Remarkable Feat by Masdar Institute PhD Student Becomes Winner at Intel Business Challenge Middle East and North Africa 2013

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 15 July, 2013 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced that one of its PhD students has developed an integrated device that can turn a smartphone into a powerful multipurpose tool for engineers and scientists at a cost of only US$10.

The ‘UltraSmart’ project developed by Alaeddine Mokri, a PhD student and Research Assistant in the Inter-Disciplinary Doctoral Degree Program at Masdar Institute, has become one of the four winners in the Intel Business Challenge Middle East & North Africa 2013 regional finals ceremony held in Abu Dhabi on 23 June. The four winners will now compete at the Intel Global Challenge, to be held at UC Berkley in the Silicon Valley in October 2013 for a chance to win up to US$50,000.

The Masdar Institute entry representing the UAE competed against more than 700 projects presented by over 2,300 students and engineers from 14 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. A committee of business experts assessed the projects to shortlist the top 25 before selecting the four winners.

UltraSmart is a combination of a measuring device and a corresponding adapter. When used together with the appropriate smartphone application, UltraSmart will be able to be combined with any smartphone to enable new functions, demonstrating four innovative features. For example, the device will enable the smartphone to perform 3D scanning, as well as scanning of plots and charts to gather data. It can also be used to measure the distance, curvature, or the surface area of a given object. In addition, it can be used as a computer mouse with extra features that do not exist in standard computer control devices.

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “The UltraSmart project developed by Alaeddine Mokri showcases the capabilities of Masdar Institute’s students and faculty experts who equip them with knowledge. We will continue to empower young local, regional and international youth with the support of the country’s leadership. This smartphone device developed by Alaeddine is only one of his recent achievements and we congratulate our PhD student on his remarkable feat. We are confident he will achieve similar feats to become the pride of Masdar Institute and the UAE.”The integrated smartphone tool will also help developers of applications (for smartphones and tablets) to address the needs of scientists and engineers, especially in industrial design. They can take measurements and create drawings with their smartphones. The device can also prove fruitful to designers and manufacturers of solar cells, as well as applications specific to nanotechnology and nano-science. 

Alaeddine Mokri said: “I feel that I am paying back to a country that I deeply love and feel indebted to because now I will be representing the UAE in the Intel Global Business Challenge, where not many countries will be present. I also feel I have brought something new to the world and I am making some change, although little. Besides, I developed this device in Abu Dhabi with the knowledge that I acquired here, and tools that I bought here. Now I see it standing out in the Arab world and I will be competing at a global event. Now I  understand what they mean by Abu Dhabi’s ‘knowledge-based economy’ and I see it happening.”

The winning projects at the Intel Business Challenge Middle East & North Africa 2013 included Exa.IO – a cloud-based animation rendering system from Bahrain; Kashef – a landmine detection system from Egypt, EgTNS – a traffic management system from Egypt  and UltraSmart from Masdar Institute in the UAE.

In addition to the two U.S. patent applications, Alaeddine Mokri has several accomplishments to his credit. As a research associate recently, he was closely associated with NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, US, where he contributed to the ‘Phonesat’ project by identifying the best solar cells, in terms of both cost and performance, for use in small satellites. The project was selected among the top 100 technology projects in the ‘Best of What’s New’ Award by Popular Science magazine.

In November 2012, Mokri was named the ‘Solar Entrepreneur of the Year’ by Emirates Solar Industry Association (ESIA) for his pioneering research on designing novel solar power systems and the best ways to overcome challenges in operating and implementing solar power projects in the UAE.

Earlier, Mokri won an award in the at the ‘IEEE Made in UAE 2012’ competition for his sustainable wireless electric mobile phone charger that is more efficient and faster in charging a mobile phone battery.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

JICE Internship Takes Seven Emirati Students on Site Visits to Projects Incorporating Landmark Smart Grid, Solar Power and CCS Technologies

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 17 July, 2013 – Solar power, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and smart grids are no new terms to students of Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. However, what the select seven UAE national students in Japan are currently being exposed to could be positively termed ‘innovative sustainable technologies’.

The students from four Master’s programs are participating in an internship program coordinated by Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE). The second annual program that runs from 18 May – 19 July is supported by the Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Technology and Industry (METI).

Mohamed Al Musharrekh and Iman Ustadi are interning with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD, (MHI), while Abdulla Al Shammari is doing his internship at Chiyoda Corporation. JGC Corporation is hosting Jasem Al Hammadi and Majed Al Marzouqi, while Hitachi, Ltd., Infrastructure Systems Company has Hasan Alhashmi for the program. Ahmed Mukhayer is spending the summer interning with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

Iman Ustadi, Research Assistant in Engineering Systems and Management Program, interns with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD, (MHI). Ustadi said, “The experience is beneficial, offering me a profound exposure to the latest technologies in various sectors of energy, waste and renewables. We were also lucky enough to visit MHI’s power, CO2 and waste-to energy plants located at different prefectures in Japan.”

Ustadi’s internship on waste-to-energy includes lectures, visits to plants in different regions of Japan, in addition to some technical and informative discussions with experts in the field.

As part of the program, Majed Saeed Al Marzouqi visited a photovoltaic plant located in Oita City and the JGC laboratory located in Ueno City. As an intern, he is acquiring knowledge in the latest technologies in the fields of carbon capture, energy saving, and building of smart communities.

Al Marzouqi says: “I believe the internship will make a huge difference for me academically. I have learnt two new technologies – one used for CO2 capture and the other for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). JGC produces a new membrane for capturing CO2 called HiPACT, designed jointly with Germany’s BASF. The advantages include reduction in compression and capture of energy as well as drop in capture and compression costs. The reduction of CO2 recovery cost is estimated around 25%-35%. On the other hand, the JGC-designed parabolic trough technology for CSP (similar to Shams-1 in the UAE) uses a molten salt as cycle fluid due to the high capacity of temperature compared to other fluids such as oil or water.”

The latest technology in CO2 capture and storage as well as desalination process is the focus of Mohamed Al Musharrekh’s internship. He has already visited the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit in Hiroshima to see how compressors are manufactured. At the R&D center he learnt about the testing of the CO2 capture plant and related research. At the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Takasago R&D Center, he saw most of the research on developing the power plants.

Al Musharrekh said: “I learned about the latest technology that is being used in power plants as well as in shipbuilding and ocean development. At the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Nagasaki shipyard, I learnt about how huge oil and gas tankers are built. Later, I moved to another plant to see how boilers are made.”

Jasem Al Hammadi is working in energy monitoring and conservation through the Energy Management System (EMS) developed by JGC Corporation as part of developing smart communities. EMS is expected to allow every individual in the city to access their profile and be responsible in their consumption behavior. Also, it helps in managing the demand response of electricity through supplying electricity using batteries

Al Hammadi said: “We have visited the largest mega-solar plant in Japan, owned by JGC Corporation in Oita City, Kyushu. At the JGC Research and Development Center in Oaraim, Ibaraki Prefecture, we viewed the laboratories and learnt about the latest technologies. Our visit to Kamiooka area in Yokohama, where JGC’s BEM tests are conducted also proved worthwhile.”

Hasan Al Hashimi, a Research Assistant in Mechanical Engineering Program, interns at Hitachi. His work focuses on the process of producing bio-plastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA), from an R&D point of view. Bioplastics that are biodegradable such as PLA are becoming increasingly attractive to both consumers and producers as they offer new ways of recovery and recycling, saving on resources and offering the unique potential of carbon neutrality.

Al Hashimi said: “I was introduced to the CFD models, given part of the FORTRAN code and some tasks by my mentor for a parametric study at the Ikebokuro office. Now I am in the feasibility stage, where I am experimenting with a bench scale model at the Hitachi Research Laboratory.”

On completion of their internships, the seven Emirati students are set to bring these advanced technologies to the UAE for further development and enhancements.

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology is an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Collaboration to drive human capacity development in UAE’s industrial and manufacturing sectors

Abu Dhabi, 18 July 2013 – Tawazun Economic Council, which is mandated to oversee implementation of the UAE Tawazun Economic Program, and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, have jointly announced a collaborative research project focused on land systems and advanced materials.

In the presence of His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Masdar Institute, the collaboration agreement was signed today by H.E. Saif Mohamed Al Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer of the Tawazun Economic Council and Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute.

Following the signing, His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber, said: “Collaboration between the renewable energy industry and academia is crucial in strengthening the UAE’s competitiveness, especially across knowledge-led fields. We are confident that our partnership with Tawazun sets the foundation necessary to enable the UAE to develop and accelerate technologies for advanced defense and aerospace industries. This promotes human capital development efforts and supports economic growth, in line with the wise guidance of our leadership.”

H.E. Al Hajeri said: “We are delighted to enter into this collaboration agreement with Masdar Institute, which specializes in sustainable and advanced technology research.”

He added that the agreement bodes well for Tawazun Economic Council’s endeavors to contribute to driving and building capabilities in the industrial and advanced manufacturing sectors in the UAE, creating opportunities for UAE nationals in knowledge-intensive and high value-added projects as well as speeding up technology transfer.

He said, “We are confident that our collaboration will contribute significantly to the drive aimed at developing the UAE into a globally-recognized center of manufacturing excellence and we believe the scientific and research expertise of Masdar Institute will help us achieve this goal. We hope this agreement will pave the way for more collaboration in the future.”

Dr Moavenzadeh said: “The agreement with Tawazun Economic Council focusing on research related to land systems and advanced materials is the first project in a broader collaboration Masdar Institute is developing with Tawazun Economic Council. The collaboration reflects the support that our research focus areas receive while enabling knowledge and human capacity development in the country. We hope the outcome of this research collaboration will benefit both partners.”

Tawazun Economic Council was established in 1992 to oversee implementation of the UAE Tawazun Economic Program – with the purpose of generating economic and commercial value from defense procurement programs.

Over the years, the program has created sustainable businesses with international partners in various sectors. Recently, the focus has been concentrated on developing technology and advanced defense and aerospace industries to meet the country vision.
 
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges, such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

 

Assessment Report Calls for Clear Policy and Legal Framework in GCC Region to Ensure Sustainable Deployment of Renewable Energy Projects

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 25 July, 2013 – Clear policy and legal framework with a consistent strategy will ensure sustainable deployment of the renewable energy projects across the GCC region, according to a GCC-wide study that was released today.

Titled ‘Renewable Energy Readiness Assessment Report: The GCC Countries 2011-2012’, the report (2013-The EU-GCC-Report) suggests that initiatives undertaken so far in the GCC represent a proactive approach to addressing energy security and environmental issues at international, regional and national scales.

It reveals that most countries have not yet officially set their RE development targets and are yet to implement stable policies. The GCC has yet to come up with a consistent strategy for the region as well as individual national plans to achieve renewable energy technology (RET) deployment goals.

The report is an outcome of the collaboration between the GCC consortium on Clean Energy and the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network that aims to respond to the common interests of stakeholders in the GCC and the EU regions. 

Dr Scott Kennedy, Dean of Research, and Associate Professor – Engineering Systems and Management, Masdar Institute, said: “The report identifies areas that need to be strengthened and spells out measures to be implemented in the GCC region. Such a study offers an avenue for governments across the region to channel their resources and lay the foundations for large-scale deployment of renewable energy. We firmly believe the report will quicken the pace of clean technology adoption in the region.”

With a score of 4.75 out of 7, the UAE leads in the RE-readiness index with Saudi Arabia following closely with 4.60. The index shows that compared to the other GCC countries, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are more ready to integrate RETs for power generation. 

On the other hand, in the renewable resources category, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman have received RE-readiness scores of 5.6, 5.5, 5.3 and 5.2, respectively, because of their substantial solar and wind resources. The UAE and Saudi Arabia follow with a score of 4.7 and 4.55 respectively, due to lower wind resources.

Hamza Kazim, Vice-President, Operations & Finance, Masdar Institute, who additionally represents the research-based institution at the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network and the GCC at the GCC Consortium, said: “This collaborative study is a testament to the extent of synergy that could be achieved among researchers in the GCC. The GCC has succeeded in attracting top researchers to address regional challenges and drive innovation through offering practical solutions. We hope the report will incentivize clean energy projects in the GCC region.”

The RE-readiness assessment framework has been developed by identifying the dominant barriers and supporting mechanisms for the deployment of RETs and then creating quantitative factors to rate their intensity. It organizes the factors according to three pillars – infrastructure, institution and human capital. Each factor is assigned a weight and a score between 1 and 7, with 7 being the highest readiness.

Identifying country-wide gaps for development of RETs, the report emphasizes that the GCC region is in need of a strong innovation and R&D environment to support the diffusion of new technologies. 

Moreover, a prominent need for collaboration among the GCC energy research institutions and universities as well as international partners is identified. The report concludes by calling for sustained support from governments to overcome barriers to investment in renewable energy projects for power generation by minimizing energy subsidies and promoting RET investment.

While setting the GCC on a leadership path in renewable energy for sustainable development, these measures, if implemented, will benefit the GCC region encouraging the reduction of the domestic fossil fuel consumption and increasing oil and gas export revenue potential and preventing a near-term transition to the status of an energy importer.

The report aims to foster an understanding and development of RETs in the GCC countries, provide a wider introduction to energy and environmental issues, as well as develop a generic framework to assess RE-readiness of GCC countries as a case study. 

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Project to Help Forecast, Detect and Monitor Different Environmental Hazards in GCC Region’s Coastal Waters

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 11 August, 2013 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced the launch of a collaboration project with Bayanat for Mapping and Surveying Services, a Mubadala Company, to develop water quality monitoring tools in the Arabian Gulf using the satellite receiving station at the research-based institution.

The Ocean Color (OC) Research Group at the Earth Observation and Hydro-Climatology (EO-HC) Lab at Masdar Institute is leading this project with Bayanat, a specialist in the UAE’s geospatial sector. The OC Group, led by Dr. Hosni Ghedira and Dr. Taha Ouarda, presently includes a team of two post-doctoral researchers, an IT engineer, a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) developer, one field and lab engineer and three research assistants.

Mariam Rashed Al Shehhi and Muna Rashed Al Kaabi – UAE national doctorate students well-trained in satellite data collection and processing techniques –– are collecting measurements from the sea in order to conduct their experiment that relates to water quality assessment and monitoring. They are also involved in the lab analysis of these samples.

The OC Group is currently undertaking several research projects focusing on the development of new satellite-based tools to forecast, detect and monitor different environmental hazards in the UAE’s coastal areas and the Arabian Gulf region. The project also covers water turbidity mapping, red-tide detection monitoring and forecasting, oil spills detection and monitoring, in-house atmospheric correction algorithm adapted to the regional climate, impact assessment of the discharge of desalination plants on the coastal ecosystem of the UAE, as well as ocean circulation model for the Arabian Gulf.

Khaled AlMelhi, CEO of Bayanat for Mapping & Surveying Services, said: “Our collaboration aims to tap Masdar Institute’s expertise in developing new satellite-based tools to detect environmental hazards. We have provided the research team with a vessel to conduct sea cruises and deploy the instruments for measurements during the research project. We hope the synergy between the two organizations will bring benefits of the region.”

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “Our collaboration with Bayanat reflects the relevancy of our research efforts that aim to bring extraordinary value the region. With the guidance of the country’s leadership, we have established partnerships with government organizations to help the UAE and the GCC region tackle environmental hazards ahead of time. We believe this joint project will provide more productive tools that can be deployed by all the countries across the globe.”

Bayanat aims to provide both a strategic capability for the UAE and support both the government and commercial sectors with high quality national level geospatial products and services. Its team of geospatial services professionals specializes in ‘Data Acquisition, Processing and Analysis’, ‘Geospatial Data Visualization and Cartography’, and ‘GIS applications’ Development and Geospatial Consultancy’.

Dr Hosni Ghedira said: “This project is the first of its kind in the Gulf region and will provide information on marine resources management and sustainable development of the coastal and offshore zones. The tools we are developing can help Abu Dhabi reduce economic losses at fish farms by providing advanced warning of an upcoming ‘red tide’ so they can move their stocks and sensitive species. It will also save money for the government’s desalination plants by facilitating early closure before an algal bloom, thus preventing contamination damage to the plants. Advanced warning of bloom will also ensure that the water utilities will have time to make alternative solutions for customers before a desalination plant is closed.”

The EO-HC Lab has its own satellite receiving station getting real-time SEVIRI images from the European Satellite Meteosat (one image each 15 minutes) and MODIS (operated by NASA). This data is used by the OC team to derive real-time Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and other dust-related products for the water turbidity project. SEVIRI data is also used to improve atmospheric correction model implemented in the OC products.

The satellite station is also receiving higher resolution data from NASA’s MODIS satellite (twice daily). This data is also used to produce daily assessment of oil spills, Chlorophyll concentration, red-tide coverage and water turbidity. Historical scenes from the high-resolution Landsat satellite (30-m) are also used to improve oil spills product. Currently, the OC team is developing red tide forecasting tool by coupling daily chlorophyll maps with ocean circulation data derived from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM).

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
 

Week-Long Events Designed to Offer Holistic View of Masdar Institute Offerings

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 21 August, 2013 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced presentations on academic and research offerings as well as the cultural landmarks of the UAE will be some of the highlights at the Orientation Week for the newly enrolled fifth batch of students.

The five-day event for the students admitted to 2013-2014 academic year will be held from 25-29 August and include registration and distribution and an overview of housing and facilities. A welcome note by the President of Masdar Institute will mark the beginning of the week-long program that will be addressed by the Provost. The Dean of Student Affairs will speak about student life at the campus, while the Dean of Faculty will provide an overview of the research-based institution’s renowned faculty members. The Dean of Academic Programs will provide an introduction on graduate education and academic procedures.

Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “This year’s Orientation Week aims to offer an insight into the academic, research and outreach offerings for the benefit of the newly enrolled students. With the support of the UAE’s leadership, Masdar Institute has evolved into an internationally-recognized graduate-level institution, attracting students from across the world. We expect the new entrants to emulate their seniors and alumni in facilitating clean energy research that paves way for breakthrough innovations.”

Other key aspects of the program include video presentations on academic programs and research projects by individual faculty members and program heads, and information on student services, as well as a dedicated session titled ‘Masdar, Masdar Institute and Beyond’. An introduction by the Director of Library on the e-resources available at Masdar Institute will also be a key component of the event.

A presentation from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will inform the new students about scholarship options. Part of the effort to promote human capital development, a total of 20 highly-accomplished applicants is annually awarded IRENA scholarships at Masdar Institute, with the support of the UAE Government.

The IRENA scholars will also be able to attend an exclusive high-level lecture program, aimed at presenting the latest developments in the field of renewable energies.

A traditional annual visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – one of the major cultural landmarks in Abu Dhabi – will be the highlight of the program. Other places the students will visit will include the Heritage Village, Yas Island, and the Emirates Palace.

Dr. Nidal Hilal, Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “At Masdar Institute we encourage multi-disciplinary research, from fundamental research through to cutting edge industrial applications. We also promote trans-disciplinary research and collaboration with leading universities around the globe such as MIT. And by doing things differently; we are making a significant change. The five-day Orientation program will be an ideal opportunity for the new students to familiarize themselves with the academic environment and the cultural diversity at Masdar Institute that will lead to better understanding of the faculty and fellow students. We aim to smoothen the transition of students from diverse cultures into this research-based institution.”

In addition to academic life, there will be separate sessions covering career services, internships and alumni, Masdar Institute Ambassadors’ program, Student Government Association and various clubs, as well as a round-table for new and returning students. The individual events of the Orientation Week are designed to offer a holistic view of all Masdar Institute offerings to the new students.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Far-reaching Move Aims to Effectively Take Research-Based Institution to Next Phase of Growth

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 25 September, 2013 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced a far-reaching regrouping of the academic programs, laying the ground for its next stage of growth in the coming years.

The establishment of academic departments aims to enable Masdar Institute to deliver on its mandates of capacity building and knowledge generation to support Abu Dhabi’s strategic sectors as proposed by the emirate’s Vision 2030 Plan.

The four departments are the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Department of Engineering Systems and Management (ESM), Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) and the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (CEE).

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “The regrouping of the academic programs creates a very strong synergy amongst the programs, and new opportunities for interdisciplinary research.. The new structure will more effectively impart academic skills and expertise to graduate students in line with the knowledge-economy objectives as spelt out in the Vision 2030 plan by the country’s wise leadership. As Masdar Institute moves to its next phase of expansion and growth, we believe this new structure will provide an impetus in consistently achieving our academic goals.”

Dr Nidal Hilal, Acting Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “The rearrangement is basically a clustering effort to achieve our objective for a highly integrated multidisciplinary education and research. This will in no way result in any change to the programs currently offered for Master’s degree. The new departments will provide more effective leadership as there will be four Department Heads instead of nine program heads and these Heads are being given more responsibility for faculty development and evaluation under the leadership of the Dean of Faculty. Eventually, we hope to increase the total number of faculty to more than 120 over the next few years and the new structure will allow for more effective management of the faculty and the academic matters. .”

Fundamentally, the eight Master’s programs will remain the same within the new structure, but are grouped under four clusters. The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) to be headed by Dr. Hatem Zeineldin will include ‘Electrical Power’, ‘Microsystems’ and ‘Computing and Information Science’ programs, while the Department of Engineering Systems and Management (ESM) to be headed by Dr. Mohammad Omar will include ‘Engineering Systems and Management’ and a new program expected to be launched soon focusing on Sustainable Critical Infrastructure.

The ‘Mechanical Engineering’ and ‘Materials Science and Engineering’ programs will be brought under the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) that will be headed by Dr. Daniel Choi. At the same time, ‘Chemical Engineering’ and ‘Water and Environmental Engineering’ programs will come under the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (CEE) that will be led by Dr. Hosni Ghedira.

The four departments will integrate with the Institute research centers through appropriate councils and platforms. The integrated approach is expected to bring increased visibility to the Institute’s current areas of research strength and widen stakeholder engagement, while identifying and fostering new areas of research in core domains aligned with the UAE’s evolving research and human capital needs.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares Offers Masdar Institute Faculty and Students Insights into Sustainable Humanitarian Initiatives

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 12 September, 2013 – Global poverty would fall by 12% if all children in poor countries could read, and one extra year of schooling could increase an individual’s earnings by up to 10%, according to Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organization working to improve children’s access to quality primary education in developing countries.

Al Gurg’s comments came in a lecture which he delivered as part of Masdar Institute Lecture Series at the Masdar Institute Auditorium. Staff members, faculty and students attended the interview-style discussions to understand the effectiveness of Dubai Cares’ philanthropic programs that have gained prominence and acceptance at the highest levels in the United Nations for their impact, sustainability and scalability. The lecture was moderated by Dr Bruce Fergusson, Professor, Engineering Systems and Management.

According to UN statistics, there are 2.2 billion children in the world, of which 1.9 billion live in developing countries. Every second child, that is 1 billion, lives in poverty. Moreover, 1 billion people will still be living on less than $1.25 a day in 2015. If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty, resulting in a 12% cut in global poverty. Such statistics make philanthropic efforts by organizations such as Dubai Cares an even more daunting task.

Al Gurg said: “Around 57 million children around the world do not end up in school due to unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, poverty continues to claim the lives of 22,000 children under the age of 5 each day. In this context, our role as a philanthropic organization assumes great relevance. Wherever there is a relevant need across the world, Dubai Cares intervenes to offer support and assistance.”

Commending Masdar Institute for the research projects in the area of sustainability, Al Gurg pointed out that Dubai Cares shares common objectives with the research-based institution.

Al Gurg added: “Dubai Cares welcomes research projects that tackle challenges in providing water and energy sustainably to the community. These are the two basic necessities that people in some developing countries do not gain access to. We reach out to such communities, offering assistance and making a difference in their lives. At the same time, I firmly believe that the research efforts undertaken by Masdar Institute in sustainability and advanced technology will bring much more benefits to regions that still lack water and energy.”

In this context, and in order to renew and reinvigorate global commitments to education, the United Nations’ Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon launched the ‘Global Education First Initiative’ in September 2012, which aims to enroll every child in school, improve the quality of learning and foster global citizenship. Dubai Cares attended the launch of the global initiative during the week of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Ban Ki-Moon selected Dubai Cares to be a member in the Technical Advisory Group of the initiative. The launch was also attended by decision and policy makers, as well as representatives of UN agencies, NGOs, private foundations and member states.

“As a member of the Technical Advisory Group for the ‘Global Education First Initiative’, I believe this initiative has given all stakeholders renewed optimism as we work together to provide education for all in today’s knowledge-based global economy. For the next four years, Dubai Cares will be advocating for quality education and learning to become a primary focus on the agendas of local and national governments, as well as aid organizations worldwide,” Al Gurg concluded.

Since inception in September 2007, Dubai Cares has been reaching 8 million children in 31 developing countries. The organization has built and renovated over 1,500 classrooms, provided more than 1,000 water wells and potable water sources while constructing over 3,000 washrooms in schools. It has also provided nutritious food every day to more than 500,000 children in schools, offered training to over 23,000 teachers, while keeping more than 2.3 million children free from intestinal worms through its de-worming activities. Other assistance includes distributing over 2.1 million books written in local languages and establishing over 6,750 Parent-Teacher Associations.

As part of Masdar Institute Lecture Series, Masdar Institute invites experts and leaders from the government, industry and academia to share their knowledge and perspectives with the faculty and students. The Series reflects one of the key aspects of Masdar Institute’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s knowledge development efforts.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Research Projects Offer Scope for Major Innovation Push with Huge Economic Potential for Microelectronics in Semiconductor Industry

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 29 September, 2013 – Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, and Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden) in Saxony, Germany, today announced researchers from both institutions attended a workshop in Germany to assess progress to-date on research focusing on the development of the integration of chips in three-dimensional (3D) stacks.

The research is part of the Twin Labs project, backed by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) and Saxony.

A visit to the GlobalFoundries Material Analysis Laboratory marked the first day, which also witnessed discussions on the future of semiconductor technology. Presentations and poster sessions marked the second day of the joint workshop at TU Dresden in Germany.

Scientists of the ATIC Twin Labs are working on a 3D integration of several chips into a vertical stack – a research topic of high economic interest for the semiconductor industry as it is expected to be the next fundamental innovation push for microelectronics.

The 3D chip stacking offers one possible way of scaling up the performance of integrated circuits. Compared to the conventional 2D chips that need to be shrunk in size to pack as much as possible into a single layer, 3D chip stacking means thinning the chips and stacking them on top of each other to produce high-speed and multifunctional systems. A properly designed 3D stacked system can use as much as 70 per cent less power than a conventional chip while increasing the communication bandwidth among the chips.

Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said: “The ATIC Twin Labs project marks an important collaboration that has progressed well on both sides. The bi-annual meeting of researchers from Masdar Institute and TU Dresden ensures each side is informed of the progress, while charting future course of action. With the support of the UAE leadership, the collaboration has paved the way for inventions in computing technologies of the future. We hope the ATIC Twin Labs project will lead to true breakthrough innovations, bringing benefits to all stakeholders in the advancing semiconductor industry.”

Researchers from Abu Dhabi led by Dr. Ibrahim Elfadel, Professor of Microsystems Engineering at Masdar Institute, focus on ‘Three-dimensional integrated microelectronics for minimum energy design’ applied to a variety of design contexts like computing, communication, storage and sensing. The Saxon side of the ATIC Twin Labs works on the ‘3-D Chip Stack Intraconnects (3DCSI)’ project, which focuses on the three-dimensional integration of several chips into a vertical stack and the connection technology needed for the communication between different chip layers.

Dr. Gerhard Fettweis, Professor and Head of the Vodafone Chair Mobile Communications Systems at TU Dresden is one of the founders of the Twin Labs.

Dr Fettweis said: “As one of the first jointly established research projects of its kind, the ATIC Twin Labs has had a successful first phase. Researchers from both sides are working in partnership and closely together to establish a role model for other ATIC Twin Labs projects. As a first result, the two research institutions have developed simulation techniques and prototyping concepts, which build the basis for further development and optimization of highly efficient 3-D chip-stack intraconnects.”

Dr. Elfadel said: “The progress we have made so far has been actually in stacking. Our projects focus on advanced device, circuits, photonics and circuit design. Some of the progresses so far were presented at the International Conference on Design and Technology of Integrated System that was held from 26-28 March 2013 in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi side is focusing more on the energy efficiency side – reducing power consumption, and the TU Dresden is focusing on the interconnecting technology – exploring the advantages of 3-D integration. We aim to achieve more and are keen to publish the outcome in peer-reviewed journals in the coming months.”

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Agreement to Strengthen Human Capital Development and Enable Sharing of Knowledge, Expertise and Technology

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 20 October, 2013 – The Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), a leading government organization in the UAE providing a sustainable supply of water and power to support the growth of Abu Dhabi, and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced they have signed an agreement, officially expanding the strategic collaboration to jointly contribute to human capital development.

The agreement formalizes the terms and conditions upon which ADWEA Scholars will be sourced, admitted, supported, funded and supervised for post-graduate courses at Masdar Institute.

His Excellency Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, Director-General, ADWEA, was present at the signing ceremony. The agreement was signed by Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, and His Excellency Faris Obaid Al Dhaheri, Business Support Director, ADWEA.

Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh said: “We are delighted to enter into a scholarship agreement with ADWEA, one of our key stakeholders who collaborate with us in several research projects. The expertise offered by our globally-renowned faculty serves as the guiding force that enables students to work towards breakthrough innovations. With the support of the country’s leadership, we continue to strengthen our capabilities for providing higher learning opportunities, more importantly in energy and water-related research. We hope the program will prove to be immensely beneficial to UAE nationals within the ADWEA Group.”

His Excellency Faris Obaid Al Dhaheri said: “The scholarship agreement is designed to create learning opportunities for our national employees and enhance their skill set through post-graduate study, including Master’s and Doctoral programs. In addition to ADWEA Scholarship Program, we believe this agreement will further expand ADWEA’s contribution and commitment to human capital and knowledge development – one of the fundamentals of Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 plan.”

The ADWEA Scholarship Program recognizes the need to encourage UAE nationals to pursue postgraduate qualifications, with a special focus on water and power. It offers valuable opportunities for UAE national employees, directors and officers of the ADWEA Group to continue with their postgraduate qualifications.

Since its inception, a total of 425 students have benefited from the Scholarship program. ADWEA Group also grants tuition assistance and study leave to qualified employees in order to allow them to continue their educational pursuits while maintaining their present employment status. The current scholarship agreement with Masdar Institute aims to further widen the scope of opportunities available to the employees.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.

Masdar Institute faculty to participate in model design meetings at Africa Atlantic Franchise Farms near Lake Volta in Ghana from 30-31 October

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 07 October, 2013 – African Agribusiness Knowledge Centers (AAKC) is pleased to announce collaboration with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies of Abu Dhabi.

In association with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Harvard Kennedy School's Science, Technology, and Globalization Project, and Africa Atlantic Franchise Farms (a farm development business pioneering commercial farming on 25,927 acres (10,497 hectares) on Lake Volta in Ghana, West Africa), Masdar Institute will apply its expertise in renewable energy technology and innovative solutions to the mission of improving the skills and competitiveness of the African agricultural industry and its farmers at AAKC.

AAKC is pioneering ‘21st Century Model Agribusiness Economic Zones and Cities’ with faculty of the MIT School of Architecture and Urban Planning to design fully integrated rural African communities built around sustainable agribusiness. Faculty and students of Masdar Institute will collaborate in these model designs by focusing on renewable and hybrid energy grids, which can later be incorporated into courses aimed at building knowledge of renewable energy applications in Africa.

Masdar Institute faculty will participate in model design meetings from 30-31 October at Africa Atlantic Franchise Farms on the shores of Lake Volta in Ghana, West Africa.

“We are delighted to team-up with Masdar Institute,” said Issa Baluch, Chairman of AAKC and Africa Atlantic Holdings, and alumni senior fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative of Harvard University. “The future of agribusiness in Africa requires rural energy solutions. Masdar Institute is the pioneer, and their contribution to these models is crucial.”

AAKC's diverse agribusiness educational programming will range from residency curriculums that integrate classroom study with outdoor field-work practice, to five-day global executive seminars, to youth school micro-farms. AAKC will teach best practices and will introduce graduates to techniques, technology, and the vendors supporting Africa's farming industry. And AAKC will educate professional farmers, farm or cooperative managers, industry executives, government officials, and youth populations. Agribusiness vendors from all points along the value-chain such as those selling crop inputs, farming tractors, irrigation, finance, renewable energies, transportation, logistics, crop insurance, and wholesale commodity buyers will all benefit from introducing and training students on their respective equipment and services all from one location.

Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.

Established as an on-going collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow.  With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.