Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi attends the opening of the 14th IWAM event

• The International Workshop on Advanced Materials brought together renowned international scientists
• Scientists including a Nobel Prize winner and Nobel Prize Committee member attend the three-day International Workshop on Advanced Materials (IWAM)

His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, today attended the opening of the 14th annual International Workshop on Advanced Materials (IWAM) in Ras Al Khaimah, which is held under his patronage and brings together scientists, including a Nobel Prize winner and a member of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry, for discussions on the real-world applications of Advanced Materials.     

“In the rapidly changing and relentlessly developing world we live in, knowledge has become the cornerstone of sustainable economic development, and science a vital engine of prosperity for society and our great hope to shape a better future for our younger generation,” H.H. Sheikh Saud said. “The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has cemented its reputation and status as a prominent global platform for brilliant scientific minds to come together and find evidence-based solutions to the existing and potential future challenges facing multiple sectors.” 

“It is our philosophy, here in Ras Al Khaimah, to embrace science and channel it towards driving development in every field. We are committed to encouraging science and facilitating research for a better future, and to that end, we welcome our esteemed guests at IWAM today, including some of the world’s most prominent scientists and renowned experts in their field – Advanced Materials. We are confident the meetings at this conference will be constructive and bring further prosperity for humanity,” H.H. Sheikh Saud added.

The three-day IWAM, being held at the Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, will be attended by over 200 people and will feature speakers from prestigious academic institutions from around the globe, including the University of Cambridge, U.K.; University of California, Santa Barbara, U.S.; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia; Temple University, Philadelphia, U.S.; the University of Manchester, U.K.; and the National University of Singapore. 

Prominent AI and machine learning experts are also set to take to stage at IWAM, along with speakers covering a wide range of topics, such as energy storage, semiconductor nanostructures, metal-organic frameworks, polymers and soft matter and alloy design using 3D printing. A competition for high school and undergraduate students - Ras Al Khaimah Innovation and Sustainability Challenge - will run alongside IWAM, organized by the University of Bolton Academic Centre - Ras Al Khaimah, in partnership with RAKEZ Academic Zone and RAK Education Zone (Ministry of Education), and there will also be opportunities for Ras Al Khaimah-based companies to discuss their interests in the applications of Advanced Materials. Graduate students and post-doctoral researchers will also be delivering talks and presenting posters.   

Organized by the Ras Al Khaimah Centre for Advanced Materials, IWAM is a global forum for research and discovery in the field of Advanced Materials, which include metals, ceramics and polymers that are either new or enhanced beyond their original state, making them superior materials that are more beneficial for various uses. Using Advanced Materials can enhance the performance of components, improving entire systems so that they are more productive, durable or fuel efficient, etc. 

Professor Sir Tony Cheetham, the Chairman of Ras Al Khaimah Centre for Advanced Materials and professor at both the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the National University of Singapore, said: “This is the 14th event to take place in Ras Al Khaimah and we are proud to continue on this journey in the UAE, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, as we seek even wider exposure and use of Advanced Materials.  

“IWAM brings together the finest minds in the scientific field of Advanced Materials for insightful and productive discussions on breakthroughs, best practice and means to further our scientific disciplines for the benefit of humanity. 

“The applications of Advanced Materials have progressed rapidly in recent years, with current usage in mobile phones, solar cells, LED lighting and water purification. We are thankful to His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi and Ras Al Khaimah for providing a platform for important dialogue on a subject matter that will continue to grow its real-world value through events such as IWAM.” 

Highlights of this year’s IWAM include a session led by Professor Xiaodong Zou, a member of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry, from the University of Stockholm; sessions by Professor Gerbrand Ceder and Professor Kristin Persson, both experts in AI and machine learning from the University of California, Berkeley, U.S.; a talk from Andre Geim, who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010 for the joint discovery of graphene; and sessions with Ras Al Khaimah companies to discuss their interests in the applications of Advanced Materials.