Login
Register

Tag: the American University of Sharjah

Physics research from AUS provides new insights into how living matter originated

Posted on by Amy Robinson

Research impacting our knowledge of how life in the universe began has been released by scientists from American University of Sharjah (AUS). A team of researchers led by Dr. Ali Alnaser, Head of the Department of Physics in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, in collaboration with renowned scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Germany, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India, has published the results of experiments, using intense laser light to irradiate water molecules absorbed on nano-particles, in the prestigious Nature Communications Journal.

The experiments have led to the discovery of a new reaction that led to the production of Trihydrogen ion (H3+), arguably the most important triatomic ion (a molecule consisting of three atoms) for generating living matter in the universe. Up until this point, it was not possible to generate this type of ion from water using conventional chemical synthesis techniques. This ion is fundamental to the production of many organic compounds in the cosmos and is regarded as an important precursor for the origin of life in the universe.

Dr. Alnaser said of the impact of the research: “The findings reveal a new mechanism for the production of H3+ that mimics the conditions of outer space. The research, therefore, provides new insights into the process governing the beginning of life in the universe.”

In addition to providing a greater understanding of how life began, the research findings also have the potential to be extended to the production of other new molecules. Such molecules may have significant biological and environmental applications in both terrestrial and non-terrestrial situations.

The significance of the research has been recognized by the global scientific community, with Nature Communications publishing the research this week in the article “Anomalous Formation of Trihydrogen Cations from Water on Nanoparticles.” Nature Communications forms part of the Nature portfolio, a group of journals forming one of the world’s most respected and prestigious sources of new scientific research. Every month, approximately nine million people worldwide read news, analysis and commentary on Nature.com.

Dr. Alnaser believes the materials science and engineering research facilities at AUS played an important role in the success of the research.

“Our research brought together many technologies across laser physics, molecular dynamics, quantum optics and nanotechnology. AUS’ advanced laboratories allowed for such technologies to be successfully married together,” he said.

Dr. Alnaser noted that research of this magnitude acts as inspiration for existing and future students of AUS, demonstrating how a degree from AUS can lead to remarkable achievements, even in the early days after graduation.

He said that a driving force behind much of the lab-based experiments for this research was M. Said Alghabra, who graduated from AUS in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with summa cum laude honours. Alghabra spent about two years working on this project under the supervision of Dr Alnaser in the AUS Department of Physics. During his time working on this project, Said received help and guidance from Mazhar Iqbal, Senior Laboratory Instructor in the Department of Physics, as well as visiting professor Rami Ali.

The next step in Alghabra’s career is to pursue a graduate degree at the prestigious Technische Universität München, Germany, one of the top schools in Europe and the world. He has received a DAAD scholarship to pursue his graduate studies. These scholarships are aimed at graduate students and awarded for study and research visits to the university and non-university research institutions in Germany.

“His story will no doubt inspire many students currently enrolled at AUS, or who plan to undertake their studies at the university once completing high school,” Dr. Alnaser said.

AUS collaboration with Sharjah Sustainable City shows students how to embed sustainability into built environment

Posted on by Amy Robinson

Throughout the spring semester, Sharjah Sustainable City (SSC) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted a four-part webinar series focused on sustainability and the built environment. The webinars brought together practitioners from SSC and academics from AUS to discuss energy and climate change, smarter mobility, ecodistricts and sustainable materials.

The webinar series provided an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge beyond classroom discussions and theoretical ideas to how SSC is implementing sustainable practices on the ground. The students were able to learn about the successes and challenges faced in the development of sustainable housing and communities.

“Collaborations such as this webinar series with SSC allowed students to learn first-hand what it takes to incorporate sustainability principles into a project like Sharjah Sustainable City and the impact it can have on our individual and community carbon footprint. This is invaluable insight for students. It brings all of the knowledge gained in the classroom to life,” said Rose Armour, Head of AUS Sustainability.

Approximately 370 students, faculty and staff attended the different webinars, with students comprising the majority of the attendees. Professors in the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, and the College of Architecture, Art and Design were able to incorporate the webinars into their classroom learning.

“The SSC webinars provided a great window for our students and faculty alike to interact with prominent professionals who are working on the development of SSC. For my classes, it has substituted the face-to-face site visits that have been limited by COVID-19 and has enriched the students’ knowledge and supported the delivery in my courses. As a result of these webinars, the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Diamond Developer asked us to measure and evaluate the thermal insulation of one villa and has voiced interest in our project on 3D concrete printing,” said Dr Adil Tamimi, Professor of Civil Engineering at AUS.

Students who were able to attend all four of the webinars and received certificates of attendance for their time committed to this initiative. Ishrag Abdalla, an environmental sciences senior who received a certificate, said he found the webinars beneficial.

“The webinar series was a true success as AUS Sustainability capitalized on the university’s online-based transition. As a student, it’s often challenging finding the time to participate in new discourse while balancing our academic commitments; however, this series was offered at a great pace that piqued my curiosity in an especially important topic: sustainability. The SSC and AUS collaboration exposed the AUS community to global trends and sustainable urban planning,” Abdalla said.

AUS is looking forward to the next phase of collaboration with SSC in Fall Semester 2021, which will see the start of research projects with the College of Engineering and potential co-authoring of a research paper on urban planning. Building strong relationships with distinguished local companies enhances the AUS educational experience by providing real-world applications that cannot be learned in the classroom. This sentiment was echoed by Karim El-Jisr, Chief Sustainability Officer, Diamond Developers:

“The webinar series was an excellent opportunity to generate research interest in smart and sustainable cities and to identify opportunities for practical learning in Sharjah Sustainable City. Indeed, blended education can accelerate knowledge transfer in sustainability and the built environment.”