A researcher from the Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC), a joint research and innovation center established by Khalifa University, Etisalat and BT and based at Khalifa University, has penned four books in the last two years that shed light on the foundations and inner workings of Internet Protocol (IP) networking. IP networking is the packet routing technology at the core of today’s information and communication infrastructure and central to emerging technologies such as 5G.��

, is the sole author of the four books. The latest books, titled “IP Routing Protocols: Fundamentals and Distance-Vector Routing Protocols” and “IP Routing Protocols: Link-State and Path-Vector Routing Protocols” were published this year by CRC Press, one of the world’s leading science and technology publishers.

The two earlier titles include “Switch/Router Architectures: Systems with Crossbar Switch Fabrics,” published in 2019 also by CRC Press, and “Switch/Router Architectures: Shared-Bus and Shared-Memory Based Systems,” published in 2018 by Wiley.

Before and during his time at EBTIC, Dr. Aweya has developed a number of patented, industry-first technologies that are helping to accelerate the transition from circuit-based time-division multiplexing (TDM) networks to packet-based networks. This, in turn, has supported the deployment of newer mobile networks and services.��

One of the technical challenges preventing the deployment of packet-based networks for mobile services is the need for very accurate clock synchronization in the network between source and destination – an essential capability for delivering present day and emerging mobile services. Traditionally, this has been delivered over time-division multiplexing (TDM). Understanding such mechanisms is critical for understanding the design and deployment of newer and emerging services and applications, which now are all based on IP.

The books aim to present the fundamentals behind IP routing protocols. Internet Protocols, or IPs, are the set of rules for routing and addressing packets of data so that they can travel across networks and arrive at the correct destination.�� Each packet is routed hop-by-hop through a series of routers, and across multiple networks from source to destination. Each hop in this case represents a routing device (or router).

IP routing protocols are the set of procedures and rules that govern how routers communicate with each other to exchange routing information about how destinations can be reached. The IP routing protocols serve as the brains behind the routers and provide information about how paths can be constructed between networks from a packet’s source to its destination.

The inspiration for his books came during the 13 years when Dr. Aweya worked as a Senior Systems Architect with the global telecom company Nortel, based in Ottawa, Canada.�� During his time there, Dr. Aweya worked on communication networks, protocols and algorithms, router and switch design, and other telecom and IT equipment design.��

The first book, “IP Routing Protocols: Fundamentals and Distance-Vector Routing Protocols,” covers the fundamentals of networking and routing protocols as well as the design and application of the two main distance-vector routing protocols in use today, RIPv2 and EIGRP. These routing protocols are suitable for small to medium size networks ,such as those used in companies, universities, hospitals and airports.

The second book, “IP Routing Protocols: Link-State and Path-Vector Routing Protocols,” covers the design of the link-state routing protocols (OSPF and IS-IS) and path-vector routing protocol (BGP). These link-state routing protocols are mostly used in large-scale networks such as those used by service providers and telecom companies. BGP is the main protocol used to interconnect all the different and separate enterprise and service provider networks to create the global Internet as we know it.

The books are presented from a practicing engineer’s perspective, linking theory and fundamental concepts to common industry practices using real-world examples. They target practicing engineers and researchers and can also be used as senior undergraduate and graduate level textbooks. Each book contains many illustrations and each chapter ends with review questions and references.

The third and fourth books, “Switch/Router Architectures: Systems with Crossbar Switch Fabrics” and “Switch/Router Architectures: Shared-Bus and Shared-Memory Based Systems,” describe the design of the routing devices that run the IP routing protocols described in the IP Routing Protocol books.

Dr. Aweya received his BSc (Hon) degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, an MSc in electrical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, and a PhD in computer engineering from the University of Ottawa, Canada. He has authored approximately 54 international journal papers, 40 conference papers, 43 technical reports, and has been awarded 68 US patents, with several patents pending. He was awarded the 2007 Nortel Technology Award of Excellence (TAE), Nortel’s highest technology award, for his pioneering and innovative research on “Timing and Synchronization across Packet and TDM Networks.” He was also recognized in 2007 as one of Nortel’s top 15 innovators.��

Today, Dr. Aweya is a Chief Researcher at EBTIC. Established by Etisalat, BT, and Khalifa University, and supported by the UAE’s ICT Fund, EBTIC aims to advance intelligent systems technologies for the Next Generation Networks (NGNs) and NGN-enabled ICT applications and services. The books written by Dr. Aweya contribute significantly to the ongoing work in EBTIC.

Dr. Aweya and the Smart Infrastructure team at EBTIC are working towards creating a start-up company that will offer a highly competitive offering in the field of network synchronization, that would be applicable to such sectors as finance, energy, industry 4.0, smart city and telecommunications.

Links to purchase books:

IP Routing Protocols: Fundamentals and Distance-Vector Routing Protocols

IP Routing Protocols: Link-State and Path-Vector Routing Protocols

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Switch/Router Architectures: Systems with Crossbar Switch Fabrics

Switch/Router Architectures: Shared-Bus and Shared-Memory Based Systems

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Erica Solomon
Senior Publication Specialist
21 April 2021

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After five years of research and writing, Dr. Athol Yates, Assistant Professor at Khalifa University, has published his book titled ‘The Evolution of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates.’ A scholarly publication with an excellent military history publisher, Dr. Yates’ book is the first to cover this important and unique part of UAE history.

“While today the UAE military is described admiringly as the Arab region’s most capable military, just 60 years ago, the only security forces in the Emirates were the armed retainers of the Ruling Sheikhs and a small British-led, locally-raised Arab force,” explained Dr. Yates. “Using a combination of direct oversight by the rulers, investment in its nationals, engagement of expatriates, and the purchase of cutting edge military hardware, the UAE Armed Forces has created a powerful deterrent for states and non-state actors threatening the UAE, and stability and security in the region.”

“In the last decade, the UAE Armed Forces has also gained considerable experience through its military operations undertaken in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen,” explained Dr. Yates.

Dr. Yates’ new book traces the little-known and fascinating history of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces from 1951 to 2020. It provides unparalleled detail on the constituent forces that evolved in the UAE Armed Forces in 1976, and how the unified force has grown since then. It also provides essential background information on the country, the enduring roles of the military, and the history of each military service, plus details on the political and command structure governing the military, and its manpower and material characteristics.

Jade Sterling
Science Writer
17 January 2021

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Dr. Ash Rossiter, Assistant Professor in the Institute of International and Civil Security (IICS) and the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, has published a third book in 2020, titled .����

Published by Routledge and featuring contributions from leading security studies scholars from across the globe, the edited volume looks at technological impact of advances in robotics and autonomous systems across a range of contemporary security issues and settings.

Robotics, Autonomous Systems, and International Security marks Dr. Rossiter’s third book for 2020. It follows his single-authored monograph Security in the Gulf: Local Militaries before British Withdrawal, published by Cambridge University Press, and Conflict and Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, a co-edited volume published by Routledge and written with KU and IICS colleague Dr. Brendon J. Cannon.

The publication of three books in a single year is a rare feat, which, according to Dr. Rossiter, was “only made possible by the research and publication culture fostered by the KU leadership and the seemingly inexhaustible encouragement within the College of Arts and Sciences.”

Alongside authoring or editing these books, Ash has published over a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters. “Rightly, publishing high-quality articles in top journals has been – and remains – my core research output aim,” says Dr. Rossiter. “However,” he adds, “books are often signature publications in the social sciences and are highly valued.”

With the publication of these three books, Dr. Rossiter’s attention now turns to his two new book projects under contract: one on intelligence history with Georgetown University Press, and co-authored with KU and IICS’s Dr. Athol Yates, the other titled Warfare in the Robotics Age with the highly regarded American independent press Lynne Rienner.

Staff Report
2 January 2021

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Rising consumer demand for faster, more efficient and smaller electronic devices has generated a need for scalable and reliable memory devices with low power consumption. The computer’s memory has a critical role: It is responsible for storing and retrieving data quickly. Traditional memory devices are not improving as quickly as other computer components, however, prompting researchers to turn to nanomaterials find new ways to improve a computer’s memory performance and efficiency.
Dr. Ammar Nayfeh, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Khalifa University, and Dr. Nazek El-Atab, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and KU alumna and Dr. Nayfeh’s former student, published their work in, a book providing a detailed explanation of memory device operation and an in-depth analysis of the requirements of future scalable and low-powered memory devices in terms of new materials properties.��
“It is clear that nanotechnology is very relevant now and a key to the future,” said Dr. Nayfeh in the preface to their book. “Specifically in the area of electronics, nanotechnology will play a vital role in the ability to increase device performance.”
Dr. Nayfeh and Dr. El-Atab published this book as a culmination of their work that started with Dr. El-Atab as a PhD student at KU, supervised by Dr. Nayfeh. Calling on their considerable research on nanomaterials and structures and nano-memory, their new book offers everything students and researchers need to know relating to low-power memory devices.
“A marriage between nanotechnology and traditional electrical semiconductor-based devices is vital for future progress,” wrote Dr. Nayfeh. “Currently, nanotechnology is no longer a pipe dream, or a catchy phrase, but now has real-life applications in the mainstream. In 2019, you could buy a TV with quantum dot displays or buy makeup with nanomaterials.”
Dr Nayfeh also added “A majority of research carried out in this book was done in the UAE at Khalifa University using UAE’s only cleanroom facility. We are grateful for the constant support given to make this possible and helping to make the UAE a leader in nanotechnology research moving forward.”
This book is an important reference for materials scientists and electrical engineers looking to develop low-powered solutions to meet the growing demand for consumer electronic products and devices.
“It is important that current and future graduate students are educated in the area of nanomaterials as this will be a key tool for them,” wrote Dr. Nayfeh.��
Jade Sterling
News and Features Writer
30 June 2020

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Dr. Sami Bashir, Director of Technology Management and Innovation at Khalifa University, has contributed a chapter on the role of technology transfer in Arab universities in a new book titled Higher Education in the Arab World: Building a Culture of Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

The 17-chapter book is being published by Springer, one of the leading international science and technology publishers, and will be available in bookstores in May.

According to the book’s synopsis (as published on Springer’s website ), “it offers the first major account of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Arab higher-education sector. It provides an overview of the current situation and advances reasons for the under-performance of Arab universities in international ranking tables. It offers specific proposals for upgrading curricula and assessment procedures and suggestions for providing an environment that fosters innovation and entrepreneurial behavior.”

The book’s editors include Dr. Adnan Badran, Chancellor of the University of Petra, Dr. Elias Baydoun, Professor of Biology at American University of Beirut, and Dr. John Hillman, Advisor to the Arab Academy of Sciences and Former Director and Chief Executive of the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). They identified the need to improve technology transfer capabilities in Arab universities as an important way to build the region’s knowledge economy and accelerate innovation and an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As the Director of KU’s Technology Management & Innovation Office, Dr. Bashir was invited to contribute the chapter titled “Imperatives to Achieve a Successful Technology-Transfer Model: A Perspective from the Arab World.”

In it, Dr. Bashir acknowledges the increasing emphasis the Arab world is placing on the need to transform university research outputs into technologies that can benefit society. He discusses the importance of identifying an effective technology-transfer model, as intellectual property can be pivotal to building open innovation, industry/university research partnerships and collaboration that can support the development of innovations throughout the Arab world, which he describes as diverse.

“Universities in the Arab world operate differently, but they face some common challenges in developing a working technology-transfer model and innovation ecosystem,” Dr. Bashir explained. “Challenges such as intellectual-property laws, policies, and progressive research partnerships are addressed, and I tried to offer recommendations on how these challenges can be addressed.”

Dr. Bashir presents a few case studies to demonstrate the different and effective technology-transfer models that have been adopted in the Arab world, including Khalifa University’s tech-transfer model.

“Khalifa University has a clear technology transfer and innovation strategy focusing on maximizing the benefit of our diversified patent portfolio through innovation and licensing to our industry partners or startups. As KU, we are already considered as one of the top universities in UAE in terms of patents number, but most importantly, leading best practices in university technology transfer and innovation,” Dr. Bashir shared. Khalifa University recently licensed two of its patented technologies to Emirati startups ��‘Advanced Research Projects’ and ‘Beyond Energy Biofuels.’

Dr. Bashir has made a striking case that technology transfer should be made as a priority, and creating successful technology transfer models that can be adopted by universities across the Arab world will significantly bolster the region’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Erica Solomon
Senior Editor
26 April 2020

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A Masdar Institute faculty member is advancing science’s ability to capitalize on the transformative potential of enzymes – nature’s chemical catalysts – with a new book on her research of cutting-edge enzyme-based technologies to produce useful chemicals, which is set to be released in December.

Dr. Hanifa Taher, an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, co-authored the book titled Supercritical Fluids Technology in Lipase Catalyzed Processes with Dr. Sulaiman Al-Zuhair, Associate Professor of Chemical and Petroleum from UAE University. The title is Dr. Taher’s first book and the third full book to be published by a Masdar Institute faculty member.

“Of all known enzymes, lipases represent the most important group of biocatalysts for biotechnological applications,” said Dr. Taher. “Lipases’ versatility makes them the enzyme of choice for many industrial activities that require catalytic processes, and they are a much greener, or environmentally friendly, option for biodiesel production over conventional chemical processes.”

Lipase is an enzyme that the body produces naturally to break down fats in food so they can be absorbed in the intestines. Similarly, lipases can be used to catalyze the breakdown of animal fat and plant oils – the primary biodiesel feedstocks – in order to transform the raw fat or oil into esters, which is biodiesel.

Other than biodiesel production, lipases extracted from microorganisms are used in various industries such as dairy, food, detergents, textile, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Lipases are also used for synthesis of fine chemicals, agrochemicals and plastics.

Enzymes are considered the environmentally friendly solution to industrial problems; they can perform the same job as a chemical, but cheaper and without threatening the environment. Although chemicals are still used to catalyze the conversion of raw fat or oil to fuel, enzymes, such as lipases, are preferred to chemicals because they yield a higher conversion rate and can be separated from the biodiesel and reused.

The book, which is being published by CRC Press, presents a comprehensive review of the Dr. Taher and Dr. Al-Zuhair’s innovative research of lipases – which are enzymes that break down fats to produce bioenergy – and how they can be used to get more out of the plant oils in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.

“The book presents our research on how lipases exposed to supercritical fluids enhances biodiesel production,” Dr. Taher explained. “We think this technology could make biofuel production a lot more efficient and sustainable.”

Their research examines how combining lipases with a supercritical fluid – a liquid that is compressed and heated beyond its critical point – yields greater amounts of biodiesel and is more environmentally friendly than conventional solvent extraction techniques.

Supercritical fluids are nontoxic, nonhazardous, chemically stable, inexpensive, and have shown to be a promising technique for future large-scale biodiesel production. They significantly increase the amount of oil that can be extracted from plants by preventing degradation to the lipases.

“Supercritical fluids (SCF) are new to biodiesel production and they represent a breakthrough technology in the industry. SCF is very sustainable route for biodiesel production and I am eager to see how this technology will grow and further advance the efficiency of biodiesel production in the coming years,” Dr. Taher said.

Dr. Taher has been studying lipases and their catalytic role in the production of biodiesel since her graduate studies at UAE University, where she earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2014.

She has reviewed a number of research articles submitted for publication to international journals including Biomass and Bioenergy, Fuel, the Journal of Supercritical Fluids and other waste management journals. In addition, she was member in the organizing committees of several events organized by UAE University including the Renewable Energy Conference in 2010 and 2012 and the Future UAE Energy and Environment leaders’ Competitions in 2013 and 2014.

Erica Solomon
News and Features Writer
23 August 2015

The post Inaugural Book Advances Enzyme-Exploiting Technology appeared first on Khalifa University.

Faculty members from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology have contributed to the scientific advancement of next-generation integrated circuits and documented their contributions in a new book on 3-dimensional (3D) stacked chips.

Masdar Institute’s Dr. Ibrahim Elfadel, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is the book’s co-editor, along with Dr. Gerhard Fettweis, the Vodafone Chair at the Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden). The book, titled “3D Stacked Chips: From Emerging Processes to Heterogeneous Systems”, is published by Springer, one of the leading international science and technology publishers.

Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “As Masdar Institute commemorates 2016 as the UAE’s Year of Reading, Dr. Elfadel’s recent book publication underscores the significant role our faculty members play in the organization, documentation, and dissemination of cutting-edge knowledge for readers in the UAE and around the world. It also ��ݮ��Ƶ their contributions to expanding the horizons of technological and scientific literacy through their research publications.”

The book, which is composed of 17 chapters, presents a comprehensive review of the research conducted under the framework of the Masdar Institute-TU Dresden Twinlab 3D Stacked Chip Research Center (3DSC), a collaborative research center that, from November 2012 till its closure in October 2015, brought together teams of semiconductor experts from both universities to advance the energy-efficiency and performance of 3D integrated chips. Dr. Elfadel served as the TwinLab 3DSC’s director.

“This book represents an important milestone for the Masdar Institute as it documents the research conducted under one of our earliest sponsored research programs, namely, the Mubadala-funded TwinLab on 3D Stacked Chips in collaboration with the TU Dresden,” said Dr. Elfadel.

The book features forewords from Eva-Maria Stange, the Saxon State Minister for Higher Education, Research and the Arts, and Ibrahim Ajami, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at GLOBALFOUNDRIES.��

In recognition of the valuable role the collaborative research played in developing the book and contributing to the advancement of semiconductor technologies, Ajami said: “I very much hope that the path-breaking partnership that has enabled this research will become more bonded and that more contributions of technological relevance will result from it.”

Dr. Fettweis also acknowledged the importance of collaboration to the book’s development, saying: “This book is the culmination of three years of research work at Dresden and Abu Dhabi on a joint theme that is at the cutting-edge of semiconductor technology. This collaboration would not have been possible without the strong support we have received from the Abu Dhabi – Saxony Partnership Committee. We hope that TwinLab 3DSC will serve as a template for future collaborative work across national boundaries on research topics of global significance and local relevance.”

A 3D stacked chip layers two or more integrated circuits – which are made of millions and sometimes billions of inter-connected transistors on a piece of silicon – into a single, vertically-connected circuit. In the same way progress in elevator technology enabled structural and civil engineers to build taller skyscrapers, it is the progress in vertical interconnect technology that is enabling semiconductor process and design engineers to build 3D stacked chips.

The book chapters explain how 3D chip stacks promise to enhance the integration and functionality of electronic systems while reducing their physical footprint.�� The book also discloses several innovative stacking methods that could significantly improve chip performance and enable the seamless integration of 3D stacked chips.

Erica Solomon
News and Features Writer
20��July 2016

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