Abu Dhabi-UAE: 19 June, 2014 – A group of 14 UAE national students from the research-oriented Masdar Institute of Science and Technology have begun their first-hand experience of the entrepreneurial and diverse culture that are part of the technology, engineering, and innovation-focused programs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during a two-week summer workshop in the US, it was announced today.
The Masdar Institute students are being led by Dr. Behjat F Al Yousuf, Dean of Students, and Dr. Irfan Saadat, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
The program aims to provide participants with an opportunity to receive hands-on exposure to entrepreneurship, business, and emerging technologies. Comprising special sessions as well as site visits to incubators and start-up companies, the workshop will foster the entrepreneurial spirit among the Emiratis. Guest speeches, discussions about books and case studies illustrating important lessons for new entrepreneurs will also be part of the workshop.
Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “The summer workshop at MIT will provide Emirati participants with a global perspective on innovation and building additional capabilities. The support of the UAE leadership continues to enable us to offer specially designed courses to the youth. We believe the workshop will prove beneficial to the participants in their academic and professional lives.”
Participants will choose between two options – one on the MIT Professional Education (PE) course on ‘Energy, Sustainability, or the second being Life Cycle Assessment’ or ‘Beyond Smart Cities’.
The program will include interactive sessions on innovation, workshops at the MIT Self Assembly Lab, and methodologies to help build innovation-driven start-ups. The UAE national youth from Masdar Institute will also get an opportunity to visit some of the most successful young startup companies at the MassChallenge Accelerator, the innovation district in Boston, and museums.
Mouza M. Al Kaabi of the Engineering Systems and Management program believes the workshop will increase her understanding of 3D printing and connect it with recent findings in the field to further prepare her for her research work.
Al Kaabi said: “The workshops in 3D printing are related to my research topic. I read about Skylar Tibbits and the self-assembly lab when I first decided to work with 3D printing as a tool for sustainable design. I am also exploring smart materials to understand the methods and tools used to make the composite materials, to reach certain properties that outperform the conventional material used in today’s construction. I hope to conduct this research that will be tested through 3D printing.”
