Professor Roberto Sabatini, Director of FALCON Program, Recognized for Leadership in Digital Avionics for Sustainability and Trusted Autonomy.

 

Khalifa University Professor Roberto Sabatini, Director, FALCON Program, Aerospace Engineering, has been elevated to the prestigious rank of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow, the highest professional honor awarded to only 0.1% of IEEE members annually.

 

Professor Sabatini is recognized for his ‘leadership in digital avionics for sustainability and trusted autonomy’, according to the IEEE citation. As IEEE Fellow, he will also serve his third consecutive term as Vice-President of Technical Operations for the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS).

 

IEEE is the world’s largest professional engineering organization with over 500,000 members across more than 160 countries. Guided by its mission, ‘Advancing Technology for Humanity’.

 

Prof. Sabatini, who has over three decades of global experience in aerospace, defense, and geospatial systems, is a founding Co-Editor of the IEEE Press Series on Aeronautics and Astronautics Systems, Editor for Progress in Aerospace Sciences, and Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, Robotica, the Journal of Navigation, and Aerospace Science and Technology. 

 

Since joining Khalifa University in 2021, Prof. Sabatini has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have significantly enhanced the University’s reputation as a global leader in aerospace research and education. Under him, Khalifa University established the Aerospace Systems Research Group (ASRG) and the Guidance, Navigation, and Control Laboratory (GNC Lab), pivotal research hubs driving advancements in sustainable aviation, unmanned systems, and intelligent aerospace technologies.

 

In 2022, Prof. Sabatini was appointed Chair of the Aerospace Research Strategy Committee, where he fostered collaborations with national and international stakeholders to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of the UAE’s aviation and aerospace industries. He currently leads Khalifa University’s FALCON Program, which focuses on transformative areas such as trusted autonomous flight systems, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), and integrated air and space traffic management solutions.

 

Prof. Sabatini’s innovative solutions in fault-tolerant avionics, trusted autonomous flight, and cognitive human-machine systems have cemented his position among leading researchers in aerospace systems. His work aligns with the UAE’s national focus on pioneering advancements in sustainable aviation technologies, advanced air mobility, and commercial spaceflight.

 

Prof. Sabatini said: “The future lies in our ability to prepare a new generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators. By equipping them with deep domain expertise, interdisciplinary knowledge, and a global mindset, we are building the leaders and pioneers of tomorrow. These recognitions motivate me to continue working towards creating aerospace technologies that transform mobility, connectivity, and sustainability,” he shared. At Khalifa University, I have found a supportive and dynamic environment, as we are able to perform groundbreaking research and champion industry-focused training and innovation initiatives that align with the UAE’s vision for a knowledge-based economy and a sustainable future.”

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist 

 

GAUC Delegation Shows Keen Interest in Highlighting Roof-Top Off-Grid, Entirely Solar-Powered Water-from-Air System at Global Forums

 

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced The Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC), an elite group of top universities, has commended the University’s sustainable development activities in research and innovation, student experience, outreach engagement, and institutional effectiveness and infrastructure.

 

A high-level GAUC delegation led by Dr. Jian Zhang, Deputy Secretary-General, was received by Khalifa University President His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri at the University’s Main Campus. The GAUC was formed in January 2019 during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, with eight elite universities. H.E. Prof Al Hajri also chairs the leadership group of the Khalifa University Sustainability Task Force.

 

H.E. Prof  Al Hajri said: “We are pleased that Khalifa University’s accomplishments toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been acknowledged by the world’s elite university alliance, as we welcome Dr. Zhang to our campus and take a close look at many of our research innovations. Universities play a critical role in driving climate action and enhancing sustainability on campuses and in communities. Khalifa University understands its obligations and in line with the UAE’s Net Zero objectives, has implemented a sustainability policy that emphasizes efficiency and integrity, while ensuring consistency with the strategic priorities.”

 

Dr. Zhang said: “I am impressed by Khalifa University’s vision and the leadership’s dedication to sustainability. I am pleased to see that the university has achieved greatly in building a more climate resilient future through developing and implementing sustainable technologies, supporting youth engagement and educating leaders of tomorrow, convening communities and promoting partnerships, and advocating for climate action. Through my four-day in-depth visit, I am convinced that Khalifa University is at the forefront of addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing the world.”

 

Accompanied by Professor Samuel Mao, Co-Chair, UAE Universities Climate Network, and Director, ASPIRE Research Institute of Sustainability, the GAUC delegation met with Dr. Ashraf Al-Najdawi, Vice-President for External Relations and Chief of Staff, Khalifa University. During the meeting, Dr. Al-Najdawi highlighted the broad spectrum of Khalifa University’s academic and industrial partnerships and explored strategic collaboration opportunities with GAUC members, as well as Khalifa University’s potential contributions to GAUC’s initiatives. Later, the GAUC delegation examined the sustainable practices throughout the campus buildings, such as the installation of energy efficient LED lighting and elimination of plastic water bottles. Dr. Zhang expressed a strong interest in the roof-top off-grid, entirely solar-powered water-from-air system, capable of producing fresh water from air moisture round the clock.

 

Dr. Zhang recommended that Khalifa University should consider presenting this demonstrated sustainable water technology to global higher education institutions that might generate significant interest because of the global water crisis caused by population growth, climate change, pollution, and inadequate infrastructure.

 

Dr. Zhang also gained the first-hand knowledge of sustainable technology innovations from Khalifa University’s Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and Hydrogen (RICH), and the ASPIRE Research Institute of Sustainability (ARI), where he met RICH Director Professor Lourdes Vega and Professor Samuel Mao. He also met Assistant Professor Dr. Diana Francis and Associate Professor Dr. Aisha Alsuwaidi, Khalifa University’s polar science experts and faculty members of the Earth Science Department, who introduced the research of the cryosphere where climate change-induced ice melting causes sea level rise that directly threatens the communities of the GCC region.

 

Dr. Mao said: “Through the University Sustainability Task Force, Khalifa University has adopted climate action strategies, such as renewable energy, water conservation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction, by engaging faculty, staff, and students in a sustainable campus community. Khalifa University has integrated sustainability into curricula, research, and every corner of the operations. In addition, through its leadership in UAE Universities Climate Network, Khalifa University is fostering strong collaborations among national and global universities on various issues of sustainable development.”

 

Dr. Zhang also engaged Nasser Almemari, Director, Student Life, and several leaders of Khalifa University student clubs that focus on sustainability and climate action. Khalifa University provides a vibrant student life, where many student clubs offer opportunities for students to take action on climate change. Recognizing climate change as one of the greatest threats to the future quality of life, Khalifa University’s students work closely with faculty and staff, organizing sustainability-themed activities that provide, for example, real-life project experience and technical skills and international mindset for a greener future.

 

The founding members of GAUC include elite universities such as the University of California at Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, Australian National University, University of Tokyo, and Tsinghua University. GAUC’s mission is to advance climate change solutions through research, education, and public outreach, and to partner with industry, non-profit and government organizations to promote rapid implementation from local to global scales. GAUC has been actively promoting exchange and cooperation among member universities and providing leadership of global higher education efforts addressing climate change.

 

Adopted by United Nations Member States in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity, while protecting the environment. Higher education institutions remain a crucial pillar of the pursuit of the SDGs. They provide the knowledge, skills and mindsets essential for solving the world’s sustainable development challenges, leveraging their obvious strengths like education and research, but also their capacity to build communities, to influence people and to engage communities directly.

Week-long Immersive Experience Includes Interactive Lectures by Faculty, Utilizing State-of-the-Art Facilities and Team-based Activities

 

Nearly 200 high school students from across the UAE participated in the Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s 2025 Winter School in Chemistry and Physics, learning about the bachelor’s programs, and gaining experience in hands-on lab experiments and molecular modeling.

 

Titled ‘Enhancing the Sciences for the Future’, the 2025 Winter School in Chemistry and Physics was organized from 15-19 December at the Sas Al Nakhl (SAN) Campus to demonstrate the status of Khalifa University as a leader in science education and inspire student participants to pursue their studies by enrolling in Chemistry and Physics bachelor’s programs. The participants were selected out of 1,041 applicants from 80 high schools in the UAE.

 

Participants had week-long immersive experience, after being introduced to fundamental concepts through carefully designed interactive lectures by faculty, utilizing state-of-the-art facilities, and team-based activities aimed at fostering collaboration and problem-solving skills.

 

Khalifa University has already registered several milestones in chemistry and physics worldwide, including becoming a member of the ATLAS collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, located in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, KU became a member of the KM3NeT, one of the largest neutrino telescopes located in the Mediterranean Sea. Furthermore, the Physics department has a wide spectrum that spans from Material Sciences, Medical and Biophysics, and Optics. This variety of research and educational programs greatly increases the visibility of the Khalifa University College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, facilitating student exchange programs and contributing to impactful scientific publications.

 

More recently, a physics PhD graduate won gold medal and first-place prize for his work on ‘Novel Nanoparticles for Targeting and Imaging of Cancer Cells’, at the fourth Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition organized during the 2025 AIChE Annual Meeting. 

 

In Chemistry, three teams from Khalifa University won top prizes across three research categories at the 13th edition of the Sharjah Sustainability Award for the 2024–2025 academic year. The awards were presented for developing an innovative solution to restore coral reefs using steel slag, new materials to recover gold from electronic waste, and a greener pathway for meeting the rising global demand for lithium. The Chemistry department organized the first Doctoral Sprint (thesis competition) for the 2025-2026 academic year through the AcerS UAE chapter to promote competition and enhance science communication skills among UAE Science graduates. 

 

Professor David Sheehan, Chair, Chemistry, said: “At Khalifa University, we envision a future where curiosity drives breakthroughs. By immersing young minds in real-world science and cutting-edge research settings, Khalifa University goes beyond teaching chemistry and physics — to shaping the innovators who will define the future of technology and sustainability. Through immersive programs like the 2025 Winter School in Chemistry and Physics, we empower participants to transform chemistry and physics into engines of innovation that will redefine technology and sustainability for future generations.”

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist 

Khalifa University’s Robotic Fish Monitor Mangroves and Coral Reefs, Following a Successful UAE–Japan Mangrove Initiative

 

Khalifa University and The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) have launched a collaborative effort in marine robotics to support the UAE–Japan Mangrove Planting Initiative, with Khalifa University’s Heterogeneous Swarm of Underwater Robotic Fish (H-SURF) deployed for pre-planting monitoring of mangroves and coral reefs — providing environmental observations that help ensure healthy marine ecosystems while advancing joint research and innovation.

 

As part of the UAE Embassy in Japan’s mangrove planting initiative, Khalifa University and UTokyo established a long-term collaboration focused on marine robotics research and capacity building. Earlier, a delegation from UTokyo visited Khalifa University’s Marine Robotics Lab, where researchers demonstrated its Heterogeneous Swarm of Underwater Robotic Fish (H-SURF) in a mock-up monitoring setup, designed to illustrate how autonomous systems can observe and characterize mangrove and coral environments prior to planting. The delegation from UTokyo was led by Prof. Toshihiro Maki, Associate Professor, UTokyo, with Dr. Yang Weng, Associate Professor, School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Eng., Arizona State University, and Mr. Qi Ming Yew, Master’s Student, The University of Tokyo.

 

The HSURF platform from Khalifa University supported the initiative by collecting baseline environmental observations — such as water parameters, habitat conditions, and visual assessments — that inform site readiness and help optimize planting outcomes. This project underscores both countries’ commitment to advancing technology and protecting marine ecosystems, aligning cutting edge robotics with sustainability and science-driven conservation.

 

During the visit, UTokyo delegation witnessed how the Khalifa University Marine Robotics Lab setup simulated key aspects of these tasks, offering insights into how HSURF integrates sensing, autonomy, and data workflows to support conservation actions. The demonstration was also a springboard for research exchanges — discussing sensor integration, autonomous navigation strategies in complex shallow-water environments, and the data analytics that translate raw observations into actionable insights.

 

Mangroves and coral reefs are crucial habitat-forming ecosystems, as they stabilize shorelines, sequester carbon, and shelter juvenile fish. Coral reefs support extraordinary biodiversity, protect coasts against storm surges, and underpin local economies.

 

Prof. Ahmed Al Durra, Associate Provost for Research, Khalifa University, said: “Khalifa University’s innovation ecosystem remains committed to move seamlessly from concept to real-world impact. By proactively initiating steps on international partnerships such as the collaboration with the University of Tokyo in advance, we demonstrate the readiness of our research capabilities, and sustainability priorities to the visiting delegations. This way, we ensure advanced technologies such as marine robotics are not only developed but deployed where they can make a measurable difference.”

 

Prof. Yahya Zweiri, Director, Advanced Research and Innovation Center (ARIC) and Acting Center Director, Center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems (KU-CARS) said: “Khalifa University and The University of Tokyo are working together to advance marine robotics research. Our HSURF robots successfully supported the UAE–Japan Mangrove Planting Initiative by monitoring mangroves and coral reefs to ensure healthy marine ecosystems. This partnership highlights the commitment of both institutions to advancing technology and protecting marine ecosystems.”

 

Clarence Michael
English Editor – Specialist