A delegation from Belarus and the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics (BSUIR) visited MBZUAI. Discussions focused on potential collaborations in AI and opportunities for Belarusian graduate students at MBZUAI. The meeting was led by representatives from both the Belarusian embassy in the UAE and BSUIR's research and development department. Why it matters: This visit signals growing international interest in MBZUAI and the UAE's AI ecosystem, potentially leading to future research partnerships and student exchange programs.
DERC's Aysha Al Neyadi won the Young Scientists Competition at the 14th International Conference Interaction of Radiation with Solids in Minsk, Belarus. Aysha co-authored a paper with researchers from Belarus State University and TII on the structure and phase composition stability of amorphous zirconium irradiated with helium ions. The paper examined amorphous alloy samples based on zirconium irradiated with Helium ions at 40 keV. Why it matters: This award recognizes contributions to materials science and highlights international research collaborations involving UAE institutions.
MBZUAI Adjunct Professor Iryna Gurevych has won the 2025 Royal Society Milner Award for her contributions to NLP and AI. The Milner Award recognizes outstanding European computer scientists and includes a bronze medal and a £5,000 honorarium. Gurevych's work focuses on processing big data with NLP tools, argument mining, and detecting misleading content. Why it matters: The award highlights MBZUAI's growing prominence in the international AI research landscape and Gurevych's work in making language models safer.
Michael Hickner, an Associate Professor from Penn State University, visited KAUST as part of the CRDF-KAUST-OSR Visiting Scholar Fellowship Program. Hickner specializes in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering. The visit was documented with photos by Meres J. Weche. Why it matters: Such programs foster international collaboration and knowledge exchange in science and engineering between KAUST and other leading institutions.
KAUST and the Ministry of Innovational Development of Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to collaborate on science, technology, and innovation. The agreement aims to leverage scientific strengths between the two entities through information sharing, personnel exchange, project support, and internship assistance. A Joint Working Group will coordinate the activities. Why it matters: This partnership expands KAUST's reach into Central Asia, potentially fostering joint research and development in areas like AI and sustainability.
Ainur Sharip, a Ph.D. student from Kazakhstan, joined KAUST in 2017, first pursuing her master's degree in bioscience under Associate Professor Jürgen Kosel, focusing on stem cell behavior on magnetic iron nanowire substrates. She then joined Professor Stefan Arold's Structural Biology and Engineering research group, developing a technology platform for the rapid biosynthesis of high-value natural products and enzymes. Sharip highlights KAUST's excellent faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and opportunities to attend international conferences as key factors in her research experience. Why it matters: Showcasing student success stories at KAUST can attract more international talent to the university and highlight the research opportunities available.
MBZUAI graduate Svetlana Maslenkova worked with Assistant Professor Mohammad Yaqub on a project focused on the earlier detection of kidney failure using tabular data. Maslenkova's master's thesis involved predicting Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) using Electronic Health Records (EHR), specifically the MIMIC-IV v2.0 database. She found that patient weight distribution was a factor in the severity of kidney failure. Why it matters: This research highlights the potential of AI and machine learning to improve healthcare outcomes through the analysis of often-overlooked tabular data in electronic health records.
A delegation from the Kyrgyz Republic, including the Ambassador to the UAE and the Minister of Education and Science, visited MBZUAI. The visit included a tour of the MBZUAI campus and discussions on potential collaborations. The delegation expressed interest in increasing the number of Kyrgyz students at MBZUAI and collaborating on research projects. Why it matters: This engagement signals MBZUAI's growing role as a regional hub for AI education and research, extending its reach beyond the GCC.