University of Sharjah hosts second forum for women in research

• The forum was held in conjunction with ArabWIC 2021: ArabWIC 7th International Conference on Arab Women in Computing.
• The forum supported women’s empowerment efforts in the computing, medical and scientific research fields.

Sharjah, UAE : The University of Sharjah held the second edition of the Forum for Women in Research virtually, under the patronage and presence of Dr. Hamid M.K Al Najmiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah. The forum, titled ”QUWA, Women Empowerment in Research and Innovation”, was designed to promote women’s involvement in research and inspire female students, faculty and researchers to pursue careers in computing, engineering, medical and scientific research fields. .

Taking place in conjunction with the forum, the ArabWIC 7th Annual International Arab Women in Computing and Technology Conference was organized online, in collaboration with key industry leaders, including GlaxoSmithKline; a world leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare company, The Research and Development Center of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Emirates NBD.

Speaking at the forum, Dr. Gizem Akalin, Vice President and General Manager of GSK in the Gulf, Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis, Director of Research Programs at the R&D Center of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Fatima Al Awadhi, Chief Human Resources Officer at “Tanfeez”, a subsidiary of Emirates NBD, helped address key issues and challenges in the field of scientific research and innovation.

As part of this collaboration, the University of Sharjah held an award ceremony and presented 15 excellence awards and a grant, valued at a total of AED 150,000, to the most promising research projects in various scientific fields, including excellence in computing, engineering and science; medical and health sciences; dentistry; pharmacy; academic partnership with the industry, innovation as well as impact on the community. In addition to furthering women’s inclusion in these research fields, the awards aim to help female students, faculty  and researchers bring to life and execute their innovation, ultimately supporting local research.

The competition included two award categories, a Scientific Research Excellence Award for Students and Scientific Research Excellence Award for Female Faculty Members, to which 208 female researchers applied from 26 UAE-based universities. Marking the success of the competition, the University of Sharjah also received 68 submissions of research papers from 15 countries.

His Excellency Prof. Dr. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, said: “We are delighted and honored to host the Second Forum for Women in Scientific Research. The University of Sharjah is committed to empower and motivate women, to be a part of the scientific industry and contribute to the advancement of knowledge and research, ultimately accelerating innovation. This is in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to promote science and knowledge in order to enhance the UAE’s national development. We are also working on building partnerships and creating opportunities for scientific cooperation and knowledge-sharing to support the strategic national priorities in various sectors. I would like to thank all our partners, faculty members, organisers and arbitration committees for their continued support. I also would like to congratulate the tenacious winners and wish them further success in their future scientific careers”.

Dr. Gizem Akalin, Vice President and General Manager – GSK Gulf, said: “We are proud to partner with the University of Sharjah to support the local scientific research efforts, help accelerate innovation, and most importantly empower women to thrive in these scientific fields. Our mission is to make a positive impact in the UAE, helping create accessible opportunities for innovation and research while supporting our communities. We would like to congratulate the winners and wish them more success on their journey to advance scientific research and innovation in the UAE”.

In addition to serving as a platform to support and motivate women in various scientific fields, the forum provided an opportunity to local and international female students and researchers to exchange ideas, learn about the latest trends and develop new skills, while also establishing open channels of communication and cooperation with the industry in the region on artificial intelligence, data science, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IOT), among other important topics.

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About GSK

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© Press Release 2021