Exhibition sheds light on sustainable solutions

Under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and President of the University of Sharjah (UoS), Professor Hamid MK Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, inaugurated the “2nd Annual Engineering Undergraduate Senior Design Project Exhibition” and the “1st Graduate Students Research  Symposium.”

The events aim to showcase the designs and research projects of engineering students from the various disciplines that seek to serve the community.

The exhibition featured around 40 designs including commercial and residential buildings, public areas development projects, and providing sustainable and innovative environmental solutions that combine modern technology and aesthetics.

The featured projects included work on solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, and a fuel cell power system with a water desalination unit to  move ferries in a sustainable manner.

Projects also included the design of a sustainable highway, the design of a central integrated solar vapour system and biomass system, the use of bio-polymer technology to improve soil, a project for the care of the elderly in the UAE, a project of thermal neutron imaging system for cultural heritage research, and a project of sustainable management of confectionery bakeries.

On the sidelines of the Exhibition, the College organised the “1st Graduate Students Research Symposium,” which included  8 posters and 9 lectures for engineering students.

The research of PhD students in Engineering Management included practical solutions to environmental and governmental management problems in Sharjah and the UAE in general.

One study included a comprehensive assessment of the use of self-driving cars in the UAE as a promising future project.

Professor Kamal Youcef-Toumi, Mechanical Engineering Professor, Co-Director of Center for Clean Water and Clean Energy at MIT in the US, and Member of the University of Sharjah’s Board of Trustees, attended the inauguration along with Prof. Elsiddig Ahmed ElMustafa El Sheikh, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Professor Maamar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies; Dr  Salah Taher, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs; Majid Al-Jarwan, Vice Chancellor for Public Relations; Professor Abdul-Kadir Mohammed Hamid, Acting Dean of the  College of Engineering; Dr Ghazi Al Khatib, President of the Exhibition Organising Committee;  and a number of faculty and staff members from the College of Engineering, guests from the government and private sectors, and students.

Recently Sheikh Sultan inaugurated the 13th Annual Scientific Research Forum organised by the University under the theme, ‘Multidisciplinary Research to Maximise Sustainable Impact” at Al Razi Hall in Medical and Health Sciences Colleges at the University of Sharjah.

Al Naimiy delivered the opening speech in which he lauded the efforts and guidance of Sheikh Sultan to constantly support the University, which contributes in the remarkable development that the UoS has achieved at the regional and international levels.

During his speech, Al Naimiy stressed that this year’s Scientific Research Forum works to meet the requirements of its theme on how to achieve sustainable development through interdisciplinary scientific research, pointing to the University’s efforts in accordance with its vision to consolidate the concept of scientific research through many initiatives and academic programmes.

Al Naimiy has also praised the increase of the number of University students’ scientific researches, underscoring the significant importance of spreading through these researches in global research platforms.

For his part, Deputy Director of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies Professor Muammar al-Batayeb stressed that the Forum shed light on how to achieve sustainable development through scientific research.

During the ceremony, Sheikh Sultan honoured the Forum’s Sponsor, which is the Sharjah Islamic Bank, and the sponsors of the Sharjah Design and Innovation Award, the Sharjah Economic Development Department and Cosmoplast Industrial.

Sheikh Sultan also honoured a number of the University’s distinguished professors in the field of scientific research, teaching, and serving the university and the community.

Sheikh Sultan also honoured the winners of the Sharjah Islamic Bank Award for faculty members in the fields of scientific research, the Sharjah Islamic Bank Award for the students category, and then His Highness honoured the winners of the Sharjah Design and Innovation Award.

He inaugurated the scientific exhibition accompanying the Forum, where he inspected the exhibition and listened to an explanation about the research projects offered by undergraduate and postgraduate students, which will contribute in serving the society and His Highness’ inspecting the latest developments in scientific research.