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Tag: United Arab Emirates

American University of Sharjah partners with University of South Carolina to offer dual PhD

Posted on by American University of Sharjah

Students pursuing a PhD in Business Administration (PhD-BA) with a concentration in finance at American University of Sharjah (AUS) or University of South Carolina (UofSC) will now have the opportunity to have their degree awarded dually by both universities. A new agreement between AUS and UofSC will allow their respective PhD-BA students to spend the second year of their PhD program abroad, benefiting from the experience of international study and the awarding of a degree from two high-ranking institutions.

The PhD-BA at UofSC is offered by the Darla Moore School of Business, one of the United States’ most renowned business schools. The Moore school is the top-ranked business school in the US for international business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels (U.S. News & World Report) and the faculty are recognized as the world leader in research published in the Journal of International Business Studies, since its inception in 1970 (JIBS, 48(9).

The AUS PhD-BA is offered through the university’s School of Business Administration (SBA). AUS is currently ranked by Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings as top in the UAE for business and economics (2022). SBA’s MBA is recognized as being in the Middle East and Africa’s top 10 and among the world’s top 250 in the QS Global MBA Rankings (2022). In the recent QS World University Subject Rankings (2022) AUS was named number one (tied) in the UAE and among the top 250 universities globally for accounting and finance and number one in the UAE and among the top 250 in the world for business and management studies. The same rankings also placed graduates who have studied business and management and accounting and finance at AUS as being the top choice for employers in the UAE.

According to Dr. Narjess Boubakri, SBA Dean, the new dual program presents unique opportunities for ambitious students looking to achieve at the highest levels.

“A PhD from either Darla Moore or SBA is an impressive feat. However, having a PhD degree from both institutions will be enormously beneficial to students looking to accelerate their position as business leaders or pursue careers in academia. For many AUS students, undertaking a PhD abroad is not practical given work or family commitments. However, this dual degree program now makes a PhD from abroad possible for these students, as they need only spend one year abroad. Such experience will give them a wealth of international connections and an appreciation of diverse cultures.”

Students in the program will be under the supervision of faculty from both universities, and their research dissertation will be co-supervised by faculty from both AUS and UofSC. However, students will need to take only one comprehensive exam, which will be administered by both institutions and the time to complete the dual program is the same as the standard program. Due to limited places, admission to the program will be competitive. Those who are successful will benefit from assistance in applying for visas, insurance and housing for their time abroad. Students will also be eligible for scholarships and stipend support to assist with academic and living costs.

Professor Kendall Roth, Senior Associate Dean of International Programs and Partnerships at Darla Moore, said:

“Partnering with one of the most prestigious universities in the region is a real honor and very exciting for us. Combining AUS’ strengths in finance with our 30+ years as the top research and educational program in international business will be a fantastic experience for the dynamic student. We also look forward to new collaborations between our professors at the frontiers of research in international business and finance.”

Applications for AUS’ PhD-BA are now open for Fall Semester 2022. For more, see www.aus.edu/sba/department-of-finance/phd-in-business-administration-phd.

AUS researcher leads international collaboration studying chemical compositions of distant galaxies

Posted on by American University of Sharjah

A collaborative study led by a researcher at American University of Sharjah (AUS) has recently published the detailed chemical composition of three star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a smaller companion galaxy of the Milky Way that is 160,000 light years away, to contribute to understanding the history of the universe.

“Different chemical elements (such as iron, calcium, carbon and many others) form inside the core of stars through nuclear fusion. The stars created today have a different composition compared to the first generation of stars following the Big Bang. They consist of many more elements and have higher chemical abundance. Tracing the chemical enrichment history of different galaxies is one of the fundamental goals of the field of astrophysics,” said Dr. Randa Asa’d, Associate Professor in Physics at AUS and lead researcher.

She added: “We used integrated-light spectroscopic observations in our research, which we obtained by fitting the Magellanic Echelle Spectrograph on the Magellanic Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. We were able to determine the chemical abundance of the three star-clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The abundance we derived from observations are in agreement with the theoretical values predicted by mathematical models.”

However, obtaining these outstanding results was no easy feat.

“This research is very exciting, but really challenging. In order to study the chemical abundance of star clusters in distant galaxies, we needed to observe high-resolution integrated spectra of star clusters using some of the largest telescopes in the world. Using these telescopes is very competitive because of their limited number and the many astronomers around the world who need to use them. Another challenge we faced was the need for a powerful computing facility to measure the chemical abundance from the spectra we were studying. To give you an idea about the intensity of the required computing time, the code used to obtain the abundance of one element in one star cluster took several months to produce the results. Such computational abilities are surely not possible using a regular computer,” said Dr. Asa’d.

She added: “I am looking forward to applying the methods used in this study on other galaxies to study their chemical composition and history, which helps us understand the universe as a whole.”

The findings were published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Astrophysical Journal (ApJ) and come as part of a series of research projects led by Dr. As’ad in collaboration with research teams from world- renowned research centers and universities including the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) among others.

Having earned her PhD in Physics from the University of Cincinnati in 2012, Dr. As’ad joined AUS right after her graduation and has already made a name for herself in the field of stellar-clusters astrophysics. Her research work has been recognized locally and internationally and has been presented at international conferences and published in renowned scientific journals such as Astrophysical Journal and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. She is an elected member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) – Commission H4 (Stellar Clusters throughout Cosmic Space and Time) and winner of the AUS College of Arts and Sciences Award for Excellence in Research (Mathematics and Sciences) for the Academic Year 2021-2022.

Dr. Asa’d enjoys engaging students in her research and welcomes new passionate students to join her group. She is currently working with six AUS undergraduates on different scopes of research. Two of her students have received undergraduate research grants from the College of Arts and Sciences and plan to travel to the US to work with renowned researchers this summer.

The Department of Physics at the AUS College of Arts and Sciences is at the forefront of scientific endeavor, innovation and entrepreneurship. It is recognized for excellence in teaching and distinguished research. Its faculty are known for their notable research records, and for the collaborations they have fostered with some of the world’s most celebrated physicists, working in the world’s most respected and recognized universities. With the exciting developments in the UAE’s clean energy sector and the launch of an ambitious space program, the Bachelor of Science in Physics offered at AUS prepares students to think rigorously and conduct meaningful and cutting-edge research, preparing them for fulfilling careers in academia, and the public and private sectors.

For more information about the Department of Physics and what it has to offer, please visit www.aus.edu/cas/department-of-physics.

Physics research from AUS provides new insights into how living matter originated

Posted on by Amy Robinson

Research impacting our knowledge of how life in the universe began has been released by scientists from American University of Sharjah (AUS). A team of researchers led by Dr. Ali Alnaser, Head of the Department of Physics in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, in collaboration with renowned scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Germany, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India, has published the results of experiments, using intense laser light to irradiate water molecules absorbed on nano-particles, in the prestigious Nature Communications Journal.

The experiments have led to the discovery of a new reaction that led to the production of Trihydrogen ion (H3+), arguably the most important triatomic ion (a molecule consisting of three atoms) for generating living matter in the universe. Up until this point, it was not possible to generate this type of ion from water using conventional chemical synthesis techniques. This ion is fundamental to the production of many organic compounds in the cosmos and is regarded as an important precursor for the origin of life in the universe.

Dr. Alnaser said of the impact of the research: “The findings reveal a new mechanism for the production of H3+ that mimics the conditions of outer space. The research, therefore, provides new insights into the process governing the beginning of life in the universe.”

In addition to providing a greater understanding of how life began, the research findings also have the potential to be extended to the production of other new molecules. Such molecules may have significant biological and environmental applications in both terrestrial and non-terrestrial situations.

The significance of the research has been recognized by the global scientific community, with Nature Communications publishing the research this week in the article “Anomalous Formation of Trihydrogen Cations from Water on Nanoparticles.” Nature Communications forms part of the Nature portfolio, a group of journals forming one of the world’s most respected and prestigious sources of new scientific research. Every month, approximately nine million people worldwide read news, analysis and commentary on Nature.com.

Dr. Alnaser believes the materials science and engineering research facilities at AUS played an important role in the success of the research.

“Our research brought together many technologies across laser physics, molecular dynamics, quantum optics and nanotechnology. AUS’ advanced laboratories allowed for such technologies to be successfully married together,” he said.

Dr. Alnaser noted that research of this magnitude acts as inspiration for existing and future students of AUS, demonstrating how a degree from AUS can lead to remarkable achievements, even in the early days after graduation.

He said that a driving force behind much of the lab-based experiments for this research was M. Said Alghabra, who graduated from AUS in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with summa cum laude honours. Alghabra spent about two years working on this project under the supervision of Dr Alnaser in the AUS Department of Physics. During his time working on this project, Said received help and guidance from Mazhar Iqbal, Senior Laboratory Instructor in the Department of Physics, as well as visiting professor Rami Ali.

The next step in Alghabra’s career is to pursue a graduate degree at the prestigious Technische Universität München, Germany, one of the top schools in Europe and the world. He has received a DAAD scholarship to pursue his graduate studies. These scholarships are aimed at graduate students and awarded for study and research visits to the university and non-university research institutions in Germany.

“His story will no doubt inspire many students currently enrolled at AUS, or who plan to undertake their studies at the university once completing high school,” Dr. Alnaser said.

AUS collaboration with Sharjah Sustainable City shows students how to embed sustainability into built environment

Posted on by Amy Robinson

Throughout the spring semester, Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted a four-part webinar series focused on sustainability and the built environment. The webinars brought together practitioners from SSC and academics from AUS to discuss energy and climate change, smarter mobility, ecodistricts and sustainable materials.

The webinar series provided an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge beyond classroom discussions and theoretical ideas to how SSC is implementing sustainable practices on the ground. The students were able to learn about the successes and challenges faced in the development of sustainable housing and communities.

“Collaborations such as this webinar series with SSC allowed students to learn first-hand what it takes to incorporate sustainability principles into a project like Sharjah Sustainable City and the impact it can have on our individual and community carbon footprint. This is invaluable insight for students. It brings all of the knowledge gained in the classroom to life,” said Rose Armour, Head of AUS Sustainability.

Approximately 370 students, faculty and staff attended the different webinars, with students comprising the majority of the attendees. Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, and the College of Architecture, Art and Design were able to incorporate the webinars into their classroom learning.

“The SSC webinars provided a great window for our students and faculty alike to interact with prominent professionals who are working on the development of SSC. For my classes, it has substituted the face-to-face site visits that have been limited by COVID-19 and has enriched the students’ knowledge and supported the delivery in my courses. As a result of these webinars, the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Diamond Developer asked us to measure and evaluate the thermal insulation of one villa and has voiced interest in our project on 3D concrete printing,” said Dr Adil Tamimi, Professor of Civil Engineering at AUS.

Students who were able to attend all four of the webinars and received certificates of attendance for their time committed to this initiative. Ishrag Abdalla, an environmental sciences senior who received a certificate, said he found the webinars beneficial.

“The webinar series was a true success as AUS Sustainability capitalized on the university’s online-based transition. As a student, it’s often challenging finding the time to participate in new discourse while balancing our academic commitments; however, this series was offered at a great pace that piqued my curiosity in an especially important topic: sustainability. The SSC and AUS collaboration exposed the AUS community to global trends and sustainable urban planning,” Abdalla said.

AUS is looking forward to the next phase of collaboration with SSC in Fall Semester 2021, which will see the start of research projects with the College of Engineering and potential co-authoring of a research paper on urban planning. Building strong relationships with distinguished local companies enhances the AUS educational experience by providing real-world applications that cannot be learned in the classroom. This sentiment was echoed by Karim El-Jisr, Chief Sustainability Officer, Diamond Developers:

“The webinar series was an excellent opportunity to generate research interest in smart and sustainable cities and to identify opportunities for practical learning in Sharjah Sustainable City. Indeed, blended education can accelerate knowledge transfer in sustainability and the built environment.”