Sharjah 24 – WAM: Khalifa University (KU) will organise tomorrow the virtual 2021 UAE Graduate Students Research Conference (GSRC), a platform that showcases scholarly research work and innovative ideas and projects in various fields of knowledge.

The 6th year of UAE GSRC, held under the patronage of Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, will witness the presentation of 354 papers, selected out of a total of 435 submissions.

Nearly 80 percent of the papers are from students in Engineering and Physical Science track followed by the Clinical, Pre-Clinical, Health & Life Sciences track. The ‘Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, and ‘Business & Management’ have also attracted sizeable number of papers this year. The best papers will be recognised across all the tracks.

Al Hammadi, who is also Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University, said that postgraduate research is one of the main drivers of a knowledge economy, as it contributes to finding innovative solutions to the various challenges faced by critical industries and sectors in the world in general, and the country in particular.

"Papers presented at the UAE GSRC by doctoral students, for example, contribute to the development of knowledge that in turn helps in finding solutions to problems in various fields, thus enhancing the status of the UAE and its role in knowledge creation, benefiting various economic sectors," he added.

Research papers presented during the UAE GSRC contribute to the Fourth Industrial Revolution through projects in genetics, cancer research, and epidemiology, as well as in the most prevalent medical conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases.

They also impact areas of economic and strategic importance such as renewable energy, sustainability, water desalination, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and robotics, in addition to various research in the fields of education, and linguistics.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Chair of the Steering Committee of 2021 UAE GSRC, and Executive Vice-President of Khalifa University, said the number of papers submitted to 2021 UAE GSRC signifies the interest shown by students in the UAE in scientific exploration, and their keenness to undertake research that will lead to innovation benefiting the community.

"The conference will select the best papers for awards across various tracks. We look forward to learning about the success and innovations of these enthusiastic students as they progress in their respective careers," he added.