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First Masdar Institute PhD Graduate Returns as Faculty

September 21, 2018

Dr. Faisal Al Marzooqi, Masdar Institute’s first PhD graduate, has become the Institute’s most recent faculty addition following his appointment as assistant professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering.

As a full-time faculty member, the young UAE National will continue his pursuit of cutting-edge research in the area of desalination and membrane technologies as well as teaching classes. Dr. Al Marzooqi’s recent appointment makes him the Institute’s 17th UAE National faculty member.

“Masdar Institute works to attract and retain the UAE’s most talented professors. Through its research-driven focus, rigorous coursework, world-class faculty, and support from the UAE leadership, Masdar Institute has produced PhD graduates with competitive, valuable and unique scholarship profiles. It is exactly this kind of talent that we aim to recruit,” said Dr. Mohamed Sassi, Interim Dean of Faculty, Masdar Institute. “We are proud of Dr. Al Marzooqi’s achievements and we are pleased to have him join our faculty.”

Speaking about his new designation, Dr. Al Marzooqi said, “I am very grateful for what Masdar Institute has given me. They first equipped me with the engineering skills I need to uniquely approach problems, discover solutions, and conduct research effectively, and now they have accepted me among their team of expert faculty. This is the start of a new stage, in which I hope I can continue to contribute to the successful development of our nation.”

As an assistant professor, Dr. Al Marzooqi will be able to expand on the research he conducted during his PhD studies, further extending Masdar Institute’s portfolio of advanced water technologies. His thesis research dissertation combined water desalination research and advancements in nanotechnology to produce a novel device that can desalinate water in a sustainable, energy efficient way.

His advisor during his PhD studies, Dr. Hassan Arafat, Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, said, “Faisal created an excellent thesis; his work included elements of both breadth and depth of knowledge. The subject of his thesis, desalination, is of great relevance to the mission of Masdar Institute and to the UAE, one of the most water-scarce regions on earth. I am very proud that Faisal has recently joined me as a colleague in our department. He is a fine example for all our graduates.”

Dr. Al Marzooqi believes that Masdar Institute is the best place for him to continue his research.
“Masdar Institute stands as a leading university in the UAE and broader Middle East. It offers state-of-the-art labs, such as the cleanroom and microscopy suite, which provide the ideal place for scientists and researchers to carry out their research,” he said.

Along with critical research in areas of advanced energy and sustainable technologies, Dr. Al Marzooqi believes that teaching is needed to firmly anchor the UAE’s knowledge-based economy. This belief, along with his deep gratitude toward his country for its unwavering support, prompted Dr. Al Marzooqi to apply for a faculty position at Masdar Institute. As a Masdar Institute faculty member, he plans to help establish the UAE as a leader in research and development capacity and expertise.

“We ultimately want the world to approach us for research and education and we cannot do that if we don’t support our local universities,” Dr. Al Marzooqi explained.

Dr. Al Marzooqi’s decision to join Masdar Institute’s faculty, which to date number nearly 100, is a continuation of his ongoing efforts to achieve his highest potential and give back to his country. He completed his MSc degree in chemical engineering at the Imperial College, London and has worked as a process engineer for the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO). Dr. Al Marzooqi is also an alum of Masdar Institute’s Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program, a mentorship experience that he said led him to choose Masdar Institute for his PhD. He also recently served as a member of the UAE Government Leaders Program, which was established by the UAE government to help prepare and develop future UAE Nationals as leaders who will help the government achieve the main objectives of its declared economic and socio-political strategies.

Erica Solomon
News and Features Writer
15 September 2015