UAE Leads AI Innovation in Telecom with Launch of Region’s First Arabic AI for Customer Experience Transformation

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist

The post Khalifa University, du, Nokia, Microsoft, and ITU Unite to Deliver ‘TelecomGPT-Arabic’ appeared first on Khalifa University.

Khalifa University Also Leads in Top 5% Journal Percentiles by CiteScore

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced that it is ranked first for publications in top 1% Journal Percentiles by CiteScore Percentile, with a total of 125 papers published in 2023, surpassing its peers in the UAE, according to data from Scopus.

This represents an increase of 40% over the year 2022 when Khalifa University had published 89 research papers in top 1% journals, demonstrating a consistent increase in research excellence over the years. Khalifa University also leads in Top 5% Journal Percentiles by CiteScore Percentile, publishing a total of 532 papers for the same year, an increase of 39.6% over 2022.��

Dr. Ahmed Al Durra, Associate Provost, Research, Khalifa University, said: “With over 300 issued patents, more than 230 pending patent applications, and 680 plus invention disclosures, the University leads in groundbreaking research in sectors like aerospace, biomedical sciences, energy, robotics, and engineering. Khalifa University’s remarkable performance in publishing in the top 1% and top 5% Journal Percentiles by CiteScore Percentile is a testament to our commitment to fostering a culture of high-quality research and deep tech innovation. The University remains successful in nurturing talented scientists who can publish their research in renowned journals, including the highly esteemed science journals. Our international collaborations further highlight Khalifa University’s significant contributions to the advancement of scientific pursuit, not only within the UAE but also on a global scale.”

With 12 research centers planning a wide spectrum of low and High Technology Readiness-level (HTR) projects, seven research groups and labs, and seven core labs that have state-of-the-art facilities, Khalifa University continues to contribute to the UAE’s human and intellectual capital development goals.��

Novel approaches for green hydrogen production, materials for storage and transportation, and applications such as combustion and fuel cells as well as advances in genetics and biochemistry are some of Khalifa University’s research scope that also covers a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from robotics to decarbonization, and sustainable fuels.��

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist
24 April 2024

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Over 90% Scholarships Aim to Meet Capacity Building Objectives under UAE’s Vision 2030 Plan

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced its holistic academic and research offerings will have a far wider reach, becoming even more accessible to all students across the UAE, the region and globally, further strengthening the University’s status as a key contributor to the rapid transformation of the UAE’s human and intellectual capital.��

As a consistently highly-ranked academic institution with an emphasis on research, innovation and enterprise, Khalifa University continues to spearhead creativity and collaboration nurturing tomorrow’s talent leaders through various initiatives. ��ݮ��Ƶ for all students from around the world to Khalifa University is open until 30 April 2024.��

Dr. Yousof Al-Hammadi, Senior Vice-President, Academic and Student Services and Assistant Vice-President, Graduate Studies, Khalifa University, said: “Khalifa University provides the most appropriate learning environment while ensuring that its world-class academic, research and scholarship options are available and accessible to more students in the region and across the world. This is in line with the UAE leadership’s directives and the objectives of UAE Vision 2030 towards contributing to developing human and intellectual capital for the UAE. Each of Khalifa University’s initiatives is geared towards achieving the most advanced solutions through scientific research, while simultaneously offering a platform for learning to as many students as possible, across the globe. In addition, as a highly-ranked international institution, Khalifa University continuously works towards providing highly diverse regional and international internships, as well as facilitating work opportunities.”��

Students have access to dynamic internships and career opportunities across a wide spectrum of industries including the emerging space sector, metallurgical industries in aluminum and steel, and oil-and-gas and petrochemical sectors. Equipped with substantial technical skills and theoretical knowledge students are able to present research projects at major international conferences and apply a broad range of technical and non-technical transferable skills, needed for successful careers and leadership roles in industry, business and government. Many graduates also have the option to pursue postgraduate study or research, earning their MSc or PhD, being well-prepared to embark on successful careers in Intelligent Systems and application of mathematical and statistical techniques to machine learning (ML).��

Covering a broad range of disciplines in science, engineering, medicine and life sciences, the University continuously broadens the scope for world-class academics with unlimited research. Khalifa University remains top in the UAE in academic rankings and it also has the highest number of patents in the UAE.

Student-led clubs at Khalifa University promote creativity and collaboration, enriching the academic experience. These clubs cater to various interests, including arts, science, culture, and history, and provide a platform for student advocacy and leadership development.

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist
3 April 2024

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More than 300 Stakeholders from Industry and Government Focus on New Advancements during Event at Khalifa University Main Campus

The role of technology that is sweeping through classrooms as educators and developers create new products and services designed to enrich the academic sector was emphasized during a panel discussion by experts that was hosted as part of the 15^thannual Emirates Advanced National Research and Education Network (Ankabut) meeting that was held at the Khalifa University of Science and Technology Main Campus.

The annual meeting themed ‘Inspire the Next’, was attended by nearly 300 stakeholders from the UAE higher education sector and representatives from over 100 organizations including 50 from different post-secondary institutions. In addition, officials from government entities and senior management from major corporate sector who are involved in higher education were also present at the event.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “We are delighted to host the Ankabut users meeting at our campus. As a higher education institution, Khalifa University remains vigilant about adopting and incorporating technology advancements. This is one of the main reasons why we have research centers that cover an entire gamut of technology sectors. We believe this could be one way to keep ourselves updated and be prepared in advance to tackle challenges in the academic arena.”

In his annual update, Fahem Al-Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer, Ankabut, said: “The fruitful knowledge exchange by stakeholders during the Ankabut users meeting will surely help us in consistently elevating our services to match the industry expectations. The rapid technology changes call for swifter approach to creating new solutions, and we believe our expertise and resources will help us excel in our service offerings.”

The panel discussion on ‘What’s Next for Educational Technology?’ had participants from technology leaders such as VMWare, Schneider Electric, Huawei and Trend Micro. Panelists agreed that new technologies including AI, machine learning, and educational software are shaking up not only the students but also the role of educators, creating dynamic shifts in approaches to teaching, and remodeling the classroom. They also analyzed some of the technologies that could become trend setters in the coming years.

Other sessions at the event included a keynote by Harb Bou-Harb, Senior Director-Education, Microsoft Middle East, as well as a talk by Iqbal Ali Kham, Program Director, Blockchains and Innovation, IBM Middle East and Africa, and a speech by Don Ouyang, Managing Director, Huawei.

Other sessions covered cyber security, cloud computing, and digital transformation in public education. The day’s activities wound up with a tour of the Ankabut facilities.

Managed by Khalifa University, the Ankabut project is jointly funded by the TRA through the ICT Fund. It offers academic institutions connectivity to other education networks around the world. It also connects schools and public institutions together across the UAE. Ankabut cooperates on a national, GCC, regional and international arena, representing the UAE in conferences, exhibitions and forums.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
20 February 2019

The post 15th Annual Ankabut Users Meeting Highlights Role of Technology in Creating New Products and Services to Enrich Academic Sector appeared first on Khalifa University.

Partnership to Offer Three Post-doctoral Researchers and Three PhD Students Fellowships

Khalifa University of Science and Technology and L’Oréal Middle East, the number one leader in the beauty industry, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to partner on the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Middle East Program.

The aim of this partnership is to strengthen the program and reach new heights in promoting the outstanding research done by Arab women based in the region. As per this agreement, L’Oréal will offer three fellowships worth €20,000 each for Post-doctoral Researchers and three fellowships worth €8,000 each for PhD Students.

The MoU was signed by Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, and Remi Chadapaux, Managing Director, L’Oréal Middle East, during a ceremony held at the Khalifa University Main Campus.
Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “The MoU with L’Oréal Middle East for the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Middle East Program illustrates our commitment to encouraging female participation in STEM areas as directed by the UAE leadership. The UAE already prides itself in offering equal opportunities to women while creating the right environment for their intellectual potential to be tapped in science, engineering, technology and math fields.

“Similarly, Khalifa University places huge importance to developing future women leaders as can be gauged by the current number of female students, which stands at over 58% of the total student body. We believe the MoU with L’Oréal Middle East will help us to further expand our role in developing female talent across the science and technology spectrum,” Dr Al Hammadi added.
“We are thrilled about partnering up with Khalifa University, as it is one of the most reputable universities in the region; with leadership in the advancement of learning and world-class recognition in research. Together we hope to achieve new levels of excellence and highlight the importance of gender diversity in research” said Remi Chadapaux, Managing Director, L’Oréal
Middle East. “Since the launch of the program in the GCC, we have empowered 23 outstanding Arab female scientists and recognized the importance of their research for the betterment of our local societies, and the global scientific communities at large,” added Chadapaux.

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East program rewards talented young female scientists in Life Sciences including biology, biochemistry, biophysics, genetics,physiology, neurosciences, biotechnologies, ecology and ethology, as well as Physical Sciences
such as physics, chemistry, petroleum engineering, mathematics, engineering sciences,information sciences, earth and universe sciences.

The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science was launched 21 years ago by the L’Oréal Foundation. Since the launch of the program, it has recognized and honored over 3,100 women, including 107 laureates and granted 3000 doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships in 117 countries.

News Writer
16 April 2019

The post Khalifa University and L’Oréal Middle East Sign MoU to Partner on L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Middle East Program appeared first on Khalifa University.

First UAE Institution to be Placed among Top 30 in Asia

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 02 May, 2019 – Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a research university dedicated to the advancement of learning through the discovery and application of knowledge, has announced that it has further improved its rankings to be placed 28th in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2019 that was released in Abu Dhabi.

With the new ranking, Khalifa University has jumped another four slots to be placed in top 30 among 417 Asian universities in the latest 2019 THE Asia University Rankings, an improvement from last year’s ranking when it was placed 32nd in Asia. This also makes the University first in the UAE.
The rankings were released at the THE Asia Universities Summit 2019 that is being held from 30 April – 2 May in Abu Dhabi as a collaboration between Khalifa University and the Times Higher Education. This year rankings have been expanded to include 417 universities, up from 359 institutions the previous.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Khalifa University’s status in the THE Asia Universities Ranking 2019 further validates our research capabilities, faculty expertise and modern cutting-edge facilities that encourage innovation. Collaborations with industry leading brands in every major sector are the other factor that keeps us in the forefront of intellectual and human capital creation, thanks to the UAE’s wise leadership for their endless support for Khalifa University. We believe the new ranking will further encourage and motivate us to set new benchmarks of excellence in the academic and research arenas.”
In January 2019, Khalifa University became the only one in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to be among the top 15 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings 2019. The university was placed 13 th out of 442 universities from 43 countries, edging up slightly from 15 th position in the same listing the previous year.

In November 2018, Khalifa University was placed in the 176-200 band out of over 900 institutions assessed across more than 70 countries in the 2019 THE World University Subject Rankings for Engineering and Technology. In September 2018, Khalifa University was ranked 1st in the UAE and 2nd in the Arab region by the THE World University Rankings 2019. The university was also ranked top in the categories of Research and Industry Income.
The Asia University Rankings use the same 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students, academics,university leaders, industry and governments. However, the weightings are specially recalibrated to reflect the priorities of Asian institutions. The performance indicators are grouped into five areas – teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.
ENDS

About Khalifa University of Science and Technology
The Khalifa University of Science and Technology merges the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research and the Petroleum Institute into one world-class, research-intensive institution, producing world leaders and critical thinkers in applied science and engineering. The Khalifa University of Science and Technology endeavors to be a catalyst to the growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s rapidly developing knowledge economy as an education destination of choice and a global leader among research intensive universities.

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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

The post First Student with Applied Math and Statistics ‘Major’ Graduates from Khalifa University appeared first on Khalifa University.

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

The post UNESCO Selects Alumni’s Research for ‘2019 Remarkable Women in Technology Exhibition’ in Paris appeared first on Khalifa University.

Five-Member SPE Student Chapter Team Now Eligible to Take Part in International PetroBowl® Championship at ATCE 2019 in Canada

��A five-member team of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Student Chapter from the Khalifa University of Science and Technology has become the first place winners of the 2019 MENA SPE PetroBowl® Regional Competition in Manama, Bahrain.

The SPE Student Chapter team comprising of Petroleum Engineering students Anoud Al Shukaili, Deena Elhossary, Omar Chaabi, Thaer Ismail and Waleed Diab competed against 10 teams including regional heavyweights and previous champions to win a place in the international PetroBowl® Championship that will be held during the SPE Annual Technical Conference (ATCE 2019) from 30 September – 2 October in Calgary, Canada.

The PetroBowl competition pits SPE student chapter teams against each other in a series of quick-fire rounds, answering technical and nontechnical industry-related questions. The challenge was organized in conjunction with the 21st Society of Petroleum Engineers Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference (MEOS 2019) from 18-21 March in Bahrain.

Team members, elated by their regional win, are looking forward to the final stage when they will compete against other regional champions.

Professor Dr John Williams, Associate Professor Dr Hadi Belhaj and Assistant Professor Dr. Emad Walid Al Shalabi from Petroleum Engineering department were the faculty advisors who trained the students for the event.

Deena Elhossary said: “I feel overjoyed that my team members and I have achieved great success at the 2019 MENA SPE PetroBowl® Regional Competition, proudly representing Khalifa University and the UAE. I am honored to be part of the team which consists of very hard working, intelligent and supportive individuals.”

Omar, who led the KU SPE team, felt overcoming teams from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in the semi-final and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in the finals was truly amazing.

Omar said: “I feel really proud and honored to be part of this team, let alone being the captain. Everyone worked so hard for it, and thankfully we were able to become the MENA Regional Champions.”

It was Waleed who summed up the team’s persistence that brought them the success. He said: “In 2017, we came third in the regional competition and then went out in the second round of the international competition in Texas. Both were heavy losses, as we felt we really could have done much better.”

Waleed was referring to the SPE Student Chapter team that became the only one from the Middle East region to make it to the second round with the highest scores in the fiercely contested 2017 PetroBowl International Competition in Texas, US.

Explaining what brought about their success this time around, Waleed said: “We went the extra mile at every level, reviewed everything we have ever studied in Petroleum Engineering, even covered subjects not taught at our university, and memorized industry statistics. In addition, we read history books looking for all the important milestones, technological achievements and historical events related to the oil and gas industry. Furthermore, we met two or three times per week to rehearse and practice. In the end, our efforts paid off, and despite being the under-dogs, we won.”

The toughest round was the semi-final, when the team had to face 2017 champions, who knocked the KU team out that year, according to Waleed. But with a spectacular performance, the KU team played the best game ever and correctly answered one question after the other, not giving the opponent any chance. “From then on, it was only a matter of time although the final was just as tough. The semi-final win gave the level of confidence we needed,” remarked Waleed.

Thaer Ismail believes that the training and hard work brought the team victory. Thaer said: “I feel that the confidence and experience we got from the regional win will help us vastly in the international PetroBowl® to be held in Calgary, Canada in October.”

Omar concluded “Now, we are looking forward to the international competition and we are planning to give it our best and hopefully, we will come back as global champions.”

News Writer

24 March 2019

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Celebrations on 24 April to Showcase EBTIC’s Alignment with UAE’s Knowledge Economy Transformation Goals and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030

The Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC), founded by Khalifa University, Etisalat and BT (British Telecom), and supported by the UAE’s ICT Fund, will mark its 10<> year anniversary with the latest technology demonstrations on an array of research projects.

The celebrations scheduled for Wednesday 24 April 2019 will mark a decade of successful contributions by EBTIC. During the event, three members of EBTIC’s Technical Advisory Board will highlight current research directions and challenges, artificial intelligence (AI) applications that impact the society, and EBTIC’s evolution over the decade.

In addition, accounts of how EBTIC has collaborated with partners that has helped students and researchers, as well as EBTIC’s landmark achievements over the years will be highlighted. Details of success on EBTIC’s technology startup initiatives will also be shared with guests at the event.

Dr. Nawaf Al Moosa, Acting Director of EBTIC and Assistant Professor at Khalifa University said: “The 10th year anniversary celebrations provide us an opportunity to showcase our landmark achievements that continue to benefit the industry and the community. As an industry-government-academia partnership, EBTIC possesses unique capabilities to develop intelligence systems and applications-focused research and innovation, delivering business benefits to partners locally and internationally. With over 40 patents granted and 60 more currently being filed in ICT, big data, and data storage, EBTIC is delivering on the promise for scientific excellence, as we enter the next decade.”

Over the years, EBTIC has produced more than 400 scientific publications, trained more than 400 students, developed their expertise and refined their skills in innovation and research, and organized 10 specialized exhibitions globally in communications and information technology. It currently hosts 40 Master’s and PhD program students and has 35 full-time staff guiding researchers, including 16 UAE nationals.

EBTIC’s activities include a training course organized for UAE Government employees, which focuses on theoretical principles and development of practical skills in artificial intelligence. The course, which began in 2015 and is organized in cooperation with The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), has promoted the transfer of technology to various government entities, with more than 100 employees trained in more than 20 government agencies.

For four successive years, EBTIC has also organized the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, teaching young Emirati students ways to turn fledgling ideas into a feasible business ventures in the future

In alignment with the UAE’s knowledge economy transformation objectives and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, EBTIC aims to advance intelligent systems technologies for the Next Generation Networks (NGNs) and NGN-enabled ICT applications and services, to put in place the support infrastructure to facilitate, develop and enable the digitally networked economy in the UAE and overseas.

News Writter

17 April 2019

The post EBTIC to Mark 10 th Anniversary with Latest Technology Demonstrations at Khalifa University Main Campus in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Khalifa University.

A four-member team of Electrical and Computer Engineering students from Khalifa University – Maryam Abbas Ahmad Hussain Sajwani, Sumaya Zaid Saeed Ali Alzubaidi, Reem Ali Khalfan Hafesh AlNuaimi and Khadeeja Khaled Hashem Mohamed Aljaberi – has been shortlisted for the second round of IEEE International Future Energy Challenge (IFEC) 2019 that will be held in Anaheim, California, on 17 March 2019.

Supervised by Dr. Balanthi Abdul R. Beig, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and supported by technical staff, the Khalifa University team named ‘K-Drive’, became one of the 16 teams qualified for the second round out of more than 50 entries across the world. The Khalifa University team is also the only one from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to be selected for the second phase of the challenge.

The challenge ‘electric drive for bicycles’ (E-Drive for a Bicycle), consists of the design and prototype of a battery-three phase output drive including the motor control and user interface design.

The design team ‘K-Drive’ is currently gearing up to present their progress at the workshop in Anaheim, which will be held in parallel with the IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) 2019. The successful teams will be entering the final round of competition which will be held from 22-25 May 2019 at the University of Wisconsin. The Grand Prize winner will walk away with US$10,000, while there will be three additional awards of US$5,000, US$3,000 and US$1,000 for various categories.

The four ECE students are extremely delighted to learn about their selection. Sajwani said: “We were overjoyed and it has now given us an added boost. We will give our best so as to qualify for the final stage.”

The students attributed their first stage success to their faculty adviser Dr. Balanthi Beig, as well as the technical support and constant motivation from the ECE Lab engineers Suma Ramamurthy Rao, Saikrishna Kanukollu and Malik Abdul Haleem.

Sajwani added: “Last semester our focus was on modelling the system and understanding various factors that we need to consider in order to get the optimal output. This semester, we have taken those concepts, revised them and started building the system. We have divided our tasks based on two major categories – hardware and software. In hardware, we have been working on the PCB (printed circuit board) and its connections to the overall systems whereas, in software we are more focused towards programming the main controller to execute tasks.”

She added, “For the next stage, it’s very crucial that we obtain the best PCB design so that we can showcase our findings and results.”

IFEC, an international student competition for innovation, conservation, and effective use of electrical energy, is open to college and university student teams from recognized undergraduate engineering programs. The competition is sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power Electronics Society (PELS), Power & Energy Society (PES), Industry Application Society (IAS) and Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA).

Clarence Michael

News Writer

14 February 2019

The post ‘K-Drive’ Senior Design Team of Four Students Shortlisted for Second Round at IFEC 2019 in California appeared first on Khalifa University.

Project Offers Training Opportunities at Postgraduate and Undergraduate Levels in Genome Science and Biological Computing using AI and Big Data Analysis

��Abu Dhabi-UAE: 4 March, 2019 – Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a research university dedicated to the advancement of learning through discovery and application of knowledge, and Sandooq Al Watan, the private sector initiative to boost the UAE’s social development, today announced they will collaborate on a project to study genetic predisposition to cancer in the UAE, thus saving lives, healthcare costs and benefiting organ transplants.

To be undertaken by the Khalifa University’s Center for Biotechnology (BTC), the project will study the DNA profiles of Emirati patients in an attempt to identify genetic markers relevant to the local population that will assist in the diagnosis and classification of cancers. An understanding of the genetic makeup of an Emirati patient will also provide an opportunity to customize therapeutic regimes to improve the treatment and management of disease. Sandooq Al Watan will sponsor this project through its platform that has supported 44 Emiratis through 16 projects so far across the UAE.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Our collaboration with Sandooq Al Watan not only reflects our commitment to continue with advanced research but also discovery in areas that are relevant to the UAE and the region. As a research-intensive academic institution, Khalifa University prides itself in contributing to every segment of the UAE’s economic and social sectors including healthcare through scientific discoveries. We believe this research collaboration will benefit individuals who require chronic care as well as help governments prune healthcare outlays, which can be utilized for developmental purposes.”

Mohamed Taj Aldeen Al Qadi, Director General of Sandooq Al Watan, said: “We are keenly aware of the data bias in current DNA studies where people from Arab ancestries are underrepresented. This has caused genetic tests to be less relevant and less accurate in this region of the world. Our collaboration with Khalifa University will address this problem head on, leading to more accurate tests that can save lives and reduce billions in costs. It will also promote research in the UAE and position the country as an important creator of knowledge and technologies. We are very excited to kick this project off with such an esteemed organization and a great research team.

The project is led by Dr Habiba Al Safar, Director, Khalifa University Center for Biotechnology (BTC) and Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Dr. Guan Tay, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, who have the resources and expertise in genome research. The project outcome will be in line with the UAE’s national agenda which mandates the development of training opportunities, underpinned by high quality research to fuel a diversified knowledge-based economy. It will also contribute towards the nation’s vision of establishing world-class medical services to cater to the UAE’s future healthcare requirements.

More importantly, the project will offer training opportunities in cutting-edge genome science as well as biological computing, incorporating artificial intelligence and big data analysis at the postgraduate as well as undergraduate levels to Khalifa University students. The research team recently welcomed PhD candidate Halima Al Naqbi, who completed her Master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Master’s students, internships, as well as research positions are available through this Sandooq Al Watan-Khalifa University collaboration, providing opportunities to expand the pool of local experts in the field of genetics and personalized medicine.

Cancer remains one of the top challenges in medical practice because it remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In addition, there are myriad different cancer types that continue to represent substantial economic and personal burden. The disease has a strong genetic component; however, the genomic factors that result in cancer susceptibility in the UAE remain largely unknown. This study is expected to yield discoveries that could lead to improvements in quality of life for cancer patients and potential reductions in healthcare costs.

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