Abu Dhabi-UAE: 22 January, 2014 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, honored members of the Young Future Energy Leaders 2013 program for successfully concluding their year-long learning experience.
More than 50 YFEL members, who actively spearheaded individual projects and brought concepts of sustainability to far-flung regions, were presented with certificates during the on-campus award ceremony on 21 January. YFEL 2014 has more than 100 members.
His Excellency Sultan bin Rashed Dhaheri, Member of the Federal National Council and the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and Economic Council, who reiterated his support to the YFEL program for two consecutive years with a contribution of US$1 million each year, and Mohammed S. Al Qubaisi, Human Resources Director from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) that is sponsoring the YFEL program for the fourth successive year were present at the ceremony. Others including H. E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Masdar Institute, and Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, attended the ceremony. Previous sponsors of the YFEL program include Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and Dolphin Energy.
Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “The award ceremony acknowledges the success of the YFEL members’ individual and collective initiatives in future energy and sustainability. The support of the UAE leadership for human capital development and outreach programs such as YFEL has helped us to continue our contribution to youth development. We hope these youth will deliver on the promises and help transform the world into a more sustainable model in the future.”
A video presentation highlighted key features of the YFEL 2013 annual program, after which members were presented with certificates. The gathering served as the platform for new YFEL members to learn about the scope of the program as the YFEL 2013 members retraced their journey. The ceremony also set the course for the beginning of the annual YFEL 2014 program.
Some of the educational programs that YFEL members participated during the year included two-day workshops covering technical, policy and leadership fields. The events focused on ‘Waste Management and Waste-to-Energy’, ‘Water Science and Technology’, ‘Role of Policy in the Renewable Energy Industry’ and ‘Being A Future Leader’.
Also during the year, a group of YFEL participants floated an interesting social enterprise to transform construction waste into ‘portacabins’ (portable cabins) for use on building sites and by NGOs such as the Red Crescent. YFEL members also traveled to the Himalayan region of India for an eight-day workshop with six Indian students on “Energy Access, Ethics and Development” and learned how to design energy-efficient systems and formulate socio-development measures.
Winners of the case study competition titled ‘Xylem: Let’s Solve Water’ were offered the opportunity to participate in the 22nd World Energy Congress in South Korea and interact with global energy industry leaders – one of the main focus areas for YFEL. In one of the most exciting community engagement activities, three YFEL members helped the Taaleem Science Fair 2013 judge the projects presented by Taaleem schools across Dubai.
Mashael Al Ansari, a young professional with Shell in Abu Dhabi, volunteered to help Shell’s set up the Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM) challenge in the Middle East and Africa, while Fatima Al Marzooqi, a graduate student at Masdar Institute, volunteered as part of the Blue Carbon Assessment Project in Abu Dhabi, an endeavor that is looking to see how Abu Dhabi’s coastal and marine ecosystems – mangrove forests, saltwater marshlands and sea grass meadows – can play a role in reducing climate change effects by pulling CO2 out of the air.
Mohammed Al Sharhan, a Master’s degree candidate and research assistant in Engineering Systems and Management at Masdar Institute, was one of nearly 140 international students who joined 140 Japanese students aboard the annual month-long “Ship for World Youth” program run by the Japanese Government.
Iman Ibrahim Ustadi, a Master’s degree candidate and research assistant in Engineering Systems and Management at Masdar Institute, was a speaker at the Future Talent Day, a full-day opportunity for UAE-based university students interested in a career in the oil, gas and petrochemical sector to network and learn about the industry. Through their participation in various forums, the YFEL members showcased the effectiveness of the program that helped them in individual professional development.
An outreach program by Masdar Institute, YFEL aims to develop tomorrow’s leaders in the fields of advanced energy and sustainability with various initiatives that educate, inspire and empower students and young professionals to become future leaders capable of tackling the world’s most pressing challenges.
