Emirati women take centre stage

ABU DHABI // The innovations of Emirati women were celebrated at a conference coinciding with International Women’s Day on Tuesday.

The Emirati Women: Excellence and Innovation conference was organised under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.

The conference aimed at strengthening women’s leadership in supporting growth and development in the UAE, reviewing Emirati success stories in the field of inventions and encouraging Emirati women to become innovators.

Ranime Elbsat, sales specialist at W Events, one of the organisers of the conference, said 12 projects created by Emirati women were exhibited at the conference.

“Women are considered people who stay at home, but this conference is important since it celebrates women who go the extra mile and create an innovation under their name,” Ms Elbsat said.

The Lebanese expatriate said that with 600 guests present, the conference was very well received.

Asma Al Mazrouei, 23, an Emirati from Ras Al Khaimah, demonstrated a drone that she made that can help to determine soil fertility, help in surveys for urban planning, detect a leak in an oil and gas site or help to survey traffic.

In 2012, she made a remote--controlled plane with a similar purpose in mind, and in 2013, she designed a drone.

Last year she started work on the drone that she showcased on Tuesday.

“The purpose of this project is to utilise Quadcopter to produce photos with lower costs and which can be used by teachers and students,” said Ms Al Mazrouei.

“Students can use the photos output to analyse different applications, such as those used for crop monitoring, -urban development, and traffic congestion,” said the graduate in geographic information systems from UAE University.

“The Quadcopter is equipped with components such as GPS, camera, encoder, and a telemetry receiver and sensors, to provide the user with aerial photos, real-time video, coordinates and pressure.

“Such a project can be used by schools and universities to support the educational process.”

She said she planned to use more advanced camera technologies for other applications, such as farming and vegetation monitoring, oil and gas exploration, oil spills and pipeline leaks, and habitats for wild life.

“My dream is to use my innovation in the UAE government,” Ms Al Mazrouei said.