First Place Awarded to Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad, Second Place for HSURF 鈥� Heterogenous Swarm of Underwater Robotic Fish聽Project, and the Third Winning Project Addresses Water Security聽
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler鈥檚 Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency 鈥� Abu Dhabi (EAD), honored two Khalifa University research projects during the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Award for Environmental Research ceremony in Abu Dhabi.聽
In the Research Project category, first place was awarded to Light Energy Assisted Production of Graphene, led by Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Khalifa University, for his patented work advancing sustainable and energy-efficient production of two-dimensional (2D) materials.
Second place was awarded to H-SURF 鈥� Heterogeneous Swarm of Underwater Robotic Fish, a Khalifa University project funded by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) 鈥� Abu Dhabi and conducted at the University from November 2020 to January 2025. The project is led by Principal Investigators Dr. Federico Renda, Associate Professor, Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, Khalifa University and Visiting Researchers Dr. Giulia De Masi, TII, and Dr. Cesare Stefanini, MBZUAI, who continue to collaborate on research initiatives in Abu Dhabi.
The third winning technology, 鈥淎 super-hygroscopic solar-regenerated alginate-based composite for atmospheric water harvesting鈥�, focuses on聽 long-term water security in arid and semi-arid regions. It was developed by Dr. Samar Nasr Abd Elwadood, Postdoctoral Researcher in the group of Professor Samuel Mao, Senior Director of Research Institute of Resource Management and Sustainability, and Professor of Practice, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.聽
Dr. Abdul Samad received the first place medal in the Research Project category for Light Energy Assisted Production of Graphene, which directly addresses environmental challenges relevant to the UAE by utilizing waste to produce advanced materials with high added value. The technologies from this support applications in aerospace structures, energy generation and storage systems, cooling technologies, and environmental remediation.
As part of the Sustainable Production of Graphene and related materials project led by Dr. Abdul Samad, patented production methodologies ( & ) enable the scalable manufacture of high-quality 2D materials using minimal energy input, significantly reducing energy consumption and associated costs. These materials are then deployed in environmentally beneficial applications, such as lightweight composite materials for aerospace and civil infrastructure, as well as systems that enhance sustainable energy storage and generation.
Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad said: 鈥淚 am honored to receive the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Award for Environmental Research, which recognizes the sustained efforts behind our work to develop responsible methods for producing advanced materials. This first-place recognition in the Research Project category also 草莓视频 Khalifa University鈥檚 growing role in advancing research and translating scientific innovation into solutions that support the UAE鈥檚 long-term environmental and sustainability goals.鈥澛�
The H-SURF project was recognized for its bio-inspired, heterogeneous swarm architecture, which overcomes fundamental limitations in underwater localization and communication through decentralized control. The system was validated through simulations, laboratory testing, and open-water deployments in UAE coastal environments, demonstrating real ecological applicability with minimal environmental disruption.
Dr. Federico Renda said: 鈥淲e are honored to receive this recognition, which reflects the interdisciplinary collaboration behind the H-SURF project. This bio-inspired robotic system also addresses real environmental challenges in marine environments. What sets the project apart is the combination of scientific novelty, environmental relevance, and demonstrated field performance, showing that advanced robotic systems can be designed to operate responsibly and sustainably in sensitive ecosystems.鈥澛�
Dr. Samar Nasr Abd Elwadood鈥檚 research focuses on atmospheric water generation, a technology that captures water vapour directly from air and releases it as clean freshwater. This winning project is part of a multi-year program of atmospheric water generation led by Professor Samuel Mao, which includes development of advanced materials aimed at delivering practical water-from-air solutions tailored to the UAE and wider GCC climate.
Alisha Roy
Science Writer
