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The old Arab civilizations were considered pioneers in the areas of science and technology, and the ADI believes that the current generation of Arab youth has all the capabilities needed to retrieve this esteemed status in the world. An understanding of the science and technology issues facing us can lead to creation of various innovative solutions, which are one of the main driving forces of development. We hope to gather the talented minds of the Arab youth under one roof, with the intention of promoting those innovative solutions to create a sustainable foundation for a better future.
Subtopics to be discussed at Envision Arabia 2011:
1) Alternative renewable energy - The Arab world is currently very reliant on fossil fuels. Nevertheless, these energy sources pose numerous environmental problems and are perishable. The investment in renewable energy, such as solar, geothermal and hydroelectric energy can lead to a more sustainable future.
2) Scientific Research - Universities in the Arab world pale in comparison to their western counterparts in the number of published scientific articles and journals per year. Scientific institutions and laboratories focused on research are imperative in driving development in the Arab world.
3) Entrepreneurship and Scientific Innovation- Innovation is a vital driver to development. The Arab world is full of talented youth with innovative ideas that need developing and nurturing in order to benefit society. This workshop will aim to discuss how technological entrepreneurship and scientific innovation can be used to promote development in the MENA region.
ADI Science and Technology Chair: Ahmed El-Baghdadi
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Mr. Khaled Al Sabawi - Speaker and moderator (Alternative Renewable Energy)
Khaled Al Sabawi is the Founder and President of MENA Geothermal, a Palestinian green energy business. MENA Geothermal was awarded the National Energy Globe Award in 2008 and is currently installing the largest geothermal system in the Middle East, in Jordan. Khaled was named “One of the World’s Top Energy Entrepreneurs” by Global Post and was a speaker at this year’s TEDxRamallah. Khaled is also the General Manager of UCI, one of the largest real-estate development companies in Palestine.
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Dr. Ehab Abouheif - Moderator (Scientific Research)
Ehab Abouheif is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at McGill University. In addition to being a Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Professor Abouheif is the recipient of various grants, fellowships and awards such as the distinguished Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship as well as the NSERC, FQRNT and Canadian Foundation for Innovation grants. He spoke and moderated workshops in numerous conferences, symposiums and seminars in Canada, USA, Jordan, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Sweden.
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Mr. Ahmad Ashkar - Moderator (Entrepreneurship and Scientific Innovation)
Ahmad Ashkar is the Founder of the Hult Global Case Challenge – the world’s largest crowdsourcing idea platform for social good. Ahmad has held senior level positions as a management consultant, banker and real estate executive specializing in innovation, new market entry and global expansion with an expertise in idea generation and development. Ahmad’s work at the Innovation, Excellence and Leadership Center (IXL Center) includes coaching executives from world-class companies on utilizing the latest innovation tools and techniques. Corporate clients include the likes of: Emirates NBD, HSBC, Natura, Johnson Controls, AliBaba, Lufthansa, GE and Levis.
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