Ras Al Khaimah Ruler hosts international scientists for talks on enhancing role of science across academia, industry

RAS AL KHAIMAH, 21st February, 2023, (WAM) – H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, today held discussions with world-renowned scientists in the field of Advanced Materials on the value of science and means to further its proliferation across academic institutions in Ras Al Khaimah, as the 14^th annual International Workshop on Advanced Materials (IWAM) drew to a close.

Sheikh Saud stated: “Scientific research and discovery is paramount to the type of knowledge-based and forward-thinking society we are building. Instilling the values of science and other academic disciplines in our younger generations is crucial to their personal development and that of our beloved Ras Al Khaimah. We seek to embolden our people with a deep understanding of science that can lead them to discoveries that benefit all of humanity.”

“To host IWAM and the internationally acclaimed scientists that it brings is a great achievement for Ras Al Khaimah and highlights the importance we place on academic excellence, multilateral collaboration and seeking solutions to global challenges, to ensure the future we are creating is prosperous and sustainable,” Sheikh Saud added.

Sheikh Saud held discussions with a number of Advanced Materials scientists from prestigious universities from around the world, including a Nobel Prize winner and a member of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry.

Among the guests present were Professor Sir Tony Cheetham, Chairman of Ras Al Khaimah Centre for Advanced Materials(RAK CAM) and professor at the University of California, U.S., and the National University of Singapore; Professor Xiaodong Zou, member of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry, from the University of Stockholm; Professor Gerbrand Ceder and Professor Kristin Persson, both experts in AI and machine learning from the University of California, U.S.; Professor Andre Geim, of the University of Manchester, U.K., who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010 for the joint discovery of graphene; and Professor Judith Driscoll, of the University of Cambridge, U.K.

The meeting covered a variety of topics, foremost among them being the most recent developments and applications in the field of Advanced Materials, as well as ways to enhance the teaching of science in schools and universities across Ras Al Khaimah and how Advanced Materials could benefit the array of industries that are based in the UAE’s northernmost Emirate.

Organised by the RAK CAM, IWAM is a global forum for research and discovery in the field of Advanced Materials, which include metals, ceramics and polymers that are either new or enhanced beyond their original state, making them superior materials that are more beneficial for various uses. Using Advanced Materials can enhance the performance of components, improving entire systems so that they are more productive, durable or fuel efficient, etc.

The three-day event was attended by over 200 scientists, students and business leaders, and featured speakers from prestigious academic institutions from around the world.