Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, today announced the beginning of the six-week summer internship program.
A total of 16 UAE national university seniors and/or those graduating this year with science, engineering or computer science as major subjects are participating in the program. They have been chosen after a high-level selection committee vetted the applications and allocated projects based on the students’ academic and overall capabilities.
Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, Dr Lamya Nawaf Fawwaz, Executive Director, Public Affairs, and other leading faculty members were present at the inauguration ceremony that was organized to mark the beginning of the summer internship program. They welcomed the students and asked them to utilize the top-of-the-range facilities at Masdar Institute for their academic pursuit.
The students have begun working as full-time assistants and are being given responsibilities accordingly by the faculty, who is coordinating the research project. More than 15 research project opportunities are offered for internship this summer. The programs focus on advanced technology and sustainability, covering areas such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), water recycling, solar energy, applications for healthcare data and power grid systems simulations.
Dr Ken Volk, Head of Outreach, Masdar Institute, said: “The Masdar Institute summer internship program serves as one of the most effective platforms for Emirati university students to participate in clean energy and advanced technology research. In line with the directives from the country’s leadership, the programs are suitably designed to raise the students’ sense of awareness on environmental, energy and sustainability issues. We are confident the internship projects will strengthen the knowledge base of the students and contribute to sustainably leading the community in general.”
Though each program stipulates specific requirement criteria, a GPA of not less than 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) and an IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) were the common conditions. The students were also required to have a penchant for renewable energy and sustainable technology subjects. The eligibility standards have ensured only those students with adequate qualification and interests have been given the option to join the internship program.
Among the internship programs, ‘MATLAB Simulation Development for Power Grid Systems Development’ project led by Dr Amro Farid, Assistant Professor – Engineering Systems and Management program, and the ‘Detection and Quantification of Emerging Contaminants in Abu Dhabi Recycled Water Using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)’ project led by Dr Farrukh Ahmad, Associate Professor – Water and Environmental Engineering program, have attracted a sizeable number of students.
At the end of the six-week program, the research outcome will be displayed and the best project will be recognized during an award ceremony. Specially invited guests and families of students will attend the ceremony in which Masdar Institute officials and faculty will also participate.
The summer internship program aims to equip the UAE national graduates and university seniors with special skills that will guide them in their academic pursuit and later their professional career lives. The program is also part of Masdar Institute’s contribution to developing the country’s human capital in specialized areas such as clean energy and advanced technology.
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.
