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Joint Research Continues to Produce Regionally Relevant Innovations for Renewable Energy, Water Security, and Other Priority Sectors Identified in the UAE's National Innovation Strategy
Abu Dhabi - The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, revealed progress and opportunities surrounding the collaborative research projects it has undertaken with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at the Masdar Institute and MIT Research and Innovation Conference 2015, held in Abu Dhabi.
The conference, held on 13 April at Masdar Institute campus, acted as a platform for researchers from MIT and Masdar Institute to engage with stakeholders in the UAE's innovation ecosystem.
The joint research projects discussed were launched two and a half years ago, with the aim of addressing the unique sustainability challenges faced in the UAE. Since then, researchers have made significant progress towards achieving this goal with innovations in the fields of renewable energy, water security, and the other priority sectors identified in the National Innovation Strategy.
"The Masdar Institute and MIT Research and Innovation Conference facilitated an important dialogue into the potential for international collaborations to produce research-driven innovations catered to the UAE's unique challenges," said Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute. "We are pleased to see participants showing a strong interest in translating this regionally-relevant, joint sustainability research from the lab to the marketplace."
Dr Duane Boning, Director, MIT & Masdar Institute Cooperative Program (MIT & MICP), Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT of MIT, said, "This conference has successfully gathered stakeholders in the UAE innovation ecosystem to explore new opportunities innovations resulting from our joint research with Masdar Institute. The participants in this event are excited to leverage such innovations into engines of economic growth."
The Masdar Institute-MIT Research and Innovation Conference 2015 opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Moavenzadeh. Dr. Steve Griffiths, Executive Director, Office of Institute Initiatives, Masdar Institute, spoke about Masdar Institute's research strategy within the context of the UAE National Innovation Strategy.
His presentation was followed by an overview of the conference from Dr. Duane Boning, Director, MIT & Masdar Institute Cooperative Program (MIT & MICP), Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT. Faculty from both universities then summarized work on 14 projects that relate to the seven priority sectors established by the National Innovation Strategy - clean and renewable energy, water, health, education, transportation, space, and technology.
During a networking reception at the end of the conference, an 'Innovation Zone' was hosted by Dr. Bruce Walker Ferguson, Head of the Masdar Institute Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (iInnovation). The Innovation Zone highlighted research with promising commercial applications through poster presentations and provide an opportunity to engage face-to-face with leaders in the UAE's innovation ecosystem - including academics, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and corporate leaders. The projects on display featured leading edge ideas in energy, water and microelectronics from Masdar Institute and MIT that are on the fast track to commercialization.
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About Masdar Institute
The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.
An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar's core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi's knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity's toughest challenges such as climate change.
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.
Masdar Institute offers degrees in:
• MSc Engineering Systems and Management
• MSc Computing and Information Science
• MSc Materials Science and Engineering
• MSc Mechanical Engineering
• MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
• MSc Microsystems Engineering
• MSc Electrical Power Engineering
• MSc Chemical Engineering
• MSc Sustainable Critical Infrastructure
• PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering
Please visit our website http://www.masdar.ac.ae/
For more information contact:
Name: Shaima Al Jarman
Director - Marketing & Communications
Public Affairs Department
Email: saljarman@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 810 9365
© Press Release 2015
