Masdar faculty, students receive accolades

Abu Dhabi, Feb 20, 2012 (WAM) - Masdar Institute of Science and Technology has gradually gained status as one of the leading institutions to have received consistent global recognition over the past few months. Over the last few months Masdar Institute has received five major global recognitions from diverse organisations according to a report in The Gulf Today. The Borealis Student Innovation Award was won by Rana Qudaih, an alumnus who majored in mechanical engineering, for her thesis on polyolefins (plastics). Founded by Dr Matteo Chiesa, the Laboratory for Energy and Nano Sciences (Lens) at Masdar Institute offers students research opportunities in advanced technologies. Part of the Lens team under the guidance of Dr Peter Armstrong, associate professor in mechanical engineering, Steven Meyers, an alumnus who graduated in June 2011, was named in the esteemed Forbes 30 “Under 30” achievers list in the “clean energy” category for his research on thermal and optical modelling of the Beam Down Solar Thermal Plant in Masdar City. A paper co-authored by a UAE-based scientist, Dr Iyad Rahwan, assistant professor, computing and information science, was chosen for publication by the Science journal. The paper analyses the tactics adopted by various teams during the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) Network’s Red Balloon Challenge, which measured the crowd-sourcing power of today’s social media platforms. A team led by Dr Raed Hashaikeh, professor of materials science and engineering, won the “elevator-pitch” competition at the Insead/Smart Entrepreneurship Bootcamp in Singapore. – The Gulf Today