degree program. A weeklong Summer Med-Camp provided learning and growth opportunities for UAE National high school students with an interest in pursuing careers in medicine and health sciences. Khalifa University’s unique Pre-Medicine Bridge (PMB) Program conducted a Research Symposium to provide the transitioning students an opportunity to showcase their research efforts. Embracing a social-accountabilityfocused mission that incorporates attention to the social determinants of health, and develop socially accountable future physicians, the CMHS offers the Balsam program, which emphasizes social accountability and inter-professional education while providing evidencebased, patient- and family-centered care. 7 KU TIMES
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Khalifa University 2021 Summer Community Webinar Series to Offer Deeper Insights in Science, Technology, Medicine, and Business Start-Ups
The 2021 Summer Community Webinar covered various areas including general strategies to reduce anxiety in daily lives, and top tips for reducing procrastination. Other areas include the importance of vaccinations, social distancing and wearing facemasks in the fight against COVID-19, worldwide impact of COVID-19 on economies and industries, and the importance of epidemiology during the pandemic and its impact on our lives.
STRING OF EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS BACK FOR THE SECOND SUMMER EDITION WITH MORE INTERESTING TOPICS RELEVANT TO A WIDER AUDIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY
Details on the wide range of petroleum sciences and why research in the UAE’s strategic oil and gas sector is important was also discussed in one of the webinars.
The 2021 Summer Community Webinar series targeted everyone – from high school and university students, to parents, professionals and those keen to broaden their skill set and knowledge. The free seminars are part of Khalifa University’s active commitment to sharing knowledge and resources, offering additional insights to the local and international community of learners on various subjects. The topics range from postpandemic scenarios, lessons from coronavirus and science and technology, to tips on how to better understand one’s personality, build leadership skills, and create a sustainable lifestyle. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “The 2021 Khalifa University Summer Community Webinar series reflects our commitment to spread knowledge and increase awareness in science, technology, medicine, and business start-ups as well as personal and professional development areas. These webinars are designed by our faculty experts to offer special insights in subjects that are relevant to everyone in the community. We believe this intellectual exchange will meet with the success similar to the previous summer and winter editions of the Webinar series.” KU TIMES 8
The webinars focused on cutting-edge technology areas such as transmission electron microscopy and role of nanoparticles, as well as wireless power transfer and how it can change lives in an age of electric vehicles (EVs). Topics such as the importance of team dynamics for a successful start-up journey, and the role of exponential technologies, organizations and platform business models, as well as the need for a systematic approach to foster creativity and the innovation process, were also covered. Originally launched in August 2020, the Khalifa University Community Webinar is a string of educational webinars that ran throughout the summer, with a winter series in January 2021 that ran for one month. You can view the recordings of the webinars here:
VIEW WEBINARS
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Dr. Faisal Al Marzooqi Meets with Young Students to Inspire Them to Be Role Models Dr. Faisal Al Marzooqi, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, was invited by the American International School in Abu Dhabi (AISA) to give a talk on what it takes to be a role model. Dr. Al Marzooqi’s visit started with the students giving him a tour around the school.
They then gathered in the main hall where Dr. Al Marzooqi addressed all the 4th graders (approximately 100 students) of AISA. Dr. Al Marzooqi talked about values and beliefs that role models have and how these are connected to their actions and what they do in life. He presented these to the children by sharing his life story and his own experiences. The children found Dr. Faisal's talk inspiring and they asked a lot of questions. “I really enjoyed talking to the children and I hope I can do more of these in the future. I believe that outreach at this early age is important because it leaves the students with a big impact and helps them learn values and traits that will make them better people in the future. Also, it is good awareness for them about what is happening in research and universities,” Dr. Al Marzooqi said. 9 KU TIMES
STUDENT AWARDS
Research on Sustainable Refrigeration System Nabs 2nd Place Win at the 8th Undergraduate Research Competition KU TIMES 10
STUDENT AWARDS
The Undergraduate Research Competition (URC) is one of the largest competitions in the GCC that promotes scientific research among undergraduate students and supports the UAE government's initiative of fostering innovation and empowering the youth to prepare them for the future. This is the eighth year of the competition and the research event has attracted creative minds not only from the GCC but in other countries as well such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Malta, and Morocco. Around 315 original research papers were presented from 87 major universities in different disciplines, including engineering, natural and health sciences, business administration, education and law, and arts and social sciences. The Chemical Engineering senior project of Khalifa University students Muna Al Jasmi, Anfal Abloushi, Shamma Thani, Reem Saeed Salem, and Ali Ahmed Algallaf, supervised by Prof. Lourdes Vega and Dr. Daniel Bahamon, won second place in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Category of the competition, with the project titled "Design an Adsorption AirConditioning System Using Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) Refrigerants." "This system is the first of its kind in the region and considered as one of the most promising technologies because of its advanced features as it does not depend on the electric energy generated from fossil fuels. It can work using electricity from renewable sources and a great alternative from an economical as well as environmental point of view," Muna said. She explained that the system uses water as the refrigerant that provides powerful cooling while at the same time offers a sleek design that incorporates simple construction, easy control, quiet operation with no vibration, and low maintenance. Cooling systems are an essential technology in our life, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, like the UAE. “Current air-conditioning and refrigeration systems are energy-intensive, consuming around 17 percent of the global electricity production and more than 60 percent in the Emirates, representing a major impact on global warming and climate change. Moreover, the primary refrigerants used today have a high global warming potential (GWP), being thousands of times more potent greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. Hence, active work is needed to replace them by low GWP
refrigerants and to find more efficient cooling equipment. In their research project, our group of students proposed and designed an adsorption refrigeration system as an alternative to the compression system using water as the refrigerant, a silica-gel as the adsorbent, and a solar collector to provide the heat source to operate the system, a creative system with much lower impact into the environment that the ones currently used, representing a step forward on solving this very important environmental issue,” Dr. Vega said. “Obtaining second place in such a strong competition is a well-deserved recognition of their hard and innovative work and we are so proud of them!” she added. The design the team came up with can be used here in the UAE and other countries with similar weather conditions. "This project gave us an opportunity to apply the chemical engineering knowledge we gained during our academic journey to find and implement a solution to a major climate dilemma. We expect that in the near future, these novel technologies will change the whole scenario of sustainability, and will position the UAE to become a pioneer in the field of the new green economy globally," Muna added. Dr. Fawzi Banat, Professor and Chair of the Chemical Engineering Department, commented, “In the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2021, which is dedicated to academic institutions for teaching and research, the Department of Chemical Engineering is ranked among the top 76-100. To achieve this ranking, the department achieved high scores on all of the analyzed indicators, which include articles indexed in Web of Science, total number of citations, citations per article, articles published in the top 25% of scientific journals, and international interaction developed through collaborations with foreign institutions.” “The department is dedicated to research and teaching excellence and currently offers doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees,” Dr. Banat added. The UAE actively supports a knowledge-based economy transformation, and events such as the URC encourages students to be more involved in accelerating the research needed to drive innovation in the country. 11 KU TIMES
STUDENT AWARDS
Khalifa University Student Team Wins Top Spot in Verbal Presentation at 2021 SAE Collegiate Design Series Supermileage Competition KU TIMES 12
KHALIFA UNIVERSITY TEAM ALSO RETAINS 6TH SPOT IN DESIGN SEGMENT TO REMAIN AHEAD OF RENOWNED INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES Khalifa University has announced that a 21-member student team led by Sultan Al Hassanieh has won the top spot in verbal presentation for the first time during the Knowledge Event at the 42nd Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Collegiate Design Series Supermileage Competition for 2021. The team also retained 6th spot overall in the Design Event, the same position it won last year in Michigan, US.
STUDENT AWARDS
The verbal design report demonstrates the Khalifa University team’s understanding and application of the engineering principles that support their design of the one-person, singlecylinder engine vehicle, capable of achieving fantastic fuel economy during a 6-lap attempt around an approximately 1.6-mile-long, banked, oval track.
Since the traditional validation event at the 42nd SAE Collegiate Design Series Supermileage Competition was cancelled due to the pandemic this year, the organizers opted to score teams based on two major criteria – the submitted design report that details the design and fabrication of the vehicle, and a verbal presentation on Zoom in which team members present their design process and final outcome to a panel of judges. The student team was then critically questioned, and the Khalifa University students proved their mettle to reach the top spot. They were also assessed on team participation, program knowledge and technical knowledge. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “Our faculty members and the students have once again demonstrated that Khalifa University remains the top-ranked, globally-acknowledged academic institution with unparalleled expertise. Winning an international competition of this stature not only brings honor to the university but also to the UAE. Congratulations to the student team and the faculty members who guided them through training and support.” The Khalifa University team achieved this remarkable feat even though it entirely consisted of only first-time participants, demonstrating the world-class faculty’s role in imparting knowledge, as well as the talented students’ capability in designing and presenting the project to the international judges. Also for the first time, this year’s team comprised students from all majors.
Dr. Bashar Khasawneh, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Reyad El-Khazali, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, advised the students on the project. In line with the healthcare protocols being implemented on campus at Khalifa University, team members were allowed to visit the campus and work on fabricating parts of the vehicle that they are responsible for, while complying with all necessary safety precautions. Team members used online video communications applications to ensure safety while discussing the general concept of the design, which was then developed into working theoretical models of the vehicle’s subsystems. Dr. Khasawneh said: “Though the student team leaders were initially worried that the majority of the work would be held online, they achieved the top position because of team skills. What made the Khalifa University Supermileage team one of the best in the world was how every member ensured to constantly support and motivate each other, creating an inherently supportive atmosphere.” The SAE Collegiate Design Series Supermileage Competition challenges students to design and construct a single-person, fuel efficient vehicle that will run a specified course to obtain the highest combined km/L (mpg) rating. Teams generally spend 8-12 months designing, building, and preparing their vehicles for competition. 13 KU TIMES
STUDENT AWARDS
IISE Student Chapter Honored with Gold Award
MOHAMMED ALAMERI
MAJID SALAH
Khalifa University’s student chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) was recently honored with the institute’s Gold Award – for the first time. The award is the highest honor in the professional organization’s University Chapter Recognition Program.
KHALID ALHOSANI
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM! • Khalid Jamal Hasan Ali Alhosani, President • Khaled Mohammad Toffaha, Vice President • Mohamed Adel Omar Abdulla Alameri, Treasurer • Rawdha Salah Ishaq Alattar Alawadhi, Secretary
This award recognizes the chapter’s excellence in various areas such as student support, training events, field trips,
• Shamma Jamal Saif Fares Al-Ali, Officer
public engagement and community service activities
• Khadija Obaid Rashid Almughanni Alhmoudi, Officer
during the 2020-2021 academic year. The mission of the
• Majid Salah Tayseer Talab Akhmais, Officer
IISE student chapter at Khalifa University is to represent the industrial and systems engineering profession responsibly and ethically. Further, it aims to enhance the capabilities of all of its members and develop the next generation of industrial and systems engineers. The following names are the 2020-2021 IISE officers of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Khalifa University. KU TIMES 14
• Saeed Sultan Mohammed Aldhaheri, Officer • Dr. Mecit Can Emre Simsekler, IISE Faculty Advisor Founded in 1948, IISE, the world’s largest professional society dedicated solely to the support of the profession, is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training, research, and development of industrial and systems engineering
STUDENT AWARDS
Five-Member Khalifa University Team Wins INJAZ UAE’s Company of The Year Award 2021 for Its Subscription Box Company ‘Ulbati’ monthly-subscription box with enriching and entertaining lessons, across a variety of themes that would foster the love of learning among children. Moreover, we care deeply about moving forward sustainably and that is why we plan to implement it with different aspects such as culture, economics, and the environment.
FOR EVERY ULBATI BOX A CHILD RECEIVES, 10% GOES TO EMIRATES RED CRESCENT TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD Khalifa University of Science and Technology has announced that a fivemember team of Chemical Engineering graduates has won the ‘Company of The Year Award 2021 – University track’ for its subscription box company Ulbati, under INJAZ UAE’s flagship Company Program. The award was part of the 12th edition of the ‘National Company Program Competition’, which encourages students to use their entrepreneurial spirit to create their own start-up company. Nearly 200 students from five schools and four universities across the UAE participated virtually to compete for awards in various categories. The Khalifa University team – Reem Almaskari, Fatema Alzaabi, Beshara Saad, Maha Al Seiari and Mariam Ahmed – won the award for Ulbati, the concept for a subscription box company. Created for kids, it is filled with activities themed around Emirati culture and achievements, as well as Islamic values. For every Ulbati box a child receives, 10% of the revenue is donated to Emirates Red Crescent to
support students around the world. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “The winning award for Khalifa University under INJAZ UAE’s flagship Company Program strongly illustrates that our students not only excel in research and scientific exploration, but also in entrepreneurial initiatives that aim to help the community through charity organizations. The Ulbati concept indicates the extent of our students’ commitment to sharing and giving back to the community, which is in line with the university’s mandate to build a diverse community of service-oriented, ambitious and talented individuals, through an environment that encourages and nurtures creative inquiry, critical thinking, and human values. We are delighted with the creative and commercial spirit of our students and we believe this award will encourage more students to explore entrepreneurship as an avenue to translate their knowledge into business ventures, offering valuable products and services.” Reem Almaskari, CEO, Ulbati, said: “Ulbati promises to curate a fun,
Almaskari added: “The idea of Ulbati came to us with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the lockdown, we noticed our younger siblings being exposed to excessive screen-time, rather than on other value-added activities that can improve their knowledge and skills. So, we decided to curate this box filled with unique experiences around various themes and activities that will help children utilize their time in a fun and enjoyable manner, while equipping them with knowledge and let them experience an exciting and memorable childhood.” The team is looking forward to competing alongside other winners from the MENA region in the next stage. Designed to enrich the learning experience of participating students, INJAZ UAE’s National Company Program provides a venue for students to bring their creative ideas to life by learning practical steps to start up their own entrepreneurial companies. The 2021 competition was hosted by INJAZ UAE, a member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and INJAZ Al-Arab, the world’s largest non-profit business education organization, with key collaborative partners such as Citi, Dubai Chamber, Accenture and ExxonMobil. 15 KU TIMES
STUDENT AWARDS
Pre-Med Students Share Research Efforts at KU’s Virtual PMB Research Symposium By setting up the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) in 2019, Khalifa University of Science and Technology became the first institution to introduce US-style medical education in the UAE. Thus, our university implemented a unique way to support the UAE’s growing need for medical services as it strengthens its ability to attract, retain, and train medical professionals. Across each academic year, our students are engaged in various activities to enhance their chances to 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 all 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
THE RENAL PATHOLOGY GROUP WON FIRST PLACE.
To view the winners’ posters and presentations and for more information about the PMBP Symposium, please click here
VIEW THE WINNERS THE MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY GROUP WON SECOND PLACE. KU TIMES 16
STUDENT AWARDS
moving, twice a day for up to 30 minutes. After a few weeks of doing this daily, the patients are given the ‘head-up tilt test’ to determine whether the standing practice helped decrease their symptoms. In a head-up tilt test, the patient begins lying flat in bed and the bed is gradually tilted to a maximum angle of 80 degrees. Gravity causes blood to pool in the legs, resulting in a blood pressure drop above the patient’s center of gravity. Baroreceptors sense the decrease in blood pressure and cause an increase in heart rate. In healthy individuals, although the blood pressure initially increases, the heart rate quickly returns to normal. In syncope patients, the heart rate remains high. While useful for diagnosis, the head-up tilt test is timeconsuming, not available in all clinics, and carries the risk of inducing cardiac arrest.
Student Biomedical Engineering Papers Accepted at EMBC Two Khalifa University student papers have been accepted at the 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. The conference was held virtually from 31 October to 4 November and covered diverse topics of cutting-edge research and innovation in biomedical engineering and healthcare technology. Fitting the theme of ‘Changing Global Healthcare in the TwentyFirst Century’, Dahlia Hassan investigated the efficacy of a model in determining how to help patients suffering from fainting, while Feryal Alskafi developed a model to identify emotions from bodily responses. 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. Patients with vasovagal syncope often undergo a self-training program at home to improve their condition. In the training program, the patients are asked to stand against a wall without
As an alternative to the head-up tilt test, 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. The data from her model can be used by clinicians to assess whether extended periods of standing can help decrease the amount of fainting episodes the patient experiences based on subsequent five-minute heart rate recordings, without the need to perform a head-up tilt test. While the model can be used to determine heart rate changes at any time of day, relying only on the heart rate as an input is limiting. Hassan plans to further her work by including blood pressure as a parameter for the model. 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. 17 KU TIMES
STUDENT AWARDS
Emotions play a vital role in human behavior and psychology, exerting a powerful influence on processes such as perception, attention, decision-making, and learning. Emotions can be categorized by how they are felt, using valence, arousal and dominance. Valence is the positivity or negativity of an emotion; arousal is the level of excitement different emotions elicit; and dominance relates to feeling in or out of control in our response. 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. These are much harder to conceal and more difficult to manipulate when compared to body language, but some conditions cause people to present emotions differently. The physiological responses should be the same among all people as expression of emotions is shown through changes in heart rate, temperature and breathing patterns. Alskafi fed these parameters into her model to classify physiological responses into different emotions. Anger and joy tend to be high arousal emotions, while sadness and reflection have low arousal levels. Fear and anger tend to be negative valence emotions, while joy has positive valence. Her 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. KU TIMES 18
KU BSc Student Takes Third Place in EuroSkills Competition
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. 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. 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 AWARDS
AlYammahi and her team were joined in the competition by other female researchers and students from Khalifa University. Dr. Ameena Al Sumaiti, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, designed a multi-strategy planning support tool for electricity supply management. With Dr. Mahmoud Meribout, Professor of Electrical Engineering, MSc students Asma Baobaid developed an artificial intelligence platform for face recognition and Budoor Alblooshi developed an autopilot system for autonomous vehicles.
KU Student Awarded for Excellence in Engineering Research at Quwa Forum 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, Post-doctoral 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. “Recently, consumers have been preferring natural fruit sugar products, rather than commercial refined sugar, thanks to growing awareness of the various health risks and diseases related to white sugar,” AlYammahi said. “Date palm fruit is an excellent – and green – source for the glucose and fructose sugars that are a great alternative to the sucrose of refined sugar. However, dates have a gummy consistency, tough skin and rigid cell membrane, hindering the extraction of these alternative sugars, and current techniques just aren’t good enough. We used sub-critical water extraction to get 81 percent of the sugar from the dates, compared to the very low amounts seen using standard techniques.” Sub-critical water extraction is a new and powerful technique that uses hot water and high pressure to extract different compounds from natural sources, like sugars from dates. It is recognized as a safe, cost-effective and more environmentally-friendly method as it uses water rather than other solvents in the process.
PhD candidate Lamees Al Qassem created a framework for managing cloud workloads with Dr. Ibrahim Elfadel, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Dr. Ernesto Damiani, Professor and Senior Director of the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Institute, and Dr. Thanos Stouraitis, Professor and Department Chair of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Maisam Wahbah, Post-doctoral Fellow, developed an algorithm to capture ECG signals from babies still in the womb in the early stages of pregnancy with Dr. Ahsan Khandoker, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Dr. Mohammad Zitouni, Post-doctoral Fellow. Maryam Alhasmi and Dr. Balasubramanian Vaithilingam, Principal Research Scientist, created a porous material from carbon to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. PhD candidate Fahmi Anwar and Dr. Georgios Karanikolos, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, developed a novel material for separating ethylene from ethane in the petrochemical industry. Dr. Saeed Alkhazraji, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Senior Director of Petroleum Institute, and Anjali Goyal, Research Assistant, collaborated with researchers from Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi to develop natural particles to remove oil from water after an oil spill. PhD candidate Amani Alhammadi and Dr. Daniel Choi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, analyzed the performance of lithium ion batteries in low-temperature space applications. 19 KU TIMES
AROUND THE CAMPUS
Medical Journey Launches!
• Dr. Leslie Cannon, orthopedic surgeon from Healthpoint, who talked about orthopedic surgery; • Dr. Iftikhar Jan, pediatric Surgeon from Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, who shared insights in pediatric surgery; and • Dr. David Murray, Professor of Anesthesiology in CMHS at Khalifa University, who spoke about pediatric anesthesia.
Community Service Awareness Week Kicks Off WATCH THE VIDEO
Our newest cohort of med students kicked off their degree journey with the annual Falcon Day, where students are assigned to their falcon learning communities for their med school experience. Through a day of team building, activities and getting to know each other, the students got their medical education off to a great start!
Annual Surgery Open House
Getting involved in the community, giving back and volunteering play an important role in student life at Khalifa University. KU’s Student Success Office recently organized the Community Service Awareness Week, to connect KU students with organizations from KU and the wider UAE community, and share a number of ways they can volunteer and get involved with them. KU students were connected with representatives from the UAE Ministry of Possibilities, Ma’an, the Red Crescent, and Happiness Imprint.
KU’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences hosted its annual Surgery Open house on Tuesday, 21 September. The event was organized by the Student Surgical Society for medical students at Khalifa University. The students played games, participated in scavenger hunts, won prizes, socialized with surgeons and third year students who have completed their surgical rotations, and more.
They were also introduced to the different units within KU that support the University’s Community Services Plan, which includes Student Success, Campus Life, Career & Alumni Services, Counseling, KU Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL), KU Libraries and KU Volunteering Club.
Students also heard presentations from several experts in the medical field, including: • Dr. Nahla al Mansoori, Plastic Surgeon from the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, who discussed breast reconstruction surgery;
The Student Success Office is proud to help grow the University’s culture of community service by giving KU students the opportunity to volunteer at local organizations and give back to their communities.
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AROUND THE CAMPUS
KU Student Council Elected
Unlike the past two years, in this year’s elections we had two candidates each running for the President and Vice President positions. We held an on-campus ‘Meet the Candidates’ Student Assembly on Monday, 18 October at the Main Campus in the Student Hub, which is located in the E Building, Level G.
Student Presents Research on Risk of Space Weather on the UAE
Students gathered around to listen to the candidates’ accomplishments, goals and initiatives should they be elected for the position. Following ‘Meet the Candidates,’ students had one day to campaign and online elections were held on Wednesday, 20 October.
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. 21 KU TIMES
AROUND THE CAMPUS
KU MSc Student Awarded Golden Visa 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. 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 the Mechanical Engineering Department. “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
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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.
YFEL 2021 Bolstering Green Hydrogen Production in the UAE BY AAMNA ALTENEIJI, YFEL 2021 MEMBER I am a mechanical engineer working in the leading energy producing company in the UAE, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). I joined the YFEL program to gain knowledge and skills, and to be involved in the world’s different energy and sustainability challenges. During the YFEL program, I worked with international professionals to provide solutions to current energy challenges. Within my group, we worked on the topic of Green Hydrogen. We investigated many of the current green hydrogen projects and the challenges they face. Together we proposed advanced solutions to enhance green hydrogen production in the UAE. Being involved in this topic helped me develop my knowledge in a field that has great potential in the UAE and the wider region. ADNOC is keen to investigate heavily in hydrogen production and is willing to become the largest hydrogen producer in the world. My YFEL project will help me to be part of new projects at ADNOC and lead future sustainable projects in the UAE aligned with the UAE’s ‘Energy Strategy 2050,’ to increase the contribution of clean energy up to 44% by the year 2050.
Preserving Our Environment: A Dilemma BY ABDULRAHMAN ALGHAMDI, YFEL 2021 MEMBER Ironically, the most crucial problem humans face requires fewer human activities (for example, human wastes and car emissions). Would it be possible to really help the environment? Or would our actions make any difference? The obvious answer is: Yes! But how? The news is filled with studies and statistics that show how our planet is suffering from us. Reducing the use of plastics, using recycling techniques, and saving the forests, do these things resolve the environmental problems? Nowadays, interconnectedness has become the main feature of our world. This planet relies heavily on how we, humans, communicate and connect. Connections are made without even knowing (we are always part of something bigger). Thus, simple actions matter now! For instance, if you posted a video about trash/recycle management, people will try to imitate your actions. Eventually, a trend will appear and get published everywhere leading to building greater awareness in our society. A famous quote that we need to keep in our minds is: “The easiest way to achieve big results is to take consistent and small actions for an extended period. Similarly, taking small negative steps also adds up and leads to negative outcomes.” We owe it to the world to try. Let us not care about the results for a while, and focus on the actions and strategies that would make the difference. 23 KU TIMES
YFEL 2021
BASF Honors 10 Winners of Khalifa University’s YFEL Case Study Competition on ‘AI for Sustainable Farming’ Organized by EBTIC
REWARD WORKSHOP ‘CLIFTONSTRENGTHS ASSESSMENT’ HELPS WINNING YFEL MEMBERS TO DIVE DEEP INTO THEIR OWN TALENTS AND STRENGTHS Khalifa University of Science and Technology announced 10 members of Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) outreach program were honored at a special reward workshop for winning the 2021 YFEL Case Study Competition on ‘AI for Sustainable Farming’, conducted by the Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC).
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YFEL 2021
The 10 winning YFEL members included three
of the implementation plan and the analysis-
UAE national students, one international student
backed efficiencies delivered to the farming
from Khalifa University, one young professional
industry. All indoor and outdoor solutions were
from Dubai Municipality, and five international
accepted for evaluation, especially those energy-
members from Mexico, Colombia, the US, China,
efficient sustainable solutions suitable for the arid
and Hong Kong.
climate in the Middle East.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-
Industry studies indicate AI can provide
President, Khalifa University, said: “Our outreach
farmers with real-time insights from their
programs and sustainability initiatives are
fields, allowing them to identify areas that need
designed to encourage wider participation by
irrigation, fertilization, or pesticide treatment.
youth and professionals. We are grateful to BASF,
Also, innovative farming practices like vertical
partner of YFEL, for organizing CliftonStrengths,
agriculture may help increase food production
the reward workshop, and helping the YFEL
while minimizing the use of resources.
winners to explore and augment their personal skills and talents. Also, EBTIC, one of our
The 2021 YFEL Case Study Competition aimed to
research centers, has played a commendable
design a novel solution, system or process within
role in conducting this case study competition
a broad-minded smart farming domain that
on machine intelligence in farming. We thank
leverages technologies in artificial intelligence/
the partners and hope the 2021 YFEL members
machine learning/internet of things to provide
will continue with their progress in obtaining
significant measurable benefits compared to the
sustainable innovations as laid down by the UAE
equivalent currently used farming practices.
leadership.” BASF, world’s largest chemical company and The winners of YFEL Case Study Competition
YFEL program partner for over four years,
were evaluated by an elite panel of judges
organized the reward workshop ‘CliftonStrengths
including Dr. Nawaf I. Almoosa, Director of EBTIC
assessment’. CliftonStrengths, a web-based
and Head of Smart Infrastructure Research; and
assessment of normal personality from the
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering and
perspective of Positive Psychology, helps
Computer Science, Khalifa University; Dr. Dymitr
individuals to dive deep into their own talents and
Ruta and Dr. Kin Danny Poon, Chief Researchers,
strengths. Developed expressly for the Internet,
EBTIC-Research.
this tool helps explore what makes a person unique and the value this person can bring to a
Dr. Ruta and Dr. Poon introduced the case study
team or the workplace.
topic to the YFEL members, and engaged them in group discussions. The YFEL members were
EBTIC is a research and innovation center
given six days after the initial introduction to
founded by Khalifa University, Etisalat and
find solutions and create innovative ideas. The
BT (British Telecom), and supported by the
winners were assessed by the judges for novelty,
Telecommunication and UAE Digital Government
strength and robustness of the design, feasibility
Authority’s (TDRA) ICT Fund.
25 KU TIMES
INVITED SPEAKERS
Prof. Minna Palmroth Gives Lecture on Space Sustainability at Main Campus
Space scientist Prof. Minna Palmroth gave an informative lecture at the KU Main Campus on Tuesday, 5 October on how she harnessed her passion in the field of sustainable use of space to became the Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space and the Principal Investigator of Vlasiator, the world’s most accurate space environment simulation. During the lecture, which was attended by dozens of KU undergraduate and graduate engineering students, Prof. Palmroth shared insights into the Vlasiator program and the significant potential that High Performance Computing can have in space research. She also talked about the need to make space research and technology sustainable, the valuable role of Citizen Science in space research, and the critical role of women in science. KU TIMES 26
INVITED SPEAKERS
Inspirational Talk with Maryam AlHabroosh, Head of Mahali Program at noon
THE CAREER SERVICES OFFICE HOSTED A VIRTUAL INSPIRATIONAL TALK BY MARYAM ALHABROOSH, HEAD OF MAHALI PROGRAM AT NOON, ON WEDNESDAY, 4 AUGUST. Maryam AlHabroosh is an Emirati entrepreneur who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Sharjah University and a Master’s degree in Advertising from Boston University. She takes pride in her role in helping small businesses grow online through noon’s Mahali program. During a virtual ‘Inspirational Talk’ held earlier this month at KU, AlHabroosh introduced the technology company noon, a platform for buying and selling products, and the new services noon is rolling out to fulfill its mission to develop a 360-degree digital ecosystem and to become the go-to e-commerce business in the Arab region. AlHabroosh discussed the growing trends of the e-commerce
industry, highlighting how the Covid-19 pandemic has given the industry a significant boost. She also gave some key pointers to be considered when building a successful e-commerce business, and provided some seller success stories of business owners who worked with noon to boost their sales. The noon Mahali program, which AlHabroosh heads, aims to help Emirati entrepreneurs to sell their products online. She concluded her talk with an inspiring message, telling the students that they should never let fear or intimidation hold them back. She advised students to pursue their dreams, whether academically or a business, and to start with one idea at first to give that first idea a chance, so that other ideas can then grow. With over 200 KU students in attendance, the Inspirational Talk was a tremendous success. 27 KU TIMES
EXPO 2020 Epidemiological modelling tool to boost safety at Expo 2020
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH – ABU DHABI (DOH) HELD A SIGNING CEREMONY TO ANNOUNCE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE ‘EXPO 2020 MODEL’ AT GITEX 2021 THE SIGNING CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY KEY REPRESENTATIVES FROM DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH – ABU DHABI, ABU DHABI PUBLIC HEALTH CENTRE (ADPHC), KHALIFA UNIVERSITY AND EXPO 2020 DUBAI THE TOOL WAS DEVELOPED BY RESEARCHERS FROM KHALIFA UNIVERSITY IN COLLABORATION WITH ABU DHABI PUBLIC HEALTH CENTRE (ADPHC) TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF VISITORS TO EXPO 2020 DUBAI
Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the emirate, announced the development and deployment of a pioneering epidemiological modelling tool to be used during Expo 2020 Dubai. The announcement was made during a ceremony held at Expo 2020, where the department gathered a number of strategic partners including Expo 2020, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU).
H.E. Abdullah bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).
The agreement was signed by Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of DoH, H.E. Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADPHC, H.E. Najeeb Al-Ali, Executive Director, Expo 2020 Dubai and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President at the Khalifa University of Science Technology. The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai and
The tool works by assessing simulation scenarios that combine the expected number of visitors with existing knowledge of COVID-19 disease dynamics. Through this, the tool provides a dedicated working model based on key epidemiological data and information developed over the last 20 months by teams in Abu Dhabi, drawing on leading local and global expertise.
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Dubbed the ‘Expo 2020 model’, the epidemiological modelling tool was developed by researchers from Khalifa University in collaboration with DoH and ADPHC, to boost the visitors’ safety at Expo 2020 Dubai; an international event that is expected to draw millions of visitors over the next six months.
EXPO 2020
This allows for health authorities to predict the projected impact on the healthcare sector, assess needed capacity in a timely manner and generate the best healthcare solutions for residents and visitors in the event of an increase in the number of cases. The analytical powerhouse used to develop this sophisticated tool has already proved successful, through its contribution to monitoring and decision making which led to Abu Dhabi being ranked as a leading city in response to Covid-19. Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy said: “The health and safety of all visitors, participants and staff is Expo’s number one priority. The pandemic has put this commitment even more sharply into focus, and we have worked tirelessly across the organisation to ensure we follow the latest guidance and collaborate closely with local and international authorities, including the UAE’s world-class health authorities. Al Hashimy, added: “The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi’s pioneering epidemiological modelling tool will be an invaluable resource to help continue Expo 2020 Dubai’s mission to safeguard the wellbeing of every person who visits our exceptional exhibition, and we will continue to monitor and adjust our measures as necessary.” H.E. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed said: “We are incredibly proud to have forged this important partnership with Expo 2020 and Khalifa University. With the guidance and ongoing support of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi has developed a distinguished model for the pandemic response and recovery. Moreover, the Emirate has been lauded for its readiness and response efforts amongst several of the world’s cities.” Al Hamed added: “Today, Abu Dhabi continues to bolster the UAE’s efforts to ensure the health and safety of its citizens, residents and tourists alike by employing the latest advanced technologies. The development of this epidemiological modelling tool represents an incredible milestone, and it will undoubtedly contribute to delivering a safer and more successful Expo 2020 event. This collaboration highlights the importance of consolidating efforts and leveraging UAE’s robust infrastructure to develop a solution that has the potential to improve disease management at many other large-scale events globally. A model of this kind serves not only to safeguard the health and safety of communities but also to enhance business continuity and minimise the impact of the spread of infectious diseases.” HE Matar Al Nuaimi said: “We are delighted to observe this mutual agreement that aims to protect all community members with combined efforts from all parties. This distinctive tool represents a significant leap to address epidemics in the UAE.”
Al Nuaimi added: “We marked a global model in maintaining the health and safety of the community thanks to our wise leaders. This partnership is complementary to the Centre’s efforts to achieve its vision towards a healthy and safe society in events such as Expo 2020.” Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “We are proud to collaborate with key stakeholders and contribute to the success of Expo 2020 and providing an innovative epidemiological modelling tool for this prestigious event, based on the two previous models developed by our local researchers, that highlights Khalifa University’s local research initiatives that make a global contribution. The collaboration also stands testimony to the academic-industry partnership that brings in the necessary expertise, facilitating innovative technology solutions, thus benefiting the community in general. We believe this new initiative will also lead to similar partnerships that will help in organising major international exhibitions, conferences and meetings.” Abu Dhabi’s robust advanced digital infrastructure provided a fertile ground for the tool’s development and eventual application at Expo 2020 Dubai. Furthermore, the Expo 2020 model represents a bold collaboration between the government, industry and academia, bringing together competencies and expertise to enhance the UAE’s pioneering pandemic response and recovery efforts. In line with Expo 2020 Dubai’s theme of “Connecting minds, creating the future”, the model will pave the way for a new tool that can be used to manage health and safety at future large-scale events, both locally and internationally. The researchers who developed the tool are Dr. Jorge Rodriguez Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Dr. Mauricio Patton, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Juan Acuna, Professor and Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Khalifa University. The tool relied on two previous iterations, the first of which was developed in April 2020. The second version was developed in October 2020 to help launch the vaccination campaign in the UAE. The Expo 2020 model combines several key inputs such as the number of visitors from countries around the world and several age-disaggregated epidemiological parameters including rates of transmission and risk of infection among others. Results are presented through an interactive dashboard that allows the end-user to change key parameters and observe the real-time impact of the pandemic. The modelling tool primarily focuses on providing an accurate comparison between different scenarios to equip decision-makers with the right information required to take action, with a secondary focus on predictive numbers. 29 KU TIMES
EXPO 2020
Dr. Nicolas Calvet at US-UAE Business Council Roundtable Khalifa University’s Dr. Nicolas Calvet, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, participated in an Expo 2020 roundtable hosted by the US-UAE Business Council at the US Pavilion on Monday, 4 October on the future of energy. He was joined by distinguished panelists from ExxonMobil, GE, and Westinghouse. Dr. Calvet discussed the UAE’s utilization of solar power in its energy mix and underscored that a review of new technologies at the intersection of energy, water, and food production, is needed to produce a single, comprehensive clean energy ecosystem for a truly sustainable society.
Dr. Lourdes Vega Participates in Expo 2020 Women in Arabia and Islam Series of Talks Khalifa University’s Dr. Lourdes Vega, Director of the Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and H2 (RICH Center) and Professor of Chemical Engineering, was a panelist at the EXPO 2020 Women in Arabia and Islam session, titled: “Stories of Sustainability from the Arab and Muslim World”, on Thursday, 7 October 2021. Dr. Vega brought her internationally acclaimed expertise in clean energy and sustainable technologies, specifically in the area of carbon dioxide capture and utilization, hydrogen production and utilization, sustainable cooling systems, and water treatment, to the panel of distinguished Arab women, who discussed the essential role women play in the region’s climate change mitigation efforts. WATCH THE VIDEO
Dr. Diana Francis Speaks at UAE Climate Change Research Network Event at Expo 2020 Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab at Khalifa University, was a panelist at an event organized by the Ministry of Climate Change at EXPO2020 on 7 October 2021. The UAE Climate Change Research Network event was titled ‘Building Climate Resilience: In Search of Innovative Adaptation Solutions.’ Dr. Francis spoke about the noticeable uptake in data collection in the region over the last two decades, and how this range and diversity of data has helped create more sophisticated climate models which help to improve our understanding of the complex Earth climate systems. She also spoke about what’s needed for the future, including the need for a region-wide data network, which, she pointed out, can be built upon by the existing facilities in the different countries as a first step. While on the modelling side, she expressed the need for a high resolution model for the MENA region, as currently no such model exists; instead the MENA region currently relies on models developed for other regions around the world, which may not capture the specificities of the MENA environment. Dr. Fancis concluded that coordination among all stakeholders in both governmental and academia sectors across the region is essential to achieve this level of independence for the MENA region in both data and models. KU TIMES 30
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT The Oil and Gas Industry in a Net Zero by 2050 World
The current thinking is it would be much better for the planet to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, because when you get to 2 degrees, the climate issues we’re seeing now will simply be exacerbated. The 2050 dialogue is now on the table, and this creates a discussion about how quickly we can move towards mitigating or eliminating our emissions. Among IEA analyses, there are three key scenarios to consider: business-as-usual, sustainable development, and Net Zero. The business-as-usual scenario, however, isn’t really an option.
AS THE WORLD’S LEADING ENERGY ORGANIZATION REPORTS THE RADICAL STEPS NEEDED TO REACH NET ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050, SVP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DR. STEVE GRIFFITHS DISCUSSES THE PROSPECTS FOR THE OIL-PRODUCING GCC COUNTRIES IN A WEBINAR HOSTED BY THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE.
by Dr. Steve Griffiths In May 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published a landmark report on a pathway to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Among the many proposals in the report is the call to immediately end new investments in oil and gas exploration and development. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies still depend heavily on oil and gas for their national income, despite economic diversification initiatives over the last several years. How credible is the IEA pathway to Net Zero by 2050 and how will this affect the oil-producing countries in the GCC? Net Zero is part of the broader discussion around energy transition: the evolution of the global energy system from predominantly one form of energy to another. This is something we should all be familiar with since we’ve been through a few of them. In the 1800s, we went through a period where we were a society based on biomass, then the industrial revolution followed and we switched to coal for a new form of energy. Finally, in the last few decades, coal, oil and gas have become the dominant sources of energy with the proliferation of hydrocarbons, but of course, renewable energy sources have appeared as well. We are seeing sustainability coming into play and as it does, we have to ask the question: what’s going to happen over the next 80 years as we see the end of the ‘oil age’, particularly as we work on limiting the emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels?
The sustainable development scenario is essentially a net zero solution, but with a postponed deadline: global CO2 emissions from the energy sector and industrial processes would need to fall by more than 70 percent by 2050 to be on track for net-zero by 2070. This would limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels. A shorter timescale, and the one recommended by the recent IEA report, Net Zero by 2050, would see global CO2 emissions reduced to net-zero by 2050, falling around 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030. This would, with high probability, limit global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels. It’s pretty ambitious to aim for Net Zero by 2050, since to see a more than 40 percent decrease in our CO2 emissions by 2030, which is what the pathway suggests, would require a massive change in the way we use and view energy. There are many net-zero scenarios and the oil and gas sector is heavily impacted in each. All these scenarios have a fairly similar trajectory for oil and gas, and if we follow a Net Zero 2050 pathway, we’ve already hit peak oil. To reach net zero by 2050, there will need to be a 70 percent reduction from 2020 to 2050 with oil demand never exceeding 100 million barrels a day. In fact, along this trajectory, we’ll see a rapid decline in oil demand, dropping sharply over the next three decades to 25 million barrels a day. On the same path, natural gas is yet to see its peak, but that’ll happen within this decade. With a more gradual decline to 2050 than oil, demand for natural gas will fall off by 40 percent. OPEC is particularly well situated in the IEA Net Zero scenario with more than half the market share; if you’re a Middle Eastern country producing oil, the situation looks pretty good, so to speak. 31 KU TIMES
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
However, even if you’re still a producer with more than 50 percent market share, you have to consider the impact the reduced demand will have on revenues as diminished demand impacts oil prices. The challenge we’re going to face here is that the economic structures of the GCC countries are generally not compatible with a Net Zero world. While they have made some positive progress in economic diversification between 2010 and 2020, they are still heavily reliant on hydrocarbons for government revenues, exports, and economic activity. Among the GCC countries, the UAE is perhaps best positioned but also needs to make further progress. As it stands, this region, and many others, are not ready to jump straight into a Net Zero world trajectory. Net Zero by 2050 assumes a very rapid global shift in energy consumption patterns, with a precipitous drop in demand for oil in particular. To follow this IEA recommendation, we would need to stop developing new oil fields immediately, with any new investment directed to maintaining production at existing fields. Likewise for natural gas, all investment would be used to sustain existing production to meet residual demand in the future. However, many are still assuming that oil demand by 2030 will largely follow a trajectory based on current and announced government policies focused on climate and sustainability. This, coupled with the fact that a number of countries that are heavy energy consumers, such as India, are rejecting a rapid decarbonization trajectory indicates a good chance that demand for oil will increase by 2030. Confirming this notion, consulting firm Wood Makenzie announced recently that they foresee a 2030 oil demand supply gap of about 20 million barrels per day. This is not to say that Net Zero by 2050 is completely out of the question, but it’s unlikely given the fact that the need for increased oil production in the coming decade is a very real possibility. However, while Net Zero by 2050 is debatable, planning for Net Zero is nonetheless important. There will be a net zero: maybe not by 2050, but someday it’s going to happen, and the low-cost hydrocarbon producers will be the ones that survive or at least last the longest. When oil demand decreases, which it inevitably will, oil prices will fall and this will lead many oil-producing countries to have uneconomical or stranded oil reserves. If the asking price for a barrel of oil falls below the cost of production, countries will find themselves with oil reserves they cannot exploit without incurring a loss. Therefore, oil demand in the future will be optimally met by low-cost, low-carbon producers located in economies that can remain viable when faced with reduced income from oil and gas exports, such as the GCC producers. In planning for net zero, companies in the oil and gas industry need to consider strategies involving reducing production costs, moving downstream into refining and petrochemical production,
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or investing in low-carbon energy, transitioning from ‘oil and gas’ companies to ‘energy’ companies. The strategy that players in this industry will pick is context dependent. National oil companies (NOCs) need to monetize their oil and gas reserves to the extent possible, and selected NOCs have downstream opportunities to explore. Many of these companies with downstream integration, which are located in the Middle East, and particularly in the GCC, can pursue potential long-term opportunities in refining and petrochemicals. Qatar in particular will bet on long-term demand for low-carbon natural gas, particularly LNG, and its derivative. It is expected that under any future scenario in which demand for oil remains, GCC countries will be prominent producers and gain market share, partly due to the low geopolitical risk in the region. In the long-term, GCC national oil companies will pursue greener oil and gas production while also looking towards low-carbon energy sources that fit with Net Zero ambitions but align with core competencies. In this vein, hydrogen, particularly blue hydrogen, which is hydrogen produced primarily from steam methane reforming coupled with carbon capture, is an opportunity consistent with Net Zero pathways. Qatar, for example, is likely to focus on low-carbon gas supply for the production of blue hydrogen elsewhere, while Saudi Arabia, and perhaps the UAE, may produce blue hydrogen locally and export it or additionally see opportunities for importing and storing CO2 from blue hydrogen production abroad. Hydrogen is a core element of the IEA Net Zero plan, and the GCC countries are poised to produce and export blue hydrogen, its derivatives, and natural gas for hydrogen production elsewhere. However, finding the right business cases for the options to pursue is the current challenge. As the IEA report says, reaching net zero by 2050 “requires nothing short of a total transformation of the energy systems that underpin our economies.” While 2050 is an ambitious goal, Net Zero will happen eventually and the global energy transition will, over time, reduce dependency on fossil energy sources. It’s clear that oil producers and exporters will increasingly face economic challenges as the transition unfolds but various strategies exist for continued prospects for GCC national oil companies in a Net Zero world. Gas producers and exporters are expected to have opportunities in low-carbon gases, particularly hydrogen, but hydrogen exports will not make up for long-term decline in oil export rents. The economic diversification initiatives currently underway in the region must continue. The energy transition from the oil age to a different mix of energy sources in the future requires economic transition for GCC countries. But what it also needs is support from and for the countries and economies around the world driving the demand for oil. Even as the world pursues decarbonization and emission reduction technologies in the pursuit of Net Zero, oil and gas will continue to play a role in many energy systems. It’s clear that oil and gas must be a part of the broader net zero conversation.
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We Need to Look Beyond Our Borders for Clean Air and Blue Skies in order to be shared with the public and serve as guidance for vulnerable groups. ENGEOS is also working very closely with the EAD to assess the impact of air pollution on the country’s weather patterns - an indirect impact of air pollution but rarely accounted for in strategic plans.
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLEAN AIR FOR BLUE SKIES, DR. DIANA FRANCIS WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT A WEBINAR TITLED ‘AIR QUALITY BEYOND BORDERS: EXCHANGING BEST PRACTICES IN AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT.’
By Dr. Diana Francis I was delighted to take part in this event to echo the voice of academia and the scientific community on the question of air quality and its link to climate change, but also to highlight the efforts and new insights we have for society. Academia and scientific research play an important role in advancing our understanding of air quality and climate change. It also helps policy makers establish science-based strategies and gives them a way to assess the efficiency of those guidelines and strategies. Since the beginning, Khalifa University has been very involved in research and development on the UAE environment in general, but especially in air quality R&D. Masdar Institute was established to develop science-based knowledge on air pollution and to provide guidance and recommendations to governmental entities on the best ways to improve the air quality in the UAE. This has been achieved by investing in both observational and modelling activities which involves faculties, research staff and students. Externally, Khalifa University has partnered with the key players in this domain in the UAE with projects and ongoing collaborations with several entities such as the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment (MOCCAE) and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), with whom we have the privilege to work hand-in-hand to improve the air quality in the UAE. For instance, the Environmental and Geosciences Lab (ENGEOS) at Khalifa University, which I head, is responsible for providing air quality forecasts for the entire UAE daily to the MOCCAE
We have found many key insights on air quality through our work at ENGEOS. For example, we found that air quality is season dependent, with poorer air quality observed during the summer. We also found that the main contributor to the particulate matter levels observed in the UAE is natural aerosols – dust! This makes sense in a desert nation, but there’s also polluted dust from when natural dust mixes with pollutants as it travels over a polluted area to account for. This plays into air quality across the UAE depending on the level of emissions in the countries around the Arabian Gulf. Given the wind patterns here, polluted dust can be transported to the UAE by the Shamal winds. It’s clear that pollution and climate have a very complex relationship and that achieving clean air requires advanced techniques to untangle this interaction. We know that increasing temperatures can lead to increased concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere because of the chemistry involved, but as temperatures rise, our consumption of electricity goes with it. Higher electricity consumption means more emissions, which means more pollution. Then, the increased level of pollutants in the atmosphere impacts the climate by warming the atmosphere as the particulate matter, especially black carbon, absorbs the sunlight. Scientific findings and knowledge are actually the backbone of any directive and viable policy. Khalifa University is committed to communicating the scientific findings in the domain of air quality in order to provide science-based knowledge to policy makers and help them elaborate the most appropriate strategies to improve the quality of the air we breathe. As a concrete example, knowing that some of the pollutants are being carried to the UAE from outside the country helps us to better design the relevant strategies to cut local emissions. The composition of the pollutants in the UAE, natural versus man-made ones, their spatio-temporal variability, and other factors are all key information when it comes to establishing sound policies and applying them. There is no doubt that regional collaboration on air quality among the Gulf countries is crucial. Air knows no borders and whatever is emitted somewhere at a given time it will end up in the atmosphere somewhere else eventually. A positive action toward cutting emissions at one place can be easily cancelled by no action in the neighboring country. This is a crucial aspect to improving air quality, requiring long term coordination and engagement from all parties. 33 KU TIMES
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What the UAE’s geological mysteries teach us about climate change THE DEEP PAST OFFERS LESSONS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE
In deep geological terms, several mass extinction events have now been recognised, each of them wiping out more than 70 per cent of species at the time. To understand the causes and effects of these disasters, we need to try our best to read the diverse sedimentary rocks found in the UAE, a form of natural archive. Consider the mountain ranges of the northern emirates and Jebel Hafeet near Al Ain as books waiting to be read.
By Dr. Thomas Steuber Global environmental change is an increasing concern, particularly in the Gulf. Extreme weather events and rising temperatures and sea levels are becoming more evident by the year. As the climate in the UAE is already hot and dry, and most of its population concentrated along the coastline, what will the future hold? Today, this vital question is typically investigated with complex climate models, and the underlying science is regularly assessed by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which summarises its findings in periodical reports. Its most recent one concluded that climate change is rapid and intensifying. Fortunately, and unbeknown to many, billions of years of geological history can help us understand the nature of today’s challenge and help us predict our collective future. The ground under the UAE has much to offer in this endeavour. Its heritage extends back into “deep time", hundreds of millions of years into the past. This is far beyond the hundreds of thousands of years when the region is first thought to have been inhabited by humans. KU TIMES 34
The first challenge is to understand the language of these books, in order to be able to read them. Then we need to identify the “pages” that contain information about previous catastrophes. This is extremely difficult. Just imagine sifting through millions of pages to find only one containing the information we need. It is not an easy task, but reading earth’s history is a vocation we geologists train for and happily spend much of our lives doing. Scientists from UAE universities have published their findings on the region for decades. But our area of research has gathered significant momentum recently, as the effects of climate change on biodiversity, sea levels and coastal cities and infrastructure move into public interest. Now, earth scientists of various backgrounds are flocking to the region to contribute to research taking place at the UAE’s exquisite geological “archives". Recognising the importance of climate change science, the UAE established the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, which now gathers local expertise through the UAE Climate Change Research Network.
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that might have lived there. This might even have been the same event that is referred to as Noah’s flood in the Book of Genesis, a shared narrative among the Abrahamic faiths. The rises were so great that the coastline around Abu Dhabi today was two metres underwater 6,000 to 4,000 years ago. The most spectacular evidence for this is a huge fossilised skeleton of a humpback whale that became stranded at the time, which was eventually dug up in today’s Mussafah district in Abu Dhabi, several kilometres inland from the city’s shoreline. Rock formations, 200 million years old, in Ras Al Khaimah.
Scientists from UAE universities have published findings for decades, but their work is picking up momentum now. It is well established that most environmental crises, particularly a number of huge extinction events that took place around 200 million years ago, were triggered by a significant increase in atmospheric CO2 levels, resulting in global warming, changes in sea levels and other terrifying marine issues such as ocean acidification and low oxygen levels in seawater. Does this sound familiar? These shifts are very similar to the ones we are concerned about today. There is a major difference, however. Millions of years ago, gasses from volcanoes were to blame. Today, we are. Another important distinction is the timescales involved. While former, “natural” volcanic episodes lasted for tens to hundreds of thousands of years, similar amounts of greenhouse gasses are nowadays emitted over much shorter periods of time, basically starting when the industrial revolution began just 200 years ago. Time matters, and yet it is hard for us humans, particularly nonspecialists, to grasp quite how short 10,000 years is in geological terms, let alone 200. The UAE’s coastline can give us an idea, however. In just 20,000 years, well within the period of human inhabitation, there have been dramatic changes in sea levels. Initially, during the last ice age, the ocean was 120 metres lower than it is today, due to so much water being held in thick polar ice caps. The Arabian Gulf was dry at that time, and was the source of calcareous dust that accumulated in now-fossilised dunes, the remnants of which are abundant in coastal areas of Abu Dhabi. With the subsequent melting of the polar ice caps, sea levels rose rapidly, flooding the Arabian Gulf, very likely displacing humans
These sea level changes and the rocks they left behind show how the UAE was the site of very real transition from "deep time” to a period when humans were perhaps living through the catastrophic trauma brought on by climate change. And yet, remarkably little is known about the exact timing and extent of these comparatively recent sea level changes in the UAE. As mentioned earlier, a considerable degree of skill and effort is required to be able to read the rocks of this country, be they in mountains, on coastlines or even in petroleum basins. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of students interested in these beyond-ancient issues, which today are surprisingly timely. New undergraduate and graduate degree programmes are springing up for aspiring geologists, which now go beyond the traditional preference for teaching students solely about petroleum engineering. In addition to improving education on the UAE’s priceless geological sites, we must also double up on protection. The recent, and rare, vandalism of outcrops of fossils dunes at Al Wathba near Abu Dhabi shows that a minority are not aware of the preciousness of this aspect of the country’s heritage. Unlike books, rocks cannot be digitised to preserve their content, which is why current generations must safeguard them so that students of the future can carry on pushing the boundaries of the field. There are so many reasons to be motivated in this important task. We are seeing continuing improvements in geochemical, geophysical and other analytical technologies, all of which help geoscientists extract the information they need. An increasingly multidisciplinary group of experts are entering the natural library of our geological and prehistorical past. And they are finding more and more evidence and information that will help us in what could be an existential struggle up ahead. 35 KU TIMES
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KU Scientist to Lead Climate Data and Modeling Cluster of Newly Established UAE Climate Change Research Network
local and regional climatic conditions, trends, and projections. These include temperature, precipitation, sea level, and extreme weather events such as heatwaves, flooding, storms, etc. “My role will be to foster the collaborations on these topics among all scientists in the UAE to come up with new ideas, new collaborative work and science-based solutions to the challenges related to climate change, all under the umbrella of the ministry and the CCRN,” Dr. Francis explained. As cluster lead, Dr. Francis will be responsible for coordinating agendasetting, project design, and research activities within the cluster, as well as organizing cluster discussions, engaging other cluster members, and ensuring the delivery projects.
Climate change and its impact has been a growing concern worldwide. To continue and further enhance the UAE’s efforts in addressing the issue of climate change, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment (MOCCAE) has established the UAE Climate Change Research Network (CCRN). The Network brings together a group of committed climate change scientists and researchers from universities, the government, and other research entities to promote collaborations among scientists in the region working on the different challenges imposed by climate change. The Network is organized into 4 clusters spanning different topics of concern with the members identified based on their expertise. Khalifa University’s very own Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab, has been appointed Lead of the Climate Data and Modeling Cluster in which there are more than 30 scientists spread over the different universities and institutions in the UAE. This cluster focuses on the KU TIMES 36
Dr. Francis heads the ENGEOS Lab at Khalifa University where research activities focus on studying natural processes and addressing environmental challenges at local and regional scales to propose sustainable solutions and support science-based strategies for stakeholders and governmental entities. “At ENGEOS lab, we work on several projects that are of particular relevance to the Climate and Modeling Cluster of the UAE CCRN. For instance, we work on the regional climate of the Arabian Peninsula and the UAE to characterize its main patterns and detect trends and variabilities. We also work on the link between the different components of the regional climate system, especially the link between the atmospheric circulation and air quality, meteorological phenomena (such as fog, dust storms, etc.). In addition to working on the climate of our region, we investigate the climate of Polar Regions such as Antarctica and the Arctic, where the footprint of climate change is clearly visible and changes there
can impact our region via changes in the global atmospheric and oceanic circulation and changes in sea level due to ice melt. At ENGEOS, we perform these research activities by combining observational data and modeling techniques including machine learning and artificial intelligence,” Dr. Francis said. “I’m extremely proud and honored by this appointment, at the same time I’m well aware of the big responsibility that comes with it and will spare no effort to serve this community and this role as best as I can. I take this opportunity to extend my deepest respect and appreciation to all the CCRN members, the CCRN support team at the Ministry, and all my colleagues, partners and collaborators for their trust, confidence, and generous encouragement. I greatly look forward to supporting and working with the KU community toward a successful contribution from all of us at KU into this national effort.”
2021 Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East International Conference Dr. Francis shared her expertise in the area of atmospheric dust during the virtual workshop titled ‘Climate and Atmosphere Research & Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East’, which was held on 11 October as part of the 2021 Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East International Conference. The conference brings together regional governments and international scientists, policy makers and leaders from the public sector, the private sector and civil society to discuss scientific recommendations upon which to form a Regional Climate Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean & Middle East.
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Chemistry Professor Joins RSC CrystEngComm Journal Advisory Board
Dr. Sharmarke Mohamed, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been appointed as a member of the advisory board of CrystEngComm, a Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) journal that focuses on the design and understanding of crystalline materials. This new appointment highlights Dr. Mohamed’s expertise as well as the progress of research in materials science in the UAE. “I am excited to join the advisory board of the RSC journal, CrystEngComm. The journal has established itself as the home of crystal engineering research and continues to publish the spectrum of research in this field, ranging from the purely theoretical to the purely experimental. I am currently one of only two professors from the UAE who have been appointed to the board of
the journal. I plan to use my new role to bring better visibility to materials science research in the UAE,” Dr.Mohamed commented. He added: “My appointment to the board reflects the increasing visibility that materials science research from the UAE is now starting to receive. The UAE has made significant investments in scientific research since I joined KU in 2014. With the recent introduction of a PhD in Science program at KU and the significant investments we have made in recent years in analytical instruments to support materials science research, I expect we will continue to have an upward trajectory in the quality of materials science research we are producing at KU and more broadly in the UAE.” Dr. Mohamed was also recently recognized as a 2021 Emerging Investigators by the American Chemical Society journal Crystal Growth and Design in the area of crystal growth and design. One of 24 researchers from nine countries, Dr. Mohamed has received international recognition for his research achievements and growing reputation in his field. At Khalifa University, Dr. Mohamed is the PI of the Green Chemistry & Materials Modelling (GCMM) Laboratory, and helped to establish the Emirates Crystallographic Society (ECS). He currently serves as its vice president. He is also the Treasurer at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Chapter in the UAE. In his capacity as Vice President of the ECS, Dr. Mohamed represents the UAE as the voting councillor at the executive
committees of both the European Crystallographic Association and the International Union of Crystallography. To be considered an Emerging Investigator, a researcher must be a research group leader with less than 10 years of independent research. Dr. Mohamed leads a research group engaged in interdisciplinary research covering green chemistry, materials modelling, and experimental crystallization research. Dr. Mohamed’s latest research paper has been particularly highlighted for its impact and state-of-the-art progress in the field. “I am grateful for the academic freedoms and support that the KU leadership has provided during my time here. Our greatest strength as a university is our diversity. This diversity is reflected in our students and faculty which hail from all corners of the world. But this diversity is also reflected in the quality of the scientific research we are producing,” Dr. Mohamed noted. 37 KU TIMES
Image Source: SPE website
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Two Faculty Members Recognized in 2021 SPE International and Regional Awards
The Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE) recognized two Khalifa University faculty members in its International and Regional Awards in recognition of their exceptional service and leadership within the SPE. Dr. Hadi Belhaj, Associate Professor of Petroleum Engineering, was honored with the 2021 SPE International Distinguished Service Award for his significant professional contributions not only to the petroleum engineering profession but to the worldwide oil and gas industry as well. The award recognizes contributions to the Society that exhibit such exceptional devotion of time, effort, thought, and action as to set them apart from other contributions. The International Distinguished Service Award is in recognition of Dr. Belhaj’s 40 years of combined petroleum industrial and academic experience with key qualifications and achievements in reservoir engineering, reservoir simulation, modeling fractured reservoirs, EOR, sand control, unconventional reservoirs and decarbonized fossil fuels. Geographically, his experience is spread over North America, Europe, North Africa, Asia and the Middle-East.
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Image by Alin Constantin Photography
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Tom Blasingame, 2021 SPE President, and Dr. Hadi Belhaj
“It is an honor to recognize Hadi for his commitment and dedication to the oil and gas industry with the SPE Distinguished Service Award. SPE international award winners were nominated by their colleagues and selected by their peers for their achievement and contributions and it’s my pleasure to congratulate him on receiving this prestigious international award from SPE,” said Tom Blasingame, 2021 SPE President. Dr. Belhaj was also a previous recipient of the 2013 and 2020 SPE Regional Distinguished Achievement for Petroleum Engineering Faculty Award and the 2019 SPE Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award.
His achievements in the area of EOR and specifically in low salinity water flooding for carbonate reservoirs promise greatly improved extraction and use of the world’s natural resources. He has made great progress in elucidating the uncertainties associated with low salinity water injection through in-depth, critical analysis of the experimental works of other researchers as well as his own simulation and modeling works.
Dr. Emad Al Shalabi, Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering, is the recipient of the SPE Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamic Award for the Middle East and North Africa Region. The award is one of the Technical Awards given by SPE to members for their exceptional contribution and expertise on the regional level. The Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award recognizes outstanding achievements in or contributions to the advancement of petroleum engineering, specifically in the area of reservoir description and dynamics. Dr. Al Shalabi has remarkable contributions in the fields of reservoir simulation, modeling, and enhanced/improved oil recovery (EOR/IOR) techniques, which are critical to the oil and gas industry.
“I am extremely humbled and honored to receive such a prestigious award that reflects my significant contribution to the oil and gas industry. In the Middle East and North Africa region, carbonate rocks provide great challenges to successful oil and gas production. Hence, we need to apply innovative and cost effective EOR techniques to further enhance their production where my research activities are focused,” Dr. Al Shalabi commented. Prior to receiving the 2021 Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award, Dr. Al Shalabi has also received the 2020 SPE Regional Public Service Award, 2020 SPE Regional Service Award, and 2020 SPE Regional Young Member Outstanding Service Award for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.
SPE held their Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition from September 21 to 23, 2021 in Dubai, UAE. Dr. Al Shalabi was also invited to serve as an Associate Editor for SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, a journal published by the 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. Dr. Al Shalabi will also join the SPE International Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) Conference as a member of the technical program committee. The conference is scheduled to run from 25 - 29 April 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA). With the theme "IOR: Thrive in a Low Carbon Economy", the 2022 conference will focus on how today's energy industry is working diligently to reduce emissions and waste across all oil and gas industry sectors. 39 KU TIMES
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Dr. Emad W. Al Shalabi Gives Talk about Low Salinity Water Injection at the International Energy Agency Enhanced Oil Recovery Technology Collaboration Program
Dr. Al Shalabi was invited by the International Energy Agency (IEA)Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Technology Collaboration Program as a guest speaker to give a talk on the way forward and the latest developments in “Low Salinity Water Flooding EOR Technique”. The talks on Low Salinity Water Flooding discussed lessons from pilot to field implementation within water composition, salinity changes, lab analysis, core flooding, sandstones vs. carbonate, hybrid applications, CAPEX and OPEX, as well as challenges and implementations. Dr. Al Shalabi represented Khalifa University and the UAE in this prestigious webinar and shared his expertise in low salinity waterflooding where he has been an active KU TIMES 40
researcher in this area for the past 10 years. Dr. Al-Shalabi has authored and co-authored more than 70 papers and conference proceedings mostly published in this area.. He is a coauthor of the first book published on low salinity/engineered water “Low Salinity and Engineered Water Injection for Sandstone and Carbonate Reservoirs” in 2017. Dr. Al Shalabi’s presentation entitled “Low Salinity Water Injection: A Potential Standalone to Hybrid EOR Technique” highlighted the interest of applying this technique in the UAE in both standalone as well as hybrid water alternating gas (WAG) modes. The virtual meeting and panel took place on Saturday, 25 September 2021, where
11 experts from all over the world including the UAE, Norway, UK, Iran, Colombia, USA, Peru, and Brazil, each gave a 20-minute presentation. Created in 1979, the IEA EOR TCP evaluates and disseminates the results of research and development of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Its primary focus is on improving the economics of EOR, increasing the recovery of oil originally in place, and extending oil reservoir economic life. The activities of the EOR TCP mainly cover information exchange on independent research activities carried out by the participating countries, the results of which are disseminated through annual Executive Committee meetings, two-day workshops and oneday symposia.
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EBTIC’s SPL Team Wins Two Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Awards in UK EBTIC AND BT TEAM WIN INTERNATIONAL AWARDS BASED ON INNOVATION, RELEVANCE AND EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS, FOR THEIR SPL SOLUTION AND TRIAL The SPL team led by Salwa Alzahmi, a senior researcher at KU’s Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC), has won two awards in two categories at the prestigious 2021 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Awards in the UK. EBTIC is a research and innovation centre focused on driving research and innovation in intelligent systems and applications founded by Khalifa University, Etisalat and BT (British Telecom), and supported by the Telecommunication and Digital Government Authority’s (TDRA) ICT Fund. It is based at the Khalifa University campus in Abu Dhabi. The Computing magazine’s AI and Machine Learning Awards recognise the best companies, individuals, and projects in artificial intelligence. The judging process covers several industry segments such as security, ethics, data analysis, and innovation, while showcasing the movers and shakers including the technology heroes and projects that deserve industry-wide praise. The awards won by EBTIC’s SPL were in the categories of Best Cloud Automation Tool and Best Use of Automation. An
elite panel of 12 judges selected the SPL entries as winners based on the evidence of three factors – innovation, relevance, and achieved success. More specifically, the Best Cloud Automation Tool award was given to EBTIC and BT for the tool’s innovative and fully featured automation solution that is designed to ease the burden of application migration to the Cloud. In their citation, the judges mentioned that the SPL Tool ‘has the opportunity to hugely reduce code complexity, thus improving security and reducing the cost of cloud migration’.
In the Best Use of Automation award category, the SPL tool was highly recommended for the automation of migrating legacy software systems to cloud-native architecture using artificial intelligence, hence, addressing the challenges of complexity and high associated costs. The judges’ citation mentioned that the SPL team is highly recommended for this category for its ‘SPL project that has a strong topical story and told it well’. 41 KU TIMES
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Dr. Nawaf I. Almoosa, Acting Director, Head of Smart Infrastructure Research, EBTIC, and Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University, said: “Achieving this success in the 2021 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Awards across two categories strongly indicates the extent of cutting-edge technological innovation being produced by the EBTIC’s SPL team productive partnership with BT to accurately target the future requirements of the industry in these areas. Our team members have demonstrated their talent in another prestigious international competition, and we hope to continue exploring innovation through working on new projects in AI and ML-related areas.” SPL is a platform developed at EBTIC and uses intelligent methods to simplify and streamline software governance, development, and migration to the Cloud. The technology is currently undergoing commercialisation as a start-up in collaboration with Khalifa Innovation Centre (KIC). Salwa Alzahmi, an Emirati researcher and tech entrepreneur, is leading the SPL platform development and commercialization, and has been instrumental in driving the technology, its commercialisation and the collaboration with BT Applied Research to evaluate the tool’s business value. As part of the drive for commercialisation, Alzahmi has set up a UAE-based tech start-up in the Khalifa Innovation Center – KIC khalifainnovation.ac.ae that is registered at Abu Dhabi Global Market. The EBTIC-SPL research team also includes Ahmed Suliman, Corrado Mio and Sid Shakya. At the Computing AI and Machine KU TIMES 42
Learning Awards 2021 in London, one of the UK’s leading business technology information resource, EBTICs SPL won awards for “Best Cloud or Networking Automation Tool” and was highly commended in the category of “Best Use of Automation” The judges commented that SPL, in winning the “Best Cloud or Networking Automation Tool” category “has the opportunity to hugely reduce code complexity, thus improving security and reducing the cost of cloud migration.” Alzahmi, Senior Research at EBTIC who leads the SPL team, said “I’m so proud of my team to be recognised in such a fantastic way. It is testament to all the hard work that has been put in to make the SPL tool such a compelling solution.” Dr. Nawaf Almoosa, Acting Director of EBTIC, said: “EBTIC has a history of innovating practical AI solutions and have been a leader in intellectual property generation in UAE for the past 10 years. These awards are a further testament to EBTIC’s expertise of applying AI techniques to the operations of its partner organizations, and to their effort to promote Intelligent Systems research in the UAE and the region. We are immensely proud for the SPL team to be winning such prestigious awards, and we have high hopes for the future of SPL. I’d like to thank the SPL Team: Salwa Alzahmi, Corrado Mio, Ahmad Suliman, and Sid Shakya for this great achievement.” Computing’s AI & Machine Learning Awards recognise the best companies, individuals, and projects in the AI space today. The judging process covers every corner of the industry: security, ethics, data analysis, innovation and more, as
well as showcasing the movers and shakers: the technology heroes and projects that deserve industry-wide praise. With judges from prestigious organisations, such as Expedia Group, Network Rail, MET Office, London Stock Exchange and Computing itself, the winning of these awards proves that SPL demonstrates an outstanding, innovative approach in the field of AI. EBTIC spun-out SPL.Co Ltd as a startup in its own right, incorporated in 2019 and registered at Abu Dhabi Global Market. It came about following the success of SPL as a research project in 2015. SPL.Co provides corporations with an intelligent software modernization solution to accelerate and reduce the high costs associated with upgrading software systems into a cloud infrastructure. EBTIC has a very successful history with Computing awards. In 2019, EBTIC’s spares optimization project Inuitu, won two awards for ‘Outstanding AI/Machine Learning Project’ and ‘Most Innovative use of AI/ Machine Learning’. EBTIC has produced more than 500 scientific publications, developed more than 75 inventions, resulting in 60 granted patents, with more pending, and has trained more than 350 students, and 250 professionals. It has also organized 10 international technical workshops and developed numerous technologies and worked on many projects in collaboration with its partners and stakeholders. Cloud Automation Tool
Automation Award
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Chemistry Faculty Member Shares Research and Expertise in Porous Materials at International Conferences
Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been actively sharing his work and research in different international events and conferences over the past few months. Dr. Shetty was invited as one of the speakers in the 1st International Conference on Emerging Porous Materials. Organized by the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) in association with Vellore Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, the event gathered renowned researchers from all over the world who are working in the field of inorganic/organic and hybrid porous materials and their potential applications. Other prominent speakers invited to this event were Prof. Xinliang Feng, Director of the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics and advisory board member of flagship science journals such as Advanced Materials and Chemical Science; Prof. Rahul Banerjee, Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IISER-K) and Associate Editor of the Journal of American Chemical Society; and Prof. Satoshi Horike of Kyoto University, Japan. The conference took place from 29-30 July 2021 virtually. In his talk titled “‘Porous Covalent Organic Frameworks: Design and Applications,” Dr. Shetty focused on the rational design, synthesis and application of novel covalent organic framework (COFs), which is a class of porous organic polymers. He discussed the benefits of tunable structures and novel topologies in COFs for environmental applications. Dr. Shetty believes that research in this area is critical as COFs could be used for environmental remedies.
Dr. Shetty commented: “The exchange of research knowledge among peer established and emerging scientists in porous material would benefit future collaborations and keep the up-to-date state-of-the-art in the field. The research diversity among the speakers would help my research team to find a new horizon in the exciting area of porous material research.” “In addition, such invited talks with world-renowned scientists not only showcases my lab’s research work but also help other scientists take a look into the ongoing research at KU. It is important to have an institutional presence in an international arena to build the network and gain confidence in our research at KU,” he added. The conference was the first iteration of the event but will continue to expand to showcase significant scientific contributions in the field of emerging porous materials for sustainable applications. Earlier this year, Dr. Shetty’s research abstract was also selected to be presented at the Polymers and Environment session of the 48th World Polymer Congress (IUPACMACRO2020+). Dr. Shetty delivered his talk on “‘Macrocycle-based Covalent Organic Frameworks for Environmental Applications,” a paper he co-wrote that discusses how covalent polymeric structures are able to synthesize and capture micropollutants. The World Polymer Congress is a scientific meeting held every two years that covers the many aspects of polymer research. 43 KU TIMES
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
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. John Dennis, Chairman of the ILSSI (UK), presented Dr. Antony with the award on 19 July 2021 at the Edinburgh Business School, where Dr. Antony was also celebrated by colleagues KU TIMES 44
and other ILSSI members. He commented: “Professor Antony has made a remarkable contribution to the field of quality management, quality engineering and now an advancement to the field of Lean Six Sigma. The ILSSI would like to thank him for his lifetime of service to the advancement of Lean Six Sigma.” 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.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
KU Scientist Talks About Rainfall Trends at the UAE National Center for Meteorology Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Scientist and Head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Lab at Khalifa University, was invited to deliver a webinar for the UAE National Center for Meteorology on rainfall trends across the Arabian Peninsula. Rain in mid and high latitudes comes from storms and cyclones developing over the regions, but in the tropics and subtropical regions, rain is caused by different processes.
Dr. Antony is also a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society (UK), Fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI), Fellow of the Institute of Operations Management (FIOM), Fellow of the American Society of Quality (FASQ), Fellow of the International Lean Six Sigma Institute (ILSSi) and a Fellow of the Institute of the Six Sigma Professionals (ISSP). “I am truly honored to receive this Lifetime Achievement award from the International Lean Six Sigma Institute and will be delighted to work closely with the chairman and other colleagues for further advancement of Lean Six Sigma,” Dr. Antony said. 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.
A tropical climate is characterized by specific atmospheric patterns, including the Heat Low, a thermal low which develops during summer in response to the extreme heat from the sun over the tropics and subtopics. Air masses from surrounding water bodies are driven inland, and when hot and dry air masses meet moist and cold ones, we get rain. These are known as convective cells, and when several develop and move together as one, we call them a convective system. The Arabian Peninsula is one such subtropical region. During spring, large-scale convective systems develop in the midlatitudes and drift towards the Arabian Peninsula on the jet stream. We also sometimes see these conditions during the summer, especially now our study shows increasing trends in both the duration of the rainfall and the volume of rain over the Arabian Peninsula in the last 20 years. With global warming, this trend is expected to continue. As the atmosphere warms, it is able to hold more water, and as changes in atmospheric circulation causes the slowdown of the polar jet and other wind pattern changes, we’ll see more convection in our region. We need to understand convective systems not just because of the large amount of rain they pour down in a short time, causing flooding, but also because they cause large dust storms too, due to the winds generated as they develop. So far, these systems are not explicitly accounted for in the global climate models used for climate projections and this is likely because they are very difficult to represent in models. Efforts need to be put towards improving our capabilities in this respect. 45 KU TIMES
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
KU Professor Shares Insight to Blockchain and Digital Twins
Digital twins are virtual replicas of existing assets that give us a glimpse into what is happening or what could happen with these assets in reality. However, digitizing your assets also puts them at risk, which is where blockchain could help.
“A digital twin is an exact digital replica of a physical world object that you can set, control, manage, monitor and interact with,” Dr. Khaled Salah said. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning models can use the data collected by the digital twins to detect fraud and anomalies, but more importantly, can be used for optimization, troubleshooting, predictive and preventative maintenance, and to achieve better future design and performance.” Dr. Khaled Salah is Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Khalifa University. He was recently invited to give a talk at the IEEE IEAE Blockchain Seminar on 8 September. Dr. Salah covered current trends, open research problems and the challenges in leveraging and adopting blockchain for digital twins. You can watch Dr. Salah speak at this seminar on-demand here.
If something goes wrong on a spacecraft, it’s usually much too far away to fix manually. Enter the digital twin: an exact full-scale digital mockup of the craft, used on the ground to mirror and diagnose problems in orbit. These simulations can be used for anything tangible or ‘real’ to give us predictions or solutions for the real-world original.
Digital twins offer a real-time look at what’s happening with physical assets but their security could be improved. A digital twin could be used to simulate security breaches, but could also be liable to security risks themselves. If someone could gain access to the twin, they could gain insights to the system, steal intellectual property via hacking, put information integrity at risk, or even gain control of the physical assets.
Developing a digital twin requires input from sensors gathering data from its tangible counterpart, and an understanding of the physics underlying and affecting the physical object or system being modeled. The sensor data can then be used to both develop a mathematical model to simulate the real-world original and understand and predict its operation.
This is where blockchain technology could make a difference. Blockchain offers an immutable and tamper-proof ledger, where each record created forms a block, and each block is confirmed by the community among which the platform is shared before it can be paired up with the previous entry in the chain. The blockchain is a shared database, validated by a wider community rather than a central authority, making
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it a public ledger that cannot be easily tampered with, as no one person can go back and change things. “Blockchain has the ability to provide security, integrity, visibility, traceability, authenticity, accessibility and trust to both the data making up the actual twins, and also to the data collected and accessed by the digital twins,” Dr. Salah said. Dr. Salah was also invited to speak at the IEEE International Symposium on Blockchain on 8 September, in a panel on digital twins and digital threading. You can watch Dr. Salah speak at this seminar ondemand here. While a digital twin is an exact digital replica of a tangible thing, capturing and integrating the data for making the digital twin is commonly referred to as digital threading. Today’s methods for enabling digital twins are based on centralized architectures and do not natively provide trusted data provenance, audit and traceability. “Blockchain-based digital threading ensures secure and trusted traceability, accessibility, immutability of transactions and logs through data provenance, which is native to blockchain protocols,” Dr. Salah said. In addition to the blockchain, several other technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big and streaming data analytics are commonly used to enable seamless synchronization between digital twins and the processes they represent. In the panel, Dr. Salah discussed ongoing innovations and the further research efforts needed to resolve blockchain-based digital threading challenges associated with scalability, data privacy, interoperability, energy consumption and integrating this new technology with legacy systems.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Two Papers Presented at the ACS Conference Proposes New Techniques for Forensic Investigations Dr. Mayssa Hachem, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Khalifa University, presented two papers at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2021 Conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) from 22-26 August 2021. The conference was a hybrid event that was conducted virtually and in person. Dr. Hachem’s first presentation at the ACS was at the Division of Environmental Chemistry where she discussed her paper titled “Systematic Chemical Approaches for Soil Analysis in Forensic Investigation.” The paper highlighted the importance of soil as a valuable evidence during forensic investigations. Soils may be able to link an individual to a crime scene as soil transferred in mud sticking to footwear, tires, soil marks on vehicles, or traces left on clothes can correlate the presence or absence of this person on a particular scene of the crime. The soil has extreme complexity not only in components but also in its physical nature such as sediment, color, and structure. Dr. Hachem studied various physico-chemical properties of different types of soils in the UAE and found high variability in results among the tested samples. These results could refer to a unique fingerprinting for each soil type, which are vital findings for forensic soil investigations in a crime scene. She then presented her second paper, “Prediction of Postmortem Interval (PMI) through Chemical Analysis of Blood Biomarkers in Forensic Examination: A Concept” at the Division of Biochemical Technology session. In the paper, Dr. Hachem outlines a concept of a device that can be used in the prediction of postmortem interval (PMI), or time since death, in forensic investigations. For years, the prediction of PMI has been one of the most challenging variables to quantify and establish for forensic examiners despite numerous developments in this area.
Dr. Hachem proposed a device that provides the chemical profiles of different metabolites in blood including protein biomarkers such as Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST). LDH is an enzyme typically restricted to the cytoplasm of cells and released only after cell death, while AST is an enzyme that converts aspartic acid to glutamate. Blood concentration of these enzymes normally increases in the first three days after death. In addition to protein biomarkers, Dr. Hachem also suggested the dosage of some lipid biomarkers such as triglycerides and cholesterol levels showed a postmortem decrease in the triglyceride and cholesterol concentration in blood in vitro over time. Dr. Hachem suggested that the device not only measure metabolites but also measures the pH level in the blood. Normal pH blood level is controlled within the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45. Alkaline pH more than 7.45 and acidic pH less than 7 can lead to death. After death, the pH of blood changes from 7 to 5.5, twenty hours postmortem. The accumulation of acidic metabolites, especially lactic acid, lowers the blood pH. When a murder victim is found at a crime scene, the proposed device can analyze blood using Artificial Intelligence to determine the dosage of the mentioned metabolites and PMI estimation. The ACS is one of the world’s largest scientific organizations with more than 155,000 members in 150 countries. Founded in 1876 and chartered by the US Congress, the organization aims to improve people’s lives through the advancement and promotion of the uses and benefits of chemistry 47 KU TIMES
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
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
Dr. Linda Zou Chosen to be the Deputy of the MBRAS Women in Science Committee Khalifa University’s 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 wellknown for her ground-breaking research using nanotechnology to develop cloud seeding materials.
Dr. Steve Griffiths on how Hydrogen can Decarbonize Heavy Industry Hydrogen is gathering steam as a possible way to decarbonize heavy industry, but challenges remain for getting heavy industry down to net zero carbon. Khalifa University Senior Vice President of Research and Development Dr. Steve Griffiths joined Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) President Kelly Ogle to explore hydrogen for industrial decarbonization in a CGAI podcast called “Energy Security Cubed.” Listen to the podcast here.
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LIBRARY CORNER
E-resources at Khalifa University Introduction There is an established history of academic libraries collaborating with institutional departments to provide learning and research support to students, researchers, and faculty members to achieve positive educational and research outcomes. During recent decades, academic libraries have responded to transform information resources from primarily that of print format to a dynamic interface of access to electronic resources (E-resources). As a result, services and collections have evolved to meet the needs of virtual users, and collection budgets further reflect this evolution. Background When it started, Khalifa University Library went from having just two databases to 35+ e-resources by the end of 2010. The librarians noticed that most students were using Google as their primary search engine to find academic information. It was a challenge for librarians to rectify this by encouraging students to use these academic e-resources.
• Conducting training and workshops on the use of these databases • Production of research guides for subjects and departments As expected, these strategies resulted in a tremendous increase in the access and use of E-resources by the end of 2015. Evidence of this increase came from a usage survey and other evaluation tools.
Current status The efficiency of merging three institutions in 2017 has strengthened and increased the libraries’ electronic collection, widening the subject areas, while also improving budget effectiveness. After the unification of e-resources, the subject areas of our databases increased by 45% while reducing the total e-resources subscription budget by 30%. The current collection consists of more than 500,000 e-books and over 95 subscribed databases and indexes, containing content such as journal packages,
Through face-to-face interactions and user surveys, librarians were able to determine the factors which kept e-resources from being more actively used by students. The main factor causing this problem was the complexity of using these resources.
e-books, streaming media, digital ephemera, and datasets to cater to the needs of one of the most reputable research universities in the region (currently ranked 183 in QS Global University Rankings 2022). At present, the KU Libraries are working to expand the
To overcome these challenges, librarians planned and conducted the following strategic methods and practices: • Creation of an A to Z list of e-resources in the library homepage • Acquisition of a discovery interface to search all databases in a single window with various filters and facets • Purchase of a proxy server for authentication, which allows off-campus access
collection of medical databases for the newly opened Medical School. These databases cover topics such as medical education, journals and e-books in medicine, medical research, evidence-based practice, and clinical practice. These new additions will further enrich the current collection of e-resources such as Access Medicine, Clinical Key, Lecturio, JoVE, EMBASE, and others. 49 KU TIMES
LIBRARY CORNER
E-resources access and KU scholarly output A study conducted in 2019 on the “Use and impact of e-resources at Khalifa University” reveals that electronic resources have made a tremendous impact on the university’s scholarly output. From the study, it was revealed that the primary reason for using e-resources is for research (Table Q6).
It is very important for libraries to make their e-resources as accessible as possible. The KU Libraries make a big effort to conduct e-resources workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions to improve awareness of our collection and optimize access for scholarly and research activities.
Another important finding in the study is that journal articles and E-books are the most used resources among KU researchers (Table Q7).
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At present KU has an extensive collection, which provides access to our users to keep abreast of KU’s research subject areas. Highlights of diagram (See Table below).
LIBRARY CORNER
Scholarly output benchmarking It is very important for libraries to make their e-resources as accessible as possible. The KU Libraries make a big effort to conduct e-resources workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions to improve awareness of our collection and optimize access for scholarly and research activities.
and IP addresses in e-resource administration modules, and adjusting e-journal holdings or asking our discovery vendor to update URLs in the product knowledgebase. Librarians had to be more responsive to the community’s online research needs at all times and scheduled staff in a way that would provide constant sufficient coverage.
At present KU has an extensive collection, which provides access to our users to keep abreast of KU’s research subject areas. Highlights of diagram (See Table below).
With the print collection being temporarily inaccessible, the Libraries had to facilitate the use of e-resources. Statistics shows a systematic increase in the usage and marked all-time high.
Impact of the Pandemic to KU e-resource usage At the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the university sent all students home for the rest of the year, creating a new set of challenges. An alternative system of distance or online learning fully took over for the remainder of the year and into the next academic year. KU Libraries already had the tools to support the university in its shift to online learning, making the transition of Information Literacy sessions being offered online smoothly and efficiently. Furthermore, the libraries had made significant acquisition changes from print books to e-books and streaming media licensing. An effort was also made to take advantage of free or trial subscriptions for subject areas that existing e-resources might not have sufficiently supported. KU Libraries had to pay closer attention to e-resource authentication and access as the university community had to work and study off-campus. Almost overnight, we found ourselves having to solve a greater number of problems with off-campus access to resources due to the highly increased demand. To address these issues, the libraries were constantly updating outdated URLs in the catalog and the databases A-Z list, correcting old EZproxy prefixes
Future plan KU Libraries constantly strive to improve its services and continuously innovates plans for smooth utilization of resources by the KU community. For the next three years, the libraries have a strategic plan to increase e-resources and further strengthen emerging areas such as the medical collection. More patents and standards databases, interactive datasets, and streaming media are part of the plan to be acquired in the future. Continued training on how to use e-resources will be conducted by KU librarians or by invited outside experts as well. To keep up with library developments and all the latest resources, visit the library website at https://library. ku.ac.ae/lib. 51 KU TIMES
FROM THE NEWSROOM
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Highlights of the latest important announcements, strategic initiatives, new partnerships, and VIP visits
FROM THE NEWSROOM
Khalifa University Tops in UAE and Ranked Second in Arab World in Nature Index 2021 Ranking for Research
22 PAPERS PUBLISHED BY KHALIFA UNIVERSITY INDICATE HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH IN CHEMISTRY, EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES Khalifa University has announced it is ranked top in the UAE and second among Arab institutions in terms of research output by the latest Nature Index 2021 Ranking. With a total of 22 research papers, and a ‘share’ of (6.53), Khalifa University remains ahead of all other contenders in the UAE. Among the Arab institutions, Khalifa University jumped seven places to become the second in the Nature Index 2021 ranking for research. Khalifa University has a total of 11 research papers in Earth and Environmental Sciences, 9 in Physical Sciences and 4 in Chemistry, for the 1 May 2020 - 1 April 2021 assessment period. The UAE, as a country, had a total of 122 research papers from 10 institutions. The Nature Index is a database of author affiliations and institutional relationships. It is an indicator of high-quality research in the Natural and Physical Sciences, including Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Physical Sciences. The Index tracks contributions to research articles published in 82 high-quality naturalscience journals, chosen by an independent group of researchers. The latest rankings were based on the Nature Index data from 1 May 2020 - 1 April 2021. 53 KU TIMES
FROM THE NEWSROOM
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 (CoAS) is now offering four new PhD programs, raising the total number of doctorate fields to 15, for the academic year 2021-2022, and further widening human capital development in strategic areas of the UAE and the region. The launch of the new Master’s and PhD programs represents Khalifa University’s commitment to contribute human capital to the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which aims to build a sustainable and diversified, high value-added economy, as well as to achieve effective transformation of the Emirate’s economic base and bring about global integration. These programs will prepare the students for the job market of the future, equipping them with the knowledge of new technological advancements and innovations, and developing them into experts in these fields. The four new PhD programs in Chemistry, Physics, Math, and Earth Sciences are offered through the College of Arts and Sciences. The PhD offering in the College of Engineering includes Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, Electrical, Computer, Engineering Systems, Materials, Mechanical, Nuclear, Petroleum and Robotics. With this, Khalifa University now offers PhDs in 15 fields, one MD, 17 Master’s and 16 Bachelor’s programs. In line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, these programs are designed to develop highly skilled science and engineering professionals capable of transferring state-of-theart technologies to priority sectors of industry, business and government. Students must complete a dissertation that involves creative, research-oriented work within the field of Chemistry, Physics, Math, or Earth Sciences. In addition to defending the thesis, the outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. KU TIMES 54
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “The new doctorate and Master’s programs further expand our academic and research offerings, designed to create consummate professionals in all areas that are strategic to the UAE’s economy. We continuously evaluate the human capital needs of the UAE and the region to design our academic and research programs so that future engineers, scientists and healthcare experts will be fully equipped to face diverse challenges. We believe the new academic programs will attract more students to Khalifa University’s state-of-the-art research and academic facilities where they will be able to develop themselves into career professionals.” From Fall 2021, Khalifa University is offering new bachelor’s programs in Cell and Molecular Biology, and Earth and Planetary Sciences, as well as new Master’s in Aerospace Engineering. In addition to offering more academic programs, Khalifa University has consistently expanded its research domain to cover more strategic industries such as space systems and technologies, aerospace, robotics, machine intelligence, nuclear engineering, clean energy, sustainability, nanotechnologies, cyber security, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and supply chain logistics. Over the years, Khalifa University has consistently remained as a top-ranked academic institution in the UAE and is ranked among the top 200 institutions globally, especially in research and innovation. In the most recent Nature Index 2021 rankings, Khalifa University placed top in the UAE and second among Arab institutions in terms of research output, with a total of 22 research papers, and ‘share’ of 6.53 that is nearly three times higher than the second-ranked university. Khalifa University is also top-ranked in the UAE and among the top 10 out of 125 Arab institutions in the 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) Arab Universities Ranking.
FROM THE NEWSROOM
Khalifa Innovation Center Organizes ‘Innovation Open House’ on 5 October at Khalifa University Main Campus
EVENT OFFERED RESEARCHERS AND STUDENTS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FORUM TO INTERACT WITH PROFESSIONALS AND BETTER UNDERSTAND INSIGHTS INTO ESTABLISHING DEEP-TECH STARTUPS Khalifa Innovation Center (KIC - www.khalifainnovation. ae), a strategic partnership between Khalifa University, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Tawazun Economic Council, Mubadala Investment Company, and Sandooq Al Watan, hosted an ‘Innovation Open House’ to enable students and researchers interact with innovation and intellectual property professionals to have firsthand insight on how to protect inventions, prosecute intellectual property, deploy technologies and establish deep-tech startups. The Innovation Open House titled ‘Make an Impact for a Better Life’ was organized by the Khalifa University Office of Technology Management and Innovation and the Khalifa Innovation Center at the Khalifa University Main Campus. It included panel discussions, inspirational talks, and parallel innovation clinics, as well as networking events. 55 KU TIMES
FROM THE NEWSROOM
An impressive array of some of the most advanced technology patents from Khalifa University showcased some of the deep-tech startups in the KIC’s startup portfolios. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Chairman, KIC, and Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “The Innovation Open House provided a unique opportunity for university students and faculty members to have an overview on resources available to enable them commercialize inventions through formation of startups. They not only gained insight on how to translate their inventions into patents but also further understood and learned about programs available in KIC that would help with their journeys as entrepreneurs moving these inventions into successful startups.” Dr. Al Hammadi added: “This open house is also in line with our commitment to Abu Dhabi’s business and technology startup initiatives and incubators such as Hub 71, a flagship initiative of Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi’s accelerator program for business in the capital. Our objective is not only to drive innovation but also to encourage commercialization of our research outcome that can contribute to the fast-expanding knowledgebased economy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.” Dr. Yehya Mohamed Al Marzouqi, Advisor to Tawazun CEO, said “The Innovation Open House is an ideal forum whereby the Tawazun Economic Council and our partners can demonstrate our commitment to building Emirati capabilities in multi-disciplinary R&D areas. Through the panel discussions we can also ensure participants have valuable insights on the best ways to incorporate applied research with practical application and then on to the next stage of actual development of industrial prototypes. Tawazun fully supports the creation of favorable conditions for the development of innovative, local solutions and the ability to take them to market.” Hind Baker, Director-General, Sandooq Al Watan, said: “Sandooq Al Watan was established with a clear mandate outlined by our wise leadership, to promote and support innovation and innovators, and provide talented UAE citizens with promising opportunities to thrive and KU TIMES 56
accomplish great success.” “The ‘Innovation Open House’ organized by our partners at the Khalifa Innovation Center perfectly embodies this mission.” Baker continued. “It offers talented students and researchers a platform to interact with accomplished innovators and leading experts. This not only develops their innovation skills but also helps them draw on experiences and success stories for charting their own path to excellence.” “Our leadership has ambitious objectives for diversifying the UAE’s economy and rendering it more resilient in the postoil era. Talented creative thinkers and bold, innovative ideas are essential for accomplishing our goals,” Baker asserted. Dr. Sami Bashir, Director, Technology Management and Innovation, Khalifa University, said: “This Innovation Open House event was intended to address some of the questions inventors and entrepreneurs have and to provide some clarity on their paths to innovation from research discovery to a market product. Such platforms and events are critical to have insightful dialogue with inventors, entrepreneurs and partners or investors to materialize impact of our patents and startups.” The event included panel discussions led by experts who shared first-hand information on the importance of intellectual property (IP), ways to establish a startup from scientific research, tips on navigating the innovation ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, and suggestions for attracting investors or customers. Inspirational talks were delivered by thought-leaders, inventors, and entrepreneurs who shared their experience on creating value and an impact out of scientific research. The open house included two parallel Innovation Clinics – ‘Intellectual Properties and Research Commercialization’, and ‘Establishing Deep-Tech Startups’. The clinics were intended to answer specific questions on handling IP while performing or commercializing scientific research, and translating ideas, patents and research results into successful startups. Participants interacted with peers, IP experts, startup mentors, inventors, researchers, and entrepreneurs.
FROM THE NEWSROOM
ICAPP 2021, Region’s First International Conference on Nuclear Energy, Opens in Abu Dhabi GLOBAL NUCLEAR ENERGY LEADERS COMMEND UAE FOR SUCCESSFUL START OF BARAKAH UNIT 1, FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT IN UAE AND THE ARAB WORLD The International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP) 2021, the region’s first-ever international conference on nuclear energy, organized by Khalifa University, opened on 17 October in Abu Dhabi, with global nuclear energy leaders commending the UAE for successfully starting the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant Unit 1, the first nuclear power project in the UAE and first in the Arab world. H.E. Ambassador Hamad AlKaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Honorary Chair, ICAPP 2021, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, H.E. Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO, ENEC, attended the conference along with representatives from UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), industry experts, stakeholders, and global leaders from the nuclear energy community. Co-sponsored by Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, as well as the American, French, Korean and Japanese nuclear societies, ICAPP 2021 provides a forum for leaders of the nuclear community to exchange information, present results from their work, review the status of the industry and discuss future directions and needs for the deployment of new nuclear power plant systems around the world.
In his welcome address, Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “We are proud to host the International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP) 2021 in partnership with our sponsors and highlight the success of the UAE in establishing and successfully operating a nuclear power facility, the first in the Arab world. Together with the global nuclear energy community, we also strongly support the role of nuclear power in achieving the net zero greenhouse gas emissions goal, by ensuring consistent energy supply, and a wider integration of renewables to drive the clean energy transition.” “Moreover, our campus is also home to Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC), which supports the UAE’s nuclear power program and delivers the key stakeholders goals for safe, clean and efficient nuclear energy to meet the targets of Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 and the UAE National Energy Strategy 2050. We are proud to be the sole academic partner for ENEC from the early stages of the UAE’s nuclear energy industry, and we are privileged to serve as the training arm for the nuclear energy industry in the UAE. As the first university in the UAE to offer a Master’s and PhD programs in Nuclear Engineering, Khalifa University remains committed to developing human capital, facilitating knowledge-sharing in this strategic area.” H.E. Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and CEO, ENEC, said: “Nuclear energy is a significant pillar of the UAE’s long-term energy mix and will be for decades to come. The UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program is an important demonstration that nuclear projects can be delivered and operated safely and in a cost-efficient manner. In fact, nuclear energy is a key contributor to a country’s net-zero sustainable development. Today, nuclear and renewables are working together to generate clean electricity in the UAE with Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy
Plant, already commercially operational. It is the single largest electricity generator in the Arab World, delivering clean electricity 24/7, and leading the largest decarbonization effort in the region.” “Beyond clean and abundant electricity, Barakah is powering the UAE’s sustainable growth. By creating hightech industries, and high-value local nuclear supply chains, Barakah is a bridge to new R&D opportunities such as clean hydrogen production, sustainable agriculture and deep space exploration.” “Over the next 50 or more years, we will build on these successes and establish a truly knowledge-based net-zero economy using nuclear technology.” H.E Al Hammadi added. Sama Bilbao y León, Director-General, World Nuclear Association (WNA), delivered the first plenary titled “New Builds: The Legacy Continues”. Nasser Al Nasseri, Chief Executive Officer, Barakah One Company, UAE, delivered a talk on ‘Successfully Financing Nuclear New Build Projects’. Delegates will have virtual visits to the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant , the first multi-unit operating nuclear plant in the UAE and Arab World. Unit 1 started commercial operations in April 2021, and Unit 2 was connected to the UAE electricity grid in September 2021, with two further units to come on line in the coming years, generating up to 25% of the UAE electricity when fully operational. 57 KU TIMES
FROM THE NEWSROOM
Khalifa University and ADNOC to Organize Program to Educate High School Students on the UAE’s Oil and Gas Sector
KU TIMES 58
RO’YA PROGRAM WILL RAISE AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS ABOUT TAKING UP PETROLEUM ENGINEERING-RELATED MAJORS AND POTENTIAL CAREERS IN OIL AND GAS Khalifa University and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have announced the launch of a twoyear Ro’ya program for high school students to educate them on the UAE’s oil and gas sector. The program that aims to raise awareness among the students about undertaking Petroleum Engineering-related academic majors and potential careers in the oil and gas sector, kicked off this summer.
FROM THE NEWSROOM
The Ro’ya initiative underpins ADNOC’s corporate social responsibility efforts to invest in the education and development of the UAE’s students and enable them to contribute to the nation’s long-term economic growth. It also reflects the status of Khalifa University’s Petroleum Engineering Department, which is ranked 21st globally in the 2021 QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings by Subject.
and project assignments related to the oil and gas industry, all virtually. In the second segment, Grade 11 students will have a one-week internship at Khalifa University that will include workshops and project presentations from December to January 2022, which will lead to another three-week program the following summer. Khalifa University faculty who are leading the program will remain in touch with the students over the entire period and support their projects.
Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice-President, Academic and Student Services, Khalifa University, said: “We are glad to partner with ADNOC for the Ro’ya summer program that is designed to provide students with the right perspectives as they look forward to planning and choosing their future academic course. Khalifa University’s Petroleum Engineering program is ranked 24th globally, demonstrating the world-class quality of our faculty, cutting-edge laboratories, research centers, and state-of-the-art campus facilities that create the most advanced learning environment. We believe through the Ro’ya summer program, high school students will be able to dream their future and adopt the right approach that will help them materialize their vision.”
The Outreach Department’s program for high school students from ADNOC Technical Institutes will involve Khalifa University’s Geoscience and Petroleum Engineering departments.
Ghannam AlMazrouei, ADNOC Director, Group Human Capital Directorate, said: “ADNOC is committed to supporting the development of the next generation of skilled workforce across the UAE’s oil and gas value chain and so we are pleased to partner with Khalifa University on the Ro’ya program. The program will provide our students with unique insights into the latest technologies, processes, and expertise used in the industry and highlight the exciting opportunities that our dynamic sector offers to young talent. We will continue to invest in STEM-related educational programs and initiatives to empower and foster our youth and help them build successful careers, in line with the UAE Centennial 2071 vision.” The program will have two parts. The initial segment ran virtually from 11 July – 5 August 2021 and combined practical hands-on training, laboratory work, interactions with professional organizations,
The first week of the initial segment of the program included virtual tours of ADNOC’s Panorama Digital Command Center and Thamama Center of Excellence, and presentations on geology from relative to absolute dating, as well as palaeontology, stratigraphy, correlation techniques, and isotopes. The week also covered scales in geology from small to large, microscopy, fieldwork, seismic reflection geophysics, and reservoir characterization. Participants learnt about the geology of the Middle East and worked together to build a geologic model of a field. The second week introduced students to oilfield services company Schlumberger, with tours of its Al Shamkhah Technical Learning Center in Abu Dhabi. The week also included visits to Khalifa University’s Reservoir Rock Properties Lab, Reservoir Fluids Properties Lab, Well Drilling and Drilling Fluids Lab, and the Petroleum Reservoir Simulation Lab. In the final week, participants received presentations from professional organizations such as the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), and Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG). Interactions with the alumni and current Khalifa University students were also part of the agenda during the week. Other events included sessions on ‘Lead with Ro’ya’ and a workshop on webpage development, as well as a visual interactive platform for exploration and production in the oil and gas industry.
59 KU TIMES
PATENT ISSUED & PUBLISHED BOOK CHAPTER
Patent Issued Title
Memristor Based Sensor for Radiation Detection
KU Inventors
Dr. Baker Mohammad, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and Director of the System-On-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 AlQutayr, 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
CLICK HERE
Published Book Chapter
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
KU TIMES 60
CLICK HERE
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Published Papers
To view the links to the published papers, please click
VIEW HERE
Title
Climatology of the Heat Low and the Intertropical Discontinuity in the Arabian Peninsula
Journal
International Journal of Climatology
KU Authors
Dr. Ricardo Fonseca, Research Scientist, Engeos Lab; Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab; and Dr. Narendra Nelli, Postdoctoral Fellow, Engeos Lab
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Improving Personalized Tumor Growth Predictions Using a Bayesian Combination of Mechanistic Modeling and Machine Learning
Journal
Communications Medicine
KU Authors
Dr. Haralampos Hatzikirou, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
BIO-LGCA: A Cellular Automaton Modeling Class for Analysing Collective Cell Migration
Journal
PLOS Computational Biology
KU Authors
Dr. Haralampos Hatzikirou, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Upregulation of Oxidative Stress Gene Markers During SARS-COV-2 Viral Infection
Journal
Free Radical Biology and Medicine
KU Authors
Dr. Habiba Al Safar, Director of the Khalifa University Center for Biotechnology and Associate Professor of Genetics and Molecular Biology
Link
CLICK HERE
61 KU TIMES
PUBLISHED PAPERS Title
Systems Immunology Analysis Reveals the Contribution of Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tissues to the Immunopathogenesis of Severe COVID-19 Patients
Journal
Frontiers in Immunology
KU Authors
Dr. Habiba Al Safar, Director of the Khalifa University Center for Biotechnology and Associate Professor of Genetics and Molecular Biology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Neuroprotective Activities of Crossyne flava Bulbs and Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease
Journal
Molecules
KU Authors
Dr. Okobi E. Ekpo, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Factors Associated with Medication Non-Adherence in Patients with Dyslipidemia
Journal
Healthcare
KU Authors
Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Short Stature with Low Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Availability Due to Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A2 Deficiency in a Saudi Family
Journal
Clinical Genetics
KU Authors
Dr. Asma Deeb, Adjunct Clinical Professor
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Curcumin Potentiates α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Alleviates Autistic-Like Social Deficits and Brain Oxidative Stress Status in Mice
Journal
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
KU Authors
Dr. Dietrich Lorke, Professor and Chair of the Anatomy and Cellular Biology Department
Link KU TIMES 62
CLICK HERE
PUBLISHED PAPERS Title
The Atmospheric Controls of Extreme Convective Events Over the Southern Arabian Peninsula During the Spring Season
Journal
Atmospheric Research
KU Authors
Dr. Narendra Nelli, Postdoctoral Fellow, ENGEOS Lab; Dr. Diana Francis, Senior Research Scientist and Head of the ENGEOS Lab; Dr. Ricardo Fonseca, Research Scientist, ENGEOS Lab; Dr. Rachid Abida, ENGEOS Lab Research Scientist; Michael Weston, ENGEOS Lab Research Engineer; and Youssef Wehbe, Civil Infrastructure and Environmental Engineering Graduate Student
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Noscapine Prevents Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity: Involvement of Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation and Autophagy Pathways
Journal
Molecules
KU Authors
Dr. Abdu Adem, Professor of Pharmacology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Pharmacists’ Perceptions of the Use of Internet-Based Medication Information by Patients: A CrossSectional Surveys
Journal
PloS One
KU Authors
Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination Delay: A Modelling Study for Chicago and NYC Data
Journal
Vaccine
KU Authors
Dr. Jorge P. Zubelli, Professor and Chair of the Mathematics Department
Link
CLICK HERE
63 KU TIMES
PUBLISHED PAPERS
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
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Planar Analog Memimpedance Behavior in Reduced GO-Based Metal-Semiconductor-Metal
Journal
Materials & Design
KU Authors
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
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
The Implementation of Lean Six Sigma for Operational Excellence in Digital Emerging Technology Companies
Journal
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
KU Authors
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
A Novel and Practical Conceptual Framework to Support Lean Six Sigma Deployment in Manufacturing SMEs
Journal
Total Quality Management & Business Excellence
KU Authors
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Link
CLICK HERE
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 Authors
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Link
KU TIMES 64
CLICK HERE
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Title
Evaluating Performance of Projects Using Six Sigma Approach
Journal
IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management
KU Authors
Dr. Jiju Antony, Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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 Authors
Dr. Natalie Keough, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Power Projection of Middle East States in the Horn of Africa: Linking Security Burdens with Capabilities
Journal
Small Wars & Insurgencies
KU Authors
Dr. Brendon Cannon, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences
Link
CLICK HERE
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 Authors
Dr. Eman Alefishat, Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Link
CLICK HERE
65 KU TIMES
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Title
In Vitro Investigation of the Impact of Pulsatile Blood Flow on the Vascular Architecture of Decellularized Porcine Kidneys
Journal
Scientific Reports
KU Authors
Dr. Peter Corridon, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Immunology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Insulin Signal Transduction Perturbations in Insulin Resistance
Journal
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
KU Authors
Dr. Abdu Adem, Professor of Pharmacology
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Ultrafast Electron Holes in Plasma Phase Space Dynamics
Journal
Scientific Reports
KU Authors
Dr. Ioannis Kourakis, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link KU TIMES 66
CLICK HERE
PUBLISHED PAPERS
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
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
A Generalized Trigonometric Moment Problem in a Weighted L2(−∞,0) Space
Journal
Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications
KU Authors
Dr. Elias Zikkos, Senior Lecturer, Preparatory Program
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
67 KU TIMES
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Title
Viologen–Cucurbituril Host/Guest Chemistry – Redox Control of Dimerization Versus Inclusion
Journal
RSC Advances
KU Authors
Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
Title
Quantum Probes for the Characterization of Nonlinear Media
Journal
Entropy
KU Authors
Dr. Berihu Teklu, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
KU TIMES 68
CLICK HERE
PUBLISHED PAPERS
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
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
Link
CLICK HERE
69 KU TIMES
College of Arts & Science College of Arts & Science
LEADER IN LEADER IN RESEARCH RESEARCH
College of Medicine & Health CollegeScience of Medicine & Health Science
The highly-ranked Khalifa University offers fully accredited degrees to all nationalities through its 3 academic colleges, 13 bachelor’s, 16 master’s and 2 PhD programs, offering plenty of opportunities for students to explore theirdegrees intereststoand learn from The highly-ranked Khalifa University offers fully accredited all nationalities award-winning teachers. through its 3 academic colleges, 13 bachelor’s, 16 master’s and 2 PhD programs, offering plenty of opportunities for students to explore their interests and learn from As Abu Dhabi’s research-intensive university, Khalifa University gives students a award-winning teachers. chance to study in-depth with expert faculty and researchers on the leading-edge of discovery in science, engineering, and medicine to solve real-world problems. As Abu Dhabi’s research-intensive university, Khalifa University gives students Our a students develop cleaner energy,faculty find new to produce sustainably,of chance tohelp study in-depth with expert andways researchers on water the leading-edge create smarter diagnostic tools, and better waysreal-world to use AI to make data discovery in science, engineering, anddiscover medicine to solve problems. Our insightful. students help develop cleaner energy, find new ways to produce water sustainably, create smarter diagnostic tools, and discover better ways to use AI to make data Study beside our award-winning faculty and help deliver real solutions, transform insightful. lives, and change the world. Study beside our award-winning faculty and help deliver real solutions, transform lives, and change the world.
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Twitter: @KhalifaUni
Instagram: @khalifa_university
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