Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced it has successfully won the bid to host the 53rd International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering () in��Abu Dhabi, UAE, from��20–23 October 2026.

Supported by the Abu Dhabi Conventions & Exhibition Bureau, Khalifa University’s Department of Management Science and Engineering has completed the process for hosting the event that will include four days of discussions on knowledge exchange, collaboration and networking.

His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University, said: “Khalifa University is proud to have won the bid to host the 53rd International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering () for the first time in the GCC region. We are also delighted to organize such an international event that will once again showcase the UAE’s industrial, research and academic capabilities engineering and management science. We believe the knowledge exchange and presence of global leaders will result in collaborations that will benefit not only the local but the regional economies as well.”

Participants will explore cutting-edge research and breakthroughs in industrial engineering, gain valuable insights from emerging start-ups, leading AI and engineering enterprises, and world-class scholars. expand professional networks with experts and peers from across the globe, as well as get inspired by the brightest minds shaping the future of this multi-faceted field.

Dr. Mecit Can Emre Simsekler, Chair of CIE53, Acting Chair, and Associate Professor, Department of Management Science said: “Khalifa University is honored to bring this world-renowned conference to Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Hosting CIE53 reflects our commitment to advancing research and innovation in industrial engineering, management science and related fields, and we look forward to welcoming global experts and scholars to Abu Dhabi.”

CIE53 continues the prestigious tradition of a conference series sponsored by��Computers & Industrial Engineering: An International Journal, published by Elsevier. The journal ranks in the top 4% among general engineering journals in this field.��

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A new study from Khalifa University demonstrates how covalent organic frameworks can significantly improve the stability and efficiency of lithium-sulfur batteries��

Unpack the science behind Li-S innovation – Listen Now!

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are often considered the next big leap in energy storage due to their higher energy density and lower cost compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. However, their widespread use has been limited by one major problem: the polysulfide shuttle effect – a phenomenon where lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) dissolve and migrate within the battery, leading to capacity loss, poor efficiency, and short cycle life.����

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A team of researchers from Khalifa University, including Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Dr. Kayaramkodath Chandran Ranjeesh and Safa Gaber, has collaborated with researchers from CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, India, and Technische Universitat Dresden, Germany, to develop a solution. The research team developed a novel sulfur-hosting material based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs). These materials offer strong chemical and physical confinement of LiPSs, preventing their migration and stabilizing battery performance over hundreds of cycles.����

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The team published their work in .����

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“The rapid evolution of modern electronics and electric vehicles has motivated the development of safer rechargeable batteries with greater capacity and lower costs,” Dr. Shetty said. “Rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising candidate but despite extensive research, their performance remains significantly below theoretical potential. We used molecular-level material design to unravel the structure and property relationship in enhancing the performance of sulfur-hosting cathodes for Li-S batteries.”��

“The rapid evolution of modern electronics and electric vehicles has motivated the development of safer rechargeable batteries with greater capacity and lower costs. Molecularly engineered covalent organic frameworks can unlock the true potential of lithium-sulfur batteries for next-generation energy storage.”

Dr. Dinesh Shetty, Associate Professor, Khalifa University.

 

Covalent organic frameworks are a class of materials that form two- or three-dimensional structures through reactions between their organic components, resulting in strong, covalent bonds that create porous, crystalline materials. The research team designed chalcone-linked nanographene COFs that serve as advanced sulfur hosts. These COFs provide dual confinement for LiPSs through physical trapping, as the microporous structure prevents them from escaping, and chemical anchoring. The chalcone and pyridine groups in the COFs form strong bonds with the lithium polysulfides, keeping them in place. These molecular interactions suppress the shuttle effect and allow for more efficient and stable sulfur utilization.����

 

In the team’s experiments, the batteries retained 80 percent of their original capacity, even after 500 cycles, while enhanced redox kinetics improved charge and discharge rates. With further optimization, this technology could soon power anything from electric vehicles to grid-scale renewable energy storage, bringing us closer to a cleaner, more sustainable future.����

 

Jade Sterling
Science Writer

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