Graduates Worked on Projects in Aerospace, Smart Robotics Systems, Data Science, Biotechnology, Advanced Water Technologies, Information and Communications, and Nuclear Energy
Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced the fifth cohort of National Service and Reserve Authority (NSRA) recruits received their graduation honors after successfully concluding their intense months-long training in the research and development of advanced sustainable technologies, building foundational knowledge and hands-on skills in the fields of robotics, smart systems, communications, environment, and energy.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Brigadier Khalifa Hamad Khalifa Al Kaabi, Chief, National Service and Reserve Authority, Professor Sir John O’Reilly, President, Khalifa University, senior officials from NSRA, Khalifa University leadership, as well as dignitaries and guests.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University, said: “Khalifa University is proud to graduate the NSRA students and we congratulate them for their success and achievements. This graduation ceremony and the Al Nokhba program reflect the expanding cooperation between Khalifa University and the NSRA in academic, scientific and research areas. We believe the Al Nkhba graduates will be able to effectively apply technical, theoretical and practical solutions based on the latest technologies, for the benefit of the UAE, and the community in general.”
Khalifa University’s unique Al Nokhba program launched in partnership with the NSRA in 2019 has graduated many students with their contributions being expected to support decision-making and enhance performance efficiency in the UAE defense sector. During their program the Al Nokhba students completed their training courses, research projects and specific assignments, serving a dual purpose – building technical know-how, and serving as building blocks towards the assigned research and development tasks.
With support from Khalifa University faculty and staff, the Al Nokhba recruits worked on finding sustainable solutions to pressing environmental and societal challenges through their innovative projects which includes waste heat utilization, wheat landraces for sustainable food production, quantum-inspired algorithms for nuclear reactor physics, multimodal data analysis, and additive manufacturing of energy-absorbing plate lattice structures.
The graduates also developed technologies such as a 6U CubeSat technology demonstrator, smart membranes for water treatment, and upcycling of bio-wastes into sustainable materials. During the program, the Al Nokhba recruits actively engaged in research and development, while also creating solutions for the Maritime Grand Challenge 2024, representing the UAE and Khalifa University.
Moreover, the Al Nokhba recruits contributed to several R&D projects in autonomous driving including the resilient coordinated management of autonomous vehicles for defense applications. The development of a target drone to be used in training and testing for civilian and defense applications was also one of the projects undertaken by the fifth cohort of the Al Nokhba Program.
Other projects that the Al Nokhba recruits completed at Khalifa University include the ‘Trustworthy Traceability, Certification and Compliance of the Use and Origins of UAVs’ and Keratin-based hydrogels for the removal of heavy metals in produced wastewater. In February 2023, a group of UAE National Service Recruits (Al Nokhba-NSRs) presented several advanced technology defense-related innovations in robotics and drones that were showcased at the 16th edition of IDEX 2023.
The Al Nokhba program aims to prepare recruits for postgraduate studies by providing the participants with relevant coursework, and helps to strengthen the technical capabilities of UAE national engineers. It also enables representation of the UAE in international competitions, involvement in scientific research and publishing research findings at scientific forums. On the other hand, the research-intensive Elite program, which is focused on developing solutions to current challenges, targets university students, especially those graduating from the top universities in the world. Participants are allowed to take a subject from accredited graduate programs if they meet admission requirements.
Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist
5 February 2024
