NYUAD Institute

In a rapidly evolving world, the preservation of cultural heritage serves as a bridge between the past and the future. This talk explores the need for a dynamic interplay of adaptation and continuity within cultural practices and identities in the Gulf and Arab regions. The speaker will discuss how societies in this part of the world can navigate modern challenges by devising policies and projects...

After a brief introduction to rain formation and clouds, the talk explores climate engineering and the scientific challenges we are facing. The speaker will discuss the role of fluid turbulence in cloud formation and will present two experiments to illustrate these concepts. Speaker Eberhard Bodenschatz, Director, Max-Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Göttingen, Germany

This presentation explores the Arabic Maqam system of melodic modes, a pillar of traditional Arabic music, focusing on its distinctive structures and sounds. Using examples and guided listening exercises, the session offers a clear and engaging starting point for understanding Arabic music's depth and complexity. By complementing the deep dive into Maqam with insights into how it shapes specific m...

This talk focuses on the escalating issue of carbon emissions, which exceed levels year after year. The rising CO2 concentration exacerbates various climatic challenges, affecting human well-being and ecosystems, particularly for the nearly one billion people facing hunger daily. The speaker will discuss global analyses of climate change's impact on marine and terrestrial ecosystems, highlighting...

In this talk, the speaker will explore the rapidly evolving landscape of wireless communication, a fundamental pillar of modern connectivity that drives everything from smartphones to smart cities. As we move from the era of 5G to the horizon of 6G, the speaker will discuss how the future of wireless communication is set to revolutionize our digital experiences with unmatched speed, reliability, a...

This talk explores the use of deep neural networks in advancing computational microscopy and biomedical diagnostics. It highlights innovative methods for generating histological stains digitally, providing a faster, more cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional techniques. The discussion will cover virtual staining techniques that create various stains from label-fre...

This impactful debut documentary from Arwa Damon, a multi-Emmy-award winning senior war correspondent, chronicles the journey of four young individuals, all survivors of the conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, and Afghanistan, as they embark on a week-long exhilarating expedition to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro. United by their experiences and driven by a desire to reclaim joy and agency over their lives, thi...

This talk explores the significance of communal efforts in capturing history by focusing on the concept of "community archives," that is, archives created by and for groups within a given community who seek to take a more active role in jointly preserving the documentation of their shared past. Through talks presented by two noted scholars in this field, this event will look at how this emerging m...

Race and racism are often considered problems particular to the U.S., with little relevance elsewhere. When sociologists Ann Morning and Marcello Maneri interviewed young Italians, they found that mention of race regularly elicited the reaction, “Che brutta parola! What an ugly word!” as well as the insistence that it played no role in contemporary Italy. Yet in probing further, they discovered th...

The panel explores the evolving identity of contemporary media and its pivotal role in shaping national identity; focusing on the historic contributions of women in journalism and the influence of editorial control on the intellectual landscape. Discussions will address the challenges and barriers to innovation, particularly those related to institutional and societal norms. Speakers will explore...

The vast oceans surrounding us are a remarkable source of sustenance, prosperity, and vitality. They regulate our climate, nourish us, and support numerous industries. Yet, the oceans face increasing pressures from climate change, overfishing and pollution. Now a new threat looms for the ocean. If allowed to go ahead, deep-sea mining will destroy this critical and awe-inspiring source of life. Com...

Even while the climate crisis deepens, the decarbonization of the global economy and the fourth industrial revolution have been subsumed by geopolitics that remain anchored in realist power struggles, now revolving around Sino-American hyper-competition. Access to indispensable minerals for a net zero future has become securitized undermining ties of global interdependence. The panel of interdisci...

There is a common sentiment that working in the arts is exceptional. It’s not just a workplace, it’s a passion. But loving it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a job. In Theatre Work: Reimagining the Labor of Theatrical Production, Brídín Clements Cotton and Natalie Robin investigate the question of artmaking, specifically theatrical production, as work. When the art is the work, how do employers...

Sport has the power to change lives by promoting values of health, education, and cooperation among people, neighborhoods, communities, cities, and nations. Programs like New York City FC's City In The Community and partnerships between the NBA, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, and NYU Abu Dhabi are forging these relationships and achieving transformational results locally and globally...

This talk presents the design and development of a custom 3D printed haptic syringe interface aimed to augment a virtual reality local anesthesia simulation (VRLA) with realistic tactile feedback. The VRLA previously used an Oculus Quest 2 head mounted device (HMD) with out of the box hand controllers to immerse students in the simulation and complete the necessary tasks. One controller (with the...

Modern science has done amazing things: creating covid vaccines, sending humans to the moon, finding the ultimate nature of light. What makes it so powerful—and so different from the attempts to understand nature made by the philosophers and monks of old? Vaulting from Aristotle to gravitational waves, Michael Strevens argues that much of science’s power derives from an epistemic limitation that c...

Often, the United Arab Emirates is envisioned as a land of ultramodern skyscrapers or vast sand dunes. Yet, the Emirates are much more: a diverse tapestry of ecosystems that are home to a surprising array of life forms uniquely adapted to the Arabian environment. This talk explores the UAE's unique ecosystems, its terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and humanity's role in this young, rapidly evol...

The Golden Harvest is a 6,000-year old love story in which the filmmaker tries to understand the profound, often troubled, relationship between olive trees and the people of the Mediterranean, including her own father. It is a complicated romance, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, set in a region that includes some of the poorest and most conflicted areas of Europe and the Middle East. Alia Yunis...

Cryptography is often regarded as a cornerstone of computer security. Yet, many public-key cryptographic algorithms show vulnerability to implementation errors or misinterpretations. This talk surveys 'weapons of math destruction' that have proven remarkably effective in identifying flawed cryptographic implementations in real-world scenarios. It also covers adventures in both active and passive n...

A conversation with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur about his journey through diverse film industries and film genres, across national boundaries. From Masoom (Innocence); India, 1983 to his most recent What's Love Got to Do with it? UK, 2022, from the fantasy film, Mr. India; India, 1987, to realism, Bandit Queen; India, 1994 and historical fiction, Elizabeth; UK 1998, Kapur will share his experiences an...

يتناول الحوار أهمية المواسم وتأثيرها على أساليب الحياة عبر استكشاف تقويم الدرور، التقويم الفلكي المستخدم في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة قديماً، وارتباطه بالبيئة الطبيعية والمواسم فيها. كما يستند المتحدثون إلى خبراتهم الواسعة في مختلف مجالات الحياة لمُناقشة تقويم الدّرور، ودوره في الحياة الاقتصادية والاجتماعية في دولة الإمارات. المتحدثون: محمد سعيد الرميثي زيد سعيد الشحي إبراهيم أحمد الشحي أحمد إ...

Join us in celebrating International Women's Day 2024 with an inspiring event themed Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress. The program features a lineup of speakers who are at the forefront of women and youth empowerment across the globe and will discuss the interplay of education and diplomacy regionally and globally, with a focus on women in innovative leadership. Speakers Gugu Ndebele, Executiv...

Obtaining accurate and current information from conflict zones has long posed numerous challenges for global media. The rise of generative AI and its use in targeted disinformation campaigns presents many new challenges that threaten to undermine the credibility of reporting and sway opinion. In this panel, four distinguished panelists will consider the problems posed by disinformation and generat...

This talk highlights the advanced use of sensing systems that collect continuous data from wearable devices, such as location trackers and voice-activated recorders, to deepen our understanding of human behavior and development. The speaker will explain behavioral imaging, which involves creating a dynamic multimodal representation of behavioral data over time. The focus will be on a specific sens...

Kicking off a week-long New York City residency by Kuwaiti music ensemble Boom. Diwan, this panel explores the history and intercultural dynamics of musical cultures in the Arabian Gulf and Africa’s Swahili Coast. Based in mercantile trade and cultural exchange dating back many centuries, the music of the Gulf and Western Indian Ocean have developed uniquely rich and cosmopolitan song forms and st...