1. education

Student Develops Immersive Augmented Reality Application
FOUR FACULTY WIN AL JALILA GRANTS
Funds to Further Research on Health-Related Projects
COME FLY WITH ME
Aerospace Engineers Meet with Former Astronaut
AN EMIRATI IN NIGERIA
Alumni Author Talks of Travels in West Africa
Photo taken at Alumni Gala
Dinner Reunion, December 10, 2014.
SMART “EDUTAINMENT”
Issue 6 | Jan 2015
table OF contents
awards
MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
- FOUR FACYLTY AWARDED AL JALILA
FOUNDATION GRANTS
- DR. HABIBA AL SAFAR NAMED TOP
UAE RESEARCHER IN GENETIC DISEASE
PREVENTION
- HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi kicked
off Ankabut 10th Users Meeting
4
3
being
campus
- Students Collect for “Change” in
Bangladesh
- Dr. Arif Gives Tour of
New Campus Site
Message from the
President
16
diversity
- Students Explore the World of
Human and Machine Cognition at
Leading US Institute
- Teaching Teachers in SULTANATE
OF Zanzibar
feature
- EBTIC’s Intern Excels at “Smart
Edutainment”
- Zebra Fish Breed Genome Research in
New Animal Lab
- Students Learn About WHAT IT’S
LIKE TO BE an Emirati in Nigeria From
Alumni Author
highlights
- UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES
UAE’S FLAG DAY
- Orientation Day
52
64
jump
- Sports Take Off
at KHALIFA
UNIVERSIT
2
12 20
40 48
events
exhibitions
education
Dear Khalifa University Community,
- Aerospace Engineers meet with
Former Astronaut
- MED-CAMP
- NAJAH
- 43rd NATIONAL Day Celebrations
We have a very full Reflections Newsletter for you this month.
In fact, we’ve included articles and information that haven’t yet
been shared with the mainstream media, which will be one of
the goals of future newsletters. Given the sheer number of
achievements and events at KU, it can be very difficult to make
sure everything gets the attention it deserves. In addition to
our workplace accomplishments, we have active community
participation in charity drives, prestigious internships, sporting
events and volunteer initiatives. Reflections aims to represent
every aspect of our diverse community, and although it is never
possible to cover every item, I hope that our commitment to a
representative sampling is evident in the following pages.
- Alumni Reunion Gala Dinner
general
- Students Treated to Special
Presentation by Director of ECSSR
34
58
One of our leadership team’s major goals is to extend the
international reach of our University. This effort has many
components: benchmarking, accreditation, partnership
development, and student mobility. As many of you know, the
University completed a very successful ABET accreditation
site visit during the last week of October. Six of our eight
undergraduate engineering programs – Computer Engineering,
Electrical And Electronic Engineering, Communication
Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
and Aerospace Engineering – are under consideration for initial
accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission
(EAC) of ABET.
innovation
- Students Swipe Top Spots at du Cyber
Security Conference
- University launches Reyada the “Abu
Dhabi Innovation Series”
khalifa
- EFFECTIVE TEACHING KNOWS NO
BORDERS
- art club
68
“The recent ranking by QS of our University as one of “the
top 500 schools in the world” is another example of how KU’s
reputation and reach are beginning to expand beyond the region.
The faculty of Khalifa University is now recruited for collaboration
by the top 100 institutions in the world. Furthermore, we are
actively engaged with more than a half-dozen top universities in
North America, Europe and Asia for potential student and faculty
exchange, dual-degree programs and research collaboration. I
expect to have several such partnership developments to share
with you in coming issues of Reflections.
Another one of our focus areas is entrepreneurship and research
commercialization. The patent filing success of our faculty and
students has already been extensively documented, but we
continue to seek ways of bringing further awareness to the
innovation culture at Khalifa University. Without a doubt, calling
attention to our achievements also depends on successful
interactions with the government, as well as, the. industrial and
finance sectors.
The coming year will be a transformative one: campus
expansion is moving forward quickly; and, the community is
becoming ever-more vibrant and ambitious. I hope the content
in these pages encourages you to find more ways of interacting
with the extraordinary people and place we call Khalifa
University.
Thank you,
Dr. Tod Laursen
3
Awards
- FOUR FACuLTY AWARDED AL JALILA FOUNDATION GRANTS
- DR. HABIBA AL SAFAR NAMED TOP UAE RESEARCHER IN GENETIC
DISEASE PREVENTION; earns l’oreal unesco grant
- HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi kicked off Ankabut 10th Users Meeting
4
5
AWARDS
Four Faculty Awarded Al Jalila
Foundation Grants
Four KU faculty members were recently awarded grants
by the Al Jalila Foundation, a Dubai-based not-for-profit
organization established by royal decree. The Foundation
aims to promote the UAE as a center of excellence in the
field of medical education and research, and to position
Dubai at the forefront of medical innovation. The faculty
members were awarded grants totaling more than a
million dirhams to be used to further their research on
health-related projects.
6
The winning faculty are Dr. Chih-Wen Ni, Dr. Jeremy Teo and
Dr. Nicolas Christoforou from the Biomedical Engineering
Department and Dr. Anas Alazzam from Mechanical Engineering.
Most of the research is focused on advancements in the
treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Ni is looking at the mechanisms for vascular remodeling of
blood flow in Zebra fish. Vascular remodeling plays a key part
in the progression of several diseases including cancer and
cardiovascular maladies. Dr. Ni’s research investigates how
different genes respond to different blood-flow patterns, which
could lead to the development of more efficient treatments for
human diseases.
Dr. Christoforu proposes to examine the therapeutic capacity of
genetically engineered human stem cells in a three-dimensional
construct designed to mimic human biology.
He will examine cell survival, proliferation and distribution to
determine therapeutic potential by analyzing their ability to elicit
a cardio-protective, regenerative effect on injured human tissue.
Dr. Teo’s research focuses on T-cell therapy, which uses and
trains the immune cells of the patient to kill their own
cancer cells.
Dr. Alazzam, is researching a hybrid local area network (LAN) on
a chip for use in liquid biopsies.
“There are exciting times ahead for Biomedical Engineers in Abu
Dhabi and the UAE,” said Dr. Tim McGloughlin, the Chair of the
Biomedical Engineering program at Khalifa University.
“The Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 Plan highlights the importance of
healthcare in the UAE and with the big expansion of the hospital
facilities currently in progress the opportunities for biomedical
engineering innovators are indeed bright. There is great
potential for entrepreneurs to excel in this area and to make the
UAE a hotbed for healthcare and healthcare innovation.”
7
AWARDS
Dr. Habiba garnered her award on the evening of Monday,
September 15, 2014, at the Dubai World Trade Center. The
ceremony was part of the 5th National Genetic Diseases
Conference, organized by the UAE Genetic Disease Association
(UAEGDA), under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan
Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Social
Development, UAE and President of UAEGDA.
Dr. Habiba’s research focuses on identifying the genomes
responsible for the spread of one of the most common diseases
in the UAE – diabetes type I and II. She also investigates the
complications, especially cardiovascular diseases, caused by
diabetes.
Dr. Habiba Al Safar named
top UAE Researcher in Genetic
Disease Prevention
Dr. Habiba Al Safar, Assistant Professor in
Biomedical Engineering, received the first Emirates
International Award of Genetic Disease Prevention
in the category of Best Scientific Researcher.
8
Dr. Habiba has conducted a series of awareness-raising events
in past years. Her efforts led Khalifa University students to
accompany diabetes’ patients for follow-up exams under the
supervision of a medical doctor. She has also conducted a
number of lectures that shed light on the risks of diabetes and
the importance of prevention.
Dr. Mariam Matar, Founder and Chairman to the Board of
Directors of UAEGDA said Dr. Habiba earned the award for her
humanitarian and medical efforts in the field of genetic diseases.
Dr. Matar believes the event and the award embody the true
cohesion of preventive and therapeutic efforts from a genuine
humanitarian perspective.
“It is such a great pleasure and honor that I received this award,”
commented Dr. Habiba.“It’s the result of years of continuous
dedication in the field of my research, which is greatly important
for the present and the future of the UAE.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the UAEGDA
to their confidence in me, which will definitely inspire me to
continue to conduct research to find effective solutions to some
of the health problems faced by UAE citizens.
Habiba Al Safar Wins
Prestigious 2014 L’OréalUNESCO Fellowship Award
Dr. Habiba received a 2014 L’Oréal-UNESCO
Fellowship Award for Women in Science
in November during a special recognition
ceremony at Zayed University. Dr. Habiba
earned the award for her work in
identifying genetic and environmental
risk factors associated with diabetes.
Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi,
Minister of International Cooperation and Development,
President of Zayed University, lauded L’Oréal’s initiative
of promoting Arab women’s advancement in the field
of scientific research. She congratulated this year’s
winners and advised them to be persistent and to
escalate their progress.
“The role of women in society has evolved
considerably over the years. In the twenty-first century,
Emirati women are well represented in all echelons of
society, including the political arena, diplomatic corps,
judiciary, the commercial sector as well as the higher
education and scientific research,” H.H Sheikha Lubna
said.
Dr. Habiba is one of four outstanding Arab women
scientists to win the L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship Grant
worth 20,000 Euros in recognition of their contributions
to the advancement
of science.
“I am honored and grateful to have won the 2014
L’Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship Award for Women in
Science,” commented Dr. Habiba.
9
AWARDS
H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi kicked off
Ankabut 10th Users Meeting
Under the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid
Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development,
President of Zayed University, the UAE Advanced Network for
Research and Education hosted its 10th Users Meeting at Zayed
University, November 12-13.
The theme of the event was “Innovation - Implementation –
Impact.” H.E. Sheikha Lubna gave the opening address followed
by keynote speakers Phil Baty, the Editor-at-large of Times
Higher Education magazine and editor of the Times Higher
Education World University Rankings, and Dr. Bernard Harris,
formally a United States astronaut who participated in two
missions, walked in space and is a medical doctor.
Following the keynote addresses, there were breakout sessions
hosted by speakers from Abu Dhabi Polytechnic, The Abu Dhabi
Center for Technical and Vocational Education Training (ACTVET),
10
Convergent Technologies, Dubai Healthcare City Medical School,
The Etisalat BT Innovation Center (EBTIC), Ellucian, Higher
Colleges of Technology, Khalifa University, Steelcase, UAE
Higher Education CIO Council and Zayed University.
On the second day there were two tracks available to attendees,
one for students and one for education professionals. The
student session looked at topics related to research and
education, and for the education professionals there was a
series of mini workshops on services Ankabut offers such
as Ankamedia, Unified Communications, High Performance
Computing, Learning Management Systems, Assessments tools
and more..
“We look forward to our User Meeting as an opportunity, not
just to highlight our services to current and future clients, but as
a way to spread the message of innovation and education and its
importance in the UAE,” said Fahem Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive
Officer of Ankabut.
“This meeting has been especially productive thanks to our array
of interesting and informative speakers and session leaders,”
“This was a wonderful chance for academics and students
from around the UAE to benefit from presentations by high
quality, interesting and unique speakers, not to mention Her
Excellency, Sheikha Lubna, who is always inspiring to our
youth,” said Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Executive Vice President of
Khalifa University, which manages Ankabut. “Innovation, its
implementation and its impact, are topics of vital importance
to our students and faculty at KU and to students and faculty
around the region, so it’s great that Ankabut provides us with
this opportunity to meet and become inspired by so many
prestigious speakers.”
11
being
- STUDENTS COLLECT FOR “CHANGE” IN BANGLADESH
12
13
Being
Students
Collect
for
Change
in
Bangladesh
“It was the first time that I have done this kind of work
and I think we should keep doing such projects,”
Fifty-eight students enrolled in Khalifa
University’s “Technical Writing and Public
Speaking” class, along with their professor Dr.
Katherine L. Hall, held a donation collection in
October for “The Choice to Change,” which
runs a school for children in the slums of Dhaka,
Bangladesh. Over three weeks, the students
collected 214 bags of powdered milk and 742
headscarves for the students and their families.
The donations will go to the NGO’s president
Eva Kernova, who will work with Etihad Airways
to deliver the items to the families in Dhaka.
14
Hussain Al Shaikh, one of the student captains,
said it was a good opportunity to help people.
“It was the first time that I have done this kind
of work and I think we should keep doing such
projects,” he explained.
Aisha Idrees, another student captain, echoed
Hussain’s sentiments by saying that it was “an
amazing experience. Very humbling. It was
phenomenal to see the hard work that everyone
put into the project.”
15
campus
- DR. ARIF GIVES TOUR OF NEW CAMPUS exPANSION
16
17
CAMPUS
New Campus Tour
18
19
DIVERSITY
- STUDENTS EXPLORE THE WORLD OF HUMAN AND MACHINE
COGNITION AT LEADING U.S. INSTITTUTE
- TEACHING TEACHERS IN SULTANATE OF ZANZIBAR
20
21
Diversity
Students Explore the World
of Human and Machine
Cognition at Leading U.S.
Institute
Two students recently travelled to Pensacola,
Florida to undertake an internship at one of the
world’s leading research institutes.
Two students recently travelled to
Pensacola, Florida to undertake an
internship at one of the world’s leading
research institutes. Ahmed Al Dhanhani
and Abdelrahman Almahmoud visited the
Florida Institute of Human and Machine
Cognition (IHMC) to participate in research
being conducted on tactical networks,
mobile applications and robot control.
IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute
that focuses on pioneering technologies
aimed at leveraging and extending human
capabilities. IHMC staff includes computer
scientists, cognitive psychologists,
neuroscientists, physicians, philosophers,
engineers and social scientists. Current
active research areas include artificial
intelligence, cognitive science, knowledge
modeling and sharing, adjustable
autonomy, robotics and exoskeletons,
advanced interfaces and displays, cyber
security, communication and collaboration,
linguistics, computer-mediated learning
systems, intelligent data understanding,
software agents, expertise studies,
work practice simulation, knowledge
representation, big data and machine
learning, and other related areas.
Ahmed said the experience was
rewarding. “We were part of a team
lead by one of the principal investigators
22
in IHMC. I was involved with a project
that required me to work on encryption
for Android mobile devices, while
Abdelrahman was involved with
information dissemination middleware for
tactical environments. His work involved
exploring the unique security issues in
information dissemination networks and
working on devising countermeasures that
would protect them.”
Ahmed and Abdelrahman, both PhD
students, arranged the internship through
the Khalifa University-managed EtisalatBT-Innovation Center (EBTIC). EBTIC was
established with the aim of advancing
intelligent systems technologies for Next
Generation Networks (NGNs) and NGNenabled ICT applications and services,
in order to put in place the support
infrastructure to facilitate, develop and
enable the Digital Networked Economy in
the UAE and beyond. In addition to doing
their PhD with Khalifa University, Ahmed
and Abdelrahman work as researchers
with EBTIC.
who are highly regarded in their areas
and it was interesting to see how the
researchers come from very different
backgrounds, including computer
scientists, mechanical engineers and
a medical doctor. We received good
exposure on the projects we were working
on in collaboration with big names from
industry and government. This enhanced
our view of the innovative research world.
Also, we are planning on continuing to
work with them which opens the bridges
of collaboration between Khalifa University/
EBTIC and IHMC.
“We benefited greatly from this
internship,” Ahmed enthusiastically
explained. “IHMC is a well-established
research centre and observing how they
work from the inside was insightful. We
had meetings with different researchers
23
Diversity
EMIRATES SKILLS WIN | What’s Happened
Teaching Teachers in the
Sultanate of Zanzibar
Four Khalifa University
faculty from the
Preparatory Program
travelled to Zanzibar
this summer to
deliver a program
of teacher training
and professional
development.
For more information please contact
Aaron Sorensen: [email protected] (or)
Rob Wilson: [email protected]
and to view more pictures please visit
www.robwilsonphotography.com
24
Rob Wilson, Aaron Sorensen, Ben Sempek and Lucia Holliday,
volunteered to visit Zanzibar and work for ten days with the
charity school, Bwejuu, which specializes in teaching children
from troubled backgrounds.
“A couple of years ago, at the end of the semester, we were
wondering if there was a way we could give back socially,” says
Rob Wilson. “One of our colleagues knew of a school in Bwejuu,
Zanzibar, where the teachers are all volunteers, and very few of
them had had any training. We enquired about offering our time,
and they told us they would appreciate some help with teacher
training.”
The initial training sessions focused on classroom observation,
reflection and general teacher development. These were
followed by sessions on classroom activities , as well as, math
and science teaching. In addition to bringing their expertise,
the faculty members also managed to raise 5000 AED to buy
four notebook computers and brought as many textbooks and
children’s books as they could carry to donate to the school.
The team faced a number of challenges including a greater
language barrier than expected, health problems, and a
challenging environment. However, the enthusiasm of the
school’s staff and students helped make the project a success.
“We’re hoping to do something similar this summer,” said
Aaron Sorensen. “The principal of the school, Mr. Rajab, is
very interested in having us back. He’s particularly interested in
people who can train the staff in school administration.”
25
events
exhibitions
education
- Aerospace Engineers meet with Former Astronaut
- MED-CAMP
- NAJAH
- 43rd NATIONAL Day Celebrations
- Alumni Reunion Gala Dinner
26
27
Events, Exhibition and education
Aerospace Engineers meet with
Former Astronaut
“Christopher J. Ferguson logged more than 40 days in space”
KU students were treated to a visit by
former astronaut and current Director
of Crew and Mission Operations for
the Boeing Commercial Crew program,
Christopher J. Ferguson, on November
4th at the Abu Dhabi campus. Mr.
Ferguson delivered a presentation to
undergraduate students and chatted with
them afterwards about his career and
position at Boeing.
In his role as Director of Crew and
Mission Operations in Boeing’s human
spaceflight program, Ferguson oversees
28
crew interface in the design of Boeing’s
Commercial Crew Transportation System.
He also plays a key leadership role in
the development and testing of system
concepts and key technologies for the
Commercial Space Transportation (CST)100 spacecraft and integrated launch and
ground systems.
Ferguson was pilot of the STS-115
Atlantis and commander of the STS-126
Endeavour and the final shuttle mission
of STS-135 Atlantis. He has logged more
than 40 days in space and 5,700 hours
in a high-performance aircraft. He also
served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut
Office and was Spacecraft Communicator
(CAPCOM) for the STS-118, -120, -128 and
-129 missions.
Ferguson has been recognized
with numerous service awards and
citations, including the Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Strike/
Flight Air Medal, NASA Spaceflight Medal
(three), Navy Commendation Medal
(three) and the Navy Achievement Medal.
29
Events, Exhibition and education
Med-Camp
Khalifa University wrapped
up its fourth MedCamp on
August 21, 2014. This unique
summer camp was designed
to immerse grade 11 and 12
high school students into the
exciting world of medicine
and health sciences through
innovative activities, which
included the dissection of a
frog and a sheep’s heart, a
visit to a working forensic lab,
and laboratory based task’s
involving DNA extraction and
blood typing.
30
31
Events, Exhibition and education
Najah
Khalifa University participated
in the Najah exhibition with a
mini-exhibition of their own.
32
Multiple student projects were on display in order
to showcase the innovative and unique nature of
Khalifa University’s educational approach. During
a tour on the first day of Najah exhibition, His
Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,
Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Minister
of Labor, visited Khalifa University stand.
33
Events, Exhibition and education
43rd National Day
Celebrations
Students celebrate the UAE’s
43rd National Day on November
26 with their own truly unique
mix of innovation and tradition.
34
35
Events, Exhibition and education
36
37
Events, Exhibition and education
Alumni Reunion
Gala Dinner
Khalifa University held its third annual Alumni
Reunion Gala Dinner at the Abu Dhabi campus on
December 10, 2014. Graduates from 1994 to 2013,
many of whom are industry leaders and hold
senior positions in government and the private
sector, attended the event.
38
39
features
- EBTIC’s Intern Excels at “Smart Edutainment”
- Zebra Fish Breed Genome Research in New Animal Lab
- Students Learn About WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE an Emirati
in Nigeria From Alumni Author
40
41
FeatureS
interactive 3D objects we can help them to learn and remember
much more efficiently.”
Wael admits that there was sharp learning curve in developing
his application. “It was quite difficult at the beginning, but
once you really understand how the technology works, and
get yourself familiarized with its libraries and tools, the rest
becomes easy,” he details. “But you must be convinced with
what you are doing, or you will lose the desire to move forward.”
After completing the app, Wael conducted a focus-group trial
of the project and summarized his research in “iARBook: An
Immersive Augmented Reality System for Education” for the
2014 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment
and Learning for Engineering. Yet, he’s the first to acknowledge
that he’s still learning the technology.
“I’ve continued my internship program with EBTIC as part of
my Senior Design Project and I intend on publishing the first
interactive Arabic Book using this technology,” says Wael,
who praises his time at EBTIC. “I knew I would get valuable
knowledge and experience in both academia and industry
from EBTIC, and apart from the technical skills of the project, I
also learned how to effectively plan and manage my project in
order to make sure it was completed within the short six-week
timeframe I had. I also learned how to conduct a field-trial study,
write a research paper, and how to communicate and present
in front of different people, including EBTIC’s partners. Most
importantly, I learned important researcher skillsets such as
creative thinking, problem solving, and goal-setting.”
EBTIC deputy director, Dr Samer Al Samahi, explains that
“EBTIC is an innovation-driven center that focuses on projects
of both research and commercial value. We have always
supported UAE education and professional training programs
through internships, undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
It is our aim that the students attached in our center will obtain
a well-rounded and balanced development, gaining practical
skillsets from both the industrial and academic perspectives.”
The iReflect app (Android version) is available for free download
on the university website.
Student Feature
EBTIC’s Intern Excels at “Smart Edutainment”
Khalifa University Electrical and Computer Engineering student,
Mr. Mohammed Wael Salim Bazzaza, has become a master of
“smart edutainment” during his internship with the Etisalat BT
Innovation Center (EBTIC).
Wael developed an Immersive Augmented Reality (iAR)
application that will be used with KU’s Reflections newsletter.
Called iReflect, the app is a smart-learning method to engage
readers’ senses through, for instance, interactive 3D images.
EBTIC’s iCampus Lead and Internship Supervisor, Dr. Jason
Ng, reports that Wael’s internship project is part of the EBTIC
iCampus initiative to support the UAE’s governmental drive
towards “Smart Learning.”
“The aim is to make reading more interesting and enable more
effective and efficient learning and teaching processes,” details
Dr. Ng. “The advantage of the app is its ability to engage the
individual in an entertaining manner, while at the same time
providing educational information subconsciously, without the
individual realizing it.”
42
This combination of education and entertainment combination is
called “edutainment.”
iReflect has the potential to make any book – be it textbook
or novel – more interactive and interesting to readers. The
application enables readers to easily access external materials
(such as multimedia resources, three-dimensional images,
external URL links, and other sources) simply by placing their
smart phone over the page. In addition, iReflect also allows
readers to readily make one-click contact with the author or
publisher of the book, via email/phone or social-networking
tools.
“As a student, I feel that some textbooks, novels and magazines
would be much more enjoyable if an interactivity element was
inserted into them, which is why I chose to learn Augmented
Reality technology,” explains Wael. “Readers can try our app out
themselves with the KU Reflections newsletter. In the future,
I hope this app can help motivate students to read what may
have been a boring textbook, as many students rely on handouts
and notes alone. Moreover, by engaging their senses with
43
FeatureS
FACULTY Feature
Zebra Fish Breed Genome Research in New Animal Lab
Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi campus, is one of the first university’s
in the GCC to open an animal research facility. The laboratory
is home to Zebra fish and their embryos, which will be studied
in a number of research projects. The University’s Biomedical
Engineering program will conduct the scientific inquiries, including
research into Type II Diabetes, toxicity testing, cardiovascular
development, and drug delivery systems.
The tropical, freshwater Zebra fish belongs to the minnow family,
and is especially useful to researchers because its genome is fully
sequenced. Furthermore, the Zebra fish has easily observable
and testable developmental behaviors. Most importantly, current
advancements in biotechnology allow researchers to manipulate the
fish’s genome which provides a perfect tool to study the function of
genes associated with human diseases.
“We are very pleased to be one of the
first universities in the region to open
a research facility of this caliber,” said
Dr. Chih-Wen Ni.
The Zebra fish’s embryonic development is very rapid, and embryos
are relatively large, robust, transparent, and able to develop outside
their mother. The lab has been designed so that every aspect of
the fish’s environment is controlled. Experiments conducted under
these conditions are considered more reliable.
Dr. Ni is responsible for designing and maintaining the lab, in
addition to being the primary researcher. “The ability to do testing
of this type is invaluable to researchers, especially for those in the
biomedical engineering field who are using design and problemsolving skills to advance healthcare treatment, including diagnosis,
monitoring, and therapy. These fish will allow our researchers and
students to reach to the next stage of research.”
44
Dr. Ni purchased the initial fish stock at one of Abu Dhabi’s local
pet souks. More recently, he received a shipment of Zebra fish
as a gift from his collaborators at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School in the United States. The lineage of these fish has
been documented, which will eliminate any “surprises” during
experimentation.
45
FeatureS
Alumni Feature
Students Learn About WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE an Emirati in
Nigeria From Alumni Author
Students from a “Technical Writing and Public Speaking” class
had the opportunity to enjoy an inspiring speech from Khalifa
University alum, Talal Salim Al Sabiri, as part of the Etisalat
Senators program. Sabiri spoke to students about the many
“hats” he wears as both a poet and an engineer. In particular,
he spoke to students about his recent stint in Nigeria with
Etisalat and how it affected him.
the chance to go to Nigeria, I jumped on it.”
Sabiri spoke fondly of Nigeria and his experience there. “We
all fear change,” he said. “If you have a comfort zone, leave
it. Nigeria was one of those times that I was in the moment.
When there’s no future and no past, and everything is timeless.
I would look out the window in the morning and I was in the
here and now.”
Sabiri, a member of the UAE Writers Association, has
published three poetry books as well as new book about his
recent experience in West Africa called “Emirati in Nigeria.”
Additionally, his work has been published in local magazines
and newspapers. Sabiri regularly presents social and cultural
programs on TV, and hosts his own cultural forum on the radio.
He recently participated in the Arab Youth Festival in Alexandria.
He also wrote several popular musical anthems about Sharjah
and the UAE and was in charge of Sharjah’s Bait ash Shi’r
(House of Poetry) until 2007.
He offered a lot of advice, encouraging students to engage
in volunteer activities so that they could “self-actualize. Sabiri
explained that there is nothing stopping students from being
engineers and artists.
“Everyone has value to add, and words to say,” he concluded.
“Everyone has failures, but it’s important to have a dream
and follow it.”
Sabiri spoke to students about the seeming disconnect
between being a poet and an engineer, and the importance of
being true to yourself.
“I’m an engineer and a poet, this is really weird,” he said. “My
friend encouraged me to just be a poet, but my practical side is
an engineer. Being an engineer doesn’t prevent you from being
a poet or an artist, or anything else you’re passionate about. Do
what you love!”
The author also encouraged students to examine their motives.
“I asked myself what is happiness? Is it money? Is it doing
what you love? Each one of you will have a different definition
of happiness, you need to be connected with yourself so that
you know what will make you happy.”
Sabiri is an avid reader of self-help and inspirational books,
particularly those about leadership and going off the beaten
path, which is why he wanted to go to Nigeria.
“I needed to get out of my comfort zone,” he explained. “I
decided to leave Etisalat but then a co-worker suggested that
instead of leaving Etisalat I should just leave the country and
go to another office outside of the UAE. So when I was offered
46
47
general
- STUDENTS TREATED TO SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY DIRECTOR OF ECSSR
48
49
General | Students Treated to Special Presentation by Director of ECSSR
GENERAL
Students Treated to
Special Presentation
by Director of ECSSR
Khalifa University hosted a
special presentation by Dr.
Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi,
Director of the Emirates Center
for Strategic Studies and
Research (ECSSR) and Professor
of Political Science, for
students, faculty and staff on
October 16, 2014.
Dr. Al Suwaidi presented a video on his new book, “Prospects
for the American Age: Sovereignty and Influence in the New
World Order.” The book provides a scholarly examination of
the global balance of power among states and economic blocs;
suggests a model for the classification of states according to
their levels of power and influence in the world; and, discusses
the important question of whether the United States of America
will remain the dominant
power of the age.
In the past, Dr. Al Suwaidi has written numerous articles on Gulf
Security, concepts of democracy in Arab and Western societies,
women and development, and public opinion. Additionally, Dr. Al
Suwaidi is the author of several books on Middle Eastern issues.
After the showing of a special video based on his book, Dr. Al
Suwaidi took the opportunity to sign copies for students, faculty
and staff.
50
51
highlights
- UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES UAE’S FLAG DAY
- Orientation Day
52
53
HIGHLIGHTS
University Celebrates UAE’s
Flag Day
54
EMIRATES SKILLS WIN | What’s Happened
Khalifa University celebrated United Arab
Emirates’ Flag Day on November 3, 2014. Students,
faculty and staff gathered on the University’s
campus in Abu Dhabi, recited the UAE National
Anthem and the pledge of allegiance while raising
the UAE flag.
55
HIGHLIGHTS
Orientation Day
56
57
innovation
- STUDENTS SWIPE TOP SPOTS AT DU CYBER SECURITY CONFERENCE
- UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES REYADA, THE “ABU DHABI INNOVATION SERIES”
58
59
Innovation
Students Swipe Top Spots
at du Cyber Security
Conference
Khalifa University students proved themselves to be the
best “ethical hackers” in the UAE at the recent du Cyber
Security Conference held in Dubai. Individual Khalifa
University students were awarded the top three spots
in the InfoSec competition, which required submissions
for new technologies, techniques and methods related
to cyber security.
60
Samira Al Mulla, Abdallah Ourad, and Ehab Naejh Salahat, were
awarded 15,000 AED, 10,000 AED and 5,000 AED respectively
for their information security ideas.
A team of students, who called themselves “RAID Force,” won
the “Hacker of the Year” title in the “Hackathon,” as well as a
cash prize of 20,000 AED.
The “Hackathon” competition required students to “break” into
a model smart city through its computer systems. The model
town had various infrastructural systems that students were
required to breach, including a transport system, wind turbines,
power plants, an airport, a communications tower and a water
treatment plant. The systems were equipped with different
levels of security to make the competition more like a game.
The du Cyber Security Conference in Dubai was only the second
competition in the world that included a mock-up of the systems
being attacked.
“RAID Force” consisted of three Computer Engineering
students, Hamad Alhazami, Mhd Wael Bazzaza and Mohammad
Jassem.
The team won by figuring out who was connecting to the model
city’s systems during an intense five-hour long “battle” with
teams from other universities.
61
Innovation
University launches the “Abu Dhabi Innovation Series”- Reyada .innovation
University Launches
Reyada, the “Abu Dhabi
Innovation Series”
Khalifa University launched
a new initiative, “The Abu
Dhabi Innovation Series,”
called Reyada, which means
“pioneering” in Arabic, on
October 27, 2014. The series
included a number of
workshops, seminars and
events aimed at introducing
the tools and best practices
needed for the development
of the knowledge economy.
The outcomes included an
understanding of global best
practices and how to shape a
framework for innovation that
is matched to the opportunities
available in Abu Dhabi.
62
The first workshop in
the series, sponsored by
the Abu Dhabi Education
Council (ADEC), featured
discussions centering on
intellectual property protection
and commercialization. In
particular, it focused on
the fundamental tools that
can be used for protection
and commercialization of
inventions and technology in
the UAE.
The event was opened by
Khalifa University President
Dr. Tod Laursen and Senior
Vice President of Research
and Development Dr.
Mohammed Al Mualla. The
event was also attended by
Dr. Amr Elchouemi, Research
Promotion Manager, Higher
Education Sector, Abu Dhabi
Education Council.
The morning sessions covered
the basics of patent and
patenting with presentations
from Andrew Serafini and
Roger Wylie from Kilpatrick
Townsend & Stockton and
Ahmed Saleh from Al Tamimi
& Co.
The afternoon sessions shared
examples from some of the
best centers of innovation in
the world. Presenters included
Dr. Keith Jones from Khalifa
University, Dr. Lim Jui, CEO of
NTU Innovation in Singapore,
Ben Shaw of CIC in the USA,
and Dr Ivan Boyd and Dr.
Fabrice Saffre from British
Telecom.
The day wrapped up with
a panel discussion on what
“Innovation Abu Dhabi” might
look like.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi,
Executive Director of Higher
Education Sector, ADEC,
commented that technical
workshops tackling research
and innovation core-related
subjects, such as Intellectual
Property (IP) and Copyright
Protection, “are part of
ADEC’s commitment to
establish the research and
innovation ecosystem, and
capitalize on the investment
made by the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi in the science and
technology sectors.”
“There is a lot of discussion
about the creation of the
knowledge economy and
how to put knowledge to
work in Abu Dhabi and the
UAE. Especially following the
recent announcement by His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President, Prime Minister of
the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,
of the ambitious National
Innovation Strategy,” said Dr.
Mohammed Al Mualla, Senior
Vice President for Research
and Development.
“Diversification of the
economy will increase
opportunities for Emirati’s
at all education levels and
strengthen the country,
which is why Khalifa
University has chosen to
initiate this series.
“Our hope is that Reyada
can further define the
path that the knowledge
economy can take, and
provide local researchers and
entrepreneurs with the tools
and tactics they need in order
to thrive in this exciting new
economy. Khalifa University
was created with the goal
of supporting the knowledge
economy, and, in addition to
providing the human capital
that will fuel it, we believe it
is our responsibility to help
light the way and provide the
knowledge needed.”
63
jump
- SPORTS TAKE OFF AT KHALIFA UNIVERSITY
64
65
Jump
Sports Take Off at
Khalifa University
There has been added focus
on sports programs at
Khalifa University. With the
employment of a new Student
Activities Officer, Hamzeh Khalil,
there is an influx of fresh
opportunities for students,
faculty and staff to get active.
A football tournament was held
recently at the Institute of Applied
Technology (IAT) with teams
comprised of students, security,
faculty and other staff. Future
matches are planned against New
York University Abu Dhabi, Paris Sorbonne
and Zayed University. A women’s basketball tournament
also premiered in November.
Other sporting events planned for the future are men
and women’s swimming (women will swim at Al Nahda
Girls School and men at IAT), table tennis with games
against other universities planned, chess and cycling,
and intentions for the Khalifa University community to
participate in upcoming marathons.
66
67
khalifa
- EFFECTIVE TEACHING KNOWS NO BORDERS
- Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Awards Seven Khalifa University Innovators
- art club
68
69
Khalifa
Effective Teaching Knows
No Borders
Khalifa University faculty
members conducted a threeyear study to examine the
influence of cultural context
on the effectiveness of
interactive, student-centered
classroom activities in science
teaching. The results of the
study show that once secondlanguage related barriers are
mitigated, an effective approach
developed in one country can be
implemented by an institution in
another country — even if the
culture of the two institutions
is very different.
70
The authors of the study researched innovative teaching methods
developed for university physics classes in North America, and
then designed a context-customized method entitled, Collaborative
Workshop Physics, to use as a case study in their own program at
Khalifa University.
Dr. G. Wesley Hitt, Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics and
Science and the principal investigator on the study, explained that
“a key issue for the success or failure of using a ‘foreign’ program is
how far out of the students’ comfort-zone the new teaching method
might take them and what their instructors should, or should not, do to
soften the blow.”
“Of course, comfort-zones in the classroom differ from culture to
culture,” he added. “A teaching approach that might cause mild
grumbling in one classroom might cause a ‘panic attack’ half way
around the world. Yet, the goal is always the same: to get students to
think critically, rather than apply rote memorization.”
The authors’ work suggests that instructors attempting any teaching
reform should first resist the temptation to alter individual learning
tasks. These are usually 15-to-30-minute, problem-solving activities that
student-centered teaching methods are built around.
Produced by education research at the developer institution, the
effectiveness of published learning tasks are often grounded in
cognitive science, so secondary users are ill-advised to alter them
as part of their own adaptation. The instructor, however, should
look for ways that that minimize student anxiety about the learning
environment.
“In this context, we have adopted most features of Collaborative
Groups Problem Solving (CGPS), a teaching method originating from
the University of Minnesota and one that emphasizes problem-based
learning in teams. However, we have added custom laboratory tasks
and customized the overall presentation using organizational features
from studio-based teaching,” said Dr. Abdel F. Isakovic, Associate
Professor of Applied Mathematics and Sciences, and another KU
faculty member involved in the study.
The study, “Secondary Implementation of Interactive Engagement
Teaching Techniques: Choices and Challenges in a Gulf Arab Context,”
has been published online in the journal, Physical Review: Special
Topics – Physics Education Research, published by the American
Physical Society, a leading physics body in the USA.
“Were very pleased with the outcome of this ambitious study,” said
Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla, Senior Vice President of Research and
Development.
“Not only will the learnings impact how we teach our students at
Khalifa University, but it will impact how students are taught across
the region. This bodes very well for the creation of the knowledge
economy, and the achievement of the Abu Dhabi 2030 Vision, that
students, regardless of their linguistic or cultural background, can
benefit from tried and true teaching methods used around the world.”
71
KHALIFA
Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific
Research Awards Seven
Khalifa University
Innovators
Dr. Hussam Al Ulama, Director of the Scientific Research
Department (National Research Foundation), Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research, visited Khalifa University to
award six students and one faculty member with 50,000 AED each
for their innovative research endeavors.
72
The awards allow the Emirati students and faculty to perform onsite research at a collaborating institution, and provides them with
opportunities to seek training otherwise unavailable in the UAE.
theoretical performance evaluation of situational awareness protocols;
CMAPtools for mobile devices and stream processing for graphic
processing units (GPU’s).
“The post graduate students, and the faculty members, at Khalifa
University, have actively participated in our competitive research
funding programs, in fact, they have received 15 awards out of 55
awards and prizes that were granted by the Ministry,” commented Dr.
Al Ulama. “We highly appreciate the strong relationship between the
University and the Department of Scientific Research in the Ministry of
Higher Education and Scientific Research, and we are looking forward
to enhancing our research collaboration, specifically with the aim of
developing the research capacity of Emiratis.”
“I would like to thank the National Research Foundation for their
generous awards to our students and faculty for their hard work.
Grants like these ones go a long way in supporting Khalifa University’s
efforts to build the knowledge economy and educate the industry
leaders of tomorrow, in addition to helping them develop their skills,
improve their innovations and enhance their education through
collaboration and research,” said Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Khalifa
University’s Executive Vice President. “Khalifa University always
supports its students and faculty members in their pursuit of
knowledge, and assistance from government organizations like the
National Research Foundation plays a central role in helping us, and
our community, achieve our goals. Collaborations like these are very
important, and allow us to continue to find new and innovative ways to
support the UAE and its vision, as well as to improve the lives
of others.”
The projects covered a range of endeavors, including real-time
freight tracking; comprehensive Bioinformatics and Biostatistics
tools for the analysis and visualization of genome wide association
studies; architecture for secure monitoring of virtual machines in the
cloud; research that provides fault tolerance in cloud environments;
73
KHALIFA
art club
Amal Lootah is a painter studying
Civil Engineering at Khalifa
University. Amal has been
drawing since she was three
years old, starting with sketches
of her favorite Disney characters.
These early inspirations are why
her paintings have a touch of a
fantasy and story to them. She
has been the president of the Art
club since 2011.
74
“As the President of the art club it’s my job to
encourage students to draw, paint and show
their creativity. It’s not important to be “good”
at art, because I believe that art is the desire to
express one’s self and record the reactions of
our personality to the world in which we live,”
says Amal. “Therefore I encourage everyone to
participate in art classes. There are no rules for
participation, and each week we hold a 3 hours
class, attended by students, instructors, faculty
and staff.”
Amal started the classes with the help of the
Vice President of the Art Club, Halima Aladab,
and from Art teacher Saggaf Al Hashemi, who
teaches the class. The first semester of classes
taught students how to use charcoal to draw
an eye, and then, in the second semester they
learned to draw a full horse. Lessons in oil
painting are planned for the spring semester.
75
KHALIFA
Be next on this page
Post any photo on instagram
and use #KhalifaUni
76
77
WHAT’S HAPPENing
Upcoming
Events
/khalifauniversity
/khalifauni
/khalifauniversity January 19-22, 2015
World Future Energy Summit (WFES)
january 28, 2015
The smart Devices Security and Privacy Contest
February 22-26, 2015
International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX)
CALL FOR ENTRIES
Please contact
Do you have a story
Erin Brannen
External Relations Office
Khalifa University- Abu Dhabi
you would like to
+971 (02) 501 8540
[email protected]
share with us?
78
ABU DHABI CAMPUS
PO Box 127788
Abu Dhabi, UAE
T: +971 2 401800
F: +971 2 4472442
SHARJHA CAMPUS
PO Box 573
Sharjha, UAE
T: +971 6 5978888
F: +971 6 5611789
www.kustar.ac.ae
79