Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 11 October 2021: In line with the UAE’s vision to empower women across sectors, and taking pride in its students’ achievements, Abu Dhabi University (ADU) highlights the outstanding performance of its female engineering students in engineering and computing research. 

Every year, ADU-enrolled female students in STEM take part in international and national awards bringing out their knowledge and expertise in an environment that enables them to grow, network, and discuss technical and professional ideas. During the last few years, the proportion of females in engineering and computing programs at ADU increased by 5%. Adding to that, the overall number of female students grew by 20% in the same time frame.

 

Most recently, ADU female researchers in the engineering and computing areas Maha Yaghi and Marah Alhalabi were selected amongst five students from across the world and awarded this year’s Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) WISC scholarships. IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization. 

 

IEEE WISC Scholarship recipient Marah Alhalabi said: 'Being a recipient of the IEEE WISC Premier Scholarship affirms my belief that women can grow to become excellent leaders in service computing. I am humbled by this recognition and dedicate it to my parents, mentors and the new generation of women in Computing majors.' 

 

Dr. Hamdi Sheibani, Dean of the College of Engineering at ADU said: “We are proud to be known as a college that strives for continuous empowerment of women in engineering and computing research. We aspire to build a community where women engineers can grow into their full potential and support future generations.”

 

Professor Waqar Ahmad, Chancellor of ADU said: “The achievements of all our female students and faculty further solidify ADU’s position as a leading academic institution in the UAE and the region. ADU’s mission is to prepare students to occupy demanding jobs in the real world through flexible, yet highly innovative programs. We are looking forward to seeing our students develop more innovative solutions and grow in the field of engineering and computing.”

Dr. Samr Ali, a graduate of the MSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering program, who has recently defended her Ph.D. degree from Concordia University in Canada in the area of Artificial Intelligence and is currently working for Ericsson Montreal said: “I begin my research journey in the Artificial Intelligence area as an undergraduate then graduate student at ADU. My early experiences paved the way to where I am now.” 

 

In recent years, ADU has hosted the annual Undergraduate Research Competition (URC) with the aim to encourage scientific research and innovation, gradually making it an integral part of the students' educational journey. From 2018 to 2021, ADU saw the participation of 1,467 female students with 26 of its students taking home awards. The number of female winners increased by 200% in just three years. 

 

ADU equips its students with a strong educational foundation that will facilitate their participation in events internationally and locally. In addition, ADU exceptional cadres also previously participated and were awarded in competitions including the; 4th International Conference on Civil and Building Materials (ICCBM 2020) in Okinawa, Japan, and the 7th International Conference on Arab Women in Computing and Technology (ArabWIC), to name a few.

During the past years, ADU hosted Women in Engineering Forum, in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 to focus on issues  female engineers face with a particular reference to the region. In 2020, the forum received  a turnout of more than 500 local and international participants. Set to be held next month, this year's event will highlight the contributions of female engineers to the development of sustainable smart cities before COVID-19 and the challenges that have arisen after the pandemic. 

 

Being one of the region’s most prestigious academic institutions, ADU offers strong Engineering programs that prepare students to deal with the ever-changing market needs due to its up-to-date curriculum and advanced facilities.