Certificates of Completion Presented to the Outgoing Cohort
More than 40 members of the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) 2018 outreach program were honored by Khalifa University of Science and Technology for successfully completing their year-long commitments at a gala ceremony.
Certificates of completion were presented to the YFEL members at the ceremony, organized at the Khalifa University Main Campus during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019. Members of the Khalifa University Board of Trustees including Abdulaziz Abdulla Alhajri, Director of the Refining and Petrochemicals Directorate, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Dr. Nawal Khalifa Al Hosany, Deputy Director General, Emirates Diplomatic Academy, were present on the occasion. KU’s senior management, including Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice President, Academic and Student Services, Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice-President, Research and Development, and Dr. Bayan Sharif, Acting Provost, Dean of Engineering, also attended the ceremony, along with representatives from YFEL program sponsors such as BASF as well as other dignitaries and guests. Also present were the 2019 YFEL members.
Of the 2018 YFEL members completing their year-long program, 25 were non-UAE nationals, representing 14 countries, and 11 were Emirati.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi said: “Khalifa University is proud to include YFEL among our outreach programs. YFEL helps to broaden the impact of our educational and research missions by attracting top students and young professionals within the UAE and around the world. During their 2018 YFEL year, these members have not only learnt innovative and inter-disciplinary science and engineering from our faculty, but also the UAE’s vision of sustainable energy leadership, which they can take back and expand upon as future energy leaders. They have traveled the world, visited innovators and leaders in industry, and seen the impact of sustainable technology and practices in a variety of applications. I believe they will apply what they have learnt through this experience and benefit the community in general.”
Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi said: “Congratulations to the 2018 YFEL members who have successfully completed their arduous year-long journey towards shaping themselves as future energy leaders. These talented emerging leaders are now fully equipped to tackle challenges and contribute effectively to further advancing sustainability in various sectors. I also welcome the 2019 YFEL members and firmly believe that they too will emulate and even exceed the benchmark already set by the previous members of the YFEL outreach program.”
During the ceremony, a video presentation highlighted the achievements of the 2018 YFEL outreach initiative, which included their completion of educational courses in three categories – technology, policy, and leadership.
The film also showcased a 10-member YFEL delegation, which learned first-hand how Germany’s three major industry leaders – BASF, Siemens and Bilfinger – are driving innovative solutions including digitalization for sustainable global development. Their visit focused on applied sustainability solutions relevant to the UAE and the restorative and regenerative‘circular economy’, which builds economic, natural and social capital.
During the year, the 2018 YFEL members produced a number of novel project concepts.The ‘You are the Future’ project helped UAE high school students choose the right career while offering mentorship, while the ‘Power Bag’ project incorporated a simple solar powered portable charger for refugees that can be placed on backpacks to store solar energy to charge electronic devices.
The 2018 YFEL members also attended several conferences in the UAE and abroad, like the World Future Energy Summit 2018, where their ideas were presented and discussed. Two YFEL members also participated as panelists in the 10th Green Leadership Series hosted by the Dubai Science Park.
Sharing his perspectives, YFEL member Hamdan Sarhan Al Zaabi said:“Participating in the 2018 YFEL program proved to be one of my best experiences. We had the opportunity to meet global energy leaders during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, participated in several workshops and courses which focused on energy, leadership and sustainability during the year. I firmly believe the YFEL program helps steer the young professionals and students on the right path into becoming tomorrow’s energy leaders.”
Another YFEL member Shatha Nabil Abdulkarim Mubarak Alfalasi said: “The year-long journey was a memorable experience during which I shared knowledge, innovative ideas, skills, and culture were exchanged with other ambitious youth. Moreover, if there is anything that made me be inspired the most, it sure was the ‘butterfly effect’ which was the theme of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2018. It taught me that small things can have big impact and they signify a path that can be followed.”
Clarence Michael
News Writer
17 January 2019
