Strategic Cooperation for New Development Prospects in the Provision and Analysis of Data

Khalifa University has signed an MoU with the Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) for statistical cooperation and the exchange of data. This partnership seeks to enhance collaboration, integration and sharing of knowledge and expertise in the fields of statistics, data and AI technology.

Through the memorandum, SCAD’s Centre of Insights and Forecasting, and Khalifa University, will create a framework to develop joint initiatives and projects that are in line with rapid technological developments in data provision and analysis. This partnership will also aim to address the needs of decision-makers, the business sector and the public through the provision of accurate and reliable statistical data.

In this context, the partners will focus on developing areas of mutual cooperation to utilize administrative records and big data. They will also cooperate in national capacity building and the exchange of knowledge from local and international studies.

The agreement was signed by H.E. Ahmed Mahmoud Fikri, Director General of SCAD, and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, in the presence of several representatives virtually.

On the MoU signing, H.E. Ahmed Mahmoud Fikri, Director General of SCAD, said: “SCAD looks forward to exploring new development horizons with Khalifa University. We endeavour to cooperate with leading academic institutions to advance the field of statistics and data by investing in national cadres to pursue the fields of research and development, innovation and artificial intelligence “.

��H.E. Fikri said: “the Centre of Insights and Forecasting supports our mission to enable data-driven decision-making through actionable insights that are generated as a result of strong partnerships.”

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Dr. Al Hammadi said: “We are glad to enter into this partnership with Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi and consolidate our existing collaboration. The MoU will enable maximum utilization of each other’s strengths, contributing to the integration of plans for building comprehensive national statistical capabilities. We believe this partnership will lead to the creation of more advanced futuristic systems that will help government and private stakeholders.”

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
28 February 2021

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Collaboration Also Includes Researchers from Imperial College London

Khalifa University on this date signed a research agreement, which will be co-funded by Aldar properties and Sandooq Al Watan, to develop economical, reusable and disposable contact lenses for those suffering from colorblindness. The project team will include researchers from Khalifa University who are currently working in collaboration with researchers from Imperial College London.

The sponsored research agreement was signed by His Excellency Ahmed Fikri, Acting Director General of Sandooq Al Watan, and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University. The research team has already developed prototypes of the contact lenses, which will be refined for personal customization, and the grant from Sandooq Al Watan will support further development and commercialization of the product.

The project aims to benefit numerous people who are suffering from color blindness, for which there is no cure at present. Though filtering glasses and special contact lenses are available, these glasses are often bulky and not compatible with vision-correcting glasses, while the lenses are expensive and do not benefit all users.

Talal Al Dhiyebi, Chief Executive Officer of Aldar Properties, said: “As a responsible business, Aldar is constantly looking for innovative and impactful initiatives that support the community and promote social responsibility. We are immensely proud to be partnering with Khalifa University and Sandooq Al Watan on such a noble cause. This research driven initiative will truly change lives for the better, and reinforce the UAE’s position as leader in pushing medical and research advancement. We very much look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this initiative.”��

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “We are glad to sign this agreement with Sandooq Al Watan and lead the project that will have broader economic, social and academic impact, globally. Our researchers have consistently worked for the benefit of the community and we see this smart contact lenses project as another example of their commitment to supporting the UAE’s healthcare objectives in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision. We also foresee possible intellectual property benefits, and further commercial potentials including manufacturing of contact lenses in the UAE, which ��ݮ��Ƶ Khalifa University’s scientific innovation drive in collaboration with partner institutions.”

His Excellency Ahmed Fikri, Acting Director General of Sandooq Al Watan, said: “This agreement comes as an integral part of our vision to advance scientific research in the UAE through investing in researchers to develop their research into emerging projects that will benefit the UAE society and the world; contributing towards strengthening the country’s position as a global leader in the field of healthcare. We are delighted with this agreement which marks an outstanding development in efforts made to provide cure to 300 million color blind patients around the world while supporting the UAE’s healthcare sector goals. We are confident of the positive results that the project team will achieve in the near future, especially with the involvement of Khalifa University’s elite researchers and the supportive environment offered at the institution to conduct cutting edge research that benefits humanity.”

Dr. Haider Butt, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University, is the Principal Investigator of the project and his team members include Dr. Kyriaki Polychronopoulou, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering; Dr. Fahad Almaskari, Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering; Dr. Sung Mun Lee, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering; Dr. Habiba Alsafar, Acting Associate Dean for Student Affairs, College of Medicine and Health Sciences; Associate Professor, Genetics and Molecular Biology; Director of Khalifa University Center for Biotechnology; Dr. Ali K. Yetisen, senior lecturer, Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London.

Other members of the research team include Dr. Mohamed Ismail Ahmed Gabr Elsherif, Dr. Fahad Alam, and Ahmed Elfadil Salih. Currently, there are three groups of Emirati undergraduate students who are doing their Senior Design Projects in relation to this research project.

The project partners aim to manufacture lenses with various optical filtering bands to cover several types of color blindness. The lenses will be made with optimized composition for daily disposable, extended wear, and reusable purposes. The partners will also engage with the Khalifa Innovation Center (KIC), through Khalifa University’s Office of Technology Management and Innovation, to explore the establishment of a startup company.

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
18 January 2020

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Lockheed Martin, a U.S.-based global aerospace, security and technology leader, and Khalifa University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research and academic initiatives that will advance technology and human capital development in the United Arab Emirates.

Dr. Steven H. Walker, vice president and Chief Technology Officer of Lockheed Martin, and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, signed the agreement virtually, which identifies areas of mutual interest in support of Lockheed Martin’s research endeavors and the development of a knowledge-based economy as outlined by UAE Vision 2021. It is the first of several planned formal agreements between Lockheed Martin and Khalifa University to increase the pipeline of highly skilled aerospace, defense, technology and security engineers in the region.

“At Lockheed Martin, we are committed to working together with colleges and universities to advance the strategic priorities of our customers,” said Dr. Walker, who recently joined the Khalifa University Board of Trustees, succeeding Lockheed Martin’s Executive Chairman Marillyn A. Hewson. “As a well-respected research institution and a leading contributor to the UAE’s vision to shape a knowledge-based economy, Khalifa University is an obvious partner. We are confident that our collaboration will help advance STEM careers, evolve the country’s research ecosystem and provide unique opportunities for research and development activities.” �� ��

Under the agreement, Lockheed Martin and Khalifa University will explore opportunities for cooperation, led by the university’s faculty, in areas including machine intelligence, autonomy, microelectronics, structural and thermal materials, and air vehicle research. The publication of research, along with development and assessment of academic course material, will also add to knowledge sharing through the MOU.

Dr. Al Hammadi said: “As a research-intensive educational institution that seeks to produce world leaders and critical thinkers in applied science and engineering, we are delighted to partner with Lockheed Martin to focus more on advanced research areas. The MoU with a globally leading aerospace and advanced technologies company will not only help develop talent locally through STEM collaborations, but also offer us access to Lockheed Martin’s technological capabilities. We believe equipping the youth in the UAE and building new capacities in areas including aerospace will benefit the country, contributing to catalyzing the growth of the rapidly developing knowledge-economy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

Lockheed Martin works with leading universities worldwide to sponsor research and perform collaborative research for government customers. The company’s Center for Innovation and Security Solutions (CISS), based in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, has hosted merit-based summer internship programs for top-performing UAE engineering students every year since 2017. This summer, 16 talented students from leading institutions, including Khalifa University, are interning virtually at the CISS to comply with distance learning measures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.

With 19 research centers focusing on various economic sectors that are considered strategic to the UAE, Khalifa University drives innovation and scientific exploration in advanced technology areas such as aerospace, nuclear engineering, advanced materials, oil and gas, and clean energy. Each year, the University adds a sizable number of patents to the intellectual property (IP) basket of the UAE. At present, Khalifa University has 126 issued patents, with 343 patent applications pending, and more than 400 invention disclosures.

Clarence Michael
Senior English Editor
1 September 2020

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Khalifa University and the Global Energy Association, a non-governmental organization focused on developing industry research and promoting energy cooperation, have signed a memorandum to strengthen their partnership in energy-related areas.

The ‘Partnership and Cooperation Memorandum’ was signed by Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and Ignatov Aleksandr Iurevich, President, Global Energy Association, on the sidelines of the 24th World Energy Congress held recently at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). Officials from both partners including Dr Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice President for Research and Development, Khalifa University, and others were present on the occasion.

Under the partnership, the two organizations will continue building academic and research ties between the UAE and Russia across all energy-related areas. These ties include the joint promotion of Global Energy Association award programs, as well as organizing of conferences and workshops focusing mostly on research and innovation.

The Global Energy Association’s Global Energy Prize is an international award, which recognizes outstanding scientific innovations and solutions in energy research and its concurrent environmental challenges.�� Presented each year, the award winners collectively receive a cash prize of RUB39 million (around US$600,000). Previous winners include prominent scientists such as Arthur Rosenfeld from the US (for his pioneering work in energy-efficient buildings), Akira Yoshino from Japan (for the invention of lithium ion batteries), and Thorsteinn Ingi Sigfusson from Iceland (for developing hydrogen into a viable alternative power source in Iceland).

The Association manages the Global Energy Prize, organizes the eponymous summit, and implements the Global Energy Youth Program.

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Overseas Collaboration Partners and Research Centers within Campus Premises Provide Platforms for Summer Internships

More than 400 students interned within the UAE at various government and private sector organizations for up to eight weeks as part of Khalifa University’s Summer Internship program.

At the same time, the Khalifa University Main Campus hosted six student interns at the Aerospace Research and Innovation Center (ARIC) and the Center for Biotechnology, three students at the Emirates Advanced National Research and Education Network (Ankabut) and five students at the Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC).

Industrial Engineering student Mohamed Khaled Ballaith interned as a Mechanical Maintenance Engineer with Shams Power Company, a 100MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant and the first of its kind in the Middle East region located in the Western Region of the Abu Dhabi.

Sharing his experiences, Ballaith said: “I learned about the production of solar power and keeping the system online. I was engaged in many field jobs such as performing preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance on all mechanical equipment such as valves, pipes, motors, compressors and turbines. This gave me valuable experience.”

Khalifa University also worked collaboratively with a number of organizations from various industries in different countries including Germany, the United States, Italy, France, Japan, Ireland and Korea, to secure internship placements with foreign industry. On average, the university sends around 30 students overseas every year under its internship program.

Computer Engineering student Saeed Maatouq Alnuaimi spent nearly three months in Germany interning with NewStore, a company that provides software solutions to various retail stores.

Alnuaimi said: “I worked as part of an agile software development team that follows a framework called SCRUM. I was able to develop python programs, application programming interface (APIs), and iOS applications. Additionally, I have learned the process of software development in the workplace. Being in such a place outside my comfort zone has developed me not only academically, but also personally in problem-solving and being through independent.”

Mechanical Engineering student Khaled Ali Alneyadi interned with Barij Munitions, specialists in providing world-class ammunition products and services, and company came into existence following the merger of Caracal Light Ammunition (CLA) and Burkan. It is owned by Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC), an integrated national defense services and manufacturing platform, which is a joint venture between Mubadala Development Company and Tawazun Holding.

Alneyadi said: “I mainly served in the health and safety department of Barij Munitions, which gave me an insight into the regulations and helped me gain greater understanding of how new manufacturing companies depend on the assurance of complying with a set of regulations to best provide the most effective and efficient production rate of such munitions.”

He added: “In addition, I had experienced how a mechanical engineer can benefit this field and serve to better local mindsets to increase innovation. I have noticed aspects that I felt can be modified and made better. I have gained way more interest and experience than I had expected while joining this company.”

Khalifa University also supports and facilitates its students’ selection and participation in other international student internship programs.

This year two Master’s students – Sara Sarrar and Madiha Farman – completed summer internships at the University of Tokyo as part its Engineering Summer Education Program (ESEP) 2018, where up to 20 students are selected each year for short-term research experience in the basic and translational sciences.

Additionally, a team of nine��Khalifa��University students interned in Japan as part of the ADCO-Cosmo-JCCP��Internship��Program over the summer. Their experience included trips to Waseda University, a private, independent research university in central Tokyo, the 100,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Cosmo Sakai refinery, Toyota facility in Nagoya, the JFE Steel’s Chita Works, and the Hamaoka nuclear power plant. The��internship��program aims to give the UAE’s future engineers the opportunity to visit leading Japanese companies in oil, energy and manufacturing sectors to teach them about their operations, as well as visit renowned Japanese universities.

Clarence Michael

News Writer

25 October 2018

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Apps developed during Eight-Week Internship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC

Two of Bachelors of Computer Engineering students have successfully developed prototype apps for patient care as part of their internships at the Sheikh Zayed Institute (SZI) for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at the Children’s National Medical Center in the US.

The two apps – Online Treatment Recovery Assistant for Concussion in Kids (OnTRACK) and BearGenes – were developed by students Hazza Daiban and Mohammad Al Mansoori during their eight-week internship in Washington, DC. The students worked under the guidance of Kevin Cleary, PhD, Professor of Radiology, Surgery, and Pediatrics at George Washington University and leader of the Bioengineering Initiative at the Sheikh Zayed Institute. OnTRACK was developed with Gerry Gioia, PhD, Director, Safe Concussion Program, while BearGenes was developed with Natasha Shur, MD, and Marshall Summar, MD, from the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Our students are offered various channels including internships to demonstrate their creativity and make use of their knowledge for the benefit of the community. The patient care apps developed by the two Khalifa University students illustrate the learning and expertise they have gained in Abu Dhabi and the guidance they received while interning at the Sheikh Zayed Institute in Washington DC. We believe institutions such as the SZI offer our students the right platform to not only widen their knowledge horizon but also serve as an instrument to sharpen their skills in areas including healthcare.”

The OnTRACK mobile app prototype that Daiban worked on is intended to help in concussion management by using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of symptoms and to prompt patient treatment strategies. It is designed to provide support for patients five years and older who are identified with concussion. The developers are keen to incorporate the feedback currently being received from end users.

The BearGenes mobile app prototype that Al Mansoori worked on is designed to provide a trusted educational and informative platform for the patients and the public about genetic counseling and genetic conditions. It also provides information on where to access genetic expertise, such as the Children’s National Rare Disease Institute. The team is planning to create a web version of the platform that will be linked with the mobile app. Videos and information are being created by Children’s National Rare Disease Institute and will be added to the mobile app prototype database. Once uploaded to Play Store and App Store, mobile devices with the app will be offered to interested patient families.

Research professor and engineer Dr. Kevin Cleary said: “It was a great pleasure to have Hazza and Mohammad as interns. They made a positive contribution to our institute and hospital and did an excellent job developing the prototype apps.”

Dr. Cleary leads SZI’s interdisciplinary bioengineering team and focuses on technology development for pediatric medicine, working with the clinical team and other colleagues at Children’s National.

In addition to creating the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, the Children’s National Medical Center has also named its primary campus in downtown Washington DC, the Sheikh Zayed Campus for Advanced Pediatric Medicine.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
5 November 2018

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