Read on to enjoy the latest edition of the AUS Office of Research and Graduate Studies newsletter—home to all the latest news and developments from our faculty and graduate students.
Dr. Mohamed El-Tarhuni is Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer at American University of Sharjah.
He is a Professor of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering.
Greetings from American University of Sharjah (AUS) and welcome to the next edition of our research and graduate studies-focused newsletter, Because Tomorrow Matters.
COP28, to be held in Dubai later this year, is now just around the corner. AUS has been named a member of the COP28 Universities Climate Network (UCN), which will see our students, faculty and staff contribute their ideas, research and innovations to the COP28 dialogue. With climate change mitigation high on the UAE’s national agenda, this edition will share with you some of the work being undertaken at AUS that will help meet the challenges climate change presents. You can learn all about AUS’ contribution to COP28 by visiting the dedicated AUS COP28 webpage, aus.edu/cop28.
This edition also shares AUS researchers’ work from across other spheres, from Spanish Civil War history to breakthroughs in the monitoring of bone health. As you read through this edition, you will also learn of the achievements of many of our graduate students, including the four who recently graduated from our PhD in Engineering Systems Management program. These are the second cohort to graduate from this program, and we are enormously proud of their achievements. As always, we trust you will enjoy this deep dive into research and scholarly activity at AUS and share stories of interest with your colleagues.
Warm regards,
Mohamed El-Tarhuni, PhD
Sabbatical Spotlights
Sabbatical sheds new light on shape memory alloys and high entropy alloys
Dr. Wael Abuzaid, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, spent his sabbatical leave at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, a highly reputable technical university with a global reputation. During his sabbatical, Dr. Abuzaid worked on multiple research projects related to novel and advanced materials systems including shape memory alloys, high entropy alloy and fatigue properties of additively manufactured components for aerospace applications.
Sabbatical fosters relationships between AUS and UK water engineering experts
Dr. Serter Atabay, Professor of Civil Engineering at AUS, has recently completed a sabbatical in the United Kingdom (UK) where he collaborated with water engineering expert Dr. Soroosh Sharifi and his research group at the University of Birmingham. His sabbatical also provided Dr. Atabay with the opportunity to work with other well-known academics in the UK, namely Professor Nigel Wright, also from the University of Birmingham, and Professor Raziyeh Farmani of the University of Exeter.
Dr. Vernon L. Pedersen's sabbatical journey: Unveiling stories of Stalin's volunteers and Montana's communist past
Dr. Vernon L. Pedersen, a distinguished Professor of History in the Department of International Studies at American University of Sharjah (AUS), embarked on a sabbatical that took him on an intellectual adventure spanning two distinct projects, unveiling hidden chapters of history and enriching his scholarly pursuits. Dr. Pedersen's primary focus during his sabbatical was dedicated to completing research for a book titled Stalin's Volunteers: The Marine Workers Industrial Union, the Spanish Civil War, and the Myth of the Good Fight.
Dr. Daniel Dupuis, Associate Professor in the AUS School of Business’s Department of Finance, has recently completed a sabbatical in the United States, using the opportunity to further research in the increasingly topical field of digital fraud in the world of cryptocurrency. The area of digital fraud in the cryptospace is relatively nascent, and research in this field requires access to databases that are, at this point in time, either governmental or proprietary. The main purpose of Dr. Dupuis’ sabbatical was therefore to collect raw data live, then perform an initial analysis because the said data cannot be removed from the premises.
Cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit within UAE universities
Fostering an interest in entrepreneurship among students in UAE universities is the central focus of new research conducted by well-known family business expert and advocate for entrepreneurial education Dr. Rodrigo Basco. In the report detailing his research, “Undergraduate Entrepreneurial Education in the UAE,” Dr. Basco shares his findings in order to enhance entrepreneurial education across UAE universities and help cultivate the country’s up and coming entrepreneurs.
Investigating public attitudes and perceptions of climate change in the GCC: The case of the UAE and Saudi Arabia
Many countries across the world have announced their intention to mitigate climate change by agreeing to meet internationally agreed targets for emissions. However, realizing these targets is a considerable challenge for governments. The success of meeting such targets has been shown to rest, in part, on the ability of governments to engage the public in climate-mitigation policies and build public support for the changes.
AUS Instructor receives competitive grant to help students foster more sustainable global communities
Kristina Katsos, Instructor in the Department of International Studies in the AUS College of Arts and Sciences, has received a grant worth more than AED 1 million from the Stevens Initiative to rollout the AUS Transformative Sustainability Project (TSP). So far, the TSP has seen hundreds of AUS undergraduate students collaborate with their peers at two US universities on the implementation of innovative virtual exchange practices.
Poetics of construction, material imagination and place identity: Assessing the built work of RCR Architects in the UAE
A study led by Dr. Igor Curiel, Professor of Practice in the College of Architecture, Art and Design at American University of Sharjah, and Dr. Suzanne Strum from The City College of New York, outlines the complex challenges facing foreign architects building in the United Arab Emirates. “Poetics of Construction, Material Imagination and Place Identity: Assessing the Built Work of RCR Architects in the UAE” examines Western forms and means predominating over the ingenious climactic mechanisms and culturally relevant forms of indigenous and traditional architecture in the UAE.
Multiplanar robotic tube bending can improve precision and efficiency in building projects
Research undertaken by Associate Professor Gregory Spaw, an architecture faculty member in the AUS College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD), is set to uncover future possibilities for a digital fabrication method in the field of bundled and interwoven tubular structures. The project, “Multiplanar Robotic Tube Bending” explores the potential of multiplanar bending of metal rods. Spaw and his colleagues have been conducting experiments using a six-axis industrial robot with a custom end-effector and an external two-axis positioner that can be used to bend linear tubes.
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: Nanocarriers delivering hope
In the quest for more effective and targeted cancer treatments, researchers at American University of Sharjah (AUS), led by Dr. Rana Sabouni, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, are pioneering an innovative approach that holds the promise of transforming cancer therapy. At the heart of this groundbreaking research lies the development of nanocarriers, microscopic vehicles designed to transport anticancer drugs directly to tumor sites within the body. What sets these nanocarriers apart is their unique composition, constructed from materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
AUS researchers secure patent for miniature digitized radar system
Researchers from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) College of Engineering (CEN) have obtained a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a novel radar system that has many advantages over traditional radar systems. The miniature digital radar system is a modern, high-performance radar system with a small footprint that has capacity for wide coverage and diverse ranges. The system can detect small targets, such as drones, even when flying at low altitudes and from a long distance away– something most traditional radar systems are unable to do.
Wearable microwave tomography system supports bone health monitoring
The detection of diseases such as osteoporosis are likely to be made easier as a result of research being led by Dr. Amer Zakaria, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at AUS, and co-investigated with Dr. Nasser Qaddoumi, Professor of Electrical Engineering also at AUS.
Dr. Zakaria and his team have been developing a wearable device that uses microwave tomography to monitor human bone density. Traditionally, the study and diagnosis of osteoporosis has been undertaken using x-ray.
The importance of hydrodynamic variability in maintaining Sharjah’s diverse coral reefs
Coral reefs are one of the United Arab Emirates’’s most biodiverse and economically important assets. As a result, much research has been undertaken to study coral reefs across the UAE. However, Sharjah’s reefs have not had the same research attention that other emirates’ reefs have been given. A team of researchers including Dr. Aaron Bartholomew, Professor in the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, is therefore seeking to better understand Sharjah’s coral communities and examine how Sharjah’s reefs may help restore damaged reefs throughout the Gulf and the East coast of the UAE.
From the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia and Morocco, AUS graduate students participate at array of international conferences
Graduate students from AUS have attended recent international academic conferences, broadening their knowledge and expanding their network of international colleagues.
AUS commends remarkable graduate students for exemplary achievements
American University of Sharjah (AUS) recently honored four exceptional graduate students for their outstanding achievements. These students have demonstrated unwavering dedication and excellence in their respective fields, earning them well-deserved recognition during the Academic Year 2022-2023.
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