Latest news with #MaysIbrahim
Al Etihad
27-04-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
QGasBusters' explained: Life-saving innovation reinvents gas leak detection with AI, quantum sensors
27 Apr 2025 23:58 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI) Thousands of lives are lost globally each year due to gas pipeline failures — silent, invisible threats that often go undetected until it's too late. But a new solution, QGasBusters, is aiming to change that, using quantum sensing and machine learning to detect leaks early and optimise emergency responses. By analysing subtle anomalies in pipeline infrastructure with unprecedented sensitivity, QGasBusters could provide critical early warnings to avert industrial disasters and save lives.'Anything related to saving lives is incredibly important to us,' Tamara Hamad, one of the creators of QGasBusters, told Aletihad on the team's decision to develop this solution. 'During our research, we discovered that thousands of lives are lost each year due to gas leaks, particularly in industrial zones. This alarming statistic raised a serious concern within our team and became the driving force behind our desire to find a solution.''We felt a strong responsibility to address this real-world issue and to develop a system that could help detect and neutralise gas leaks before they turn into tragedies,' she added. QGasBusters, aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to health, industry safety, and sustainable cities, according to Hamad.'It also supports the UAE's vision in innovation, sustainability, and the development of future-ready technologies to enhance quality of life and protect the environment. We are proud to contribute, even in a small way, to these national and global goals through our work,' she said. The project was initially conceived last year during NYU Abu Dhabi's Annual International Hackathon for Social Good, where students from around the world gathered to build solutions to real-world challenges using AI and quantum computing. QGasBusters stood out among dozens of projects, earning not just the top honours but also an invitation to present at the prestigious GESDA Summit in Geneva. Creating a Prototype Yet the journey to a working prototype was anything but straightforward. In just 48 hours, the team had to bridge complex scientific concepts with real-world practicality – merging the sensitivity of quantum sensors with the predictive power of AI. The technical challenge was immense: quantum sensing and quantum machine learning are both rapidly evolving fields and integrating them into a viable system demanded intensive problem-solving under tight deadlines.'Our biggest hurdle was ensuring that the technologies we proposed could realistically work together,' said Mateo Stipanicic, another member of the team. 'We had lengthy discussions with industry mentors to refine our approach and frame it in a scientifically valid way.''The theoretical viability of the sketched solution was our greatest challenge,' Stipanicic said.'Our proposal was based on the combined capabilities of quantum sensing and quantum computation, so the possibility of getting these technologies closer to each other was a real struggle. Lengthy and heavy conversations with tech industry mentors were useful to frame our hypothesis in a valid way.'Part of QGasBusters' strength came from the team's diversity – not just in nationality, but in expertise. 'The opportunity to team up with students from different backgrounds was really valuable,' Stipanicic said. 'The multicultural atmosphere, a driver for exchange and discussion, and the intertwining of disciplines was great to experience: physics, engineering, computer science, data analysis, policy-making, diplomacy and business were blended together.'Following their win in Abu Dhabi, the team travelled to Geneva to showcase their innovation at the GESDA Summit, a gathering of the world's leading scientists, policymakers, and futurists. There, QGasBusters received feedback that has helped the team continue developing the project toward real-world deployment.'Our privileged participation in such a world-renowned event was possible due to a warm team of contributors across the global quantum community, onto which we felt most welcomed,' Stipanicic said. 'If something characterises the quantum industry is being ecosystem-first and cross-lines, and taking part of GESDA Summit meant embracing that spirit fully, through engagement with policymakers, scientists and innovators beyond the labs.' From Hackathon to Real WorldToday, Hamad and Stipanicic are working with GESDA and industry mentors to refine QGasBusters, exploring possibilities for pilot programmes and industrial partnerships. Their goal is to transform a hackathon-born idea into a practical tool that industries can deploy is a researcher and technologist with a background in philosophy and industrial engineering from the Universidad de Montevideo in Uruguay. He is leading an effort to bring similar hackathon experiences to Latin America, aiming to give other young innovators the same opportunities he received at NYUAD. Hamad, a data scientist and aspiring technologist based in the UAE, helped mentor students in this year's hackathon, hoping to inspire the next generation of tech-driven changemakers. 'It feels incredibly rewarding to give back to a community that has played such a pivotal role in shaping my journey. I'm excited to continue learning, growing, and contributing to meaningful tech-driven solutions,' Hamad said.
Al Etihad
23-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE sets global benchmark in women's economic empowerment
24 Apr 2025 01:13 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)The UAE sets a regional and global example in women's economic empowerment, Dr Moez Doraid, UN Women Regional Director a.i. for the Arab States, said in an interview with Aletihad on the sidelines of the EmpowerHer at the General Women's Union in Abu Dhabi, the one-day event celebrated the launch of the 'Accelerating Women's Economic Empowerment in Africa and Latin America' component of the UAE-UN Women Strategic Partnership Framework (2024-2027).In his keynote, Dr. Doraid thanked Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, for her unwavering support and tireless efforts in championing women's issues across local, regional, and global arenas. Her Highness is also the Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).'The conference embodies our shared commitment to placing women's empowerment at the heart of economic transformation,' Dr. Doraid said. Last year, the UAE and UN Women signed a strategic partnership framework, with the UAE committing $15 million over three and a half years to advance gender-focused initiatives. This framework aims to support the UAE's adoption of a foreign policy centered around the women empowerment, Dr. Doraid said.'This cooperation also builds upon the national priorities of the UAE, which include women, peace, security, climate change, economic empowerment, and gender equality in general.'The 'Accelerating Women's Economic Empowerment in Africa and Latin America' initiative under this framework starts with a pilot in both Chile and Kenya. The Emirati Experience 'Women economic empowerment is central to women's empowerment overall. The UAE has been a pioneer in this regard,' Dr. Doraid said. The country's progress in strengthening women's economic empowerment is evident in increased participation in the labour market, expanded access to leadership roles, and the implementation of sustainable gender-based policies, he added. 'At the national level, Emirati women have advanced considerably in terms of building capabilities through education, and this has been followed by increased participation in economic and political fields. The UAE now ranks first in the Arab World in the gender gap index issued by the World Economic Forum.' The Emirati experience sets a model from which to draw lessons and experiences to cross-fertilize knowledge across the Arab region and globally to advance women's economic empowerment, Dr. Doraid said. He cited the findings of a report recently released by the UN Women and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) during the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development in Beirut. Titled Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: A Gender Snapshot of the Arab Region 2024, the report revealed that just one in five women in the Arab region (20%) is employed or actively seeking work, while the global average stands at 49%.This persistent gender gap comes at a high economic cost, estimated at $575 billion annually in lost GDP, according to Dr. Doraid. To counter this, UN Women aims to raise women's labour force participation in the region from 20% to 25% within five years – a move that could boost the region's GDP by over 20%. However, not all is bleak in the region, Dr. Doraid said. Arab countries have the highest female enrollment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. This growth is seen as a promising sign for the region's economic future, particularly in innovation-driven industries.
Al Etihad
23-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE among regional leaders in employee engagement
24 Apr 2025 01:18 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)The UAE has emerged as a regional leader in employee engagement, according to Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report, released on percent of workers in the UAE reported being engaged at work – the highest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and significantly above the regional average of 14%.Despite MENA's continued struggles with engagement – ranking just above Europe (13%) and well below the global average of 21% – the UAE's performance stands out. Alaa Alshaikh, Executive Director for MENA at Gallup, attributes the country's above-average engagement to its strategic focus on economic diversification and workplace development, particularly in non-oil sectors sectors as tourism, hospitality, real estate, and retail; many of which have surpassed pre-pandemic performance. 'This economic momentum has been matched by a long-standing commitment from both public and private sector leaders to cultivate exceptional workplaces,' Alshaikh said in a statement to Aletihad . Alongside the UAE, Oman (27%), Iraq (26%), and Saudi Arabia (26%) also report relatively high engagement levels for the region. In stark contrast, Lebanon records the lowest engagement in MENA – and among the lowest globally – at just 5%. Tunisia follows with 8% engaged workers and one of the world's highest rates of active disengagement at 40%.Gallup's findings also indicate that 25% of MENA employees say they are thriving in their lives – a high for the region – while 34% believe now is a good time to find a job in their local market, the most optimistic outlook since emphasised the importance of leadership and management quality in influencing workplace engagement.'Engagement is not just about policies or perks, it's about a laser focus on people, especially the ones leading others. Leaders set the tone that engagement is what is the most important for the organisation, while great managers account for the 70% variance in engagement,' he said. 'Empowered, well-trained, and emotionally intelligent leaders and managers are the linchpin of engaged, high-performing workplaces.' Investment in Leaders The UAE's long-term investment in leadership development across public and private sectors has been central to its high engagement levels, Alshaikh added.'Early investments in young UAE leaders have resulted in a cadre of effective managers who have helped translate the country's economic momentum into energised, purpose-driven workplaces. As a result, the UAE's engagement rate stands at 26%, nearly double the MENA average, highlighting this people-centric leadership strategy.'Globally, employee engagement declined to 21% in 2024 – only the second drop in the past 12 years. Manager engagement saw the steepest fall, dropping from 30% to 27%, with young and female managers most affected. The decline came at a steep cost: lost productivity amounted to $438 billion last only 33% of the world's employees say they are thriving in their lives overall, down from a high of 35% in 2022. Gallup estimates that if the global workforce were fully engaged, it could add $9.6 trillion in productivity, equivalent to a 9% boost in global GDP.
Al Etihad
20-04-2025
- Climate
- Al Etihad
Top Abu Dhabi places to visit before summer sets in
21 Apr 2025 00:10 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)The UAE is edging closer to the summer season with temperatures gradually Abu Dhabi's mangroves, green spaces, and oases, however, there are still opportunities to enjoy the outdoors just before the heat of the season fully takes hold. Abu Dhabi residents can expect a warm, generally fair week ahead, with skies remaining mostly clear, according to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM). Those who wish to make the most the pre-summer weather, here are some of the top outdoor spots to visit — ideally during the early morning or late evening hours: Abu Dhabi Corniche A long-standing favorite, the corniche offers sandy public beaches, palm-lined promenades, dedicated cycling paths, and clear views of the city skyline. It's perfect for a relaxing stroll, bike ride, or beach visit before the heat intensifies. Jubail Mangrove Park This natural sanctuary features elevated boardwalks through serene mangrove forests. Visitors will be able to spot herons, crabs, and even flamingos in the calm waters. For a more immersive experience, guided kayaking tours are available, offering a peaceful paddle through the ecological reserve. Umm Al Emarat Park Located in the city centre, this park is a great family-friendly option with shaded picnic areas, a botanical garden, a small zoo, and green open spaces. It's ideal for children and adults alike, especially in the cooler early evening hours. Al Ain Oasis A Unesco World Heritage Site, this oasis is a living example of traditional irrigation systems (falaj) and home to more than 147,000 date palms. Shaded walkways provide a cool, scenic path for walking and sight-seeing amid a historic landscape. Al Jahili Fort Situated in Al Ain, this 19th-century fort is one of the UAE's most significant historic landmarks. The surrounding gardens and exhibitions offer a pleasant cultural stop in a shaded environment. Weather Forecast As the week progresses, a gradual rise in temperature is anticipated, peaking at 39°C by Thursday. Humidity will vary significantly, with highs reaching up to 80% and lows dipping to 15-20% throughout the week. The seasonal climate outlook (April–June 2025) issued by the NCM suggests that daytime temperatures through the coming months could be higher than the historical seasonal averages. It revealed that the UAE is likely to experience above-average temperatures, with a high probability exceeding 70% from April to June 2025. Forecasts indicate that temperatures could rise between 0.5°C and 1.0°C above the normal seasonal levels across the country.
Al Etihad
15-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi's business-friendly climate offers strategic base for Brazilian firms, says LIDE Founder
16 Apr 2025 01:23 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a long-term strategic base for Brazilian companies aiming to expand into the MENA region, Asia, and Europe — offering the right environment, infrastructure, and policies to support global growth, according to João Doria, Founder and Co-Chairman of LIDE. In an interview with Aletihad on the sidelines of the UAE-Brazil Industrial Growth Majlis on Tuesday, hosted by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) in collaboration with LIDE Brazil, Doria highlighted the UAE's growing appeal as a business-friendly destination for Brazilian firms looking to scale their international presence.'Abu Dhabi has the correct environment and the correct rules to offer this opportunity to Brazilian companies,' he said. 'It's easy to do business here because the government's vision is to facilitate, not to complicate, investment.'Doria cited the success of companies like BRF Sadia, which operates a major meat processing facility in Abu Dhabi. The plant has been running for six years, exporting to the wider Middle East and generating jobs locally. Another example, he noted, is Ambipar, a Brazilian environmental solutions firm that recently established a presence in the UAE and is growing emphasised that Abu Dhabi's infrastructure, pro-investment policies, and streamlined regulatory environment are drawing increasing interest from Brazilian entrepreneurs. 'Each investor who visits the UAE — one out of every two — sees a real opportunity to invest here,' he UAE's supportive business climate stands out globally, Doria added, especially as Abu Dhabi pushes to diversify its economy and strengthen international partnerships. Key sectors of interest for Brazilian firms include energy transition, food security, logistics, tourism, and real already a global leader in food production — including soy, coffee, sugar, ethanol, and animal protein — is looking to add value to its exports by setting up manufacturing facilities within the UAE. 'We're not just exporting food; we're starting to build factories here to produce and brand these goods for local and regional consumers,' he a private business group with more than 4,200 members across 22 countries, sees Abu Dhabi as a unique gateway for strengthening bilateral commerce and advancing Brazil's international industrial footprint, Doria said. 'There is a real sense of momentum,' he added. 'Abu Dhabi offers the kind of platform that's hard to find elsewhere, and Brazilian companies are taking notice.'
