Nada Wael Samir Elsokkary, Only Undergraduate Presenter at 2018 IEEE Globecom Conference in Abu Dhabi, Also Receives ‘Excellent with Highest Honor’ Award

When Nada Wael Samir Elsokkary walked among the 285 PhD, Master’s and bachelor students as part of the Class of 2019 Graduation ceremony, she had reason to be proud. She was the first student to graduate with a BSc in Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMST) from Khalifa University.

However, this graduation milestone is not all. Elsokkary appeared on the Khalifa University President’s List in seven out of nine semesters, completing the AMST program with a Cumulative GPA of 3.82 and an award of ‘Excellent with Highest Honour’. She was also the only undergraduate presenter at the Quantum Communication and Information Technology workshop during the IEEE Globecom Conference held in Abu Dhabi in December 2018, where she won accolades from experts in the field of quantum technologies for her technical work and clarity of presentation.

Dr David Sheehan, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, Khalifa University, said: “Congratulations to Nada Elsokkary who has become the first B.Sc. graduate from Khalifa University’s Applied Mathematics and Statistics program. Her achievements reflect the quality of knowledge that is imparted to students of this program and across other undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs at our university. It is this sharing of knowledge in inter-disciplinary streams that makes us one of the top-ranking institutions in the region. I wish Nada the best and I am sure she will continue to excel in all her endeavors.”

A jubilant Elsokkary said: “When I think about the journey I took to get here, I am overjoyed and inspired to keep following my passion and use it to create some meaning in my life. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity that Khalifa University has given me and the many doors it has opened up. I truly look forward to representing Khalifa University as an alumnus in my future endeavors and achievements.”

Elsokkary, who had to change schools seven times in three different continents by the time she was 12 years old, declared the AMST program as her major at the commencement of her sophomore year because of her sheer love and enthusiasm for Mathematics.

She said: “Changes during my childhood were never easy, but I found much comfort and fascination in Mathematics which seemed to be the only constant – a universal language. As I got older, I noticed how thrilling it was for me to solve math problems and study proofs. I did not realize it at that time, but mathematical reasoning was shaping my personality, my thoughts, and my decisions. Thus, when it was time to choose what I wanted to learn as an undergraduate, Mathematics had to be it!”

Of course, she had to overcome many who attempted to dissuade her from taking up Applied Mathematics and Statistics major. She added: “Completing this degree was an uphill battle against misconceptions and the difficulties of being the first and only person taking the courses. There were many times when I felt like a leader and at other times felt so dejected, but my certainty that this was the right decision never wavered.”

The B.Sc. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics program was the first non-engineering undergraduate degree to be offered by Khalifa University, and it has shown steady growth in enrollment over the last four years. At present the total enrollment in the program is 59 students, of whom 44 are scholarship students supported by the UAE Ministry of Education on the ‘Future Teachers Program’.

Earlier, Elsokkary’s Senior Research Project, “Quantum Computational Methods in Financial Mathematics”, began in January 2017. She was tasked with gathering data from the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADSE) and calculating relevant statistics using Microsoft Excel. She then wrote a short program in MATLAB to optimize the Markowitz financial portfolio. The results were presented at the IEEE 21^stAnnual High Performance Extreme Computing Conference (HPEC ’17) that was held from 12-14 September 2017 in Massachusetts, US, and were published in the proceedings.

Elsokkary pursued this research further for her year-long Senior Research Project – a required research activity in the final year of the AMST B.Sc.

Dr. Robert Bennell, Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Science, said: “For this extended project, Elsokkary was given two tasks – to work with our collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop a graphical-user-interface (GUI) for the D-wave quantum processor using the Python programming language. This GUI will enable Khalifa University to showcase applications of quantum computing technology to the local and regional scientific community and industry.”

Dr. Bennell added: “Secondly, Elsokkary had to explore the loading and compilation of programs in adiabatic quantum computers. It was these results that she presented at the IEEE Globecom Conference in Abu Dhabi, earning a name for herself and for Khalifa University.”

A truly delighted Elsokkary is looking ahead with even more enthusiasm. “I am pursuing a career in data science and analytics in order to utilize my mathematical background to make a societal contribution,” she added.

Clarence Michael

News Writer

21 February 2019

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Dr Nazek El Atab’s Work on Nanomaterials-Based Memory Devices Selected to be Among Portraits of 23 Significant Women Contributors

The research works of Dr Nazek El-Atab, an alumni of Khalifa University’s Masdar Institute, is being featured at the 2019 UNESCO Remarkable Women in Technology Exhibition along with 22 other leading women contributors and innovators.

From quantum physicists to artificial intelligence experts, the exhibition celebrates 23 women in a wide range of technological fields, divided into three groups – pioneers, leaders and influencers. The portrait of Dr El-Atab’s work on nanomaterials-based memory devices was selected in the ‘Leaders’ group, and is being showcased in Paris until 31 March.

In its citation, UNESCO said the exhibition presents the portraits of 23 women who “have made significant contributions to one of the most impactful sectors of our time and made their mark in a field in which women are typically under-represented. Their career paths are an inspiration to women and girls all over the world to take the leap into impactful technology careers and use their skills for sustainable development.”

Dr El-Atab said she felt extremely honored to have been selected for the 2019 UNESCO ‘Remarkable Women in Technology Exhibition. She said: “It is absolutely delightful to receive recognition for my work. Also, by shedding more light on my research and profile in this exhibition, I hope that more women and girls will be motivated to work in STEM fields in which women are usually under-represented.”

She added: “Khalifa University’s Masdar Institute paved the way for my success by providing me with access to state-of-the-art laboratories and cleanroom facilities in addition to a  providing me with a strong technical background. Also, this would not have been possible without the support and guidance from my PhD advisor, Dr. Ammar Nayfeh.

Dr El-Atab’s faculty advisor Dr Ammar Nayfeh, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said: “I would like to congratulate Dr Nazek El-Atab on being selected for the UNESCO Remarkable Women in Technology Exhibition. She did remarkable research as a PhD student at Masdar Institute, now part of Khalifa University.  She has distinguished herself with scientific research and publication, and is a great ambassador for women in science. We are all proud of Dr El-Atab’s achievements.”

International honor is not new to Dr El-Atab, who was selected for the 2017 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) Rising Talent Award for the African and Arab region. She was among 15 international female researchers to have won the award, when she received €15,000 (AED58,700) for her research that focused on fabricating non-volatile, low-power memory devices with enhanced performance. The women were awarded for their contribution to quantum physics, physical sciences and astrophysics.

That year, His Excellency Michel Aoun, President of Lebanon, and His Excellency Saad Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon, honored Dr. El-Atab, for winning the 2017 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) Rising Talent Award for the African and Arab region.

Earlier Dr El-Atab was also one of the four recipients of the 2015 L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science (FWIS) Middle East Fellowships, which included a €20,000 (AED78,500) grant towards her research. She had used part of the fellowship money to present her research at the IEEE Nanotechnology Conference in Japan in 2016. Dr El-Atab also used the monetary award to conduct research at Stanford University, US.

Dr El-Atab is looking forward to become a successful faculty, working on impactful research projects related to futuristic electronics, contributing to the society, while inspiring and encouraging more women to pursue careers in STEM areas.

News Writer

18 March 2019

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Culture Booths Representing 21 Different Nationalities Portray Benefits of Diversity in Campus Life at Event Themed ‘Tolerance Unifies Us’

From the traditional Yowla dance of the UAE and the regional Dabke performance, to music from Kazakhstan and Eritrea as well as from various other groups, the kaleidoscopic nature of diversity at Khalifa University of Science and Technology was highlighted as part of the Global Day 2019 festivities to mark the Year of Tolerance in the UAE.

Themed ‘Tolerance unifies us’, the Global Day 2019 at Khalifa University marked the Year of Tolerance declared by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to educate youth on the values of tolerance, make the UAE the global capital of tolerance through new initiatives and implement cultural programs to build a more tolerant community.

One of the seven main pillars of the Year of Tolerance is promoting ‘tolerance and culture’, especially through events to celebrate expat communities, enhance interactions and hosting gatherings in arts and culture. In line with the spirit of the Year of Tolerance, Khalifa University Main Campus sported a festive look as activities of the Global Day 2019 reflected the true essence of unity in diversity during the campus life of the students.

Culture booths representing more than 20 countries portrayed the lifestyles and heritage of various nationalities, while music and dance performances continued throughout the afternoon by students from different groups. As part of the Khalifa University tradition to appreciate and acknowledge innovation at every stage, awards were presented for the Best Creative Stand and Best Costume.

Culture booths represented countries including the UAE, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sudan and Syria.

The Year of Tolerance in the UAE aims to highlight the country’s dedication to welcoming people of all backgrounds and beliefs and its role in encouraging peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond.

News Writer
26 March 2019

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