Today's Edition
AYSHA SHAAYA (ABU DHABI)
Under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, the 12th Undergraduate Research and Innovation Competition (URIC) was recently held at Abu Dhabi University (ADU), bringing together outstanding students from the UAE and around the world.
Participants showcased exceptional research and innovative ideas across 27 academic disciplines — ranging from artificial intelligence and machine learning to biomedical engineering, clinical sciences, cybersecurity, fintech, e-commerce, and renewable energy.
This year, URIC gathered 650 research entries from about 1,300 students, representing 105 universities across 14 countries, reinforcing the competition’s status as the largest undergraduate research platform in the region.
URIC is more than just a competition; it serves as a catalyst where ideas can become reality, said Prof. Montasir Qasymeh, Associate Provost for Research, Innovation, and Academic Development at ADU.
“In this kind of gathering, we are ... making bridges between industry and academia,” he said. “[It’s about showcasing] these ideas that all students have and … transforming them into a product rather than just an idea,” Qasymeh said.
Making a Difference
Mahmood Khalid Abbas, a student from the University of Kurdistan Hewler in Iraq, came up with an idea of a “self-adjusting sky crane,” hoping to help save lives.
Once in Erbil, a construction worker fell from a crane. This sparked the idea in my mind. Why should we put human life in danger?” said Mahmood.
“I see the UAE’s very beautiful skylines, and I really appreciate the Rulers’ vision for the country. I believe my idea can help make these projects more efficient and, most importantly, safer,” Abbas said.
Najla Alharthi, a computer and information sciences student from King Saud University (KSA), and her team shared their concept of advanced automatic traffic lights that can significantly cut waiting time for drivers.
“We have implemented our idea in four areas, and have seen massive success, as it has reduced waiting time at traffic lights from 45 minutes to 5 minutes. We are positive that our idea will solve a problem, as time is a valuable resource for the public,” Alharthi said.
Shahad and her team from University of Sharjah wanted to improve the lives of diabetic patients; so, they suggested an early diagnostic tool that can distinguish types of diabetes.
“There is an uncommon type of diabetes in diagnosis. This can have a serious impact on the treatment of patients. Our project aims to improve the quality of life for the patients as diabetes is very common in the UAE,” Shahad said.
