HH Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court chaired today the first meeting of Khalifa University’s board of trustees since it was restructured by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi through a resolution in June of 2015. The new structure saw H.H. Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan named Chairman of the Board of Trustees. It also saw the appointments of H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi the Minister of Education; H.E. Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Health Authority; H.E. Ali Rashid Qanas Al Ketbi Chairman of Tawteen; H.E. Mohammed Hassan Omran Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology; H.E. Professor Elias Zerhouni President of Global R&D Sanofi; and H.E. Sir John O’Reilly Visiting Professor at the University College London to the Board. 

His Highness who chaired the meeting thanked the former members of the University’s Board of Trustees whose wise guidance had built the University to its current significance as a hub of knowledge innovation and research for the UAE and the region.  He also welcomed the new members of the board and stressed that since the University’s inception back in 2007 it has grown and thrived.  H.H. Sheikh Hamed credited the University’s success to the wise leadership and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed and his foresight and ambition for the UAE.  He said that without such vision Khalifa University would not have had the support needed to accomplish its goals and earn its positive reputation as a science and technology educational and research institution.   

H.H. Sheikh Hamed also said he is looking forward to the challenges that the future brings as the University enters the next stages of its development through the opening of the campus expansion and the establishment of new programs and colleges. He said the University will continue to surpass expectations in the future as it has done all along.

Attendees discussed an array of issues from the election of a new Vice-Chairman to plans for the next installment of the KU Innovations Series – Reyada.  In addition members shared an update on the establishment of the College of Medicine as well as other new programs an update on enrollment graduation and progress on the new campus extension.   Financial issues were also discussed with budget approvals and student waivers being key topics. 

The meeting was attended by members of the Board of Trustees; H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi H.E. Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili and H.E. Ali Rashid Qanas Al Ketbi. In addition to senior members of Khalifa University’s management including Khalifa University President Dr. Tod Laursen Executive Vice President Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi and Senior Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies Dr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al-Mualla Vice President of Human Resources and Procurements Mr. Mosallam Al Kathiri and Vice President of Administration and Finance Mr. Ebrahim Alahmed.

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HH Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court chaired today the first meeting of Khalifa University’s board of trustees since it was restructured by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi through a resolution in June of 2015. The new structure saw H.H. Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan named Chairman of the Board of Trustees. It also saw the appointments of H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi the Minister of Education; H.E. Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Health Authority; H.E. Ali Rashid Qanas Al Ketbi Chairman of Tawteen; H.E. Mohammed Hassan Omran Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology; H.E. Professor Elias Zerhouni  President of Global R&D Sanofi; and H.E. Sir John O’Reilly Visiting Professor at the University College London to the Board. 

His Highness who chaired the meeting thanked the former members of the University’s Board of Trustees whose wise guidance had built the University to its current significance as a hub of knowledge innovation and research for the UAE and the region.  He also welcomed the new members of the board and stressed that since the University’s inception back in 2007 it has grown and thrived.  H.H. Sheikh Hamed credited the University’s success to the wise leadership and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed and his foresight and ambition for the UAE.  He said that without such vision Khalifa University would not have had the support needed to accomplish its goals and earn its positive reputation as a science and technology educational and research institution.   

H.H. Sheikh Hamed also said he is looking forward to the challenges that the future brings as the University enters the next stages of its development through the opening of the campus expansion and the establishment of new programs and colleges. He said the University will continue to surpass expectations in the future as it has done all along.

Attendees discussed an array of issues from the election of a new Vice-Chairman to plans for the next installment of the KU Innovations Series – Reyada.  In addition members shared an update on the establishment of the College of Medicine as well as other new programs an update on enrollment graduation and progress on the new campus extension.   Financial issues were also discussed with budget approvals and student waivers being key topics. 

The meeting was attended by members of the Board of Trustees; H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi H.E. Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili and H.E. Ali Rashid Qanas Al Ketbi. In addition to senior members of Khalifa University’s management including Khalifa University President Dr. Tod Laursen Executive Vice President Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi and Senior Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies Dr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al-Mualla Vice President of Human Resources and Procurements Mr. Mosallam Al Kathiri and Vice President of Administration and Finance Mr. Ebrahim Alahmed.

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Lab is designed to emulate conditions and situations in space.

Khalifa University recently opened its new Spacecraft Platform for Astronautic and Celestial Emulation (SPACE) laboratory this innovative new lab comes equipped with special Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) robots and sensing systems that all help mimic actual conditions in space and develop the base and the workspace for the students to conduct experiments of spacecraft relative motion. 

The lab was developed By Dr. Ahmad Bani Younes Assistant Professor in the University’s Aerospace Engineering program who designed it for the students in his Space Dynamics and Control course. The lab provides students with an opportunity to conduct mission-oriented research and get hands on experience in conducting experiments for sensing guidance dynamics and control of aerospace and space operations in a suitable environment.  

Currently Dr. Bani Younes has a group of senior Aerospace Engineering students working on an innovative design project titled “Design Build and Testing of Attitude Test-bed Platform for Emulating CubeSat Missions.”  The objective of this project is to design test control algorithms for the control of a CubeSat which is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that typically uses commercial off-the-shelf components for its electronics.  The students utilize the lab in order to develop experiments for spacecraft Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) functions; including pointing sensing platform stabilization and orbit maintenance operations. In addition they use the attitude control of the satellite to point communications antennas camera sensors and other instruments. Finally when the algorithms are complete the students will build a low-cost ground-based test platform to mimic the conditions of a weightless satellite in space. The test platform used in this project will control attitude through applying torque to reaction wheels. 

Said Dr. Bani Younes ““The UAE is well positioned to become a regional global aerospace hub and the SPACE lab key technologies are closely in line with the UAE’s goals for space.  The region here is looking towards the space era investing heavily in space programs and planning major projects.  As the only Aerospace program in the country many are looking at Khalifa University to provide the human capital the country needs to achieve these ambitious projects.  This lab can provide students with the knowledge they need to contribute to these missions and visions. Beyond the purely technical advances put forth by this lab it provides a training ground for the next generation of aerospace engineering researchers and scientists in the UAE region; providing them with relevant cutting-edge opportunities to work on both theoretical and algorithmic methodology and the corresponding experimental and hardware realizations that can contribute to our Nations continued leadership in space and air applications for NASA in the years ahead.”

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Lab is designed to emulate conditions and situations in space.

Khalifa University recently opened its new Spacecraft Platform for Astronautic and Celestial Emulation (SPACE) laboratory this innovative new lab comes equipped with special Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) robots and sensing systems that all help mimic actual conditions in space and develop the base and the workspace for the students to conduct experiments of spacecraft relative motion. 

The lab was developed By Dr. Ahmad Bani Younes Assistant Professor in the University’s Aerospace Engineering program who designed it for the students in his Space Dynamics and Control course. The lab provides students with an opportunity to conduct mission-oriented research and get hands on experience in conducting experiments for sensing guidance dynamics and control of aerospace and space operations in a suitable environment.  

Currently Dr. Bani Younes has a group of senior Aerospace Engineering students working on an innovative design project titled “Design Build and Testing of Attitude Test-bed Platform for Emulating CubeSat Missions.”  The objective of this project is to design test control algorithms for the control of a CubeSat which is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that typically uses commercial off-the-shelf components for its electronics.  The students utilize the lab in order to develop experiments for spacecraft Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) functions; including pointing sensing platform stabilization and orbit maintenance operations. In addition they use the attitude control of the satellite to point communications antennas camera sensors and other instruments. Finally when the algorithms are complete the students will build a low-cost ground-based test platform to mimic the conditions of a weightless satellite in space. The test platform used in this project will control attitude through applying torque to reaction wheels. 

Said Dr. Bani Younes ““The UAE is well positioned to become a regional global aerospace hub and the SPACE lab key technologies are closely in line with the UAE’s goals for space.  The region here is looking towards the space era investing heavily in space programs and planning major projects.  As the only Aerospace program in the country many are looking at Khalifa University to provide the human capital the country needs to achieve these ambitious projects.  This lab can provide students with the knowledge they need to contribute to these missions and visions. Beyond the purely technical advances put forth by this lab it provides a training ground for the next generation of aerospace engineering researchers and scientists in the UAE region; providing them with relevant cutting-edge opportunities to work on both theoretical and algorithmic methodology and the corresponding experimental and hardware realizations that can contribute to our Nations continued leadership in space and air applications for NASA in the years ahead.”

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Held in collaboration with the Middle East Scientific Institute for Security.

The first day of the tenth annual workshop of the Radiation Measurement Cross Calibration (RMCC) project wrapped up at Khalifa University’s Abu Dhabi campus on October 19 2015. The event which runs until the 21st has attracted experts in the field of nuclear engineering and nuclear energy management from around the Middle East and is being held in collaboration with the Middle East Scientific Institute for Security (MESIS).

The first day of the workshop featured discussions on aerial radiation mapping techniques and the challenges and opportunities facing various countries in terms of radioanalysis. The project which originally began as an initiative of the US Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories in 2002 aims to improve radiation measurement capabilities across the Arab World and establish recognized and common standards with a view to address issues concerning the safety security and safeguards of the nuclear industry.

The following days of the workshop will include laboratory tours opportunities to identify areas for co-operation training on laboratory management quality assurance radiochemistry mass spectrometry and gamma spectroscopy.

“This was a fascinating workshop that provided a lot of benefits to our nuclear engineering students and faculty ” said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla Khalifa University’s Senior Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “It’s always good to meet with other experts from across the region and discuss methodologies and best practices to ensure that we are providing our students and the UAE with the best possible nuclear engineers trained in the highest safety standards capable of contributing to the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy industry.”

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Held in collaboration with the Middle East Scientific Institute for Security.

The first day of the tenth annual workshop of the Radiation Measurement Cross Calibration (RMCC) project wrapped up at Khalifa University’s Abu Dhabi campus on October 19 2015. The event which runs until the 21st has attracted experts in the field of nuclear engineering and nuclear energy management from around the Middle East and is being held in collaboration with the Middle East Scientific Institute for Security (MESIS).

The first day of the workshop featured discussions on aerial radiation mapping techniques and the challenges and opportunities facing various countries in terms of radioanalysis. The project which originally began as an initiative of the US Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories in 2002 aims to improve radiation measurement capabilities across the Arab World and establish recognized and common standards with a view to address issues concerning the safety security and safeguards of the nuclear industry.

The following days of the workshop will include laboratory tours opportunities to identify areas for co-operation training on laboratory management quality assurance radiochemistry mass spectrometry and gamma spectroscopy.

“This was a fascinating workshop that provided a lot of benefits to our nuclear engineering students and faculty ” said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla Khalifa University’s Senior Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “It’s always good to meet with other experts from across the region and discuss methodologies and best practices to ensure that we are providing our students and the UAE with the best possible nuclear engineers trained in the highest safety standards capable of contributing to the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy industry.” 

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