Emirati becomes first PhD graduate from Masdar

Faisal Al Marzooqi will be the first Emirati Masdar Institute doctoral programme graduate at its upcoming graduation ceremony on May 26, 2015. Courtesy Masdar

ABU DHABI // Faisal Al ­Marzooqi will be the first student at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology to graduate from its doctoral ­degree programme.

The Emirati was the first PhD student to successfully defend his thesis, Interplay of Membrane Fabrication and Nanotechnology in Water Desalination, making him the first to be cleared for graduation.

He said he was inspired to focus on water desalination after Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said that “water is more important than oil for the UAE”.

Dr Al Marzooqi said: “A major part of my PhD has been related to nano materials, nanotechnology and nano and micro fabrication techniques. It was such an important period in my PhD because it opened a new horizon for me in science and engineering, offering me a stepping stone to venture into various challenges. I feel it’s a moment of humbleness and realisation of how much our country and leaders have given us in our nation. It’s a moment of feeling the need to give back to our country and feel the responsibility to maintain high academic and professional standards and keep pursuing the goal to be number one in whatever I am pursuing.”

The main challenge in his research, he said, was that it crossed among different ­scientific disciplines.

“I was working with experts in nano/micro fabrication, nano materials and experts in desalination,” he said.

“Trying to combine these different disciplines and come up with innovative, yet practical, solutions at the cutting edge of nanotechnology and desalination was not an easy task. This is simply because it has never been done before.”

Dr Al Marzooqi prepared six scientific papers, published a review paper and submitted a report on the use of image analysis in cell membrane characterisation. He also drafted the final version of three other papers on the development of membrane fabrication techniques.

Two of his papers will be presented in international conferences this year.

A technology patent resulting from his thesis is now pending with the US Patents Office.

Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, president of the Masdar Institute, said Dr Al Marzooqi and his fellow PhD students would make “a valuable contribution to the UAE’s efforts to become one of the world’s most innovative nations by 2021”.

The first set of PhD students were enrolled at the institute in 2013 with the aim of allowing them to respond to complex problems by crossing the boundaries of more than one scientific and technical academic area.