The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Institute has announced a compelling new season of events, offering talks, workshops, and conferences that delve into topics including arts, culture, and artificial intelligence, among others. The season’s programs are open to the public and free of charge, providing the community with access to discussions led by renowned scholars and experts from around the world.
Executive Director at The NYUAD Institute Maurice Pomerantz said: “This season is particularly exciting, offering something for everyone. The diversity of topics—from artificial intelligence to arts and culture—reflects the breadth of interest and expertise in our community. Whether you’re passionate about the latest developments in technology or intrigued by historical explorations, you’ll find a program that resonates with you. The Institute continues to be a place of learning and a destination for all, where people from different walks of life come together to engage in meaningful discussions and expand their horizons.”
The season opens with a workshop titled Status and Trends of Arabian Gulf Coral Reefs led by NYUAD’s Associate Professor of Biology John Burt. In this session, regional experts will come together to review past reef data and create a unified system for tracking and preserving coral reef information in the Arabian Gulf.
A talk titled AI in Biomedical Imaging: Transforming Microscopy and Diagnostics will dive into how AI is revolutionizing medical imaging, showing how deep learning can create faster and more accurate digital images for diagnostics.
In another discussion, archeologist Abdullah Alsharekh will present the prehistoric landscapes of Saudi Arabia and trace the movements of early human populations who migrated from Africa over the past two million years. The discussion will focus on how these groups adapted to different environments, using local resources and water as crucial lifelines.
The Institute will also present a conference titled Inclusive Futures: Exploring Research Innovations and AI Tools for Children with Disabilities. In collaboration with the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion, The event will explore the latest research innovations and AI tools that can facilitate the inclusion of children with disabilities in various educational and social settings.
An overview of the upcoming programs are detailed below; more workshops, talks, and conferences will be available soon here and announced on The Institute’s social media platforms.
Upcoming Programs Information:
Status and Trends of Arabian Gulf Coral Reefs: Data Integration and Analyses
Tuesday, September 17 at 6:30pm to Thursday, September 19
Featuring John Burt, Associate Professor of Biology, NYUAD
AI in Biomedical Imaging: Transforming Microscopy and Diagnostics
Wednesday, September 18 at 6:00pm
Featuring Aydogan Ozcan, Chancellor’s Professor and the Volgenau Chair for Engineering Innovation, UCLA
The Future of Wireless Communication
Monday, September 23 at 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Featuring Abdullah Alsharekh, Department of Archaeology, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
A Short Journey Into Prehistoric Arabia
Wednesday, September 25 at 6:00pm
Featuring Rashad Bukhash, Chairman of the Architectural Heritage Society; Chairman, ICOM UAE (UAE Talk)
Preserving the Past, Embracing Change, Honoring Traditions
Wednesday, October 2 at 6:00pm
Featuring Zaki Aslan, Professor of Practice at the American University of Sharjah, Advisor (Cultural Heritage), and Former Founding Director (ICCROM-Sharjah)
Monday, October 7 at 6:00pm
Featuring Eberhard Bodenschatz, Director, Max-Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Göttingen, Germany
Material and Visual Worlds of Oil Infrastructure in Histories of the Global South
Tuesday, October 22 at 9:00am to Thursday, October 24
Featuring Nelida Fuccaro, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies; Professor of Middle Eastern History, NYUAD, and Mattin Biglari, Lecturer in Asian and Middle Eastern Environmental History, University of Bristol
Ibrahim Al Koni and the World of the Tuareg
Wednesday, October 23 at 6:00pm
Featuring Ibrahim al-Koni, Libyan-Swiss Author, Winner of the 2008 Sheikh Zayed Award for Literature, and 2023 Sharjah Book Fair Cultural Personality of the Year
Wisdom From the Ages: Ibn Khaldun and Lessons for a Poly-Crisis World
Wednesday, October 30 at 6:00pm
Featuring Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Chairman, Leadership Council of the Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC); Chairman of the Board of Directors of UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia (UTM)
