Mae AlMansoori, a Senior Researcher at the Directed Energy Research Center (DERC) in the UAE, has been awarded the IEEE Mojgan Daneshmand Grant. She is the first woman from the UAE and the region to receive this grant, which recognizes women in STEM. AlMansoori will receive a $1,500 prize and present a paper at the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation in Denver. Why it matters: This award highlights the growing role of women in STEM fields in the UAE and provides a platform for regional researchers to gain international recognition.
Mae AlMansoori from TII's Directed Energy Research Center won the Young Scientist Award at URSI Kleinheubacher Tagung 2020. Her paper introduced a correlation metric to evaluate the influence of random variables on high-power electromagnetic sources, specifically a Vircator model. The study combined extreme value theory and descriptive statistics to analyze peak output power variability and identify dominant factors. Why it matters: The research offers a framework for managing uncertainties in high-power electromagnetic sources and optimizing their efficiency, relevant for defense and energy applications in the region.
Mae AlMansoori, Principal Researcher at DERC, received the highest marks and an "Excellent" commendation for her PhD thesis and presentation from Helmut Schmidt University. Her thesis focused on applying modern engineering to optimize directed energy technologies, resulting in over 25 publications and a patent filing for RF jammer localization. AlMansoori is the first Emirati to significantly contribute to directed energy systems and detection technologies. Why it matters: This achievement highlights the UAE's growing expertise in advanced engineering fields and the role of Emirati researchers in developing cutting-edge technologies.
Dr. Reem Ashour from TII's Autonomous Robotics Research Center has been appointed as Secretary of the UAE IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) leadership committee for 2024-2025. Dr. Ashour collaborated with Dr. Diana Dawoud (University of Dubai) and Dr. Lilas Alrahis (NYUAD) to develop the proposal for the UAE chapter of IEEE WIE. Dr. Ashour will participate in the IEEE WIE International Leadership Summits (ILS) 2024 in Dubai. Why it matters: This appointment highlights the increasing role of women in STEM leadership in the UAE and provides a platform for TII to contribute to global discussions on gender equality in engineering.
KAUST Ph.D. student Mohamed Bahloul received a best paper award at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC ‘18) for the Africa and Middle East region. Bahloul's paper presented a three-element fractional-order viscoelastic Windkessel model developed in the EMAN group at KAUST. The model incorporates a fractional-order capacitor, potentially enabling earlier prediction of cardiovascular diseases. Why it matters: The award recognizes impactful research in biomedical engineering at KAUST and highlights the potential for advanced modeling techniques to improve healthcare in the region.