A Khalifa University student team came first at the recent 2016 Gulf Programming Contest (GPC) held in Kuwait. The regional contest attracted around 29 teams from across the Middle East who raced against each other in a difficult real-time problem solving competition.

The team calling themselves the “Travelling Salesmen” consisted of senior students Ahmed Talal Mohamed Ahmed Suliman Khaled Al Kaabi Sultan Alqubaisi and Abdulrahim Naser Eddin. The team worked together to solve several complex real-world problems within a grueling five-hour deadline. The teams used a single computer and raced against the clock in a battle of logic strategy and mental endurance. The questions required the team to use C++ or JAVA to solve problems involving the sorting and sequencing of numbers and other problem solving questions. The Khalifa University won by solving the most problems in the fewest attempts in the least cumulative time.

“We’re very pleased with our teams win at this exciting contest ” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Khalifa University’s Executive Vice President. “The GPC is a challenging competition and it is a testament to the skills and knowledge of our students and their teachers that our team was able to win. Khalifa University believes that it’s extremely important for our students to compete in contests like this one because in addition to providing a venue for them to meet with peers from around the region it gives them a taste of real world challenges that they will eventually face in their careers. We believe that competition is part of a well-rounded education and we encourage our students to engage in these types of challenges whenever they can.”

GPC 2016 offered students majoring in computer science computer engineering management information systems information technology and other IT related subjects an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in programming and problem solving while meeting with other students from around the Gulf.

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi Minister of Education for the UAE Khalifa University in cooperation with the Etisalat BT Innovation Center (EBTIC) will host an international engineering education conference from April 10-13 at the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi. The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers Global Engineering Education Conference (IEEE EDUCON) is a major international conference that focuses on innovating education for students in engineering and the sciences speakers and participants will attend from around the world. The event sees the participation of experts in engineering education and researchers from 40 countries with over 190 papers submitted to the conference.

One of the major focuses on the conference will be the use of technology to improve teaching methods. Dr. Hend Al Khalifa from King Saud University in Saudi Arabia will present a paper on the use of mobile app technology and a summer workshop in order to interest high school females in the world of computer programming. On a similar note Dr. Hassan Al-Muhairi from Khalifa University will discuss ways to improve the teaching of Computer Science in UAE secondary schools through the use of up to date technologies and teaching methods.

In addition the teaching of entrepreneurship and other ‘soft skills’ such as business finance social skills etc. as a method of improving engineering education will be discussed. Particularly Dr. Hisham Alnajjar from the University of Hartford in the USA will explore the impact of ‘soft skills’ courses on students studying the sciences.

Keynote speakers for the event include Dr. Vincent P. Manno Provost and Dean of Faculty for F.W. Olin College of Engineering in Boston USA. Dr. Manno will deliver a speech entitled: “Rethinking Foundational Engineering Education – It Is More Than the Curriculum.” Dr. Tod Laursen President of Khalifa University and Dr. Christian M. Stracke Associate Professor at the Open University of The Netherlands who will speak about “Open Learning for Smart Education: Open educational policies strategies and access for all.”

“This conference will address engineering education from an innovative standpoint and aim to encourage and create new best practices that can be applied to current teaching methods ” said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla Khalifa University’s Senior Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “It promises to be quite pioneering in its approach and educators and students will certainly benefit from the topics being discussed and the research forwarded not to mention the opportunity to meet with international peers and top academics. Khalifa University prides itself in providing excellent engineering education we believe that hosting major international conferences like this one are important to the development of a high quality education at our University and the UAE as a whole.”

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Khalifa University and the Global Education Energy Environment (Global EEE) in cooperation with Launchpad launched the Global Hybrid Electric Car Challenge today at the Al Forsan International Resort in Abu Dhabi today with car inspections and qualifying runs for the seventeen competing teams.

Student teams from universities in the UAE Egypt Kuwait and Qatar will race each other in this unique challenge which is open to both engineering and business students in two Grand Prix races. The first Grand Prix scheduled to take place on April 8th will require teams to complete a course entirely powered by electricity. The second Grand Prix which takes place on April 9th will allow teams to supplement their batteries with some petrol in order to complete the course.

This challenging event will require teams to make tough decisions regarding the design and efficiency of their vehicles. For example during the second race teams may opt to carry generators in their vehicles and supplement the battery energy while moving or retain the generators at their pit stops and only charge when they pull over. Both choices have distinct advantages and disadvantages and each decision will impact performance.

To build their cars each team was provided with a basic kit comprised of all of the necessary components including the chassis outer shell canopy motor controller and batteries. However a significant amount of engineering ingenuity is required to determine the best way to integrate these components in order to achieve the highest reliability and efficiency possible. The goal is to encourage these engineering students to innovate and experiment with different technologies.

“On behalf of Global EEE our officials technical inspectors judges and volunteers it is my pleasure to join Launchpad and Khalifa University to welcome all the participants and guests to this competition in Abu Dhabi ” commented Mr. William Elliott III the Race Technical Director. “This event is a clear reflection of the vision and commitment of the government of the UAE to promote education energy efficiency and environmental consciousness. Equally the dedication of the students and faculty members from the participating MENA institutions of higher education provides optimism about the future of the region and the next generation of leaders.”

“Khalifa University is pleased to be a part of this exciting event ” said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla Senior Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies. “As a hub for research and innovation in the region we are keenly interested in working with international agencies in order to bring interesting and engaging competitions to the Middle East especially if those competitions encourage innovation in vital areas such as building sustainable vehicles. Khalifa University strongly believes in encouraging its students to participate in events like this because of the opportunity for innovation they offer. In addition the chance to meet with peers from around the region is a priceless opportunity as is the prospect of learning from them by witnessing their inventions and designs.”

“As a platform dedicated to sustainable economic and human capital development Launchpad is committed to raising awareness to promote science and technology in the UAE ” commented Dr. Fahad Almaskari Event Director for the GHEC Challenge in Abu Dhabi. “Supporting students to develop solutions for the next generation of electric cars is an exciting opportunity to not only build innovation capacity across the Middle East but also to invest in a sustainable future for our youth.”

Following the two Grand Prix races students will receive awards granted by a panel of distinguished judges and experts for Fastest Qualifying Time Technical Innovation Best Presentation Sportsmanship Team Safety WiSE (Women in Science & Engineering) Female Engineer Vehicle Graphics Design Vehicle Workmanship Best Photo and Best Video in addition to prizes for the top three finishing places and the overall challenge winner.

Attendees can expect to see activity all weekend as students diligently build and improve their cars leading up to the final Grand Prix event. For more information on the teams and agenda visit http://uae.globalhechallenge.org

Under the patronage of H.E. Eng. Hussain I. Al Hammadi Minister of Education for the UAE and organized by Khalifa University and the Etisalat BT Innovation Center (EBTIC) IEEE EDUCON 2016 began today at the Dusit Thani hotel Abu Dhabi. This innovative conference explores issues and ideas associated with teaching engineering at both the post-secondary level and for K-12.

The first day of the conference was attended by H.E. the Minister of Education Dr. Tod Laursen Khalifa University’s President and members of Khalifa University’s senior management. The conference began with a welcome from Dr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al Mualla Senior Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies at Khalifa University and Co-Chair for the conference followed by a keynote address given by Dr. Vincent P. Manno Provost and Dean of Faculty for F.W. Olin College of Engineering in Boston USA on “Rethinking Foundational Engineering Education – It Is More Than the Curriculum” Dr. Tod Laursen President of Khalifa University and Dr. Christian M. Stracke Associate Professor at the Open University of The Netherlands who will speak about “Open Learning for Smart Education: Open educational policies strategies and access for all.”

There was also a panel discussion on the use of software for mathematical computation featuring panelists from the United States Italy India and Spain.

“This international conference will certainly get to the heart of current issues and innovations surrounding engineering education ” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Khalifa University’s Executive Vice President. “Khalifa University is proud to be involved as we believe that this conference will have a direct effect on the way science technology engineering and mathematics is taught in the UAE. Science technology and mathematics is at the heart of all of the goals set by our wise leadership as innovation and practical know how is how we will build our economy and continue to create a sustainable job market and future for our people. Conferences like this one are vital to the future of our students as UAE industry leaders as they allow us to pioneer creative educational programs that will capture the imagination and talent of the youth.”

He also said: “Khalifa University is committed to education excellence when teaching engineering and attracting these types of prestigious international conferences and quality speakers in the field of engineering education is how we support the government’s vision to excel in the STEM fields as well as Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s vision for the future.”

The first day of the conference also consisted of paper presentations by academics from around the world. Paper topics included an exploration on overcoming the challenges in science technology engineering and mathematics education for grades K-12 by Khalifa University researchers Sohailah Alyammahi Rachad Zaki Hassan Barada and Yousof Al Hammadi. Other papers focused on designing virtual world educational applications and software aided robotics education.

In addition to the paper presentations students from Khalifa University’s Entrepreneurship class were on hand to showcase their recent projects. As part of the innovative course which is designed to teach engineering students about marketing business and how to create start-ups the students were required to come up with an idea for a product and develop a well-rounded presentation in order to sell their ideas to potential investors.

The conference continues at the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi until Wednesday April 13 2016.

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Khalifa University has launched its first ever blog writing contest in a bid to encourage students to write for the institution’s community blog #tag. 

Students are being encouraged to submit a 500-word blog post on their favourite topic as part of the contest which is running until 5 June. 

The competition is a good opportunity for students to showcase their creativity compete against other students and stand a chance of winning one of three prizes – the first second and third prizes. 

All suitable blog posts will also be published on #tag with the winning three entries being published first. 

Students are strongly encouraged to read the comprehensive rules before beginning to write. The deadline for entries is 5 June and entries should be submitted to Laura Johnson via email. 

 

 

Khalifa University concluded yesterday the fifth annual Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) Symposium with the graduation of 21 new fellows as well as the signing of an important memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Khalifa University Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University’s Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute.

The new MOU represents the continuation of collaboration between the organizations whose joint efforts have seen 99 GNEII fellows from the UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar Kuwait and Jordan graduate from the program since 2011 with a deep understanding of nuclear safeguards security and safety.

The agreement between Khalifa University Sandia and Texas A&M will see the sharing of expertise in nuclear energy systems and programs radiation and environmental modelling nuclear energy infrastructure development nuclear security nuclear safety and security curriculum development and information on nuclear infrastructure development in the Gulf/Middle East.

The graduation was witnessed by His Excellency Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi The permanent representative of the UAE to the IAEA Her Excellency Barbara Leaf United States Ambassador to the UAE Anne Harrington Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation for the US National Nuclear Security Administration in addition to Dr. Tod Laursen Khalifa University’s President and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Khalifa University’s Executive Vice President.

The symposium also acted as an opportunity for graduating fellows who work at Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority (CICPA) and other industry-related organizations to share their research results and network with experts from around the world. Some of the research shared included an evaluation of cosmic rays doses in the UAE the neutron activation of living insects for safety and security applications and an investigation into the possible impact of linguistic diversity at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.

“We are pleased with the success of the GNEII program over the past five years and we are looking forward to entering the second stage of collaboration with our partners Sandia and Texas A&M ” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Executive Vice President of Khalifa University and Chairman of the GNEII Steering Committee. “I’m confident that this innovative program will continue to grow and attract the brightest minds in nuclear engineering from around the region and the world while supporting the countries goals for safe and secure nuclear energy in the UAE. Khalifa University is dedicated to ensuring that our wise leaderships vision for sustainable energy is achieved and GNEII is part of that commitment.”

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Khalifa University freshman students have been showcasing their design projects at the Abu Dhabi campus today.

Working in teams the students have built a variety of useful tools including drones fire-fighting robots cooling tents and wireless speakers. Students also programmed educational games about UAE culture and created apps that close and shut garage doors on command among others.

The students showed their work to an attentive crowd of students faculty and staff members demonstrating the finished products and displaying posters describing their methodologies.

The projects are the culmination of a year’s work and form a strong basis for the more complex and difficult projects that students typically undertake in their sophomore and senior years.

You can find out more about what’s involved in our undergraduate programs here.

In aid of the Syrian Refugee Project Khalifa University’s Hope Club has been very busy over the last month organizing a movie night and a bake sale to raise material donations to be shipped to those affected by the war in Syria. The Hope Club which is supervised by Dr. Katherine Hall were thrilled to receive a great deal of clothes and other necessary items to send to those in need.

The bake sale was also able to raise monetary funds of over two thousand dirhams which was used to buy much needed necessitates for those affected by the ongoing Syrian conflict. Specifically the money was used to buy ladies’ and children’s items.

This marks another successful project for the Hope Club who have been very active in the past collecting books for a school in Bangladesh and creating gift boxes for laborers in the UAE. A representative from the Emirates Red Crescent came in person to collect the donations and thank the students.

 

Khalifa University recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Borouge Private Limited on student internships and joint research projects. The MOU was signed by Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Khalifa University’s Executive Vice President and Mr. Ahmed Al Shamsi Senior Vice President Borouge’s Global Supply Chain Management. The signing was attended by Dr. Tod Laursen Khalifa University’s President Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla Khalifa University’s Senior Vice President for Research and Higher Studies and other senior management members from both the University and Borouge.

The MOU will provide for collaboration between Borouge and the University on supply chain issues and innovation in the field of polymer science. Particularly it will see Khalifa University students from the Industrial and Systems Engineering program intern at Borouge and receive sponsorship to attend conferences. Other plans for collaboration include joint research project possible labs or research centers as well as the organization of forums conferences and exhibitions.

“This MOU is of particular benefit to our Industrial and Systems Engineering students who are focused on contributing to building better enterprises societies and economies ” said Dr. Arif. “The chance to help a major industrial organization like Borouge tackle real life issues is a fantastic opportunity and one that will benefit them in their careers and education. Our students are innovators and problem solvers and I have no doubt that this cooperation will lead to some incredible outcomes that will undoubtedly benefit Borouge for years to come.”

Borouge is a leading provider of innovative value creating plastics solutions. A joint venture between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) one of the world’s major oil and gas companies and Austria based Borealis a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions.

Khalifa University’s BSc in Industrial and Systems Engineering offers students a high quality education in the development improvement and implementation of integrated systems as well as the mathematical physical and social sciences together with the principles and methods of engineering design to specify predict and evaluate industrial systems or processes.

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Khalifa University organized six challenging competitions as part of EmiratesSkills 2016. The Emirates Technology and Innovation Competition (ETIC) takes place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) from May 10 to 12. This is the fourth year that the University organizes the challenging contests which pit student teams against each other in a series of exciting tests in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

Categories this year include: Computer Programming Cyber Security Mobile Application Programming Game Development Drones: Build and Fly and Electronics: Design and Build. Generally the competitions require students to work as a team to solve complex problems or to design and build working prototypes over two days.

ETIC 2016 is a great opportunity for UAE national students to measure their skills against their peers from other institutions while acquiring valuable skills and experience compete for prizes and engage potential employers. Most of all ETIC is a fun way for students to express their knowledge and abilities in their areas of expertise.

“ETIC is certainly one of the most exciting events we organize every year ” says Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi. “Which is why our participation has grown from organizing two events to six. As the need for science and technology expertise in the UAE grows we are rising to the challenge by engaging youth and showing them how interesting and motivating a career in the sciences can be. It’s great to see these young men and women challenging themselves and inspiring to see how they surpass our expectations. Khalifa University is dedicated to providing the UAE with the top quality human capital needed to spur the knowledge economy and lead industry and inciting a love of science and technology in our youth through fun challenges and competitions is one of the ways we’re doing this.”

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

 

Khalifa University’s PhD researchers Dr. Hassan Jishi and Dr. Yarjan Abdul Samad have been hard at work on their thesis research which involved the creation and use of complex materials the applications of which have the potential to benefit the aerospace and healthcare industries in the UAE and beyond.

Dr. Hassan Jishi researched new materials that are both lighter and stronger than the metal structures currently being used in aircraft design. Focused on “Advanced High-Performance Composite Core Materials for Aerospace Applications” Dr. Jishi’s research looked into interweaving panels made of fiber and resin that can be used to create parts for airplanes or other vehicles in place of metal.

Specifically Dr. Jishi focused on the material’s characteristics and the development of suitable manufacturing methods so that they can begin to be used in future aircraft design. Plane manufacturers can lower costs and increase safety by creating lighter and stronger planes made from a more cost-efficient material.

Dr. Samad’s research would have groundbreaking applications to the healthcare field which could use the devices designed with the material to monitor patient’s cardiovascular health due to high obesity and Type II Diabetes rates. He explored the use of a complex material known as graphene specifically when it is transformed into a foam and its use as a textile such as a shirt or wristband which can monitor a wearer’s heart rate and blood pressure.

His thesis was titled “Three Dimensional Graphene Foam: The Status Quo and the Impending States and Applications”. Graphene is one of the most extraordinary elements in existence right now it’s about 200 times stronger than steel by weight and conducts heat and electricity incredibly efficiently in addition to being nearly transparent.

“The first graduates of any program represent a milestone for the institution and certainly this is the case for Khalifa University ” said Dr. Tod Laursen President of Khalifa University. “When we established our PhD programs it was with the aim of attracting some of the brightest minds in the region and educating the next generation of industry and academic leaders. Our PhD’s will undoubtedly go on to produce groundbreaking research shape young minds and contribute to the technological growth of the nation and the region. We are immensely proud to have achieved this milestone and look forward to the next batch of accomplished doctors we produce.”

“Khalifa University launched its PhD programs in 2009 with the aim of offering bright and talented researchers and professionals in the UAE and the region a high quality innovation focused education and the chance to work with some of the world’s top minds on groundbreaking research ” said Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mualla Senior Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies. “Our PhD students benefit from the opportunity to receive one on one attention from our faculty and access to high tech equipment and opportunities to attend conferences and workshops with peers and academic leaders around the world. It’s truly a unique program and one we are very proud of.”

Dr. Jishi and Dr. Samad are the first graduates from their respective programs Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. In addition Dr. Jishi has had his research published twice in major journals: Materials & Design and Polymer Composites while Dr. Samad has had over 20 papers on the material published in prestigious journals.

Khalifa University currently operates the Aerospace Research and Innovation Center (ARIC) which in cooperation with Mubadala and Strata seeks to develop new technologies and manufacturing techniques for the Aerospace industry.

Khalifa University currently offers PhD’s in Engineering with options to specialize in Electrical and Computer Mechanical Aerospace Nuclear Biomedical or Robotics Engineering.

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة

Khalifa University students dominated the Information Technology and Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechanical Engineering categories of the recent Undergraduate Student Research Competition (UGSRC) 2016 which was held recently at Abu Dhabi University under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan UAE’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.  The students walked away with one first place win and four-second place wins.

The winning students competed against 250 of their peers from around the country and presented their research projects to a panel of judges made up of local scientists engineers and professionals from higher education.

Mohammad Al-Sharid and Mohammad Jassem came first in the Information Technology and Computer Engineering Competition for their project titled “Sentiment Analysis of UAE Social Media Students.” Fellow student Dana Bazazeh took second place in the same competition for her research on “Machine Learning in Bioinformatics: Cancer Diagnosis Progression and Prediction”

In the Electrical and Electronic Engineering category the University tied for second place with projects by Huda B. Abualola and Ilhaam Aziz Omar who developed a “Secured and Robust Communication System using Simple Signal Processing” and worked on the “Development of Microscale HfO2-x Memristors via a Sol-Gel Drop Coating Technique” respectively. Both projects have important applications in the development of computer and SMART phone technologies.

In the mechanical engineering category students Senamees Sad Taleb and Omar Hussain came second with a project on developing anti-radar fabric using a graphene coating.

“We’re very proud of our students’ accomplishments in competitions such as this and in the passion and dedication they show in the pursuit of their studies and research ” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Executive Vice President of Khalifa University. “I’m always impressed by their accomplishments and achievements like these exemplify Khalifa University’s dedication to and success in providing a high quality education that enables our students to excel. Our students have always proved to be the most distinguished among their peers from other universities by claiming top places in local regional and international competitions”

He also said: “Khalifa University strives to ensure that our students have access to the knowledge technology and opportunities they need to be successful industry leaders. The University provides them with a world-class education delivered by accomplished faculty access to cutting-edge research centers and facilities opportunities to participate in competitions and to travel the world for internships and activities at leading organizations.”

Download Official KU Press Release – English

للمشاھدة والتنزیل باللغة العربیة