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Khalifa University PhD Students Gain Insights on ‘Role of AI’ from ADIA Lab Expert 

A group of PhD students from the ‘AI in Health Systems, Business and Society’ course gained valuable insights from a lecture delivered by Dr. Horst Simon, Director, ADIA Lab, and a member of the Khalifa University Board of Trustees on the immense potential of data and computational sciences, and AI. 

 

In his lecture, Dr. Simon explained the transformative role of AI in healthcare systems for creating meaningful societal impact and the critical role it plays in shaping the future of business and society. Dr. Simon is an internationally recognized expert in high performance computing and numerical algorithms.

 

The students were led by Dr. Mecit Can Emre Simsekler, Associate Professor, Management Science and Engineering. The group participated in engaging discussions and learned about ADIA Lab’s role in driving innovation in AI and its applications in health sciences as well as its alignment with the broader goals of enhancing health systems and addressing challenges in society. 

 

The field visit also allowed the students to deepen their understanding of the potential implications for business strategies and policy development in Abu Dhabi’s thriving research ecosystem.

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Khalifa University Rises to 7th Spot Globally in Petroleum Engineering; 107th in Engineering and Technology

According to QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025  

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced it has ranked top in the UAE in 10 subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Additionally, its Petroleum Engineering has risen to the 7th place maintaining its position in the global top 10 for three consecutive years. The University has also made notable gains in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, moving up to 102nd rank. Its overall Engineering & Technology ranking climbed to 107th this year from 129th, securing a strong position near the top 100.

 

Several subjects witnessed a significant jump including Mathematics which moved up to 127th from the top 250 range, whereas Physics & Astronomy surged into top 300 from last year’s among top 400, while Biological Sciences advanced to top 500.

 

Ranked at 156 in Computer Science & Information Systems, while maintaining positions among the top global 200 for two consecutive years are three subjects such as Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Civil & Structural Engineering. Khalifa University is the only university in the UAE ranked in Materials Science placing it in the top 250 range.  

 

Continuing the ranking trend in the top 300 are Chemistry and Environmental Sciences with Medicine maintaining its ranking for three consecutive years. The University has also ranked for Arts & Humanities for the first time, marking an expansion of its academic excellence into diverse disciplines. This year’s rankings were based on an analysis of over 5,200 institutions worldwide, further underscoring Khalifa University’s position as a leading center for research and academic excellence on the global stage.

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Rivers in the Sky: How Hidden Storms Shape Antarctica’s Future

 

With climate change altering their frequency and intensity, atmospheric rivers may become a defining factor in Antarctica’s future.

 

Uncover the science behind these skyborne storms – Listen now! 

For a place renowned as the world’s coldest desert, Antarctica receives an unexpected amount of moisture from a surprising source: atmospheric rivers (ARs). These “rivers in the sky” are long, narrow bands of air carrying enormous amounts of moisture from warmer regions to the poles. While they can deposit heavy snowfall that contributes to the ice sheet’s mass, they can also drive destructive melting, destabilizing glaciers and ice shelves.

 

Atmospheric rivers are a crucial part of the global water cycle. Stretching more than 2,000 kilometers in length, these invisible streams of vapor transport moisture across continents and oceans. When they reach Antarctica, the interaction between warm, moist air and the continent’s cold, dry atmosphere produces dramatic weather events.

 

Despite their rarity — occurring only about three days per year at any given location — atmospheric rivers account for an outsized share of extreme weather in Antarctica. Since the 1980s, they have been responsible for 50 to 70 percent of extreme snowfall events in East Antarctica, temporarily bolstering the ice sheet. However, their impact is not always positive. The same warm, moisture-laden air that brings snow can also raise temperatures above freezing, triggering surface melt on ice shelves and weakening their structural integrity.

 

In the past, atmospheric rivers have played a key role in some of the most dramatic collapses of Antarctic ice shelves. The Larsen A and Larsen B ice shelves, which disintegrated in 1995 and 2002, respectively, were subjected to repeated atmospheric river events that delivered warm air and moisture, leading to extensive melting. These collapses were not isolated incidents—scientists now recognize that AR-driven melting has been a critical factor in ice shelf instability.

 

One of the most striking recent examples occurred in March 2022, when an extreme atmospheric river event pushed temperatures in East Antarctica 30–40°C above normal. In what has been called the most significant heatwave ever recorded on the continent, temperatures at Concordia Station, near the South Pole, reached an unprecedented −9.4°C—far higher than the usual −50°C expected during that time of year. This event not only triggered widespread surface melting but also contributed to the final collapse of the Conger Ice Shelf, a structure the size of New York City.

Dr. Nilesh

“Atmospheric rivers are a double-edged sword for Antarctica. They bring vital snowfall, but they also drive extreme melting and ice shelf collapse. Understanding how they will change in a warming climate is key to predicting future sea level rise”

— Dr. Diana Francis, Khalifa University.

 

As the climate warms, atmospheric rivers are expected to become more intense, carrying larger amounts of moisture due to increased evaporation from warming oceans. This could have complex effects on Antarctica. On one hand, stronger ARs could bring more snowfall, temporarily increasing the ice sheet’s mass. But on the other, they could also drive more frequent and widespread melting, particularly along the edges of the continent where ice shelves act as barriers holding back glaciers.

 

The concern is that an increase in AR-driven melting could push Antarctic ice shelves toward further collapse. Once an ice shelf is lost, glaciers behind it can flow more freely into the ocean, contributing directly to sea level rise. While the precise balance of snowfall and melting remains uncertain, scientists agree that atmospheric rivers will play an increasingly important role in determining the future of the Antarctic ice sheet.

 

Studying atmospheric rivers in Antarctica is challenging due to the continent’s harsh conditions and remote location. Researchers rely on satellite data, weather models, and occasional field expeditions to track AR events and measure their effects on the ice sheet. Climate models suggest that atmospheric river activity will continue to intensify throughout the 21st century, but better forecasts and more detailed observations are needed to predict their long-term impact.

 

Understanding atmospheric rivers is not just an academic exercise — it is crucial for projecting future sea level rise. Antarctica holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by nearly 60 meters, and even small changes in its stability could have far-reaching consequences for coastal communities worldwide. By improving our knowledge of these powerful weather systems, we hope to refine sea level rise predictions and provide better guidance for policymakers preparing for a changing world.

 

In collaboration with several scientists from different global institutions, we published a review paper on atmospheric rivers in Antarctica. You can read it here.

 

Jade Sterling 
Science Writer

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Aerospace Systems Group and Manta Aircraft Win ‘Technology Innovation of the Year’ Award at Aviation Business Middle East 

 

Prime Aviation Business Award Recognizes Advances in Intelligent Flight Systems for Innovative Hybrid-Electric Aircraft  

 

Khalifa University and Manta Aircraft, in collaboration with Hayat, the UAE’s national organ and tissue donation program, were presented with the ‘Technology Innovation of the Year Award 2024’ by Aviation Business Middle East for advanced air mobility. 

 

The recognition highlights the development of the MANTA ANN aircraft platform, an optionally automated hybrid-electric Vertical and Short Take-Off and Landing V/STOL platform for mid to long-range missions, and infrastructure independent for regional air mobility and medical transportation. 

 

The collaboration between Khalifa University, Manta Aircraft, and Hayat aims to leverage hybrid-electric V/STOL solutions to enhance organ transportation, improve medical mission efficiency, and facilitate transportation of individuals in need of medical assistance. The partnership underscores the development of cutting-edge flight systems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), aligning with the UAE’s vision to excel in sustainable innovation across strategic sectors. 

 

Professor Roberto Sabatini, said: “This award highlights the remarkable synergy between academia and industry in driving technological breakthroughs. Together with Manta Aircraft and Hayat, we are redefining how advanced air mobility systems can support critical healthcare missions, ensuring safety, efficiency, and automation through pioneering AI-based solutions and HMI advancements. Khalifa University is proud to play a leading role in this transformative journey.” 

 

Lucas Marchesini, CEO, Manta Aircraft, said: “At Manta Aircraft, we are honored to receive this recognition alongside Khalifa University and Hayat. The UAE is at the forefront of advanced air mobility, and this award demonstrates the power of partnerships that combine academic excellence and industry innovation. We remain committed to shaping the future of sustainable aviation and medical logistics.” 

 

As part of the FALCON Flight Systems Research and Training Program, Khalifa University’s Aerospace Systems Group are working closely with Manta Aircraft on the design, development, test, and evaluation of innovative flight systems for the MANTA-ANN hybrid-electric V/STOL platform.  

 

In particular, the IAAS Group is developing innovative Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) systems, including cooperative and non-cooperative Sense-and-Avoid (SAA) capabilities and adaptive forms of Human-Machine Interface and Interactions (HMI2). 

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BubbleRAN and Khalifa University demonstrate SLM-Driven RAN Intelligence at MWC 2025 Barcelona

Automating telecom network operations with specialized language models for enhanced efficiency and performance  

 

BubbleRAN, a leader in intelligent network solutions, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s 6G Research Center, renowned for cutting-edge telecommunications research, today announced a pioneering collaboration to demonstrate SLM-driven RAN Intelligence at Mobile World Congress 2025 (Barcelona, March 03-06). This first-of-its-kind showcase will highlight how Small Language Models (SLMs) are redefining the role of GenAI in telecom network automation accelerating operations. This initiative is further strengthened by Finland Aalto University’s research expertise, contributing to advancements in AI-driven Telecommunications. 

 

The shift to SLMs: Smarter, Leaner AI for Telecom. 

 

While Large Language Models (LLMs) excel in general-purpose tasks, their computational demands and latency challenges limit their usage in telecom applications. BubbleRAN and Khalifa University’s solution leverages specialized SLMs (1–7 billion parameters) tailored for the telecom domain, delivering resource efficiency, domain expertise, real-time decision-making. 

 

Traditional AI tools struggle to contextualize the flood of data in modern networks. BubbleRAN Intelligent Telco Agent, powered by Khalifa University’s SLM technology, addresses this by automating troubleshooting, enabling proactive optimization, simplifying operations.  

 

Use Case in Action: 

Operator asks: “Why did throughput drop in Sector X?” 

Agent responds: Cross-references live data, pinpoints a misconfigured transmit power, and guides remediation – all in under 5 seconds. 

This effectively replaces the command-line interface (CLI) tools with intuitive, context-aware dialogue! 

 

“We are delighted to collaborate with BubbleRAN for this first-of-its-kind showcase at Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, the perfect platform for innovative technologies. Our initial pioneering work with Telecom doman specific LLM laid the foundations. Now, this joint demo on SLM-driven RAN intelligence represents the next big step—leveraging specialized, efficient models with reasoning capability to reshape the future of wireless communications with real-time adaptability and automation,” says Professor Merouane Debbah, Founder-Director, 6G Research Center, Khalifa University. 

 

Navid Nikaein, CEO of BubbleRAN, added, “Our Intelligent Telco Agent acts as a controlled autopilot – empowering operators with actionable insights while retaining human oversight. This is how we make 6G sustainable.” 

 

Unlike generic chatbots, BubbleRAN’s solution is tailored for telecom: it not only replies to generic questions about the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) stack or 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard but it also integrates live network data for real-time to answer specific questions related to the current network deployment, anomalies and how to troubleshoot or how to optimize the network, all in a form of actionable insights. The full demonstration will be displayed from 3 – 6 March 2025 at BubbleRAN stand (6E9) at MWC Barcelona 2025. 

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Khalifa University among Key Global Institutions Supporting New GSMA Group to Improve AI in Telecom

Khalifa University is among a few major global technology and research institutions that support Open-Telco LLM Benchmarks – a new community launched by mobile industry body GSMA that aims to improve the performance of AI models for telecom-specific applications.

 

The community is also supported by Hugging Face, and The Linux Foundation, along with a host of telecoms operators, including Deutsche Telekom, LG Uplus, SK Telecom, Turkcell, and telecom vendor Huawei.

 

The benchmark aims to provide an open-source evaluation framework to assess AI models in the telecom industry.

 

The framework will focus on real-world performance, and holistic AI assessment. In the UAE, Khalifa University already leads the committee established by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) to expedite adoption of 6G.

 

This committee also includes manufacturers, and telecom operators, and is expected to facilitate scientific studies, research, and the development of technical standards and specifications for 6G.

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His Highness Sheikh Hamed Inaugurates Khalifa University Research and Innovation Exhibition 2025   

 

Themed Demonstration Zones Showcase 31 Startups and Prowess in Bioprinting, Renewable Energy, Precision Medicine, and Advanced Technologies 

 

His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, today inaugurated the Khalifa University Research and Innovation Exhibition 2025, which featured more than 100 projects, as part of ‘UAE Innovates 2025.’  

 

His Highness Sheikh Hamed was accompanied by H.E. Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, H.E. Sara Awadh Eisa Musallam, Member of the Executive Council, Chairperson of Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, Hassan Ahmed Al Hosani, CEO, Bayanat, H.E. Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, Major General Thani Butti Al Shamsi, Director of Saif Bin Zayed Academy for Police and Security Sciences, H.E. Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University,  and H.E. Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University. 

 

His Highness Sheikh Hamed was briefed about the innovative projects and technology solutions that were distributed across three zones such as research, industry applications, and startups under the Khalifa University Enterprises Company (KUEC), while attending a pitching session for a startup focusing on neuromorphic technology. 

 

Stakeholders from government, private sector, academic, industry, and international partners interacted with Khalifa University researchers at the three themed demonstration zones, with  projects including Lunar Rover, Kumrah AI, Emirati Reference Genome Project (ERGP), 6U CubeSat, Golde, Frugal 3D-Bioprinter, Biocatalysis on chip platform, Study of Polar Sea Ice, SAVE Software, and Graphene based hydrogen tank filament winding.     

 

Industry applications project themes covered Healthy Longevity, Energy Transition, Pervasive Digitalization, Sustainable Secure Society and Advanced Materials & Manufacturing/ Health. These included Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Food Pricing Dynamics, AgriTech 4 for viable and sustainable farming in the UAE, 3D Printed Solar Absorber, Vision-Based Flare Analytics, and The Biomedical Science Discovery (BISDI) Program.  

 

Also on display were Development of numerical tools for the origin and the magnitude of RADioactive release Identification (Rad-ID), a study on Towards Enhanced Nuclear Reactor Safety, LLMs for Utility Sector Customers & Anomaly Detection for Utility Meters, Mangrove-mimicked Solar Desalination Device, fast chargers for electric vehicles, The Cancer Multi-Omics Atlas: A Platform for Precision Oncology, and IgenRare: AI Assistant Tool for Rare Genetic Diseases for early diagnoses and management.  

 

For more details, visit: Ku.ac.ae/Innovation-Exhibition 

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Over 100 Top-of-the-Range Scientific Solutions Lined up for Khalifa University’s 2nd Annual ‘Research & Innovation Exhibition’ 2025

Focus on Key Aspects of Intellectual Capital – Commercialization, Collaboration and Entrepreneurship

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology has announced more than 100 top-of-the-range innovations will be showcased on 27 February 2025 at the second edition of Research and Innovation Exhibition 2025, which also coincides with the UAE’s Innovation Month. These innovations will beckon investors and industry leaders for their market potential and scalability, new technology, and alignment with the UAE’s vision for economic development. Open to the public, this year’s event reflects the role of Khalifa University as a leading research institution in the UAE for scientific exploration, innovation and commercialization.

 

The Research and Innovation Exhibition 2025 brings together industry partners and government stakeholders, while showcasing three key zones – Research projects, Industry applications and Startups. These zones will highlight live demonstrations of industry-relevant solutions, case studies showcasing industry collaborations, a networking area, projects being incubated at Khalifa University, as well as posters presented by students and researchers.

 

Visit Innovation Exhibition for more details. 

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UAE scientists’ role in astrophysics breakthrough highlights growing appeal of space sector

Khalifa University researchers part of a major international collaboration that has identified an ultra-high-energy particle called a neutrino

 

Khalifa University researchers are integral to a groundbreaking international collaboration that has identified an ultra-high-energy neutrino, a discovery that highlights the UAE’s growing influence in the global space sector. Using data from the Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope (KM3NeT) in the Mediterranean Sea, scientists have detected a neutrino with energy levels 30 times greater than any previously observed, as published in Nature. This discovery opens new avenues for studying the universe and understanding the propagation of ultra-high-energy rays. Khalifa University became a full member of the KM3NeT collaboration in 2021, with Dr. Satyendra Thoudam playing a key role in advancing research in astrophysics. The UAE’s commitment to space exploration is further evidenced by projects like the Hope Mars orbiter, plans to explore the asteroid belt, and aspirations to land an Emirati on the Moon. Emirati PhD student Abdulrahman Alhebsi exemplifies the new wave of talent in this field, engaging in complex data analysis under the guidance of Dr. Thoudam and Dr. Arjen van Vliet. The UAE’s burgeoning interest in space research is mirrored by the expansion of its commercial space sector, aligning with global players like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

 

Source: Thenationalnews.com

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Khalifa University Highlights AI’s Role in Education at UAE Forum

Khalifa University Highlights AI’s Role in Education at UAE Forum

 

His Excellency Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, emphasized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in education during a recent UAE forum. Addressing concerns about educators’ reluctance to adopt AI, he highlighted the importance of upskilling and establishing clear guidelines to maximize its benefits. As a leading institution in technological innovation, Khalifa University continues to champion AI-driven advancements, equipping students and faculty with the necessary tools to navigate the evolving academic landscape.

 

Source: Khaleejtimes.com