RAS AL KHAIMAH (ALETIHAD)
The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) recently hosted a two-day workshop titled “Multidisciplinary Sustainability Solutions”, in partnership with the Arab German Young Academy for Sciences and Humanities (AGYA), that included youth from universities around the world.
The event saw 20 speakers from 10 nations, including Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, and the UAE, who shared and discussed ground-breaking ideas aimed at accelerating sustainability efforts.
The workshop’s agenda was rich and varied, covering innovative approaches to sustainable infrastructure and green agriculture. A significant focus was placed on enhancing the viability of photovoltaic energy in managing groundwater resources, fostering sustainable development within the healthcare sector, and exploring the transformative impact of nanotechnology.
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at AURAK, Professor Stephen Wilhite, emphasised the critical nature of sustainability studies, stating that support for the event is rooted in the conviction that sustainability is not merely beneficial but vital for human survival.
The workshop’s outcomes were met with optimism, as participants suggested many human-centric solutions to today’s man-made challenges.
Professor Ahmed Sakhria, AURAK Organising Committee Chair, highlighted the workshop’s role in bolstering the partnership with AGYA, noting that the event was a testament to the innovative spirit of youth and the high calibre of interdisciplinary research being conducted.
In conjunction with the workshop, AURAK also held the Renewable Energy Competition, providing a forum for undergraduate students to present their research and engage in intellectual exchange. The competition aimed to promote renewable energy concepts and encourage students to apply engineering principles in their projects and improve their communication skills.
The competition’s winners included Abu Dhabi University (1st place), recognised for their advancements in the smart inspection of oil and gas pipelines; AURAK’s own BreatheEZ project as the runner-up; followed by the University of Sharjah, awarded for their 3D printed electrical equipment for compressed air energy storage.
AGYA, established in 2013 with headquarters at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Academy for Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt, continues to serve as a pioneering bilateral academy fostering research collaboration among early-career researchers affiliated with a research institution in Germany or in an Arab nation.