NYUAD Institute: Recent Episodes
NYUAD Institute
The NYUAD Institute is a center of advanced research, scholarly and creative activity, and public workshops. Institute programs facilitate discussion between academics, students, professionals, and leaders from the UAE and from around the world.
by comparing how infants, adults, and AI systems infer intentions from actions alone. By pitting human intuition against state-of-the-art neural networks, this work tackles foundational debates across psychology, philosophy, and computer science — revealing the origins of intelligence, the divide between natural and artificial minds, and what it will take to build truly human-like, trustworthy AI.SpeakerMoira R. Dillon, Assistant Professor of Psychology, NYU
The talk explores the historical relationships that exist between the development and the evolution of embryos. What is the link between our developmental origin as individuals (a fertilized egg), on the one hand, and our evolutionary origin as a group of individuals (an ancestral population), on the other hand? And these embryos, are they really extraordinary constructions relying on carefully accumulated, multiple sets of precisely encoded instructions or instead, could they be the mere and only obligatory result of a chaotic program haphazardly built during the past hundreds million years?SpeakerDenis Duboule, Professor of Genetics and Chair of Evolution of Development and Genomes, Collège de France, ParisOrganized byClaude Desplan, Silver Professor of Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Biology, NYU
Engineering a solution is one thing; making it work in a high-stakes clinical environment is another. This panel discussion features the minds who build the tech and the hands that use it. Leading bioengineers and frontline clinicians from NYU, NYU Abu Dhabi, the University of Michigan and the University of Maine deconstruct the challenges of medical device innovation. The topics include glaucoma and other chronic diseases such as metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurologic diseases. The discussion also touches on AI, robotics, and wearable technology to improve patient care.Panel MembersAndreas Hielscher, Professor of of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of EngineeringShy Shoham, Professor of Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, NYU School of Medicine and Tech4HealthGiovanna Guidoboni, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Dean of Engineering and Computing, University of MaineManjool Shah, Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Associate Chair of Innovation, University of MichiganSefy Paulose Joshi, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, NYU Langone HealthModerated byYong-Ak (Rafael) Song, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering and 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUAD
The Volatility and Risk Institute (VRI) explores the interplay between risks that shape our global economy. In this session, VRI Co-Directors Robert Engle and Richard Berner explain how the VRI measures complex global risks, focusing on the financial challenges posed by climate change and the effects of geopolitical risks on financial stability. As the VRI celebrates its recent expansion to NYU Abu Dhabi, this talk offers a unique look into how leading experts track systemic vulnerabilities and the future of global risk research.SpeakerRichard Berner, Co-Director, The Volatility and Risk Institute and Clinical Professor Emeritus of Finance and Professor of Management Practice, NYU Stern School of Business
The FIFA World Cup 2026 represents a pivotal moment in the globalization of sport, as North America prepares for a tournament of unprecedented scale. This panel investigates the sociopolitical and structural dimensions of hosting a cross-continental mega-event. Panelists will discuss the intersection of international sports diplomacy, the evolution of regional athletic identity, and the challenges inherent in global tournament expansion. By examining the synergy between sports governance, media representation, and local community engagement, the discussion situates the 2026 World Cup within a broader discourse on the role of professional club development and sport in 21st-century global society.SpeakersSophia Cai, White House Reporter, PoliticoBruce Revman, Co-Host City Manager, FIFA World Cup 2026 NYNJ Host CommitteeIrv Smalls Jr., President, FC HARLEMModerated byPaul C. Hardart, Distinguished Clinical Professor and Director, Entertainment, Media and Technology Program and Academic Director, Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship, NYU Stern School of BusinessIn collaboration withPreston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU School of Professional Studies
This talk focuses on the work of Dorothy Berry, author of The House Archives Built and Other Thoughts on Black Archival Possibilities (We Here Press, 2025), which is currently sold out in its third printing since being published in October 2025. Berry discusses family materials offered up to “the altar of higher learning” and struggles for access, accuracy, and locating joy in family photographs stewarded by institutional archives.SpeakerDorothy Berry, Archivist and WriterIn conversation withLaylah Amatullah Barrayn, Documentary Photographer, Writer and Curator; Professor of Photography, Rutgers University–NewarkOrganized byGregory Pardlo, Professor of Literature and Creative Writing and 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADMontana Ray, Clinical Assistant Professor of Liberal Studies, NYU; 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADIn collaboration with19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellows Program
What is African theatre today? Bob Vorlicky and Judy Miller have some answers to that question through their work as editors and translators of contemporary African plays. Vorlicky brings to light the otherwise neglected work of eight African women playwrights from seven different countries and linguistic spheres. He explores the politics of translating indigenous languages into English. Miller surveys exemplary works of Francophone African authors from the immediate post-colonial period to the present. She also addresses the difficulties of translating these works for the American stage.SpeakersRobert H. Vorlicky, Author, “Speaking Our Selves: New Plays by African Women” (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2025); Professor of Theatre, NYUAD and Tisch School of the Arts, NYUJudith G. Miller, Author, “Contemporary Francophone African Plays: An Anthology” (Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press, 2024); Former Dean of Arts and Humanities, NYUAD; Professor of French Literature, NYUIn conversation withAdam Ashraf Elsayigh, Playwright; NYUAD alumnus
We assume laws of nature govern the universe, but how exactly do abstract laws make concrete objects move? This talk explores three rival philosophical models and their surprising consequences. Does the past actually produce the future? Can laws exist without affecting anything? The answers challenge our basic intuitions about time, matter, and why nature behaves predictably.SpeakerMario Hubert, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
By 2050, 70% of the world will live in cities, and those cities will be powered by the data centers we build today. Far from being isolated in the periphery, 97.5% of US data centers are hidden in plain sight within urban centers, driven primarily by electricity-grid capacity. Drawing on research from the recently launched Urban Institute at NYU Tandon, Professor Maurizio Porfiri demonstrates how we can leverage data science and AI to address these complex urban interdependencies—from climate change and grid stability to the needs of aging populations and economic volatility. This talk reveals how urban science is being used to safeguard grid stability and shape the resilient cities of tomorrow.SpeakerMaurizio Porfiri, Director, NYU Urban Institute
This conversation explores a question that defines both professional and personal life: how to live with intention and purpose. Drawing on her work as a scholar, educator, and three-time New York Times–Bestselling Author, Suzy Welch introduces the Becoming You methodology, emphasizing the importance of surfacing core values and cultivating self-awareness in navigating contemporary careers. In conversation with Rob Salomon, Welch reflects on leadership, decision-making, and the pursuit of clarity in an increasingly complex professional landscape.SpeakerSuzy Welch, New York Times Best-Selling Author; Professor of Management Practice, NYU SternIn conversation withRobert Salomon, Dean, Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi; Professor of International Management, NYU Stern School of Business; NEC Faculty Fellow, NYU Stern School of BusinessIn collaboration withStern at NYUAD
For nearly two million years, humans lived as mobile hunters and gatherers. Around 15,000 years ago, communities in the Fertile Crescent began to settle, and by 10,000 years ago, agriculture emerged. The first cities and states emerged around 5,000 years ago. Originating in the Middle East and later spreading worldwide, this transformation reshaped human societies. This talk examines how and why humans made this shift—and asks whether the rise of civilization ultimately improved human well-being.SpeakerRobert Allen, Global Distinguished Professor of Economic History, NYUAD
This roundtable brings together scholars in cognition and neuroscience from around the world to examine the contributions, challenges, and emerging opportunities for women in the field. While women continue to advance major discoveries and shape our understanding of the brain, they remain underrepresented in some areas, particularly in senior and leadership roles. Through research insights and personal reflections, the panel considers progress to date, the barriers that persist, and how the discipline can better support diverse talent and perspectives.SpeakersYanchao Bi, Professor, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking UniversityIda Gobbini, Professor of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of BolognaAngelika Lingnau, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of RegensburgLiuba Papeo, Research Director, CNRS; Director, Cognitive Neuropsychology and Development Team, Institute of Cognitive Sciences Marc Jeannerod; Marie Curie FellowMeera AlKaabi, Acting President, Executive Director of Academic Affairs, National Academy for Childhood Development; Associate Professor of Linguistics, UAEUModerated byClaudine Habak, Associate Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE)
This talk examines how artworks operate across different contexts, from museums and galleries to public space and digital circulation. Drawing on over fifteen years of practice, artist Bahia Shehab reflects on how audience engagement shifts when art is encountered within institutional settings versus when it is publicly displayed and exposed to everyday life. Through examples from projects realized in cities such as New York, Istanbul, Marrakesh, and Hawaii, the talk considers how artworks travel, remain relevant across geographies, and are shaped by social media—particularly in regions where cultural infrastructure is limited.SpeakerBahia Shehab, Professor of Practice, Arts, Founding Director, TypeLab@AUC, AUC
Finance Working GroupIn collaboration withOffice of Sustainability and Stewardship, NYUADAmerican Chamber of Commerce Abu Dhabi
Nearly one-third of the world’s population lacks reliable access to safe water or sanitation, with serious consequences for health, education, and economic opportunity. This talk examines the global water crisis through the lenses of policy, finance, and development, asking why access remains uneven despite available solutions. Drawing on the experience of Water.org, founded in 2009 by Matt Damon and Gary White, the discussion explores financial innovation and cross-sector partnerships as pathways to expanding access. Looking ahead to the 2026 UN Water Conference, the talk considers long-term, scalable approaches to improving public health, fairness, and shared prosperity worldwide.SpeakersGary White, Co-founder and CEO, Water.orgModerated byGareth Wynn, Chief Communications Officer, TAQA
The origin of the most energetic particles in the Universe—known as ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs)—is one of astrophysics’ most perplexling mysteries. These particles are incredibly rare and powerful, traveling across space with energies far beyond what humans can generate on Earth. In this talk, the speaker presents a groundbreaking theory that traces the source of UHECRs to the merger of two neutron stars to form a black hole—cosmic events so extreme they create precious elements like gold and platinum and produce gravitational waves recently detected for the first time. Could the Universe’s most powerful particles be made of the same materials we treasure on Earth? This lecture explores the cutting-edge science behind a bold new answer to a decades-old question.SpeakerGlennys Farrar, Professor of Physics, Silver Professor, NYU
; Associate Professor, Polytechnic University of Catalonia; Visiting Professor, Catalonia College of Music
In this talk, the speaker will explore a series of objects that highlight the tension between two divergent ways of understanding the Indian Ocean: as a maritime thoroughfare shaped by the forces of trade and intrepid merchants, and as a deep, watery, and populated space brought into focus by the urgencies of rising ecological devastation. The talk discusses how these competing frameworks continue to shape oceanic thinking today.SpeakerNancy Um, Associate Director for Research and Knowledge Creation, Getty Research Institute
Director, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J‑PAL); Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences (2019)In conversation withTishani Doshi, Visiting Associate Professor of Practice, Literature and Creative Writing, NYUAD
This talk explores the tensions between infinite economic growth and the planet’s finite resources, drawing on Professor Anders Levermann’s groundbreaking work in climate science and economics. The speaker will present innovative approaches to reconciling climate protection with continued development, offering bold ideas for sustainable prosperity. Bridging scientific insight, economic theory, and societal responsibility, the talk offers critical perspectives for those seeking solutions to the climate crisis at the intersection of environment and economy.SpeakerAnders Levermann, Professor of the Dynamics of the Climate System, Institute of Physics and Astrophysics, University of PotsdamIn collaboration withClimate TalksOffice of Sustainability and Stewardship, NYUAD
In this talk, the speaker will explore the future of health care through the lens of Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine, and Precision Medicine. These approaches offer promising therapies for a wide range of diseases and traumas, while also enabling the development of advanced 3D disease models—including for cancer—that can reduce reliance on animal testing. The speaker will discuss the role of innovative materials, stem cell integration, and cutting-edge processing techniques in creating bioresponsive therapies, implants, and research models. Drawing on groundbreaking work by the 3B’s Research Group, the talk highlights key breakthroughs at the intersection of biology and engineering.SpeakerRui L. Reis, Professor of Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells, University of Minho
Director of Research at Holesum Studio, and 2025 National Pavilion UAE CuratorIn collaboration withNYUAD Art GalleryNational Pavilion UAE
This talk explores the intersection of Japanese craftsmanship (monotsukuri), purpose-driven living (ikigai), and entrepreneurial spirit in the age of digital fabrication. Dr. Naoki Hamanaka will share his journey of using additive manufacturing—specifically 3D printing—to design and produce affordable, customized assistive devices that enhance quality of life. Drawing on real-world examples, he will illustrate how technology can embody empathy, creativity, and social impact, inspiring a new generation of engineers and innovators to pursue entrepreneurship with purpose and soul.SpeakerNaoki Hamanaka, Founder of FabLab Shinagawa, and Representative of Hamanaka Design Studio
This conversation among African playwrights and translators focuses on the challenges when translating dramatic texts by African writers into English or French. What is lost (and/or gained) when translating a text’s original language into another language? Why is translation important (or not) in 21st-century global culture? What are the geopolitical, linguistic, and ethical issues raised by translating African works from their original languages into English or French?Panel MembersHope Azeda, Playwright and Director, Mashirika Performing Arts; Festival Curator, Ubumuntu Arts FestivalJudith G. Miller, Professor of French Literature, Thought and Culture, NYUWole Soyinka, Wole Soyinka, Arts Professor of Theater, NYUAD; Nobel Laureate in Literature (1986)Moderated byRobert Vorlicky, Associate Professor of Drama, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU; Former Visiting Professor of Theater, NYUAD
The African continent consists of 54 countries. This conversation among African theater practitioners and scholars, necessarily diverse by expertise, engages a range of questions to understand better the term theater(s), the evolution of theaters among African countries, and this contemporary moment in Africa’s theaters. Who is making theater today in Africa—who’s writing, who’s producing, who attends? What kinds of theaters are being created? What prevalent concerns are being written, produced, and/or published in 21st -century African theaters? What are the challenges of producing theater on the continent? In what ways do theaters play a role in the lives of contemporary Africans?Panel MembersHope Azeda, Playwright and Director, Mashirika Performing Arts; Festival Curator, Ubumuntu Arts FestivalJudith G. Miller, Professor of French Literature, Thought and Culture, NYUWole Soyinka, Wole Soyinka, Arts Professor of Theater, NYUAD; Nobel Laureate in Literature (1986)Opening RemarksAbhishek Majumdar, Program Head, Theater; Arts Professor of Theater, NYUADModerated byRobert Vorlicky, Associate Professor of Drama, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU; Former Visiting Professor of Theater, NYUAD
seriesThe talk describes how research using the fruit fly Drosophila revealed the make-up of the circadian clock. The first clock gene to be detected in any organism, named “period”, was physically isolated by Young in 1984 and screens in his laboratory subsequently identified five additional genes that are each essential for production of circadian rhythms. Interactions among these genes, and their proteins, contribute to a network of molecular oscillations within single cells throughout the body and allow circadian rhythms to align with environmental day/night cycles. Most of the clock genes discovered by Young and his colleagues in Drosophila are also central to the circadian pathways of humans where they promote rhythmic expression of roughly half our genes.SpeakerMichael Young, Richard and Jeanne Fisher Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Genetics, The Rockefeller UniversityOrganized byClaude Desplan, Silver Professor of Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Biology, NYU
by Bloomsbury International. Both Ruben Polendo and Majumdar have spent several years, training and working in global contexts and this dialogue is about their learnings as practitioners and pedagogues. SpeakersAbhishek Majumdar, Arts Professor and Program Head of Theater, NYUAD; Playwright, Director, and Artistic Director, Nalanda Arts Studio BangaloreRubén Polendo, Dean, Tisch School of the Arts and Arts Professor, NYU; Global Professor, NYUAD; Founding Artistic Director, Theater Mitu
This event is related to 19 Washington Square North's Faculty Fellows Program.The apple tree (Malus domestica) is one of the world’s most iconic fruit crops, with profound cultural, economic, and ecological significance. Yet many questions remain about its origins, its domestication history, and its ability to withstand the challenges of climate change. Recent advances in population genomics have revealed that cultivated apples carry a complex legacy shaped by multiple wild relatives, human selection, and historical events across Eurasia. At the same time, wild apple species — the genetic reservoirs for future resilience — are increasingly endangered, particularly in Europe. This talk explores how combining genomic data, ecological experiments, and conservation initiatives can help us understand both the past and the future of apples. By linking evolutionary history to applied challenges, these approaches highlight new opportunities for breeding and conservation, and point the way towards climate-resilient apples. More broadly, they demonstrate how research at the intersection of genomics and ecology can inform climate-resilient agriculture and biodiversity conservation.SpeakerAmandine Cornille, Associate Professor, Division of Science and 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADIn collaboration withNYU Abu Dhabi Institute
(University of Michigan Press, 2025); Assistant Professor of Theater and Performance Studies, NYUADPeter Eckersall, Sidney E. Cohn Professor in Theatre, PhD Program in Theatre and Performance, The Graduate Center CUNYEdward Ziter, Professor of Theatre Studies, Department of Undergraduate Drama Tisch School of the Arts, NYU
This presentation briefly recaps the emergence of the painting, the critical reception and ongoing controversy, and eventual purchase by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The history and condition, the restoration, the materials and techniques of the painting in comparison with other works by the artist are discussed. An evaluation of the work’s place and importance in Leonardo’s oeuvre are considered, as well as new connections and discoveries made by the author, art historians, and scientists, which have continued to evolve even in its absence. Its disappearance after the historic 2017 sale at Christie’s have caused rife speculation about its whereabouts, scholarly opinion. Can we expect to see it again?SpeakerDianne Modestini, Paintings Conservator and Professor Emerita, The Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU
Cities like New York often feel hotter than their surroundings, especially on summer nights. This is the “urban heat island” effect, caused by the replacement of natural land covers with heat-absorbing materials, reduced vegetation and evapotranspiration, urban geometry that traps heat, and waste heat from human activities. Around the world, UHIs affect energy use, air quality, and public health. This talk explores when cities get hotter, how we measure these effects, and what makes them worse or better, and discusses Abu Dhabi, a rapidly growing desert city, to see how heat islands play out in extreme climates, and what lessons desert cities can teach us about the future of urban living.SpeakersRita Leal Sousa, Associate Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering and former 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADYi Yin, Associate Professor, Environmental Sciences, NYU; Former 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADIn collaboration withNYU Abu Dhabi Institute
All cutting-edge medical treatments come with side effects that can limit their benefit. In this talk, Prof. Ramadi explores how we can make medicine better—by moving beyond today’s one-size-fits-all approaches toward smarter, personalized interventions. With breakthroughs in nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and advanced therapeutics, we are rethinking how medicine can not only treat disease but extend healthy years of life worldwide.SpeakerKhalil Ramadi, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, NYU; Director of the Laboratory for Advanced Neuroengineering and Translational Medicine, NYUAD
Stem cells hold promise for understanding human disease, screening for novel therapeutics, and regenerating damaged tissues. However, the mechanisms underlying how these cells form and are activated are still being uncovered, and the development of stem cell-derived tissues for drug screening and transplantation is a work in progress. This conversation with leaders in the field explores the fundamentals of stem cell biology, current stem cell-based therapies, and the ethical considerations shaping the future of stem cell research and its clinical applications.Panel MembersLorenz Studer, Director, Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterSarah E. Millar, Dean for Academic and Scientific Affairs and Chair of the new Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiIn conversation withKirsten Sadler Edepli, Professor of Biology, NYUAD; Global Network Professor of Biology, NYU
This talk features a conversation with Ibrahim al-Koni, a prominent contemporary author in Arabic literature. Raised as a Tuareg in the Libyan desert, al-Koni's storytelling is informed by his educational background and extensive travels. His extensive body of work, encompassing over a hundred books, examines the history of the Mediterranean region and the desert. The discussion will focus on al-Koni's unique portrayal of the desert landscape and its cultural and historical significance.SpeakerIbrahim al-Koni, Libyan-Swiss Author, Winner of the 2008 Sheikh Zayed Award for Literature, and 2023 Sharjah Book Fair Cultural Personality of the YearIn conversation withMaurice Pomerantz, Executive Director NYUAD Institute, Professor of Literature and Arab Crossroads Studies, NYUADIn collaboration withHumanities Research Platform
This talk discusses whether the UAE is on track to become the epicenter of Arab pop culture over the next decade or if its influence will remain tied to amplifying trends from elsewhere. While the country has established itself as a global business and finance hub, can it also position itself as a leading exporter of Arab creativity, shaping regional and global cultural currents? The panelists will examine the forces driving the UAE’s creative industries, the role of institutional and private support, and the challenges and opportunities that will determine its long-term cultural influence.Panel MembersGianluca Chakra, CEO, Front Row EntertainmentRawan Al-Dabbas, Regional Director, IFPI MENAModerated byMikey Muhanna, CEO & Founder of afikra | عفكرةIn Collaboration withafikra
Explore the intersection of cybersecurity, technology ethics, and disinformation with leading experts. This panel examines the human-centered aspects of cybertechnology, the global threats posed by state actors, and the ethical dilemmas at the forefront of our digital age. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion that uncovers the challenges and solutions in protecting our digital future.SpeakersJames Lewis, Senior Vice President, Pritzker Chair, and Director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)Mayra Ruiz-McPherson, Cyber/Media Psychologist, Qualitative Futurist, Cognitive/Behavioral Scientist, Researcher & EthicistIn conversation withMuhammet Bas, Associate Professor of Political Science, NYUADIn Collaboration withU.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates
Explore the prehistoric landscapes of Arabia, tracing the movements of early humans who migrated from Africa over the past two million years. The talk examines how these groups adapted to diverse environments, from lush greenery to areas inhabited by now-extinct animals. It highlights their use of stone tools, local flora, and fauna for survival, and how water served as a crucial lifeline. The speaker will provide insights into the challenges faced and strategies employed by these ancient peoples to navigate and thrive in their changing world.SpeakerAbdullah Alsharekh, Department of Archaeology, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia
This talk explores the profound artistry and scientific intricacies of Indian art music, with a focus on the Hindustani repertoire. Dr. Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli delves into the psychoacoustic and emotional dimensions of ragas, illustrating how pitch, timbre, and rhythm evoke deep responses. Bridging tradition with technology, he demonstrates the role of objective thinking in understanding melodic nuances and improvisation techniques.SpeakerKaustuv Kanti Ganguli, Associate Professor of Computing, Zayed University; Visiting Scholar, NYUAD
The Climate Crisis has created novel challenges for public policy in the Global South. Developing nations need to discover ways of continuing to grow without undermining the goals of the Paris Agreement, transitioning to green energy at the same time as addressing deep problems of economic growth and social inequality. They also need to mitigate some of the effects of extreme weather events, such as floods or forest fires. In this panel discussion four experienced judges will reflect on the role of the law on this process. Can a substantive conception of environmental rights make a difference? Does the constitution have anything to say about the green transition? Can a Supreme Court assist this process by providing safeguards of fairness and legitimacy?Panel MembersDr Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, Chief Justice of BangladeshJustice Ananda Bahatarai, Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of NepalModerated byPavlos Eleftheriadis, Program Head of Legal Studies; Professor of Legal Studies, NYUAD
This panel explores how integrating art, science and engineering fosters innovation, broadens perspectives, and drives societal contributions. In the UAE’s cultural and scientific landscape, interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to engage the public, inspire creativity, and support the nation’s long-term goals in education and research.PanelistsIyad Rahwan, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, BerlinStephanie Rosenthal, Director of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi ProjectHenry Tan, Artist in Residence at the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Genomics and Systems BiologyModerated byMaya Allison, NYU Abu Dhabi Chief Curator and Galleries Executive DirectorIn collaboration withCenter for Genomics and Systems Biology
This talk explores the Universe’s journey from its homogeneous beginnings after the Big Bang to the formation of stars from primordial hydrogen and helium. Through nuclear fusion, stars produced light elements, and their dramatic deaths as supernovae forged elements up to iron. The Zwicky Transient Facility, a cutting-edge 2-telescope project, systematically studies the dynamic Universe. The speaker will discuss remarkable discoveries, including super-luminous supernovae, new transient phenomena, supernova progenitors, planets being engulfed by aging stars, and an abundance of pulsating and binary stars.SpeakerShrinivas R. Kulkarni, George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science, California Institute of Technology (Caltech)In collaboration withCenter for Astrophysics and Space Science
This talk explores the concept of prophecy and prophethood from a multi-faith perspective. Prophets existed before the Bible, as seen in ancient texts describing the Mesopotamian nabū, muhhum, and assinnu. Biblical prophets came in many forms—true and false, charismatic and solitary, loyal to kings or opposing them. The debate over prophecy persisted for millennia: Jews saw it as ending with the Hebrew Bible, Christians viewed Jesus as its fulfillment, and Muslims recognized Muhammad as the final prophet. Yet, prophecy endures in groups like the Mormons and Baha’is. The speaker will examine how different traditions understand prophecy, its historical evolution, and its continued relevance today.SpeakerReuven Firestone, Regenstein Professor in Medieval Judaism and Islam, Hebrew Union College
This talk examines Soviet power through a transregional and global lens, focusing on its cultural and political exchanges with the Middle East. Drawing from a recently published book, The Eastern International: Arabs, Central Asians, and Jews in the Soviet Union's Anticolonial Empire, it traces how the Soviet concept of the “East” shaped both domestic policy and international influence, from the early Bolshevik era to Putin’s Russia. Through the stories of Soviet Jews, Central Asians, and Arab Marxists, it uncovers a fascinating web of cultural and political exchanges that blurred the lines between empire and anti-colonialism. SpeakerMasha Kirasirova, Author, "The Eastern International: Arabs, Central Asians, and Jews in the Soviet Union's Anticolonial Empire" (Oxford University Press, 2024); Assistant Professor of History, NYUAD
This talk explores how parents can support their young children's digital play, learning, and curiosity in today's digital world. The speaker will discuss practical strategies for keeping children safe online while fostering meaningful engagement with their digital interactions. Learn how children navigate their digital landscapes and discover effective approaches for parental involvement in their digital experiences. Gain insights and tools to support your child's digital journey with confidence and care.SpeakerSusan Danby, Distinguished Professor in Early Childhood Education, Queensland University of TechnologyIn collaboration withAbu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority
This panel discussion will consider how ethical decisions will be influenced in the future by the many applications of Artificial Intelligence. An ethicist and philosopher, an engineer who will design intelligent robots, and a computer scientist whose goal will be to make "responsible AI" synonymous with "AI" will each present a view of future AI ethics and then discuss how their views will diverge. While each participant will be a specialist conducting research into AI ethics, this discussion will bring together scientific, technical, and humanistic issues under the broad category of responsibility.Panel MembersLudovic Righetti, Electrical and Computer Engineer; Director of Machines in Motion Laboratory, Autonomous Machines in MotionJeff Sebo, Ethicist and Philosopher; Director of Center for Mind, Ethics and Policy, AI Moral Well BeingJulia Stoyanovich, Computer Scientist, Director of Center for Responsible AI, AI GovernanceModerated byHarold Sjursen, Professor Emeritus, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
This talk will take students on a journey through humanity's ongoing quest to uncover the fundamental laws that shape our universe. The speaker will reflect on the progress made so far and highlight the challenges that lie ahead. Students will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and engage in discussions, making this an exciting learning experience for young minds eager to explore the mysteries of the cosmos.SpeakerDavid Tong, Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
This talk will explore the role of chaos in nature, highlighting how even well-understood rules can make predicting the future challenging—weather forecasting being a prime example. The speaker will discuss recent discoveries showing that chaos is central to the behavior of black holes, some of the most mysterious objects in the universe. These developments provide fresh insights into the ongoing effort to unify quantum mechanics with the theory of gravity.SpeakerStephen Shenker, Richard Herschel Weiland Professor and Professor of Physics, Stanford University
Join us for the inaugural ذخر (Dhikhr) Award presentation, inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who said, "The book is the vessel of knowledge, civilization, culture, learning, literature, and the arts. Nations are not measured by their material wealth alone, but by their civilizational authenticity." The word Dhikhr means "valuable asset" in Arabic, symbolizing this award's purpose: to honor those who have enriched the UAE's heritage. This year, we recognize the late David Heard and Frauke Heard-Bey for their invaluable contributions. The ceremony will feature a brief talk on their legacy, followed by the award presentation.
This talk explores the potential consequences of the end of global population growth, examining various scenarios for a world with no growth. With global population growth likely to cease within the next 60 years, some view this shift as a relief from ecological pressures, while others fear it may lead to labor shortages, government fiscal collapse, and aging populations lacking adequate care. Countries with extremely low fertility rates—such as Italy, Japan, and South Korea—could even face the risk of national extinction within a few generations. This talk will investigate these contrasting perspectives, considering whether this shift will be a boon or a doom for the future.SpeakerJack A. Goldstone, Virginia E. and John T. Hazel, Jr. Chair Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Center for Social Change, George Mason University
This talk explores the role of environmental toxins in shaping health and well-being, examining their presence in everyday life and their impact on fertility, birth weight, and children’s academic and developmental outcomes. The discussion highlights the importance of collecting baseline data on environmental toxins in Abu Dhabi to inform policies and interventions that improve health and promote sustainability. Attendees will also learn about opportunities to support and participate in local research efforts, contributing to impactful studies that guide positive change for the community.SpeakersKirsten Edepli, Professor of Biology, NYUADDr. Shaima Lari, Consultant Physician, Shiekh Shakhbot Medical CityDr. Amal Mubarak Madhi, Director of the Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Department, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC)Fatima Al Melhi, Director of Special Projects, Abu Dhabi Early Childhood AuthorityIn conversation withDr. Nadeem Al Duaij, Consultant, Poison & Drug Information Service, DOHIn collaboration withAbu Dhabi Early Childhood AuthorityDepartment of Health Abu Dhabi
Have the great ambitions for the role of international criminal justice in the world been misplaced? Can international courts deliver meaningful justice for the victims of extreme crimes in conflict? This conversation will explore the challenges of seeking accountability for war time atrocities with Erik Møse, one the pioneering figures of international criminal justice. His perspectives will draw from decades of experience, having served as the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and presided over the trials of the leading figures of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where an estimated 800,000 individuals were killed within 100 days. In his current role as Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, he will share his reflections on the rapidly evolving techniques for investigating international crimes in conflict zones.SpeakerErik Møse, Chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine; former President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; former judge of the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of NorwayIn conversation withRosemary Byrne, Professor of Legal Studies, NYUAD
Ali Khan, author of Cricket in Pakistan: Nation, Identity, and Politics, examines the profound connection between cricket and Pakistan's socio-political landscape. The talk explores how the sport has shaped national identity, influenced political narratives, and served as a cultural touchstone, reflecting the broader dynamics of society and politics in the region.SpeakerAli Khan, Professor of Anthropology, LUMS and Author of Cricket in Pakistan: Nation, Identity, and Politics (Oxford University Press, 2022)In conversation withSaba Khan, Instructor of Social Science, NYUAD
Super-organisms, such as insect societies, solve complex problems collectively without centralized planning, achieving outcomes on scales far larger than the individual. This talk examines how social insects regulate their environments by constructing and deconstructing functional architectures, linking physics and behavior through local sensing and global environmental fields. The speaker will also discuss experiments with simple robots to explore these collective behaviors, offering insights into broader patterns of collective intelligence in nature and beyond.SpeakerL. Mahadevan, Professor of Physics, de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
This talk showcases several groundbreaking AI projects that Dr. Ruopeng An's team has developed to address pressing societal challenges. These projects include using AI to combat COVID-19 disinformation on social media, improving precision nutrition with computer vision models, tracking public sentiment on soda taxes and menu labeling laws, and autocorrecting exaggerated health research headlines. Dr. An's team has also built AI models to accurately predict obesity prevalence by adjusting self-reported data and created AI tools to detect ChatGPT-generated text in student homework. Additionally, they have developed AI-powered web applications to help social workers improve communication skills through real-time simulations. This talk explores how AI can be harnessed for social good, solving real-world problems and making a meaningful impact.SpeakerRuopeng An, Constance and Martin Silver Endowed Professor in Data Science and Prevention and Director, Constance and Martin Silver Center on Data Science and Social Equity, Silver School of Social Work, NYU
Our memories are not facts found on cards in a neural rolodex. They are recreations of reality. And, almost always, they are incredibly accurate and vivid. Yet our memories are vulnerable. They can be distorted, they can be manipulated, and in several disease states, they can be irrevocably lost. This talk explores how the brain manages the remarkable feat of acquiring information about the world, storing that information in a wide range of neural networks, and allowing the effortless retrieval of those memories when called to mind. SpeakerThomas J. Carew, Dean Emeritus, Faculty of Arts and Science and Julius Silver Professor, Center for Neural Science, NYU
This talk explores themes on creative and technical projects investigating time, memory, and cultural identity, using techniques from engineering, computing, and data science to get perspective on our cultural and civilizational moment. Professor DuBois discusses how these themes are embodied in music, portraiture, performance, software, and electronics, and touches on how equity and access play a critical role in keeping us all focused on our shared humanity.SpeakerR. Luke DuBois, Associate Professor of Integrated Design & Media and Co-Chair of the Department of Technology, Culture, & Society, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Join us for a presentation on Lost in the U.A.E., a photographic project by Professor Mark Jenkinson. Professor Jenkinson traveled over 10,000 kilometers across the country, capturing its diverse landscapes, architecture, and culture. His work offers a unique visual narrative of the U.A.E., reflecting both its rapid transformation and enduring heritage. Through this lens, he explores the intersection of tradition and modernity in a country known for its dynamic contrasts.SpeakerMark Jenkinson, Assistant Arts Professor, Department of Photography and Imaging, NYU
How do immigration policies from economically advantaged countries affect people in less advantaged countries and the immigrants who come in with these policies? "Structured Luck" takes us on a transnational journey to explore the societal, personal, and political implications of the US Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, a US immigration policy that is an annual economic and cultural event in many economically disadvantaged countries. It illuminates the trauma, resilience, determination, and mobility of immigrants who come to the U.S. through the DV program and closes with a call for the U.S. and other economically advantaged countries to develop policies that will better integrate their immigrants into society.SpeakerOnoso Imoagene, Associate Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUAD; Author, "Structured Luck Downstream Effects of the U.S. Diversity Visa Program" (Russell Sage, 2024), NYUADIn conversation withNatasha Iskander, James Weldon Johnson Professor of Urban Planning and Public Service, NYU Wagner
Can we reimagine the complex relationships among nature, culture, and homeland through the lens of a decolonial botany? In this conversation, Robert Zhao Renhui and Tuấn Mami explore plants as contemporary symbols of resilience and adaptation that can shape our understanding of multispecies ecosystems and migrating communities and enrich our collective existence. In a world grappling with the climate crisis, the artists invite the audience to rethink exclusionary binaries such as invasive vs native species and to see plants as matters of emotion, memory, history, and politics.SpeakersTuấn Mami, Artist; Co-founder, Nhà Sàn CollectiveRobert Zhao Renhui, Artist; Founder, Institute of Critical ZoologistsIn conversation withKatia Arfara, Curator; Assistant Professor of Theater and Performance Studies, NYUAD
By introducing artists to science and research institutions, sci-art collaborations are establishing new perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches, and artistic work is contributing to scientific inquiry. In this talk, musician and sound artist Sam Nester introduces his work and how it has led to collaborative projects with institutions in the USA, Europe, and the UAE. From working alongside scientists at the European Joint Research Centre and policy officers of the Directorate General for Environment, to collaborating with members of the Center for Genomics & Systems Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi as the inaugural artist-in-residence.SpeakerSam Nester, Artist-in-Residence, Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, NYUAD
Everyone eats. This simple fact makes food a fascinating topic of human creativity and scientific inquiry throughout the world. Culinary innovations are a source of new sensations and pleasures. Increasingly, however, necessity is driving new revolutions in food systems globally. Ideally, emerging technologies will feed a crowded world while utilizing more sustainable practices. Astonishing discoveries are enabled by a consideration of the molecular characteristics of our food and the chemical transformations associated with cooking. This talk delves into the modern kitchen to learn how chemists and chefs are working together to create delicious new meals and perhaps even helping to heal the planet.SpeakerKent Kirshenbaum, Professor of Chemistry, NYU
This talk will showcase how innovative solutions recognized by the Prize are successfully bridging economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability. The speakers will explore how AI and cutting-edge technology in environmental sustainability and water security empower vulnerable communities to build resilience and self-sufficiency. Highlighting the work of Prize finalists, the discussion will demonstrate practical solutions in water security, their role in driving climate adaptation, strengthening communities, and fostering sustainable progress, inspiring students to think globally and act locally through sustainable projects.SpeakersRhett Butler, CEO, SkyJuice FoundationJane Glavan, Co-founder, Distant ImageryWalter J.R. Buydens, CEO, TurbulentModerated byAntonios Vouloudis, Senior Director, Sustainability and Stewardship, NYUADIn collaboration withZayed Sustainability PrizeOffice of Sustainability and Stewardship, NYUADVoices of Sustainability by the Sustainability Prize
In this talk, Riken Yamamoto, 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate, will explore the transformative power of architecture in shaping communities. He will discuss key themes such as sustainability, intergenerational living, human-centered design, and the integration of public and private spaces. Drawing from his diverse portfolio, Yamamoto will examine how architecture can address societal challenges like aging populations and disaster recovery while fostering cultural identity and community engagement. Highlighting innovative projects in education, public spaces, and housing, Yamamoto will share his vision of architecture as a tool for positive, lasting societal change.SpeakerRiken Yamamoto, Founder & Principal Architect of Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop, Recipient of the 2024 Pritzker Architecture PrizeIn collaboration withAbu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation
This talk explores the intersection of science and art, transcending cultural barriers to bring people closer to the marvels of space. Dr. Leonardo Barilaro, a pianist and aerospace engineer known as 'The Space Pianist,' will showcase his compositions sent to the International Space Station (ISS) and streamed back to Earth. He will discuss the scientific projects connected to this endeavor, including his ASTROBEAT project, which addresses space debris risks and explores new artistic frontiers. Through this event, Dr. Barilaro aims to inspire and raise awareness about space exploration and its potential for human civilization, highlighting the power of collaboration, creativity, and the boundless potential of science and art.SpeakerLeonardo Barilaro, Pianist, Composer and Aerospace Engineer
There is a strong tradition in Islamic culture to intertwine art and mathematics. This talk is about how this tradition has influenced the speaker's work on how physics reveals the structure of the universe, mathematics is the language for this and opens a way for art to help understand things in string theory, which connects quantum mechanics with general relativity via progress toward a theory of quantum gravity.SpeakerSylvester James Gates, Jr., Brown Theoretical Physics Center Director and Distinguished University Professor in Physics, University of Maryland
The specter of widespread drug-resistant bacterial infections is a looming public health crisis and especially pronounced for so-called “Gram-negative” pathogens. In addition, all approved antibiotics also kill the “good” bacteria in our gut, resulting in many deleterious effects on human health. This lecture will describe this problem and what is being done to solve it. Recent advances in fundamental science that has led to the discovery of novel antibiotics, and the development of antibiotics effective against Gram-negative infections that also spare the gut microbiome will be discussed.SpeakerPaul J. Hergenrother, Kenneth L. Rinehart Jr. Endowed Chair in Natural Products Chemistry, and Professor of Chemistry, University of IllinoisIn collaboration withNYUAD Science Division
This talk explores the impact of immigration policies from economically advantaged countries on both the people in less advantaged nations, particularly in the Global South, and the immigrants who enter under these policies. The speaker will take us on a transnational journey, delving into the societal, personal, and political implications of the U.S. Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Highlighting the trauma, resilience, determination, and mobility of those who immigrate to the U.S. through the DV program, the talk will conclude with a call for economically advantaged countries to adopt policies that better integrate immigrants into their societies.SpeakerOnoso Imoagene, Program Head of Social Research and Public Policy; Associate Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUADIn conversation withJohn O'Brien, Associate Professor of Sociology, NYUAD
This talk examines the role of science in the Islamic world, tracing how modern science has roots in Islamic civilization. It explores whether we have lost key aspects of the scientific process that was established during this era. Beginning in the 8th century, Islamic scholars contributed through a unique triangle of innovation, using deep imagination to solve pressing social challenges. Today, there is growing evidence that we are losing this imaginative power and becoming disconnected from our social compass. Profitable advancements in medical, energy, and communication technologies may not be fully serving humanity.SpeakerHayat Sindi, Founder and CEO of the Institute for Quality (iQ), Goodwill Ambassador for STEM at UNESCO, and an Honorary Fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge University
Dean Salomon will introduce the principal risks that multinational corporations (MNCs) face in the global marketplace. He will discuss the critical institutional investment challenges that underpin globalization and the tools that multinational investors can use to better navigate globalization's risks.SpeakerRobert Salomon, Dean of Stern, NYUADIn collaboration withStern at NYUAD
Imagine a future where tiny devices inside your body can detect diseases and send the information directly to your doctor. This is the vision behind the Internet of Bio-NanoThings (IoBNT), which connects biological cells to the internet. In this talk, we introduce PANACEA, a groundbreaking system designed to diagnose and treat infectious diseases using submillimeter bio-nanodevices. These devices, called Bio-NanoThings, can detect infection levels within the body and transmit the data to external hubs, enabling healthcare providers to monitor and respond remotely. By merging biological communication with advanced technology, PANACEA offers a responsive, real-time solution for managing diseases.SpeakerIan Akyildiz, Professor in Telecommunications, President & CTO, Truva Inc
This talk explores the enduring relevance of medieval Arab philosopher Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406), often regarded as the father of sociology and historiography. His magnum opus, the Muqaddimah (1377), written nearly 650 years ago, has significantly influenced both Islamic and Western traditions. Ibn Khaldun’s ideas on social solidarity (assabiyah) and the interconnected dynamics of power, economic development, and social justice in his Circle of Equity are especially pertinent today. The lecture reprises a talk delivered at COP-28 at the DIFC, offering insights from Ibn Khaldun and other thinkers such as Adam Smith on addressing contemporary poly-crises, including climate change, inequality, and broader human challenges. The speaker will explore how these historical perspectives can inform our responses to today's most pressing issues.SpeakerTan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Chairman, Leadership Council of the Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC); Chairman of the Board of Directors of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
This talk features a conversation with Ibrahim al-Koni, a prominent contemporary author in Arabic literature. Raised as a Tuareg in the Libyan desert, al-Koni's storytelling is informed by his educational background and extensive travels. His extensive body of work, encompassing over a hundred books, examines the history of the Mediterranean region and the desert. The discussion will focus on al-Koni's unique portrayal of the desert landscape and its cultural and historical significance.SpeakerIbrahim al-Koni, Libyan-Swiss Author, Winner of the 2008 Sheikh Zayed Award for Literature, and 2023 Sharjah Book Fair Cultural Personality of the YearIn conversation withMaurice Pomerantz, Executive Director NYUAD Institute, Professor of Literature and Arab Crossroads Studies, NYUADIn collaboration withHumanities Research Platform
As the U.S. elections draw near, this panel will examine how leadership changes could influence global power structures, with a particular focus on the Middle East. The discussion will explore what impacts leadership changes might have on the broader geopolitical landscape and consider possible ripple effects in critical regions of the world as the US recalibrates its global strategies.SpeakersDavid McCourt, Visiting Associate Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUADJarrett Blanc, Former Energy and National Security Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, Former Deputy Special Envoy for Iran, and Former Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and PakistanRobin S. Brooks, State Department Fellow at The Fletcher School, Tufts University; Former Special Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris on Europe, Eurasia, Multilateral Affairs, and Democracy; Former National Security Council Director for Central Europe and the BalkansIn conversation withAdam Ramey, Associate Professor of Political Science, NYUAD
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 musical traditions, the presentation provides a launchpad for further individual exploration of Arabic music.SpeakerLayth Sidiq, Artistic Director of the New York Arabic Orchestra; Artist in Residence, NYUADIn conversation withAndrew Eisenberg, Associate Professor of Music, NYUAD; Global Network Associate Professor of Music, NYU
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.SpeakerEberhard Bodenschatz, Director, Max-Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Göttingen, Germany
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 to safeguard and continue their unique traditions — from innovative and integrated preservation approaches to the revitalization of inter-generational knowledge. Join us as we examine the transformative power of embracing change while steadfastly honoring the timeless values embedded in our shared and diverse cultural legacies in the Arab and Muslim Worlds.SpeakerZaki Aslan, Professor of Practice at the American University of Sharjah, Advisor at the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, and Former Founding Director of ICCROM-Sharjah
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 how these changes threaten vital sources of income, food, and jobs for many. The talk also underscores the importance of public engagement in proactive solutions to this crisis.SpeakersAsryelle Mora Rollo, StudentCamilo Mora, Professor, Department of Geography and Environment, University of Hawai`iIn Collaboration withCGSB NYUAD
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, and innovation. The talk will focus on the transformative role of emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), in shaping the next generation of wireless networks.SpeakerMerouane Debbah, Professor of Wireless Communication, Director of the 6G Research Center, Khalifa University
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-free microscopic images and methods for transforming already stained images into different types. Additionally, it introduces AI-enabled paper-based sensors for quick and efficient biomarker detection using a mobile phone.SpeakerAydogan Ozcan, Chancellor’s Professor and the Volgenau Chair for Engineering Innovation, UCLA
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, this documentary takes the viewer on an epic adventure as they share their stories, shedding light on what it means to create a new life beyond the shadows of war. The film documents their stories of courage and resilience, as well as the physical and psychological challenges they face as they push themselves to new limits to scale Africa’s tallest peak. This mountain, with its extreme conditions, offers profound lessons to those who dare to ascend it, a journey they make together that reveals insights that go beyond expectations—these opening up new perspectives on healing, resilience, and the transformative power of human connection in the face of adversity and asks the question “what is the summit of the human spirit”?
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 movement in archives has evolved internationally, as well as examine case studies from the Gulf, with the hope of facilitating discussion about the potential for community archives in the UAE.SpeakersAndrew Flinn, Reader in Archival Studies and Oral History, Vice Dean for Postgraduate Research, Faculty Graduate Tutor, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University College LondonSumayya Ahmed, Assistant Professor in Archives at the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University
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 that these Italian youths held ideas about racial difference that were very similar to those of their peers in the U.S. In An Ugly Word: Rethinking Race in Italy and the United States, Morning and Maneri draw on the transatlantic comparison to build a new framework for exploring concepts of difference worldwide.SpeakerAnn Morning, Author, "An Ugly Word: Rethinking Race in Italy and the United States" (Russell Sage Foundation, 2022); Professor of Sociology, NYU
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 future trajectory of media, emphasizing the role of academic and professional environments in media evolution. The panel aims to shed light on how media shapes and reflects a nation’s voice, culture, and future.SpeakersAmer bin Jassas, Broadcaster and InterviewerYusra Adel, Media Professional, Abu Dhabi Media NetworkIn conversation withNoura Al Obeidli, Humanities Research Fellow, NYUAD
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. Come learn about The Ocean Hope Project, an initiative to prevent the next disaster from starting. We will explore the deep-sea, why we don't need to mine the ocean and the growing global resistance to this new form of ecocide.SpeakerFarah Obaidullah, Ocean Advocate; Founder, The Ocean and Us; Editor, "The Ocean and Us" (Springer International Publishing, 2023)
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 interdisciplinary scholars, institutional stakeholders, and industry experts provides insight into this latest manifestation of resource competition and discusses their contributions to the book Critical Minerals, the Climate Crisis, and the Tech Imperium (Springer Nature, 2023).Panel MembersConstantine Karayannopoulos, Former CEO, Neo Performance MaterialsKristin Vekasi, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and School of Policy and International Affairs, University of MaineOwen Pell, The Auschwitz Institute for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities; Retired Partner, White & Case LLPVasileios Tsianos, Director of Corporate Development, Neo Performance MaterialsModerated bySophia Kalantzakos, Global Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Public Policy, NYUAD
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 navigate the balance between creative freedom and consistent personnel processes that promote accessibility, equity, and sustainability? Do theatrical production operations value the worker? Celebrating the release of the book, this event features a conversation with the authors about these questions and beyond.SpeakersBrídín Clements Cotton, Co-author, "Theatre Work: Reimagining the Labor of Theatrical Production" (Focal Press, 2024); Instructor of Stage and Project Management, NYUADNatalie Robin, Co-author, "Theatre Work: Reimagining the Labor of Theatrical Production" (Focal Press, 2024); Organizer, United Scenic Artists / IATSE Local USA 829Moderated byNtshadi Mofokeng, Cultural WorkerDelaney Teehan, Stage and Production Manager
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. The UAE has positioned itself as a global sports hub, fostering international relations and showcasing its commitment to global engagement. This panel explores the ways in which sport and these forms of diplomacy are making a positive impact across society.Panel MembersDana Al Marashi, Head of Cultural Diplomacy, UAE Embassy in the US, IndividualsEmeka Okafor, NBA Legend, IndividualsJennifer O'Sullivan, COO and Chief Legal & Administrative Officer, New York City Football ClubLee Igel, Clinical Professor, Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, NYU School of Professional StudiesEric DiMiceli, Vice President, Social Responsibility, National Basketball AssociationModerated byChris Dawes, Associate Professor of Politics, NYU
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 dominant hand) was used to perform a local anesthesia injection with a virtual hand that held a virtual syringe. This was subsequently replaced with a custom 3D printed haptic syringe to simulate physical interactions between the syringe and the environment in an effort to enhance the students' training experience. A pilot research study investigating the effectiveness of the custom haptic syringe had positive outcomes. SpeakersMohamad Eid, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and former 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADMarci Levine, Clinical Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, NYU College of Dentistry; Former 19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellow, NYUADElizabeth McAlpin, Director of Research and Outcomes Assessment, NYU ITAvinash Gyawali, Research Assistant, NYUADIn Collaboration with19 Washington Square North Faculty Fellows Program
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 can only be understood as irrational. The paradigmatic scientist is a paradigmatic reasoner in many ways, but in at least one way, their perfection as a scientist lies in the deliberate cultivation of a gaping intellectual blind spot.SpeakerMichael Strevens, Professor of Philosophy, NYU
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 evolving nation.SpeakerJohn A. Burt, Author, "A Natural History of the Emirates" (Springer Nature, 2023); Head of the Marine Biology Lab and Associate Professor of Biology, NYUAD
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, Writer/Film Director, "The Golden Harvest", NYUADIn conversation withJamal Rayyis, Wine and Food Writer
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 network measurement of cryptographic protocols, highlighting the challenges and advancements in this critical field.SpeakerNadia Heninger, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego
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 and insight. Not limited to the single screen, Kapur will share his future projects that include multi-screen installations, gaming, comics and animation.SpeakersShekhar Kapur, Film Director, Producer, Actor; Recipient of National Film Award, Filmfare Awards, BAFTA NominationsIn conversation withSurabhi Sharma, Program Head of Film and New Media; Associate Professor of Practice of Film and New Media, NYUAD
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 الشحيأحمد إبراهيم القلاف النعيمي إدارة الحوار: آمنة الحمادي
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.SpeakersGugu Ndebele, Executive Director, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for GirlsOuided Bouchamaoui, Nobel Peace Prize Co-Laureate, Former President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and HandicraftsOpening RemarksWana Udobang, Multidisciplinary Artist and StorytellerLisa Coleman, Visiting Professor, NYU Stern School of BusinessIn conversation withFatiah Touray Esq., Executive Director of Inclusion and Equity, NYUAD
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 generative AI from various perspectives, focusing in particular on the current research about the role of disinformation in today's rapidly changing media landscape.Panel MembersDonald Jensen, Senior Advisor for Russia and Europe, US Institute of PeaceJoshua Tucker, Professor of Politics, Director Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia, NYUModerated byLeonid Peisakhin, Associate Professor of Political Science, NYUAD
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 sensing system and its application in two key studies in preschool environments. The first study investigates classroom social networks and the dynamics of children within these networks, while the second evaluates the effects of an intervention aimed at reducing social isolation in young children by altering network configurations.SpeakerLaura Justice, EHE Distinguished Professor of Educational Psychology and Executive Director of the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, Ohio State University
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 styles infrequently explored and heard in the West. The panel discusses their ongoing research on this musical nexus and offers musical demonstrations.Panel MembersGhazi Faisal al-Mulaifi, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music, NYUADAndrew Eisenberg, Program Head and Associate Professor of Music, NYUADModerated byJonathan H. Shannon, Professor of Anthropology, Hunter College and Graduate Center, CUNY; Faculty Director, J-Term Curriculum, Office of Global Education, NYUAD
This talk navigates the complex waters of ethical understanding, guided by insights from the author of The New York Times Sunday Magazine's The Ethicist column. Professor Appiah examines how social identities, including race, gender, sexuality, and religion, intersect with and inform our ethical choices, and describes our identities as a social possession, one that we make together with others.SpeakerKwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy and Law, NYU
The roles of mothers across the public/private divide have long been contested and negotiated. How have women leveraged their identities as mothers to assert change in the public sphere? Beyond their achievements, what are the costs borne from these sacrifices? How has motherhood been instrumentalized or weaponized, and whose motherhood counts and whose is discounted? This talk will bring together three speakers to discuss the ways mothers assert agency in public domains and discourses. Their research and experiences - focusing on Argentina, Bangladesh and Egypt - provide insight from across geographies of the Global South on past and present, cross-generational, women’s experiences with public work.This talk is part of On Motherhood and its Shadows, an NYUAD Arts & Humanities Research Kitchens Initiative Panel MembersDina M. Siddiqi, Clinical Associate Professor, Global Liberal Studies, NYUMaria Adela Antokoletz, President of International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED)Mona Anis, Writer, Editor, and TranslatorModerated byZaynab El Bernoussi, Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUAD
In this talk, Dr. Sarmast, Founder and Director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM), shares the inspiring journey of ANIM—a remarkable institution that has overcome adversity to emerge as a national and global symbol of hope, resilience, and artistic freedom. The presentation explores how ANIM—known as Afghanistan’s happiest place— plays a critical role in preserving the nation’s rich musical heritage, while offering a platform for all young Afghans to find their voices and develop their musical abilities. The narrative illustrates the unbreakable spirit of human creativity and music's transformative power in overcoming difficult circumstances by highlighting ANIM's role in advocating for music rights, while also fostering excellence, empowerment, and cross-cultural understanding. ANIM's story is an inspiring example of resilience and unity through the arts.Brought to you by Mubadala and Part of RIWAQ AL FIKR ADMAF TalksSpeakerDr. Ahmad Naser Sarmast, Founder and Director, Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM); UNESCO’s Second Annual Cultural Heritage Rescue Prize; International Music Council Musical Rights Award; David Chow Humanitarian AwardModerated byGwyneth Bravo, Assistant Professor of Music, NYUAD; Global Global Network Assistant Professor of Music, NYU
In this talk, the speaker discusses the often overlooked significance of territory—the geographical domain of the modern state—in political theory, political science, international law, and international relations. While traditional discussions emphasize the rights and duties between states and citizens, the concept of territory remains underexplored. Many global conflicts revolve around territorial disputes, including issues of borders, belonging, secession, and annexation. This talk aims to explore the fundamental questions surrounding territory, evaluate existing territorial theories and their shortcomings, and consider the legitimacy of claims over territory.SpeakerMargaret Moore, Professor of Political Studies and Philosophy, Queen's University
Explore the captivating realm of Shehan Karunatilaka’s fiction, which masterfully intertwines the surreal and humorously dark. "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida" is noted as “an afterlife noir” that reflects Sri Lanka’s tumultuous history through a unique lens. In this session, Shehan will share excerpts from his work and discuss his artistic craft, inspiration, and the nuances of addressing conflict and contested memories in writing. Drawing influence from global literary icons like Kurt Vonnegut and Margaret Atwood, Shehan's writing effortlessly connects local experiences to a worldwide audience.SpeakerShehan Karunatilaka, 2022 Booker Prize Winner, Author of 'The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida' (WW Norton & Co, 2022)In conversation withHarshana Rambukwella, Visiting Professor of Literature and Creative Writing, NYUAD
In celebration of UAE National Day, this talk offers an overview of the origins and evolution of Emirati cuisine as an expression of Emirati culture and history. Emirati foodways have grown in tandem with the development of the region within the contexts of trade across the Arabian Peninsula and Indian Ocean regions. The rise of an Emirati cuisine parallels the remarkable transformation of the UAE into a global leader in technology and culture, as well as in the transition to a more sustainable and secure future.SpeakerJonathan H. Shannon, Professor of Anthropology, Hunter College and Graduate Center, CUNY; Faculty Director, J-Term Curriculum, Office of Global Education, NYUAD
Climate change is increasingly apparent to the general public through increasing heat waves, intense rainfall, flooding events, and sea level rise. However, while there have been great increases in climate model skill in the last decade across a swathe of important areas, there are still persistent biases and common assumptions that limit their utility at local or regional scales despite the growing demand for such information. This talk discusses the paths forward to increase climate model utility and the observational gaps and theoretical limits that will modulate any future progress, and considers whether observations may be outpacing the predictions.SpeakerGavin Schmidt, Author, "Climate Change: Picturing the Science" (W.W. Norton, 2009); Fellow, American Geophysical Union (AGU) and American Association for the Advancement of Science
Nearly 20 years ago Heather Raffo’s play, 9 Parts of Desire, premiered to widespread acclaim in London and Off-Broadway, later becoming a global theatrical phenomenon. Now, Raffo adapts her multi-award winning solo play about Iraqi women for the screen and for our current time. With a radical retelling, she brings these stories from Iraq to Michigan, offering a celebration of the Iraqi female experience and an explicit warning—the divisions Iraq endured are not unique, Iraq is a bellwether for America now. Directed by Mike MosallamProduced by Nilou SafinyaIn collaboration with People's Light Theater and Detroit Public TheaterImage credit: Skylar LandseeSpeakerHeather Raffo, Actor and PlaywrightIn conversation withCatherine Coray, Arts Professor, NYU Tisch School of the ArtsNilou Safinya, Producer, "Nine Parts"; Founding Board President, Noor Theatre Company
Black holes are one of the most interesting and confusing objects in the universe. Their inevitable possibility is predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, and their existence is confirmed by numerous experimental observations. Thus, we have to contend with the reality of black holes and seek to understand their ins and outs. In this talk, we journey from the knowns of black holes as one-way streets into an unavoidable end and venture into the unknowns which suggest that the inside of a black hole is secretly on the outside.SpeakerAhmed Almheiri, Assistant Professor of Physics, NYUAD
Does the UAE have an art scene? A group of European curators concluded it did not, after they visited in search of contemporary art and artists in the 1990s. In fact, that decade was a vibrant period in the UAE, and a tightly-knit cluster of artists was experimenting with the outer limits of what art can be. At the heart of that group was Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim. Maya Allison curated his solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2022, and in this presentation, she traces why the UAE’s art history evaded the radar of those curators in the 1990s, while giving rise to Ibrahim’s locally rooted, cosmopolitan art practice, and ultimately, the vibrant, fast-changing art scene readily apparent today. She also touches on the problem of “outsider” and “self-taught” categories beyond European-American contexts.SpeakerMaya Allison, Executive Director, The Art Gallery at NYU Abu Dhabi, NYUADIn conversation withMayssam Latif, Cultural Affairs Advisor, UAE Consulate General in New York
Sherwood Rowland was a Nobel-winning climate scientist who asked, in 1986, in The New Yorker: “What’s the point of having developed a science well enough to make predictions—if, in the end, all we’re willing to do is stand around and wait for them to come true?” In 1979, scientists warned lawmakers to expect the climate shifts in “forty years.” And in 1956, scientist and scholar Roger Revelle warned Time readers: “In fifty years or so, this process [carbon dioxide warming] may have a violent effect on the Earth’s climate.” Why were our warnings so good, and our response so poor? And how can we make up for lost time?SpeakerDavid Lipsky, Author, "The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial" (W. W. Norton & Company, 2023); Artist-in-Residence, Creative Writing Program, NYU
This panel focuses on the journeys of four outstanding theater professionals who found their voices at NYU Abu Dhabi and are making their way in the US as playwrights, screenwriters and actors—each unique, but having shared the experience of studying and exploring the arts in Abu Dhabi.Image credit: Rubén PolendoPanel MembersFatima Maan, Playwright, NYUAD ’18Adam El Sayigh, Playwright, Screenwriter and Dramaturg, NYUAD ‘18Arianna Gayle Stucki, Actor and Playwright, NYUAD ‘18Attilio Rigotti, Theater Maker, Game Designer, Teacher, NYUAD ‘14Moderated byRubén Polendo, Associate Dean for the Institute of Performing Arts, NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Founding Theater Program Head, NYUAD
What can young adult literature teach us about the problems confronting the world today? Can these books possibly help us find potential solutions to these problems, no matter how old we are? The panel explores these questions, discusses the importance of grownups reading YA, and offers suggestions about what to put on your YA reading list.Panel MembersNur'aishah Shafiq, NYUAD Alumnus 2022, NYU Liberal StudiesZoe Patterson, NYUAD Alumnus 2020, NYU Liberal StudiesDeborah Williams, Author, "The Necessity of Young Adult Fiction" (Oxford University Press, 2023); Clinical Professor, NYU Liberal Studies
This talk explores morphogenesis, the fascinating process of form development in biology. It examines how complex 3D organisms evolve from a single fertilized egg, involving intricate cell divisions, movements, and shape changes. The focus is on the mechanical processes that influence cell and tissue transformation and their regulation across space and time. The discussion integrates genetics, mechanics, and geometry to understand how these factors encode cell behaviors essential for development. Drawing insights from living embryos and physical models, the talk offers a compelling perspective on the natural choreography of life's formation.SpeakersThomas Lecuit, Collège de France, Paris and IBDM-Turing Center for Living Systems, Aix Marseille University
This talk explores the unintended consequences of technology's pursuit of optimization, unveiling how it perpetuates discrimination, compromises privacy, displaces workers, and contaminates information flows. It examines the tension between corporate values driven by big tech and the ideals of a democratic society. The speaker will highlight the pervasive issue where meaningful aspects of life remain unmeasured by tech optimizers, whose large-scale disruptions inadvertently dictate societal norms. The speaker will also share insights and actionable solutions to equip individuals with the knowledge to steer technology towards a tool for empowerment rather than a controlling force.SpeakersJeremy Weinstein, Professor of Political Science, Fisher Family Director of Stanford Global Studies, Stanford University
This talk discusses how it's common to embark on a challenging pursuit without knowing the likelihood of success. As we encounter hurdles and setbacks, we face a crucial decision: to give up or persevere. Optimism about our chances can prevent premature despair. The talk argues that "grit"—persisting in adversity—is rational only if it avoids unrealistic optimism. Rational striving requires close attention to our abilities and strengths and assessing whether our circumstances will likely support our success. We present a model of striving that seeks to encapsulate the multifaceted nature of this essential capacity of agents.SpeakersJennifer Morton, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of PennsylvaniaSarah Paul, Professor of Philosophy, NYUAD
Faysal Tabbarah, the 2023 NPUAE Curator, leads a compelling exploration into the potential of arid environments at the National Pavilion UAE during the 18th International Architecture Exhibition. His work focuses on unveiling the hidden possibilities within arid landscapes, especially those in the UAE, such as desert plateaus, wadis, and coastal plains. This talk highlights innovative architectural designs tailored for arid climates, challenging traditional perceptions and exploring these environments as spaces rich in opportunity. The aim is to shift the narrative around aridity, presenting these regions as fertile grounds for architectural innovation and abundance.This event is part of NYUAD Art Gallery's new series titled 'Curators Talk'SpeakersFaysal Tabbarah, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Architecture, American University of Sharjah; Curator, National Pavilion UAE, 2023
Addressing the urgency of climate change and the foundational role of international agreements like the Paris Agreement of 2015, countries are urged to adopt concrete domestic measures. Beyond the realms of international directives, the evolution of 'climate law' encompasses various sectors, including administrative, commercial, human rights, and more. As nations worldwide adopt distinctive models for this, such as the UK, France, and the USA, understanding these shifts becomes paramount. This panel's primary focus is to assemble legal experts to extensively explore the intricacies and challenges of climate law and its domestic implications, particularly emphasizing the path toward achieving Net Zero.SpeakersBenedict Kingsbury, Vice Dean, Global Programs Murry and Ida Becker Professor of Law Director, Institute for International Law and Justice, NYUDamilola S. Olawuyi, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, UNESCO Chairholder on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityJinan Bastaki, Associate Professor of Legal Studies, NYUADRichard Honey KC, Barrister, Francis Taylor BuildingModerated byAude Epstein, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies, NYUAD
This talk explores the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations since 1992, leading to the 2023 declaration that "Climate breakdown has begun." Traditional approaches to address climate change have been ineffective. However, ancient insights from indigenous peoples and overlooked spiritual traditions offer fresh perspectives. With rights of nature now recognized in 24 countries, this session will spotlight the potential of reimagining our relationship with nature.SpeakersDale Jamieson, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Studies; Director, Center for Environmental and Animal Protection, NYU
In this talk, the speaker will trace humanity's bond with water, from historical ties to future implications. Despite water's perceived abundance, most is inaccessible in oceans. Addressing these challenges intertwines with key sustainability objectives. In an era marked by climate change, how do we address water issues? The discussion will emphasize the vital role of the environment we aim to protect: Nature.SpeakersSaeed Alhassan, Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University; Founder of Manhat
Explore the intriguing connections between the realms of physics, cosmology, and quantum physics with the music that defines an era. This talk examines the narrative of cosmic structure, interpreting it through the elements of jazz music, and unveiling the harmonious relationship between these diverse yet unified fields.SpeakersStephon Alexander, Professor of Physics, Brown UniversityIn conversation withArlie Petters, Provost, NYUAD
Passport rankings demonstrate that access to visa-free travel is highly stratified globally. How do states ascend these ranks? This talk introduces the concept of mobility diplomacy and argues that neither wealth nor political stability are sufficient conditions for unlocking visa-free travel. To be successful, developing countries must persuade highly developed countries—especially the European Union—that their citizens will not become migrants. The talk discusses the most successful case of mobility diplomacy—the United Arab Emirates—which became the world’s most powerful passport in 2018, and addresses the important role that visas and passports play in international negotiations.SpeakerNoora A. Lori, Associate Professor of International Relations, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University
In this talk, the speaker will discuss the evolution and importance of advancing competencies in medicine and biotechnology tailored for the UAE's unique needs and aspirations. Through a deep exploration of innovative strategies and practices, the talk will shed light on how the future of healthcare and biotechnological research is being shaped in the region. Emphasizing both regional successes and challenges faced, the discussion aims to inspire and guide professionals dedicated to driving excellence in these pivotal fields.SpeakerHabiba Al Safar, Professor of Genetic and Molecular Biology, Director of Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University
This talk explores the conventional representations of the Abbasid dynasty, highlighting its perceived trajectory from its rise in the mid-eighth century to its decline in the tenth century. The speaker examines historical and literary sources from the mid-tenth century, elucidating the role and influence of the Abbasid Caliph and Baghdad during a pivotal era of political and cultural transformation.SpeakerLetizia Osti, Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Milan
In the challenging climatic conditions of the Middle East, providing clean water has always been a significant concern. Yet, ancient cities like Abbasid Baghdad and Mamluk Cairo effectively supplied water to their populations. This talk explores these historical achievements, shedding light on the often misunderstood institutional strengths in the premodern Middle East. The discussion focuses on the diverse water systems in place and the reasons behind their sustainability.SpeakerMaaike van Berkel, Professor of Medieval History, Radboud University
In the Arab Gulf, air-conditioning consumes about 60% of the domestic consumption of electricity. Yet, the ascendency of this technology is far from simple. Beyond simply providing coolness, air-conditioning transformed life as people knew it. In a remarkably short period of time, this seemingly innocent device reshaped houses, cities, practices of daily life, social relations, and even, bodies. Today, one can argue there is no society that is more air-conditioned than in the Gulf, where even the outdoors is being air-conditioned. This talk brings historical and ethnographic insights to explore how this energy-intensive technology became ubiquitous in the Gulf and to what consequences.SpeakerMarwa Koheji, Humanities Research Fellow, NYUADModerated byAmr Adel Galal, Chapter President of ASHRAE Falcon (UAE)In Collaboration withNYUAD Humanities Research Fellowship for the Study of the Arab World
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 movement in archives has evolved internationally, as well as examine case studies from the Gulf, with the hope of facilitating discussion about the potential for community archives in the UAE.SpeakersAndrew Flinn, Reader in Archival Studies and Oral History, Vice Dean for Postgraduate Research, Faculty Graduate Tutor, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University College LondonSumayya Ahmed, Assistant Professor in Archives at the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University
Evaluating historical leadership effectiveness poses challenges, particularly when analyzing figures like the blessed Islamic Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a military leader involved in wars that created new power structures and a prophet who ushered in dramatically original and transformational ways of understanding monotheistic religion and its relationship with politics. Records often bear the bias of their authors, and attributing success or failure directly to a leader’s actions may overlook external factors and contributions from others. Despite these hurdles, this talk strives to offer an objective, meaningful exploration of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ leadership.SpeakersJoel Hayward, Author, "The Leadership of Muhammad: A Historical Reconstruction" (Claritas Books, 2023); Professor of Strategic Thought, Rabdan Academy
Join us for an engaging evening with Francisco Goldman, a distinguished and multi-award-winning author renowned for his remarkable contributions to both fiction and nonfiction literature. In this captivating talk, Goldman delves into the pages of his latest novel, Monkey Boy, a literary masterpiece celebrated by The New Yorker critic James Woods for its infusion of rebellious comedy and vitality. As a natural-born storyteller, Goldman will take you on a journey through his witty, intimate, and sarcastically all-knowing narrative style, offering insights into his creative process and the intriguing world he has crafted. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the literary prowess of Francisco Goldman as he shares excerpts and anecdotes from Monkey Boy in a thought-provoking discussion.SpeakersFrancisco Goldman, Acclaimed Author of "Monkey Boy" (Grove Press, 2021); Journalist and Literary FigureIn Collaboration withNYU Abu Dhabi Arts and Humanities
Key figures involved in The Arts Center’s creation explore the significance and meaning of arts documentation while reflecting on their collaborative journey capturing seven years of The Arts Center’s history. They offer unique perspectives on their approaches and their individual and collective contributions toward this effort.SpeakersWaleed Shah, Photographer, Creative Thinker, and EntrepreneurBill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director, The Arts Center, NYUADNadine Khalil, Editor, Curator, and CriticModerated byMariët Westermann, Vice Chancellor, NYUAD
This talk explores the groundbreaking achievements of our ancestors in ancient Abu Dhabi, highlighting the complexity and significance of their pioneering innovations in archaeology. Discover the techniques and methods employed by ancient societies to craft stone axes, domesticate animals, transport goods over long distances, and develop bronze, humanity's first composite artificial material. The talk also discusses the UAE's global role as an exporter of copper long before the advent of oil. SpeakersIvan Semian, Director of Karmir Bloor Archeo Park in Yerevan, ArmeniaIn Collaboration withDhakira Center for Heritage Studies in the UAE, NYUAD
This talk explores the profound insights of Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi, an intellectual luminary who connected Aristotle's teachings with the emerging scientific method. Al-Baghdadi's meticulous observations of Egypt from eight centuries ago illuminate its diverse flora, fauna, and cultural intricacies. At the same time, they chronicle the challenges of famine and societal disruption in Cairo. Through the lens of Tim Mackintosh-Smith, the talk also touches upon the enigmatic tales of al-Baghdadi's alleged reappearance in twentieth-century London.SpeakersTim Mackintosh-Smith, Author of "Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires" (Yale University Press, 2019); Historian, Arabist, and TravelerPart of "Library of Arabic Literature Book"
Presenting two captivating works by director Ursula Biemann, explore the profound connections of Indigenous communities to their natural environments.In the enthralling oceanic journey titled "Acoustic Ocean," we are transported to the Arctic Islands of Lofoten. Here, a scientist delves into the realm of acoustic ecology, probing the mysteries of the oceans and forging connections across species. The film's poetic portrayal invites us to contemplate the ocean's hidden symphony—replete with nascent life forms, imaginative interconnections, and the evolution of the planetary ecosystem. Through this science-fictional lens, Ursula Biemann unveils the intricate tapestry that binds life beneath the waves.[Director: Ursula Biemann | Norway | 2018 | 18 mins | English]Continuing our voyage, "Forest Mind" unveils an intricate narrative woven in collaboration with the Indigenous Inga community of the Amazonian forests in southern Colombia. Ursula Biemann's enduring partnership with this community gives rise to an Indigenous university, emerging as a testament to Indigenous wisdom. From the profound intelligence of plants to the sentient consciousness of the territory, the film deftly entwines diverse research strands. Rooted in both scientific and shamanic perspectives, "Forest Mind" champions an eco-centric worldview, bridging the realms of empirical knowledge and ancient wisdom. Through this cinematic creation, the NYUAD Institute bridges disparate ways of comprehending our Earth.[Director: Ursula Biemann | Switzerland | 2021 | 31 mins | English]Screenings followed by Q&A with the film director Ursula Biemann
The explosion at Beirut's port in 2020 wreaked havoc on the American University of Beirut (AUB) Archaeological Museum, shattering 72 valuable glass artifacts. This talk reveals the story of these vessels' journey from Beirut to the British Museum in London, through their recovery, conservation, and exhibition phases. And it underscores the pivotal role of international collaboration, training, and outreach in heritage conservation.SpeakersDr. Duygu Çamurcuoğlu, Senior Conservator and Researcher, Department of Collection Care, The British MuseumIn Collaboration withDhakira Center for Heritage Studies in the UAE, NYUAD
Dr. Raja Al Gurg is one of the most successful businesswomen in the Arab world. Discover the insights behind her latest book, The Power of Authenticity: Three Principles of Leadership Success, as she unveils the challenges and triumphs that paved her path to becoming a prominent Emirati businesswoman. With a legacy as Chairperson and Managing Director of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Dr. Al Gurg's journey embodies empowerment and leadership. Be inspired by her advocacy for Arab women entrepreneurs, and gain unique perspectives on authentic leadership in the Arab world's business landscape. SpeakerDr. Raja Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director, Easa Saleh Al Gurg GroupIn conversation withAbdelQader AlSaqqaf, UAE Youth Delegate to the United Nations
Al-Andalus is often depicted as a site of particular religious tolerance, and the twelfth century as its denouement, with foreign interlopers locked in holy war. Ibn Mardanīsh (r. 1147-72), known as the Wolf King, complicates narratives of religious enmity and of al-Andalus' distinct culture. This talk, based on the recently published book The Wolf King: Ibn Mardanīsh and the Construction of Power in al-Andalus, explores Ibn Mardanīsh's brief rule. It then considers how the memory of this ruler has been distorted in the time since his death, as racial and religious hierarchies have promoted the idea of al-Andalus as particularly exceptional for its position in Europe.
Speakers Abigail Krasner Balbale, Author, "The Wolf King: Ibn Mardanīsh and the Construction of Power in al-Andalus" (Cornell UP, 2023); Assistant Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and History, NYU
The life of a marine turtle is a struggle for survival from the day they hatch, facing obstacles, natural predators, and various anthropogenic threats. Climate change exposes marine turtles to even more significant existential threats. Our warming climate may be driving marine turtles into extinction. But what does this mean for turtles along the warmest sea in the world? This presenter will provide insight into marine turtle conservation in Abu Dhabi and their latest findings assessing climate change-associated impacts on marine turtles.
Speakers Dr. Hind Al Ameri, Marine Conservation Scientist, Sea Turtle Biologist, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD)
This talk focuses on the issue of urban mobility and the associated traffic congestion that is a concern in cities worldwide. With the increasing urban population and motorization rates, it is expected that congestion levels will continue to rise, along with negative externalities. The talk explores whether it is possible to predict how congestion spreads in a city, to develop proactive mitigation strategies, and to alleviate congestion by promoting more sustainable transportation modes. The talk also discusses how technology and information can be used to understand current mobility patterns and propose more sustainable alternatives for the future.
Speakers Monica Menendez, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs; Director of the Research Center for Interacting Urban Networks (CITIES); Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering, NYUAD
By 1535, the Ottoman Empire gained control of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from mountain to sea. This talk discusses the ramifications of this drastic political transition in the history of the longest rivers in West Asia. Above all, the unification of the Tigris and Euphrates allowed the Ottomans to rebalance a deep natural resource disparity along their eastern frontier, enabling them to move grain, metal, and timber from upstream areas of surplus in Anatolia to downstream areas of need in Iraq. This imperial system of waterborne communication, the talk argues, anchored the Ottoman presence in the river basin.
Speakers Faisal Husain, Assistant Professor of History, Penn State University
This talk explores the fascinating world of crystals and their role in biology and medicine. Crystals have always been admired for their beauty and value, and many believe they have powerful, magic properties. They play critical roles in various biological processes, such as supporting bones, grinding food, protecting shells, and more. However, crystals can also lead to diseases like kidney stones, atherosclerosis, and gout. The speaker will explain the study of crystal formation, assembly, and their impact on health and disease.SpeakersLia Addadi, Professor of Structural Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science
Living in a land situated in one of the edges of the Islamic world, the inhabitants of al-Andalus saw themselves as somewhat isolated, an island surrounded both by the sea and the Christians. Their scholars exerted themselves to keep contact with the central lands of Islam by performing the travel of study (riḥla fī ṭalab al-ʽilm), bringing back books and ideas produced elsewhere. The traveling of knowledge, however, was not unidirectional: from very early on, Andalusi scholars made important contributions to the “global” Islamic culture. This talk discusses these contributions and the reasons for their success.SpeakersMaribel Fierro, Research Professor, High Council for Scientific Research in Madrid
This panel delves into the 20th century architectural production in the modernization era of the Arabian Gulf and its impact on the notions of locality, cosmopolitanism, and modernity. The speakers will examine the initiatives that have re-engaged with the ville moderne and reflect on the role of the urban fabric in narrating social growth, East–West dynamics, and citizens’ memories. The panel explores the concept of modern heritage in the context of the contemporary city, interrogate the value of modern architecture in the non-West, and discusses the expanding academic research on Gulf urbanism.SpeakersSultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Founder of Barjeel Art FoundationRoberto Fabbri, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Zayed UniversityIn conversation withNelida Fuccaro, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Professor of Middle Eastern History, NYUAD
The role of Internet and Communication Technology (ICT) in bringing about a revolution in almost all aspects of human life needs no introduction. It is indeed a well-known fact that the transmission of the information at a rapid pace has transformed all spheres of human life such as economy, education, and health to name a few. In this context, this talk aims to: provide an envisioned picture of 6G; serve as a research guideline in the beyond-5G era; and review some of the recently-proposed green technologies that would offer high-speed connectivity not only in urban environments but also in under-covered areas.SpeakersMohamed-Slim Alouini, Distinguished Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
This talk will examine the question of whether life existed on Mars and its transformation from a warm, wet planet to a cold, dry desert world. The speaker will discuss the Emirates Mars Mission, also known as the "Hope" probe, which is providing insight into the surface and atmospheric processes of Mars. The Mars research group at NYU Abu Dhabi's Center for Space Science is analyzing data from the probe to uncover answers to questions about Mars and its potential for life. The speaker will present their latest findings, ongoing research, and outreach projects.SpeakersDimitra Atri, Group Leader, Mars Research Group, NYUAD Center for Space Science
Recent research has yielded a much better understanding of how aging happens and how it leads to the ills of old age. There is now a lot of interest in tackling human aging to prevent, delay, or compress the unhealthy period at the end of life. In laboratory animals it turns out to be possible to target aging with diet and with existing drugs to promote better health in late life. So, what if getting old did not mean getting frail and ill?SpeakersLinda Partridge DBE, FRS, FRSE, FMedSci, Professorial Research Fellow, University College London
This talk charts out an oceanic microhistory, grounded in the voyages of the dhow called The Crooked from the port of Kuwait, captained by the Nakhoda ‘Abdulmajeed Al-Failakawi. It anchors itself in Al-Failakawi’s logbook and looks out from the deck of the dhow onto a world of texts, letters, accounts, and other writings by Nakhodas. From these writings we can gather histories that have been scattered along the coasts of Arabia, South Asia, and East Africa, and we can gain a sharper sense of how actors understood this world of circulation and inscribed it into their voyages.SpeakersFahad Bishara, Associate Professor of History and Arabian Peninsula and Gulf Studies, University of Virginia
The Cairo Genizah is a collection of Jewish manuscripts from the Middle Ages found in an ancient synagogue in Al-Fustat, Egypt. It is a valuable resource for understanding the history, culture, and everyday life of Jews in the medieval Islamic world. Recently, it has been recognized for its significance in the study of Arabic literature and culture, as Jews in the Genizah also wrote and copied poetry in Arabic for both sacred and leisurely purposes. This panel discusses the Genizah Collection’s role in helping us understand medieval culture, and highlights the collection’s Arabic poetic literature, showcasing the enduring role of poetry in communal life.SpeakersBenjamin Outhwaite, Head of Genizah Research Unit, Cambridge University LibraryMohamed Ahmed, Al Maktoum Associate Professor, Near & Middle Eastern Studies, Trinity College DublinIn conversation withNathaniel Miller, Humanities Research Fellow for the Study of the Arab World, NYUAD
This talk analyzes the different representations of the Moriscos’ history in Spanish and Arab thought from the early modern era to today. First, it examines the evolution of the presence of this history in the literature and historic texts of the Spanish golden age (XVIe-XVIIe centuries). Secondly, it studies Spanish and Arab treatment of the subject in the XVIIIe and XIXe centuries, which means through the newspapers, writings of a historical nature, travel literature, novels, plays, etc. Thirdly, the talk explores the contemporary Arab literature and historic representations of the Moriscos’ history, and considers: how did it evolve quantitatively and qualitatively.SpeakersHoussem E. Chachia, Assistant Professor of Early Modern History, University of Tunis
نحاول من خلال هذه المحاضرة تحليل مُختلف التمثلات الإسبانية والعربية للتاريخ الموريسكي منذ بداية الفترة الحديثة إلى اليوم. بدايةً، سنحاول البحث في تطور حضور هذا التاريخ في النصوص الأدبية والإخبارية الإسبانية للعصر الذهبي (القرنين 16 و 17). ثانياً، سندرس التناول الإسباني والعربي للمسألة في القرنين الثامن عشر والتاسع عشر، أي من خلال النصوص ذات الطبيعة التاريخية، الجرائد، أدب الرحلة، الروايات والمسرحيات. ثالثاً، سنبحث في التمثل العربي التاريخي والأدبي المعاصر للتاريخ الموريسكي وكيف تطور كمّاً ونوعاً. المُحاضر: حسام الدين شاشية، أستاذ مساعد، كلية العلوم الإنسانية والاجتماعية، جامعة تونس
Sophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins traces Palestinians’ experiences of waste to explore what their improvisations for mitigating the effects of what she calls a “waste siege” can tell us about Palestinians’ approaches to time and collectivity today. She describes a series of conditions: from smelling wastes to negotiating military infrastructures, from biopolitical forms of colonial rule to experiences of governmental abandonment, from obvious targets of resistance to confusion over responsibility for the burdensome objects of daily life. Waste siege not only describes a stateless Palestine; it also becomes a metaphor for our besieged planet. SpeakersSophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins, Director of Anthropology Program and Associate Professor of Anthropology, Bard College
“Old” and “new” Dubai represent the city’s dual cosmopolitan context. The almost drastic stylistic evolution from “old” Dubai’s areesh, coral stone, and palm frond houses to “new” clean-cut whitewashed modernist buildings highlights a significant polar shift from tradition to modernism, not only as a mode of building, but also as a way of life. To understand architecture in Dubai in relation to the International Modern Movement, reflections on the context are essential: why was modernism introduced in Dubai? How was it applied to its architecture? This talk explores these questions, hoping to contribute to the preservation of the city’s heritage, both traditional and modern.SpeakersMaryam M. Ahli, Architect & Architectural Historian
For decades now, the “universal museum,” an institution invented in Western Europe, has been challenged, and its decolonization has become a subject of debate within the institution itself. Yet, Françoise Vergès argues that the decolonization of the Western museum is impossible if we adopt Frantz Fanon’s remark that "Decolonization is a program of absolute disorder” (1961). In this conversation, Vergès retraces the connection between collecting and colonialism, explores the capacity of neoliberalism to commodify critiques, and presents the project of a “museum without objects” and different decolonial practices of the arts.SpeakersFrançoise Vergès, Political Scientist, Historian and Curator; Author of "A Feminist Theory of Violence: A Decolonial Perspective" (Pluto Press, 2022)In conversation withKatia Arfara, Curator; Assistant Professor of Theater, Performance Studies, NYUAD
Yasmine Seale presents The Dove’s Necklace, a fascinating text on the nature of love from 11th-century Cordoba, and reads from her translation in progress. A masterpiece of Arabic prose and poetry, a jewel of observation, and a window into the intimate life of Muslim Spain, The Dove’s Necklace was composed by the young Ibn Hazm before he became the towering jurist and theologian we know today. Though he later renounced the work, it was to have a deep and lasting influence on the literature of courtly love. SpeakerYasmine Seale, Writer and Translator
July 4, 2012 marked the discovery of the Higgs Boson (also known as the "God Particle") after its prediction almost 50 years prior. With a ten-year retrospective, this talk tells the inside story of one of the most significant discoveries made by humanity ever. What is the Higgs Boson, and what is its role in our existence? How do we search for the smallest particle with a giant machine? And where do we go from here?SpeakerEilam Gross, Professor of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science
Published on the occasion of the UAE's 50th anniversary, 50U tells the story of the UAE in 50 portraits of people, plants and places. Acclaimed royal photographer Ramesh Shukla, who took some of the most iconic photographs of the union of the seven emirates in the 1970s, and contemporary photographer Charlie Koolhaas, who was commissioned to shoot a photo essay for 50U, discuss the role of photography as a visual record, especially in the context of this book which straddles past, present and future.SpeakersRamesh Shukla, PhotographerCharlie Koolhaas, Visual ArtistModerated byGoffredo Puccetti, Associate Professor of Practice of Visual Arts
The wildly successful world premiere of Iranian-American Sanaz Toossi’s award-winning play and production English (2022) captivated audiences who had never before seen their story captured in live performance. Set in a TOEFL classroom in Karaj, Iran in 2008, English occurs during a period of political transformation resulting in travel restrictions and family separations. The play focuses on the many personal, cultural and political questions raised by “foreign” language acquisition that are both specific and expansive upon its Iranian context. In conversation about this theatrical work, the award-winning English creative team discusses these topics and the process from script to production.
Speakers Knud Adams, Director, English (2022) Sanaz Toossi, Iranian-American Playwright, English (2022)
Moderated by Robert H Vorlicky, Visiting Professor of Theater, NYUAD Marsha Ginsberg, Scenic Designer, English (2022); Associate Arts Professor of Theater, NYUAD
We live in a world in which extremism is said to be on the rise. The 20th century was scarred by extremist movements and ideologies, and extremism continues to be a problem in the 21st century. But what exactly is extremism, and what is wrong with it? Martin Luther King Jr. famously asked whether we will be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice. Is there such a thing as "good" extremism or is extremism always a bad thing?
Speaker Quassim Cassam, Professor of Philosophy, University of Warwick
Pandemic, war, rising oil prices, food shortages, … there is no uncertainty about how uncertain these times are. Yet, we have to make decisions at all scales—from individuals trying to decide how to financially invest to policy-makers trying to curb epidemics with sound public health interventions. Faced with many decision-making complexities, we look to technology with its promise of data-driven insights and artificial intelligence to come to our aid. This talk examines how prescriptive analytics can help with these challenges but also discusses their limitations and what the landscape of computational decision-making looks like.
Speaker Azza Abouzied, Associate Professor of Computer Science, NYUAD
For almost eight centuries the Arabs dominated much of the territory of the Iberian Peninsula (711-1492 C.E.). They called that region al-Andalus and, although its territorial extension varied over the years, Arabic was its predominant language and Islam its majoritarian religion. Until the beginning of the 17th century, numerous Muslims or people of Muslim origin continued to reside in Spain. Likewise, material and textual legacy still remain and its knowledge is essential to writing the history of al-Andalus today.
Speaker Cristina de la Puente, Scientific Researcher, Department of Islamic and Jewish Studies, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
This talk addresses the lasting legacies of past plagues, in particular the Black Death, because they continue to shape the way we think about new pandemics. We must recognize pandemics as long-term processes and shift our focus beyond epidemic episodes of disruption to better understand how past societies learned to live with diseases. The talk also highlights persistent problems related to pandemics, such as European exceptionalism, triumphalism, and epidemiological orientalism that are not only ubiquitous in the historical scholarship, but also staples of public opinion about pandemics, past and present.
Speaker Nükhet Varlık, Associate Professor of History, Rutgers University–Newark
Traveling from Canton to Lisbon and back via Aden and Jiddah, Hormuz and the Straights of Malaka, this talk connects China, India, and the Philippines and the 16th century Indian Ocean in a tale of espionage, adventure, war and religion.
Speaker Zvi Ben-Dor Benite, Professor of History, Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, NYU
Recent research in the social sciences suggests that families’ past experiences of violence –notably, war and displacement – shape descendants’ preferences and behaviors for generations and influence economic, political, and social decisions within these families over decades and, at times, centuries. This talk provides an overview of the cutting-edge research on the legacies of violence and describes what we know about the intergenerational effects of violence and the social processes by which family trauma is inherited. To illustrate the argument, the talk draws in part on fieldwork among victims and their descendants in Ukraine, Catalonia, Cambodia, and Guatemala.
Speaker Leonid Peisakhin, Associate Professor of Political Science, NYUAD
Prophet Muhammad has made a prodigious impact on the history of the world and continues to impact the contemporary world. How exactly did he manage to make a difference, and why are his enlightening teachings still germane today? In answering these questions, this talk counteracts the centuries-long Christian polemics demonizing the prophet. It offers a rare sociological overview of his life and enduring legacy and makes the case for Prophet Muhammad’s role as a “liberator” of human beings who ultimately opened the door to a society built upon civic nation building, civil rights, cross-cultural navigation, religious pluralism, and racial equality.
Speaker Craig Considine, Senior Lecturer, Rice University; Author of "The Humanity of Muhammad – A Christian View" (Blue Dome Press 2020)
Climate change is here—but it looks nothing like in the movies. Across the planet, the people most affected by natural disasters are somehow still living their lives, experiencing joy while undergoing hardship, thinking up new solutions for our warming world. In Lebanon, an unprecedented economic collapse is wreaking tragedy upon the country, but also bringing around a fervent enthusiasm to innovate, to reinvent, to rebuild our home differently. What does it mean to be human in an age of extreme changes? How do we dance on the boundaries of adaptation? Drawing from experiences out of Lebanon, this talk reflects on how we create hope when the rug has been pulled from under our feet.
Speaker Najat Saliba, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry, Co-executive Director of Khaddit Beirut, and Director of Environment Academy, American University of Beirut
Published in the year of the 50th anniversary of the confederation of the United Arab Emirates, 50U paints an intimate picture of life in the Emirates through the memories, hopes, and ambitions of its inhabitants. Factual accounts of the UAE’s history are told alongside human stories that are the result of extensive interviews with the young nation’s residents and visitors. In this conversation, the team who is behind this book shares their deeper insight on the book and its disseminating journey. The book is the brainchild of local UAE businessman Yasser Bin Khediya who commissioned Dutch graphic designer and specialist bookmaker Irma Boom.
Speakers Francesco Degl'Innocenti, Managing Editor of “50U” (Archis, 2022) Anna Seaman, Editor of “50U” Khawla Bin Khediya, Project Director of “50U”
Opening Remarks H.E Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, UAE
Moderated by Shatha Al Mulla, Assistant Undersecretary for the Arts and Heritage Sector, Ministry of Culture and Youth, UAE
Current advances in AI are phenomenal. However, we are still in the beginning of the AI “Industrial Revolution.” We are creating the steam engines of AI that will become the airplanes of the future. Natural Language Processing has become indistinguishable from human speech, art creation has surpassed some of the most advanced artists, protein folding, a 50-year-old problem, has been solved, and many more achievements in AI indicate which way the arrow of progress is pointing towards. What will the future AI look like? How will humans live alongside more powerful intelligences than their own? Is the future bleak or bright?
Speaker Mohamed Qasem, Assistant Professor of Electronics Engineering, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET)
By going deep underground and creating ultra-clean conditions, it is possible to produce the lowest radioactivity laboratory in the world. There we can address very fundamental questions about our Universe: How does the Sun burn? What are the abundant dark matter particles in the spaces between the stars? What are the properties of neutrinos, elusive particles that are one of the fundamental building blocks of nature? How do these particles influence how our Universe evolves? This talk describes experiments that take place at underground labs internationally and address these questions.
Speaker Art McDonald, Nobel Laureate in Physics; Gray Chair, Emeritus, Queen’s University
Every part of existence is fueled by water. It supports the most important industries in society including the energy sector, agriculture, and transportation. Water resources are under increasing strain as the world’s population rises and the economy grows, resulting in decreased river flows, the loss of lakes and wetlands, and declining ground-water levels. This panel explores the main threats to water security, shares insights, and identifies actions to tackle water-related security risks, specifically in the UAE, based on a shared understanding and close collaboration among government, private sector, and academia.
Opening Remarks Mariët Westermann, Vice Chancellor, NYUAD
Panelists Nidal Hilal, Professor of Engineering and Director of NYUAD Water Research Center, NYUAD Luke Sumner, Director of Integrated Planning, Emirates Water and Electricity Company Sofia Berglund, Business Development Manager Middle East, SOURCE
Moderated by Antonios Vouloudis, Director of Sustainability and Stewardship, NYUAD
This conversation with Adonis, the greatest living poet of the Arab world, focuses on questions regarding the intersection of visual art and poetry in theory and practice. This gathering is timed to coincide with the publication of a new English-language translation of a remarkable series of dialogues between Adonis and Syrian artist Fateh al-Moudarres (trans. Rula Baalbaki) hosted by Mouna Atassi in Damascus in 1998. There will be a screening of rare archival video footage from that dialogue, followed by commentary from Mouna Atassi and the Research Scholar and Artist Ala Younis, and an extended discussion with Adonis about the keywords of sense and intuition in literature, art, and his own life and work.
This talk highlights the vital role of innovation in boosting and enhancing the mechanism of scientific research in the UAE from various areas, including entrepreneurship and start-ups. How can we convert research and development into applied commercial projects with potential profits? This would help all society members contribute toward scientific research through multiple approaches.
Speakers H.E Hussain Almahmoudi, Chief Executive Officer, American University of Sharjah Enterprises; Chief Executive Officer, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park In conversation with Ghanim Kashwani, Adjunct Research Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai
Great physics requires us to think outside the mainstream—to improvise and rely on intuition. This talk explores three principles that shape all theories of the universe—the principle of invariance, the quantum principle, and the principle of emergence—as well as some of physics' greatest mysteries, from what happened before the big bang to how the universe makes consciousness possible. Drawing on his experience as a Black physicist, Stephon Alexander makes a powerful case for diversifying our scientific communities. Compelling and empowering, Fear of a Black Universe offers remarkable insight into the art of physics.
Speakers Stephon Solomon Alexander, Professor of Physics, Brown University; President of The National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP); Executive Director of Harlem Gallery of Science; and Author, “Fear of a Black Universe” (Basic Books, 2021)
As humans, we have evolved and survived because we are curious and critical thinkers. How do these traits shape our lives and science, and lead us to understand the world around us? Epigenetics, a new area of science, is the weaving of our genetics and environment that shape who we are. This talk explores the impact of trauma and war on our bodies and what we can do about it.
Speakers Rana Dajani, Zuzana Simoniova Cmelikova International Scholar, University of Richmond; Rita Hauser Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University; Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Hashemite University
It is conventional wisdom that America and China are running a “superpower marathon” that may last a century. But the sharpest phase of that competition will be a decade-long sprint, and the moment of maximum danger could be just a few years away. America will still need a long-term strategy for competing with China. But first, it needs a near-term strategy for navigating the danger zone ahead.
Speakers Michael Beckley, Associate Professor of Political Science, Tufts University; Author, “Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower” (Cornell University Press, 2018)
This conversation explores how communities connect with places of suffering, like former prisons that have been turned into museums—specifically Esma, the former clandestine center of Detention, Torture, and Extermination under Argentina’s Junta, and Robben Island, South Africa’s detention center for anti-Apartheid activists, including Nelson Mandela. How does this connection impact the development of local and international narratives? How does memory interlink with the social-economic uses of heritage in places of trauma? And what does this do to the meaning of the site for the community?
Speakers Alejandra Naftal, Executive Director of ESMA Museum and Site of Memory, Argentina
Andre Odendaal, Founding CEO, Robben Island Museum; Writer in Residence and Honorary Professor in History and Heritage Studies, University of the Western Cape
Moderated by Ihab Saloul, Research Co-Director of School of Memory, Heritage and Materials Sciences, University of Amsterdam; and Professor of Memory and Narrative, University of Bologna
In a famous painting, Paul Gauguin posed three fundamental questions about our place in the Universe: “What are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?” A physicist interprets these questions as follows: “What are we made of? What happened early in the Universe? What is the future of the Universe?” Particle physicists are seeking scientific answers to these questions, in particular through experiments with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Speakers Jonathan R. Ellis, Clerk Maxwell Professor of Theoretical Physics, King's College London
Quantum information theory has given us a new and interesting twist on the old problem of quantum gravity: the Universe as a Computation. As the computation proceeds, reality unfolds. Information theory allows us to study the behavior of a system without committing to a particular story about it, for example, the story of spacetime. We can go beyond the point where the old story is no longer useful. Information theory comes with a new style of stories about how the world works, stories of complexity and emergence. This is not unique to physics. The same shift has happened in neuroscience where the predictive coding framework for the brain has turned our thoughts and emotions into emergent constructs, tools our brain uses to move our body. They are just like spacetime in physics.
This talk explores recent developments both in physics and neuroscience to identify some of the key new ideas likely to shape our future stories of the world.
Speakers Fotini Markopoulou, CEO, Empathic Technologies; Founding Faculty, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Why do many consider al-Mutannabi the first Arab poet? Why is his poetry still pulsing with life, modernity, uniqueness, and Arabness as if it was written in the recent past? This conversation discusses Dr. Ali bin Tamim's personal experience with al-Mutannabi and the reasons behind his interest of al-Mutannabi's poetry. This special talk includes readings of al-Mutannabi’s poetry and distribution of some publications from the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language.
Simultaneous English Interpretation will be provided.
Speaker
H.E Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center
In Conversation with
Bilal Orfali, Sheikh Zayed Professor for Arabic and Islamic Studies, American University of Beirut; Senior Research Fellow, Library of Arabic Literature (LAL)
A roller coaster through cosmic time, this talk truncates the 13.7 billion years of life of our Universe into 60 minutes. Starting from a very hot cosmic soup, the Universe evolved from tiny initial perturbations to the large variety of structures we can observe today. The talk also explores the biggest mystery in modern physics: the dark side of the Universe.
Speakers Andrea Valerio Macciò, Associate Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Astro, Particle, and Planetary Physics, NYUAD
Rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm are far higher for those in Gen Z (born after 1996) than any previous generation, including the Millennials. Employers report that Gen Z employees are often more fragile and lacking in life-skills. This talk explores three terrible ideas, interacting with new technology, that have weakened Gen Z, and discusses how young people can put themselves on a path to becoming stronger, smarter, and happier by rejecting these ideas and embracing ancient, time-tested, and culturally widespread advice.
Speaker Jonathan Haidt, Co-Author, "The Coddling of the American Mind" (Penguin Press, 2018); Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership, NYU Stern School of Business
This talk discusses the role of place in diasporic literature and the universality of women's voices. Who can speak for whom? What role do distance and diasporic privilege play? Does nostalgia take on dangerous potential, and does it really matter if writing is about the confluence of one's imagination and memory?
Speakers Saba Khan, Author, "Skyfall" (Bloomsbury, 2020); Instructor of Social Science, NYUAD
Sabyn Javeri, Author, "Hijabistan" (Harper Collins, 2019); Senior Lecturer of Writing, NYUAD
In conversation with Tishani Doshi, Associate Professor of Practice, Literature and Creative Writing, NYUAD
With the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, many may remember the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001. Since then, Afghans in the culture sector have established many cultural heritage development initiatives, which highlight the country’s diverse regional identities. Although heritage might not seem to be the highest priority during times of uncertainty, in the past 20 years it has proven to be a basic need and an effective tool for peace and development. This conversation reflects on Afghanistan’s diverse heritage and discusses a path into the future.
Speaker Omar Sultan, Former Deputy Minister of Culture in Afghanistan
In conversation with Robert Parthesius, Director of Dhakira Center for Heritage Studies; Associate Professor of Heritage Studies, NYUAD
Paper, perhaps the most common manufactured item in everyday use, was invented in China over 2,000 years ago. One thousand years later, Muslims learned of it after they conquered Central Asia in the early eighth century. They quickly carried it and the techniques of manufacturing it across Eurasia and Northern Africa to the shores of the Atlantic. There, some 1500 years after its invention, Europeans started using and manufacturing it themselves. This talk presents the largely-unknown history of paper across the lands of Islam, revealing how—long before the invention of printing—this remarkable medium transformed Islamic societies in many ways.
Speakers Jonathan Bloom, Professor Emeritus, Department of Art, Art History & Film, Boston College
The five days between November 28 and December 2, 1971 saw Abu Dhabi mark the fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed as Ruler, an invasion by Iran, and a never-to-be-forgotten appearance by the Star of the East herself—Umm Kulthum. This talk reflects on this period of celebration, turmoil, and anticipation.
Speaker James Langton, Journalist, Writer & Editor In Collaboration with
NYUAD Cultural Engagement - Student Life
This talk explores the collaborative research efforts to produce “Building Sharjah,” the first book--not only in the UAE but in the region--to document the history of a Gulf city. The panelists share the driving force behind the book and describe the journey of documenting the rise of the city through stories from its citizens, residents, and immigrants.
Speakers Todd Reisz, Author, "Showpiece City: How Architecture Made Dubai" (Stanford University Press, 2020); Co-Editor, "Building Sharjah" (Birkhauser, 2021)
Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Kuwait Foundation Visiting Scholar, Middle East Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School; Co-Editor "Building Sharjah"
Farah Fayyad, Graphic Designer, "Building Sharjah"
Reem Khorshid, Lead Researcher, "Building Sharjah"
Moderated by Shatha Al Mulla, Director of the Visual Arts and Design Department, Ministry of Culture and Youth in the UAE
In Collaboration with NYUAD Cultural Engagement - Student Life
Western paradigms of history about East and West, North and South, have enjoyed a privileged position in the global marketplace of ideas. However, the long-term rise of China and India, together with cultural discourses of regionalism in West Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, is fundamentally altering this situation. Non-Western countries are increasingly reconstructing their pasts, and their place in world history, to build their “imagined communities” of the future. This talk considers how, and to what end, complex histories are now being expeditiously formulated as platforms of heritage and museum diplomacy.
Speaker Tim Winter, Australian Research Council Professorial Future Fellow, University of Western Australia
As population and pollution increase, humans are looking at high frontiers. Potential benefits of extraterrestrial mining are immense. For example, NASA has identified an asteroid, 16 Psyche, to be worth more than 10,000 quadrillion dollars, while the economy of our planet is about 80 trillion dollars. But there are also challenges, including: mining in Space (planets and asteroids); exploration, transport, manufacture, waste management of space; effects on humans; optimal design of tests; bio(microbial) approach, etc. This talk discusses aspects of these possible explorations and their challenges.
- Time: 7:00pm Gulf Standard Time 10:00am Eastern Standard Time
To access the live stream click here
Speaker Ponisseril Somasundaran, Lavon Duddleson Krumb Professor of Mineral Engineering, Columbia University
In Collaboration with center for space science NYUAD
To develop fundamentally new laws of nature, theoretical physicists often rely on arguments from beauty. Simplicity and naturalness in particular have been strongly influential guides in the foundations of physics ever since the development of the standard model of particle physics. This talk demonstrates that arguments from beauty have led the field into a dead end and considers what can be done about it.
Speaker Sabine Hossenfelder, Research Fellow, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS)
Sujatha Gidla, the author of Ants Among Elephants:An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India, in conversation with Toral Gajarawala, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at NYU, about caste, class and race, and their relationship to rights, violence and writing.
Speakers Sujatha Gidla, Author, "Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India" ( Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2017)
In conversation with Toral Gajarawala, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, NYU
Lawrence Abu Hamdan presents "Natq," a live audiovisual essay on the politics and possibilities of reincarnation. Through listening closely to “xenoglossy” (the impossible speech of reincarnated subjects), this performance explores a collectivity of lives who use reincarnation to negotiate their condition at the threshold of the law—people for whom injustices and violence have escaped the historical record due to colonial subjugation, corruption, rural lawlessness, and legal amnesty. In the piece, reincarnation is not a question of belief but a medium for justice.
- Time: 7:00pm Gulf Standard Time 10:00am Eastern Standard Time
Speaker Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Artist, Audio Investigator & 2019 Turner Prize Joint-Winner
In Collaboration with Al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art
By the start of 2018, 25 million refugees fled across international borders to seek protection. Over half of these refugees are under the age of 18. Little rigorous evidence exists on strategies to promote refugee children’s academic learning and socio-emotional development. What role can universities play in helping to close this critical gap in evidence? This panel describes the state of education for refugee children broadly, zeros in on the conditions of refugee children in Lebanon and Niger, and summarizes insights evaluating innovative strategies to promote the academic learning and social-emotional development of the children.
Speakers Lindsay Brown, Research Scientist at NYU Global TIES for Children, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, NYU Ha Yeon Kim, Senior Research Scientist at NYU Global TIES for Children, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, NYU In conversation with J. Lawrence Aber, Co-Director at NYU Global TIES for Children, Willner Family Professor of Psychology and Public Policy and University Professor, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, NYU
Recent earthquakes, ranging from Brexit and the election of Donald Trump to the pandemic, have terminated the role that the United States and its Western allies assumed after 1945 as political teachers and role models to the rest of the world. This talk discusses the likely consequences of this epochal transformation.
Speakers Pankaj Mishra, Literary and Political Essayist; 2014 Windham-Campbell Prize for non-fiction; Author, "Age of Anger" (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2017) In Collaboration with
Arab Crossroads Studies, History, and the Literature & Creative Writing Programs The Global Asia Research Initiative
How do architectural design and users’ practices inform the creation of social space? In which spaces and through which modalities do people come together and “make” space in a city as diverse as Abu Dhabi? How are these processes approached by various disciplines—from architecture and urban design to the social sciences and the arts? This talk brings together scholars and practitioners to discuss urban planning, public spaces, and social and cultural practices in Abu Dhabi.
Speakers Ji Young Kim, Event Specialist, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, NYUAD Alumna
Adina Hempel, Associate Professor of Interior Design, Zayed University
Alamira Reem Bani Hashim, Author, “Planning Abu Dhabi: An Urban History” (Routledge, 2018)
Pradeep Sharma, Director of Arts, Culture & Heritage, Salama Foundation
In conversation with
Laure Assaf, Assistant Professor of Arab Crossroads Studies and Anthropology, NYUAD
In Collaboration with
institute francais youth hub
The making of citizens in and through music is a 19th-century commonplace. But the ground of this longstanding musicological discussion has shifted with globalization, mobility, and the parlous condition of nation and state today. What does it now mean to label a musician an “ideal citizen”? This talk looks at the question of musical “multi-citizenship in multiple places” (Parlati/Chamoiseau) from a postcolonial perspective, and reflects on Turkish crooner Zeki Müren and French-Lebanese slam poet Marc Nammour – and the grounds they might provide for reconsidering the familiar myths of the citizen composer.
Speaker Martin Stokes, King Edward Professor of Music, King's College London
The Thousand and One Nights has been fueling the imagination and craft of storytellers since the 18th century. This conversation between two winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award traces the returns and afterlives of the Nights until today, and discusses why these tales continue to inspire and affect the stories of writers from all over the globe.
Speakers Richard van Leeuwen, Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies, University of Amsterdam; Winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Arabic Culture in Other Languages (2020) Philip Kennedy, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, Comparative Literature, NYUAD; Winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Arabic Culture in Other Languages (2019) In conversation with Maya Kesrouany, Assistant Professor of Literature and Arab Crossroads Studies, NYUAD
In Collaboration with Sheikh zayed book award
Even before its shores claimed an ounce of steel, Dubai was a modern city whose residents plied sea and desert routes to sustain it. This talk charts how some of these global links generated the city we know today.
Speaker Todd Reisz, Author, "Showpiece City: How Architecture Made Dubai" (Stanford, 2020)
The UAE has built an instrumental ecosystem of research around the local, governmental, and independent academic institutions, research and technology industrial organizations, and scientific innovation parks, among others. This talk discusses current efforts to improve research and development infrastructure, expand its capacity, and influence impactful research outcomes and productions globally. It addresses the challenges that persist and how they can be addressed to build a robust local scientific research and development ecosystem in the UAE.
Speakers Behjat Al Yousuf, Executive Vice President for Outreach and Engagement, MBZUAI In conversation with Hoda Al Khzaimi, Research Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering; Director, Center of Cyber Security, NYUAD
In Collaboration with
Emirates Digital Association for Women Women in AI
Women and women's sport are playing a growing role in promoting equality and cooperation across business and society in the Middle East. From the grassroots level to professional ranks, sport is being used to break down barriers, unite people, and contribute to a tolerant and diverse society. Why does sport--and the rising prominence of women's sport, in particular--have such power to help transform society? What examples are having an impact today? What work lies ahead if we are to continue making progress in this area?
Speakers Salma Al Busaeedi, Intercollegiate Athletics and External Sports Relations Manager, NYUAD
Ronit Glasman, Head of Marketing and Social Responsibility, Israel Football Association
Rob Harris, Global Sports Correspondent, The Associated Press
Moderated by Vince Gennaro, Associate Dean & Clinical Associate Professor, NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport
The Sun generates huge magnetic storms with some regularity and streams billions of tons of charged particles. These storms are supposed to reach their peak activity in 2025. With it comes the likelihood of large impact on the Earth, with potential damage to our communications systems and power grids, causing enormous strife and financial loss. We missed a few such storms in the last 25 years. Will we be lucky and miss them again? This talk discusses what happens inside the Sun that leads to such storms.
Speaker К.R. Sreenivasan, Professor of Physics and Mathematics, University Professor and Eugene Kleiner Chair for Innovation, Dean Emeritus of NYU Tandon School of Engineering, NYU
With all eyes on the Middle East, global leaders have recognized that science diplomacy is an extremely important mechanism for working toward stability in the region. This talk introduces the Malta Conferences Foundation’s “Frontiers of Science: Innovation, Research, and Education in the Middle East” series which brings together representatives from 15 Middle East countries, Morocco, and Pakistan to identify unique opportunities for cross-border collaboration on scientific and technological challenges of the region, like water scarcity and environmental degradation. Since 2003, nine conferences have been held with the tenth planned for December 2021.
Speaker Zafra M. Lerman, Distinguished Professor of Science and Public Policy Emerita, Columbia College Chicago; President, Malta Conferences Foundation
Grace Aneiza Ali’s recently-published Liminal Spaces: Migration and Women of the Guyanese Diaspora (OpenBook Publishers) is an intimate exploration into the art and migration narratives of 15 women of Guyanese heritage. In this talk, Ali expands on the book’s four-part journey tracing the migration path of Guyanese women from their moment of departure, to their arrival on diasporic soils, to their reunion with Guyana. One of the only studies published on the Guyanese diaspora, this is an important contribution to the scholarly field of international migration, transnationalism, and diaspora, both in its creative methodological approach and in its subject area.
Speakers Grace Aneiza Ali, Author, "Liminal Spaces: Migration and Women of the Guyanese Diaspora" (OpenBook Publishers, 2020); Assistant Professor and Provost Fellow, NYU Tisch
In conversation with Oneka LaBennett, Associate Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, University of Southern California; Author, "She's Mad Real" (NYU Press, 2011)
At a moment when we are confronted by the changing nature and conditions of borders and borderlands, can the performing arts serve as a catalyst for (re)imagining current border logics, shaped not only by long-standing territorial and political disputes but also by the effects of globalization? This panel engages with the meaning of borders not only as physical sites of conflict and contestation but also as cultural and imagined spaces, where competing interests, ideologies, and narratives are brought into dialogue through music, dance, and theater. Speakers Joanna Sherman, Founder-Artistic Director Bond Street Theatre Amal Murkus, Palestinian Singer and Activist Andy Teirstein, Founder-Director of Translucent Borders; Professor, NYU Tisch
Moderated by Gwyneth Bravo, Assistant Professor of Music, NYUAD
According to surveys conducted by Gallup, 750 million people would migrate to another country if they could. This talk explores how migration on this scale is impossible under existing laws and international agreements. Discussions about new political arrangements that could accommodate this many migrants typically presume that they will support (i) Large Scale Immigration, (ii) Equal Treatment under the Law, and (iii) Local Political Control. Unfortunately, this violates the Constitutional Trilemma: Only two out of these three are possible. This talk offers a feasible approach to this global predicament.
Speakers Paul Romer, Nobel Laureate; Professor of Economics, NYU
November 8, 2020
In 2019 it was estimated that more than 20 billion internet-of-things (IoT) devices were active around the world. This includes all computational devices capable of holding and processing personal data, such as smartphones, fitness trackers, smart bulbs, cleaning robots, etc.
The wealth of data collected and processed by IoT devices raises questions about privacy since much of the data collection and processing takes place through the public internet and in servers around the world.
This talk discusses the technological enforcement of privacy, explains the concept of end-to-end-encryption, and presents solutions for privacy-preserving computation.
Speaker Michail Maniatakos, Director of the Modern Microprocessors Architectures (MoMA) Laboratory and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NYUAD
Part of "NYUAD Research Public Talks"
November 22, 2020
It could be argued that mathematics was born with the purpose of making sense of nature's patterns. The mathematics of simple and regular shapes was developed first, and with great success, so much so that predictable regularity and mathematics have become somewhat synonymous in common speech. But, unbeknownst to most of the general public, mathematicians have long been working at conceptual tools for making sense of nature’s irregular, never-repeating, and time-changing patterns.
This talk illustrates some examples and general ideas stemming from the theory of instability, one of the most powerful ways to understand why natural phenomena look the way they do.
Speaker Francesco Paparella, Associate Professor of Mathematics, NYUAD
November 10, 2020
Globalization has been the most progressive force in the history of humanity, bringing more progress, more quickly, to more people than anything preceding it. And yet, globalization appears more unpopular than ever as it leads to more risks. COVID-19 will not kill globalization; on the contrary it will accelerate its growth and transformation.
Globalization will increasingly be centered on East Asia, which accounts for half of the world’s population and the fastest growing economic region. The region's rapid recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and its increasing economic and political role, along with the relative decline of US economic and political power, will change the nature of globalization.
Speaker Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalization and Development and Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Technological and Economic Change, University of Oxford
November 16, 2020
Part of "Art and Power in the Middle East: Past and Present"
In Syria media creators have manipulated a limited, ambiguous autonomy to produce a thriving transnational television drama industry—one that has survived by responding to, and often challenging, the very conditions that have generated and sustained it.
This talk explores the political, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of fictional media production during and about the Syrian conflict that began in 2011. Examining the work of a leading director, both celebrated for critiquing and vilified for colluding with the Syrian leadership, the talk reveals the complex challenges facing mass cultural producers operating in authoritarian-controlled and market-driven contexts.
Speaker Christa Salamandra, Professor of Anthropology, Lehman College and the Graduate Center, The City University of New York
November 18, 2020
Monuments commemorate moments or figures of public victory or sorrow. Some protect significant lands or mark noteworthy geographic features. Most have historically tended to foreground the human species and to avoid sticky subjects and non-dominant histories, including the histories of other species.
This panel explores multispecies monuments to the Anthropocene, to the techno-human’s capacity to alter the earth at a geological scale, by starting with a modest example: Habitat Compensation Island, a small artificial island in Abu Dhabi that was carefully created from marine dredge, and intended to be both a nature preserve for marine species harmed in the process of dredging itself as well as a pedagogical and outreach tool.
Speakers Bronislaw Szerszynski, Professor of Sociology, Lancaster University
December 7, 2020
In this talk, Enass Khansa examines both the meaning and application of justice in The Thousand and One Nights (Alf Laylah wa-Laylah). She shows that the opening story, or frame tale, as well as the two immediately following stories, "The Merchant and the Genie" and "The Fisherman and the ‘Ifrīt," engage in a cohesive debate about the coincidence of successful interpretation and just rulership. In doing so, the stories broach a question of ethics frequently encountered in advice literature (nasihat al-muluk).
Speaker Enass Khansa, Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Languages, American University of Beirut; Editor, Library of Arabic LiteratureDecember 7, 2020
In this talk, Enass Khansa examines both the meaning and application of justice in The Thousand and One Nights (Alf Laylah wa-Laylah). She shows that the opening story, or frame tale, as well as the two immediately following stories, "The Merchant and the Genie" and "The Fisherman and the ‘Ifrīt," engage in a cohesive debate about the coincidence of successful interpretation and just rulership. In doing so, the stories broach a question of ethics frequently encountered in advice literature (nasihat al-muluk).
Speaker Enass Khansa, Assistant Professor, Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Languages, American University of Beirut; Editor, Library of Arabic Literature
October 6, 2020
Freshwater is vital for human and environmental health, industrial activities and food production, the production and use of energy, and much more.
As human populations and economies grow, pressure on limited water resources are also growing, leading to a variety of challenging problems, including water scarcity and pollution, water-related diseases, ecological disruptions, and even social and political conflict.
This presentation provides an overview of current challenges associated with the world's freshwater resources, a vision of a more positive and sustainable future, and pathways to achieve that future.
Peter H. Gleick, President Emeritus and Co-founder, Pacific Institute
To watch the lecture: https://youtu.be/8DqMxqk6Ytg
September 22, 2020
Muslims have been familiar with infectious disease since the time of the Prophet in the seventh century.
This talk reviews the diversity of Muslim views on contagion and plague within the context of Islamic law, Sufism, and medicine. What did Muslim scholars say about how one should respond to the challenge of a pandemic, how did Muslims actually respond, and how do we know?
These questions have clear contemporary relevance in this time of the coronavirus and throw the stakes of framing the history of Muslim responses to contagious disease into stark relief.
Speaker Justin Stearns, Associate Professor in Arab Crossroads Studies, NYUAD
September 29, 2020
Lebanese artist Tania El Khoury is known for her genre-bending interactive live artworks performed in unique spaces and concerned with the ethical and political potential of such encounters.
El Khoury discusses her latest micro-theater work, As Far as Isolation Goes (Online), which explores the mental health of asylum seekers through one-on-one zoom performances, as well as other works that redefine the role of the audience as an active participant.
Speakers Tania El Khoury, Live Artist; Co-director, MA in Human Rights & The Arts, Bard College
In conversation with Joanna Settle, Arts Professor and Program Head of Theater, NYUAD
In collaboration with The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
October 4, 2020
Award-winning author and journalist Charles Siebert discusses his many experiences visiting with, and writing about, non-human animals, and what they reveal to us about themselves and us.
Through his interludes with everyone from a former cellist in an all-chimpanzee circus orchestra; to an octopus escape artist; to elephant and whale ventriloquists; to traumatized orphaned parrots who heal equally traumatized war veterans, Siebert introduces us to the animal within all humans; the common biology and languages we share with other beings; and the costs of failing to ask "What On Earth Are They Saying."
Speakers Charles Siebert, Professor of Practice of Literature and Creative Writing, NYUAD
In Collaboration with 19 Washington Square North, NYU Abu Dhabi in New York
October 20, 2020
Donald Trump was elected in 2016 riding a wave of global populism. His first term has marked a turn toward isolationism, nationalism, and attacks on domestic and international institutions. How will the COVID-19 epidemic and racial protests in the US affect the outcome of the upcoming US election, and what implications will this have for geopolitics?
Speaker Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies; Mosbacher Director, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law; Director, Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy, Stanford University
In Collaboration with NYU Washington, DC
September 27, 2020
Nearly half of Muslim Americans never attend the mosque and have very few Muslim friends. How and why does “unmosquing” happen and to whom?
Eman Abdelhadi traces second-generation immigrants’ engagement with Muslim communities using life history interviews and presents four trajectories that emerge from these data. Abdelhadi finds that while most Muslim Americans are heavily embedded in Muslim communities during childhood, the majority wander away during adolescence and early adulthood.
In later stages, however, men tend to return while women tend to stay away. This talk discusses the ways that women and men’s experiences differ both in the family and in formal Muslim spaces, explaining these divergent pathways.
Speaker Eman Abdelhadi, Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago
2019.10.30
Our oceans are becoming increasingly acidic as a result of rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Simultaneously, more than 90 percent of the warming caused by human carbon emissions is absorbed by the world’s oceans. As they warm up, oceans lose oxygen, essential for marine life. Together, these effects amplify one another and put marine species and ecosystems under great stress, threatening a vital source of food and income for human societies. This talk discusses the causes of these environmental changes and explores their interactions and how they are impacting marine ecosystems.
Zouhair Lachkar, Senior Scientist, Center for Prototype Climate Modeling (CPCM), NYUAD
2019.10.22
Shadow play, known as khayāl al-ẓill, karagöz, or li‘b, is a performing art with a long and rich history in the Arab world. Like Aladdin’s magic lamp that transforms the real world into a fantasy land, the shadow master’s lantern projects fairytales and spectacles with intricate, cartoonish figures onto a screen for enchanted audiences to enjoy. This talk surveys this enduring tradition—from its earliest sighting in the tenth century, to its gradual decline on the eve of modernity, and finally to the modern-day efforts to preserve it.
Li Guo, Professor of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Notre Dame
2019.11.03
Our national discourse has become increasingly toxic, irrational, self-absorbed; our leaders and our citizens suffer from an allergy to nuance and complexity. In his new book, Standing for Reason: The University in a Dogmatic Age, John Sexton, NYU president from 2002 to 2015, argues that universities must make the fight against this "secular dogmatism" central to their missions. In conversation with journalist, author, and NYU teacher James Traub, Sexton speaks about the "secular ecumenism" for which the university has long stood, and about the need for a new model of the “global network university” to serve an increasingly interconnected world.
John Sexton, Author, "Standing for Reason: The University in a Dogmatic Age" (Yale University Press, 2019); President Emeritus, NYU
In conversation with James Traub, Instructor at NYU & at NYUAD; Columnist at foreignpolicy.com; Author of "What Was Liberalism?" (Basic Books, 2019)
2019.11.11
A mysterious cluster of over 500 buildings constructed almost entirely from coral, Jezirat Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah is a coastal village that was abandoned over half a century ago. This talk traces the evolution of this community, which represents a unique archaeological and architectural asset for the Emirates, into the future, and examines the practice of coral masonry. Using geochemical dating techniques, we can understand the history of the coral structures and calculate the type and volume of corals that were mined from the sea to support the expansion of this early urban setting.
John Burt, Head of the Marine Biology Lab and Assistant Professor of Biology, NYUAD
2019.11.17
Gordon Moore observed that the number of circuits that can be placed on a computer chip doubles every two years. His observation, dubbed Moore’s Law, has served the electronics industry well. In recent years, however, progress has been curtailed by delays in the release of new technologies, skyrocketing chip development costs, and rapidly approaching physical limits. While this may seem worrisome to technologists and designers who have spent their careers riding the productivity wave that Moore’s Law created, it simultaneously offers opportunities for innovation, architecture, manufacturing, and ultimately new products. This talk considers the current state of chip technology, how we got here, and most importantly where we might go next.
Rob Aitken, Fellow & Director of Technology, Arm Research
2019.04.18
The great Punjabi writer Nanak Singh was present at Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April 1919 and twenty-two years old at the time. As the British troops opened fire on the unarmed gathering protesting against Rowlatt Act, killing hundreds, Nanak Singh fainted and his unconscious body was piled up among the corpses. After going through the traumatic experience, he proceeded to write Khooni Vaisakhi, a long poem that narrates the political events in the run up to the massacre and its immediate aftermath. The poem was a scathing critique of the British Raj and was banned soon after its publication in May 1920.
As we step into 100th year of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, this talk features the poems translated into English by Navdeep Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE, in conversation with Justin Rowalatt, whose great-grandfather, Sir Sydney Arthur Taylor Rowlatt, drafted the Rowlatt Act.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance in the UAE
H.E. Navdeep Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE Justin Rowlatt, BBC South Asia Correspondent
Moderated by Toral Gajarawala, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, NYU
2019.09.10
The story of child refugees alone on the highways of Europe originally appeared as newspaper reportage, was reconceived as the fiction work “Hinterland” by Caroline Brothers, and then adapted by Scottish theater company Vox Motus into “Flight,” a groundbreaking, award-winning theatrical work. In this talk, Brothers shares her experience of the story’s double adaptation. What considerations governed the decisions to carry out the new forms? What might be lost, and what might be gained?
Caroline Brothers, Author "Hinterland" (Bloomsbury, 2011),
In conversation with Piia Mustamaki, Lecturer of Writing, NYUAD
In Collaboration with The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
2019.09.22
What fuels radicalization to violence? Is de-radicalization a possibility? How can societies build sustainable peace and reinforce people’s commitment to coexist in harmony? Based on rare field research with terrorists spanning the ideological spectrum, The Three Pillars of Radicalization explores the drivers of radicalization. Evidence collected across the globe suggests that when conjoined, the drivers create a combustible psychological mixture that threatens social stability and global peace. Yet, interventions exist that can reverse this psychological process and mitigate contemporary terrorism. Panelists discuss the ways in which community-led initiatives can build societies resilient to unpredictability, divisiveness, and disasters.
Speakers Rohan Gunaratna, Professor of Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technology University, Singapore
Arie W. Kruglanski, Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, University of Maryland
Moderated by Jocelyn J. Bélanger, Assistant Professor of Psychology, NYUAD
2019.09.17
Many of our contemporaries are only aware of climate change through public discourse and social media. Drawing on recent scientific papers, Jeffrey Reimer shows how the atmosphere is changing, that humans are the cause, and that there are consequences. Such consequences may be viewed in the context of Earth's historical carbon cycles, which demonstrate well what the Earth will look like unless we consider every possible means to decarbonize the atmosphere. Looking ahead, this talk also examines carbon capture and sequestration and its increasing feasibility.
Jeffrey A. Reimer, Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Warren and Katharine Schlinger Distinguished Professor in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
2019.09.25
This presentation reviews five years of research conducted at NYU Abu Dhabi exploring the cross-cultural practices and understanding of musical rhythm. Three previously held workshops bringing together experts from musicology, computational modeling, cognition, and neuroscience informed the formation of a large corpus of music from the region, machine learning techniques that can analyze and characterize this corpus, and algorithmic music generation tools that emulate important musical traditions, including that of the Carnatic tradition in South India. The presentation includes a live performance of Carnatic music and a duet between a human master of the tradition and a computer-generated emulation of the style.
Speakers Robert Rowe, Professor of Music and Director of Steinhardt Music Technology, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, NYU Akshay Anantapadmanabhan, Virtuoso mridangam performer, Individuals Carlos Guedes, Associate Professor of Music, NYUAD Andrew J. Eisenberg, Assistant Professor of Music, NYUAD
2019.09.30
It is more than three years since the British people voted to leave the European Union (EU), which it is set to do on October 31. If it does so without a deal then this will have serious economic and political repercussions throughout Europe, but especially in Britain. How did we get here? This talk explores how the separate but interwoven histories of Britain, Ireland, and the rest of Europe have led us to the current crisis.
Kevin O'Rourke, Professor of Economics, NYUAD; Author of "A Short History of Brexit: From Brentry to Backstop" (Pelican, 2019)
2019.10.02
Born into a family of artists, Arn grew up in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime. He spent his youth in a child labor camp, forced to play propaganda music, before being adopted and raised in the US. He returned to Cambodia on a mission: to unearth his family’s legacy and to find his former music teacher and the stars of his childhood. On this trip, Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) was born. Over the last two decades, CLA has grown into one of Cambodia’s leading arts organizations, striving to be a catalyst in a vibrant arts sector and to inspire new generations.
Arn Chorn-Pond, Founder of Cambodian Living Arts; Former Child Soldier
2019.10.07
The digitization of early modern England’s print culture has reignited the quest to locate Shakespeare's missing presence. Scholars once searched out lost manuscripts; now computational analysis promises to identify signature features "encoded in the text," as Peter Kirwan puts it. This talk addresses what happens when we use digital affordances to read Shakespeare in the opposite direction, not as the source of unparalleled poetic influence, but as the storehouse of a culture’s proverbs, jokes, and mottos.
Ellen Mackay, Associate Professor of English and TAPS, University of Chicago
2019.10.09
Ras Al Khaimah is an emirate of superheroes: captains who survived shipwrecks, shipbuilders who survived lightning strikes, honey collectors who scaled mountains, and entrepreneurs who made a strange land home. This talk shares the stories behind the photo book "People of Ras Al Khaimah," a collection of the personal histories of more than 50 long-term residents and Emiratis. Through its images, we explore firsthand accounts of Gulf migration and the commonalities of the Gulf migrant experience.
Anna Zacharias, Journalist at The National; Author of "People of Ras Al Khaimah" (Medina Publishing, 2018)
Jeff Topping, Photojournalist
2019.10.23
Ishmael Beah was recruited as a child soldier to fight in the Sierra Leone Civil War when he was thirteen years old. This talk explores how he survived the brutality of the war to become the renowned author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and UNICEF’s First Advocate for Children Affected by War in 2007. The Washington Post writes that “Everyone in the world should read [Beah’s memoir] to learn about the world and what it means to be human.”
Ishmael Beah, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Children Affected by War; Former Child Soldier
Part of "Peace Fellows Lecture Series and Residency Program 2019-2020"
11.04.2019
A Career In Public Service From President Carter To President Obama
During a decade and a half of public service in four U.S. administrations, Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat discusses his career in politics and law and his new book "President Carter: The White House Years" (Thomas Dunne Books, 2018).
Speakers Stuart E. Eizenstat, Former United States Ambassador to the European Union; Author of "President Carter: The White House Years" (Thomas Dunne Books, 2018)
15.04.2019
Building Oil Pasts And Futures- The Norwegian Petroleum Museum
Norway struck oil in 1969 with the discovery of the giant Ekofisk oil field in the North Sea, and during the last 50 years Norway has developed an advanced offshore oil and gas industry. The activities and income from the industry have made a big impact on Norwegian society. Since 1996 the state revenue has been transferred into the Government Pension Fund Global – to benefit future generations. The funds value today: 1.000.000.000.000 (one trillion) dollars! The Norwegian Petroleum Museum was inaugurated by His Majesty King Harald in 1999. The museum tells the unique story of how Norway has met the challenge of the new offshore industry, based on solid maritime experience. And maybe most important: Norway’s oil and gas has been developed within the framework of democratic institutions – with the strong political vision that the petroleum resources belong to the people. This talk delves into this topical scope in greater detail.
Speakers Finn E. Krogh, Museum Director, Norwegian Petroleum Museum
01.05.2019
Seeing The World How US Universities Make Knowledge In A Global Era
U.S. research universities have long endeavored to be cosmopolitan places, yet the disciplines of economics, political science, and sociology have remained stubbornly parochial. Despite decades of government and philanthropic investment in international scholarship, the most prestigious academic departments still favor research and expertise on the United States. Based on a book with the same title, this talk draws on candid interviews with scores of top scholars and university leaders to understand how international inquiry is perceived and valued inside the academy. Seeing the world is at once a work-and-occupations study of scholarly disciplines, an essay on the formal organization of knowledge, and an inquiry into the fate of area studies. This talk sheds light on the politics of knowledge production in the U.S. academy and the future of knowledge in a global era.
Speakers Seteney Shami, Director-General, Arab Council for the Social Sciences; Program Director, The Social Science Research Council
08.04.2019
Optical Tweezers Shedding Light On Life’s Molecules, One At A Time
Recent advances have led to the new field of single molecule biophysics. Single-molecule techniques record characteristics that are otherwise obscured by traditional approaches, revealing the behavior of individual biomolecules. Prominent among the new techniques is ‘optical tweezers,’ which uses radiation pressure from a laser to manipulate tiny objects, noninvasively, under the microscope. Dr. Arthur Ashkin (Bell Labs) received the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of optical tweezers, and for its biological applications. This talk highlights some of those biological applications, illustrating the power of this technology to help scientists understand the key molecules of life.
Speakers Steven M. Block, The Stanford W. Ascherman, M.D., Professor and Professor of Applied Physics and of Biology, Stanford University
10.04.2019
Gender And Globalization In Contemporary Visual Art
This program features the work of renowned feminist visual artist Shahzia Sikander. As an artist that hails from the Pakistani diaspora, Sikander’s work engages multiple national and transnational frames simultaneously, drawing attention to the imbrication of race, class, gender, and religion. The artist’s talk is followed by a panel discussion featuring noted art curators and historians Salwa Mikdadi (NYU Abu Dhabi) and Atteqa Ali (Zayed University, College of Art and Animation) who will situate Sikander's work in the context of contemporary visual art in the region.
Speakers Shahzia Sikander, Award-Winning Visual Artist, Individuals Salwa Mikdadi, Associate Professor Practice of Art History, NYUAD Atteqa Ali, Associate Professor of Art History, Zayed University Maya Allison, Galleries Executive Director and Chief Curator, NYUAD
15.04.2019
Building Oil Pasts And Futures- The Norwegian Petroleum Museum
Norway struck oil in 1969 with the discovery of the giant Ekofisk oil field in the North Sea, and during the last 50 years Norway has developed an advanced offshore oil and gas industry. The activities and income from the industry have made a big impact on Norwegian society. Since 1996 the state revenue has been transferred into the Government Pension Fund Global – to benefit future generations. The funds value today: 1.000.000.000.000 (one trillion) dollars! The Norwegian Petroleum Museum was inaugurated by His Majesty King Harald in 1999. The museum tells the unique story of how Norway has met the challenge of the new offshore industry, based on solid maritime experience. And maybe most important: Norway’s oil and gas has been developed within the framework of democratic institutions – with the strong political vision that the petroleum resources belong to the people. This talk delves into this topical scope in greater detail.
Speakers Finn E. Krogh, Museum Director, Norwegian Petroleum Museum
24.04.2019
Making Sense Of A Changing World: Poetry And Music In Contexts Of Political Instability
Professor Kelly Askew, a renown anthropologist and ethnographic filmmaker, explores how music and poetry can offer opportunities for ordinary people to navigate, make sense, and negotiate moments of political transitions. This talk includes video-clips, poems, and insights from her anthropological research in East Africa, and most notably in the island of Zanzibar – a place where people have used rap music, Taarab, and vernacular poetry to navigate everyday challenges and negotiate moments of political upheavals. Besides Zanzibar and East Africa, this talk reflects more broadly on how artistic performances today can serve as an orienting device in a collective moment marked by rapid mutations and a more uncertain future.
Speaker Kelly Askew, Director of the African Studies Center, Professor of Anthropology and Afroamerican and African Studies, University of Michigan
29.04.03
Eating Animals
How much do people know about the food that's on their plates? Based on the bestselling book by Jonathan Safran Foer and narrated by co-producer Natalie Portman, Eating Animals is an urgent, eye-opening look at the environmental, economic, and public health consequences of factory farming. Tracing the history of food production in the United States, the film charts how farming has gone from local and sustainable to a corporate Frankenstein monster that offers cheap eggs, meat, and dairy at a steep cost: the exploitation of animals; the risky use of antibiotics and hormones; and the pollution of our air, soil, and water. Spotlighting farmers who have pushed back against industrial agriculture with more humane practices, Eating Animals offers attainable, commonsense solutions to a growing crisis while making the case that ethical farming is not only an animal rights issue but one that affects every aspect of our lives.
2019.04.01
Are We The Same Or Different: Ethnicity And Personality In The Human Face?
As a social species, humans are drawn naturally to differentiate people on many different dimensions, such as identity, sex, age, ethnicity, emotion, and personality. This talk aims to review the science on face processing, and pay attention to two specific issues: (1) Why do faces of ethnicities different from ourselves all appear to “look the same”? (2) Are personality judgments that we make about a face (e.g., Is the person trustworthy?) just our intuitions, or do we perceive this information directly from the face itself?
Speakers William Hayward, Dean of Social Sciences, Professor of Psychology, University of Hong Kong
2019.03.25
Will Syrians ever find home again or are we destined to forever settle in the plight of resettlement? Must we finally let go of home in order to belong once more?
For millions of displaced Syrians around the world, home prevails somewhere between fading memories and fragile dreams. In the aftermath of despair, the idea of home stretches beyond stone walls and ancient countries. Home reconstructs itself within new, unexpected, and sometimes virtual, communities.
In this talk, Syrian-American writer, architect, and CEO of Karam Foundation, Lina Sergie Attar, examines the process of negotiating home and homeland through annotations of her Aleppo, portraits of resistance, and stories of resilient and ambitious Syrian refugee youth. Between war and post-war, between the trauma of memory and hope for the future, an alternative possibility of home-as-survivor emerges — one that we make and remake ourselves.
Speakers Lina Attar, Founder and CEO, Karam Foundation
March 12, 2019
Inspired by the celebrated aphorism, “Know Thyself!”, which was inscribed on the forecourt at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, Socrates admonished his followers that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” In a similar vein, the Buddha famously urged his disciples to “Be a lamp unto yourself”. What does it mean to take these maxims seriously today, when the natural and mind sciences are the preferred way to obtain knowledge about ourselves? In seeking to answer this question, this talk reflects on the puzzle of self-consciousness, and on what it means to know that one is a knower.
Speakers Christian Coseru, Professor of Philosophy, College of Charleston
03.04.2019
The presentation exposes and explains a literary and social phenomenon when regular people from all walks of life took up the pen and wrote history in a language that mixed in their own colloquial dialects and oral literary forms. The authorship of chronicles had been the exclusive purview of the scholars (the`ulamā') who recorded events related to their interests and concerns in high Arabic (fuṣḥā). Rather than looking at the colloquial texts as the end of a great Islamic tradition, this talk presents them as entirely new products ushering in the brave new world of al-Nahda and its journalistic print culture.
Speakers Dana Sajdi, Associate Professor of History, Boston College
03.06.2019
Who are you?—Even a cursory take on this potent question reveals an important truth: your metaphysical commitments matter. What you take to be real about yourself and the world through which you move has immediate and profound consequences: what is the best life for you to live? What weight do your ethical claims have? This talk explores four powerful concepts of the self—Plato’s notion of our immortal intellect; Kierkegaard’s individual, forged by an infinite commitment; Nietzsche’s ‘person as a cultural artifact;’ and, finally, Sartre’s ‘no self’ view: these accounts are connected in curious ways, and may influence your thinking more than you might suspect.
Speakers Sheridan Hough, Professor of Philosophy, College of Charleston
2019.02.21
The primary duty of a museum is to preserve heritage features of outstanding universal value for future generations. Preserving implies studying, understanding, and implementing conservation, but also communicating and engaging with the public in as many levels as possible. The connections and entangled relations between modern life and ancient artefacts move beyond the mutually exclusive differences, and often invisible links are involved. The duty of a museum is to make these links visible, communicating the value of its collections, and thus creating a sustainable cultural landscape. This talk delves into the scope of how to create a sustainable cultural landscape with consideration to preservation.
Speakers Christian Greco, Italian Egyptologist; Director of the Egyptian Museum of Turin
2019.02.24
Drugs that address an unmet medical need have an enormous positive impact on society: introducing antibiotics and vaccines to common use in the middle 20th century shifted the life expectancy in the United States from 47 to 78 years and removed infectious disease as the major cause of death. Despite this enormous benefit, bringing new drugs to market remains arduous. Why is this the case? One cause is that we falsely perceive drug discovery as a gradual, incremental process and attempt to improve success rates by engineering and applying overwhelming force. Yet drug discovery is highly dependent on innovation, which occurs randomly and can be capitalized upon by prepared teams. This talk discusses a route to success built on viewing the path as constituted by punctuated equilibria and pursuing drugs with small, agile, and resilient teams who learn from failures and rapidly respond to changes.
Speakers Kip Guy, Professor and Dean of the College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky
2019.02.19
What can the mapping of the human genome tell us about who we are? The twentieth century ended with the consensus in the social sciences and humanities that our group identities are constructed through social interaction rather than biologically determined. Does the mapping of the human genome in the twenty-first century challenge that consensus? This panel discussion brings together leading public intellectuals to discuss this question.
Speakers Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy and Law, NYU; Author of "The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity" (Profile, 2018), Individuals Jonathan Marks, Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of North Carolina Charlotte; Author of "Is Science Racist?" (Polity Press, 2017)
Moderated by Ann Morning, Associate Professor of Sociology, NYU; Author of "The Nature of Race: How Scientists Think and Teach about Human Difference" (University of California Press, 2011)
In Collaboration with
Division of Social Sciences and Division of Science
The Taming Of The Plants 2019.02.04
Domestication is a co-evolutionary process that occurs when wild plants are brought into cultivation by humans starting about 12,000 years ago, leading to the origin of new species that we depend on for our food and clothing. How did humans accomplish this? How do crop plants evolve to adapt to humans and new environments? What genes are important for crops to adapt as they spread around the world? This talk examines how insights into the origin and variation of crop species can help us in developing new varieties (and possibly even new species) to deal with current and future environmental challenges in a sustainable manner.
Speakers Michael Purugganan, Silver Professor; Professor of Biology; Dean for Science, Faculty of Arts and Science, NYU
Why Our Emotions Are More Rational Than We Think 2019.02.06
Feeling Smart (Perseus Books Group, 2015) deals with the relationship between our emotional being and our rational one, and the implications of this relationship to areas such as economics, business, romance and the social interactions. This talk addresses the following questions: Are emotions and rationality two separate systems? Can we synthesize emotions? What is the difference between autonomous and interactive emotions. What is the role of altruism in promoting self‐interest? This talk also examines recent research findings on the "love hormone" Oxytocin, and in particular the implications for economic and social interactions.
Speakers Eyal Winter, Andrews and Elizabeth Brunner Professor of Economics, Lancaster University; Author of "Feeling Smart: Why our Emotions are More Rational than We Think" (Perseus Books Group, 2015), Individuals
Abu Dhabi And The City Of The Future 2019.02.11
Photographer Andrew Moore presents his images of Abu Dhabi in the context of other cities around the world that he has shot and done projects on. In particular, Moore's talk focuses on how the principles of intelligent urban design apply to these different cities and the lessons learned from both good and bad examples of architecture and city planning.
Speakers Andrew Moore, Award-Winning Photographer, Individuals
Islands Of Heritage Conservation And Transformation In Soqotra 2019.02.13
Soqotra, the largest island of Yemen’s Soqotra Archipelago, is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world. A UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, the island is home not only to birds, reptiles, and plants found nowhere else on earth, but also to a rich cultural history and the endangered Soqotri language. Within the span of a decade this archipelago went from being among the most marginalized regions of Yemen to being promoted for its outstanding global value. Discussing the 21st-century environmental conservation, development, and heritage projects in Soqotra that affected this change, as well as the islanders’ deep-rooted connections to the UAE, this talk examines how everyday Soqotrans came to assemble, defend, and mobilize their cultural and linguistic heritage in transformative ways.
Speakers Nathalie Peutz, Program Head of Arab Crossroads Studies, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, NYUAD; Author of "Islands of Heritage: Conservation and Transformation in Yemen"(Stanford University Press, 2018), Individuals
SocioEconomic Challenges Public Policy In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence 2019.02.17
The artificial intelligence/data revolution will affect our lives in ways unrivaled by previous revolutions. While it will substantially raise our standards of living and improve our health, almost every labor market will be disrupted, leading to widespread concerns about the future of labor. Large platforms and authoritarian governments will use artificial intelligence to strengthen their dominance on the economic and political spheres. Solutions will have to be designed to address the privacy issue, and new frameworks for competition and fiscal policies will emerge. This lecture discusses the future mindset required to address these socio-economic challenges and to ensure that the new technology promotes the common good.
Speakers Jean Tirole, Nobel Laureate; Chairman of the Executive Committee, Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST)
2019.01.30
The understanding of the universe has taken great leaps in the early 20th century due to the discovery of general relativity and quantum mechanics changing our conception of the very nature of matter, space, and time. Much research has centered on the interesting interplay between the surprising and counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics and the beautiful geometric interpretation of gravity due to Einstein's theory of general relativity. This talk discusses a dramatic recent connection between these two descriptions relating the notion of quantum entanglement to that of wormholes bridging distant regions of spacetime.
Speakers Ahmed Almheiri, Member of the School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton NJ
2019.01.29
The seabed around the world has proven to be an archaeological treasure trove, consistently yielding items that are rewriting history books and filling museums. The Arabian Gulf has one of the longest and richest seafaring traditions anywhere in the world. Prior to 8,000 years ago sea levels were considerably lower and the land to the north of the Emirates was an open and potentially fertile landscape. This landscape is an untapped resource, offering the prospect of not only ancient wrecks, but discoveries from the distant prehistoric submerged landscape of Abu Dhabi. This talk delves into the intricacies surrounding the Arabian Gulf as it relates its' position as an archaeological treasure.
Speakers Richard Cuttler, Archaeologist, Historic Environment Department, Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)
2019.01.24
Women more than men spend time on tasks that are unlikely to affect their evaluation and career advancement (writing a report, serving on a committee, etc.). These differences likely contribute to the lower rates of advancement for women. A set of controlled studies are used to demonstrate that women more than men volunteer, are asked to volunteer, and accept requests to volunteer for non-promotable tasks. Beliefs that women say accept non-promotable tasks is an important driver of these differences. The results point to easy ways of reducing gender differences in task allocations. This talk examines the above topics and dichotomy in greater detail.
Speakers Lise Vesterlund, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Economics, University of Pittsburgh
2019.01.23
As the era of precision medicine is upon us and more patients are having genetic sequencing performed, we need to be able to utilize this genomic data to improve health. How can we effectively incorporate this new type of information into a healthcare system to support patient care? This talk addresses the challenges and benefits of integrating genomic information into patient care through discussion of research and innovative care models being developed for genomics at Geisinger Health Systems.
Speakers Nephi Walton, MD; Assistant Professor of Genomic Medicine, Geisinger Health Systems
2018.12.09
African women playwrights are creating some of the most vivid theatricalities, dialogues, poignant characterizations and situations, and politically and personally charged thematics written in Africa today. Along with their socially challenging and artistically innovative works, the plays written by African women nevertheless remain among the most underproduced and rarely published works on the continent and elsewhere. Why is this the case?
This panel discussion provides insight into what concerns are evident in recent African drama, along with how women’s voices provide distinct, vital, and unfiltered spaces on Africa’s contemporary stages, spaces that are proving to be critical to envisioning the future of the continent and its diaspora.
Speakers Dalia Basiouny, Assistant Professor of Theatre in the English Department, October 6 University Asiimwe Kawe, Award Winning Playwright, Performer and Producer, Individuals Celma Costa, Community Engagement Professional & Artist, Individuals
Moderated by Robert Vorlicky, Associate Professor of Drama, NYU Tisch
2018.12.11
It is common practice in modern times to read mystical poetry and apply it to our mundane lives and loves. Sufis in the early period did the opposite. Their mystical hymns often spun out of the courtly poetic ghazal, panegyric, and wine songs. This talk highlights the relation of the Arabic courtly poetic canon to early Sufism.
Speakers Bilal Orfali, Chairperson and Associate Professor of Arabic Studies, American University of Beirut
2019.01.15
Scientific cosmology is based on an intricate interplay between theory and observation. There has been an extraordinary flood of data enabled by new technology and a variety of new telescopes that has enabled the determination of a remarkable Standard Model of Cosmology that is generally agreed. In that model, there is an intricate interaction of bottom up and top down causation. Local physics everywhere determine the large-scale evolution of the universe in a bottom-up way; that evolution acts in a top-down way to determine outcomes of local physics, which enable the universe to provide habitats for life such as the Solar System. This talk examines scientific cosmology with respect to the scope of the above topics.
Speakers George Ellis, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Complex Systems, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town
2019.01.15
Building an inclusive society where all children learn together and participate equitably hinges on providing inclusion for all. Join us to discuss international trends and best practices in inclusion for children with disabilities. This talk explores relevant theories, supports and strategies of how society can best support children across the full spectrum of learning and emotional needs in the classroom and community.
Speakers Janet Njelesani, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy, NYU Steinhardt Kristie Patten Koenig, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy; Department Chair, NYU Steinhardt Stephen Shore, Autistic Professor of Special Education, Adelphi University Her Excellency Jameela Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education for the United Arab Emirates, Individuals Lawrence Carter Long, Director of Communications, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) and Director, Disability & Media Alliance Project, Individuals
2019.01.21
For the last six decades, a dedicated team of researchers in Siberia has been domesticating silver foxes to replay the evolution of the dog in real time. Lyudmila Trut has been a lead scientist on this work since 1959, and together with biologist and historian of science, Lee Dugatkin, she tells the inside story of the science, politics, adventure and love behind it all. Like a set of Russian nesting dolls, How to Tame a Fox {and Build a Dog} opens up to reveal story after story, each embedded within the one that preceded it.
Speakers Lee Dugatkin, Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Biology, University of Louisville; Author of "How to Tame a Fox and Build a Dog" (The University of Chicago Press, 2017), Individuals
2018.12.05
What forces and interests have determined the US government's trade and tariff policies since 1776? What outcomes did those forces and interests produce historically? How have tariffs and trade restrictions moved over time since 1776? This talk approaches these questions using methods using simple principles from economics and political science.
Speakers Thomas J. Sargent, Nobel Laureate; Professor of Economics, NYU
2018.11.27
Most concerts feature program notes, giving an audience some kind of “back story” about the works to be performed. The assumption is that somehow knowing "more" about a piece will have an effect on one's experience listening to it. This talk combines a lecture with a performance and discussion of Gideon Klein’s Trio for Strings (1944) in order to ask questions about a composition with a particularly fraught history and explores the key question: what is the relationship between music and the rest of the world?
The performance of Gideon Klein’s Trio for Strings will feature violinist Klaudia Olborska-Szymańska, violist Crosby Delaney Barret, and cellist Benjamin Truchi.
Speaker Michael Beckerman, Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Music, Collegiate Professor of Music, NYU; Leonard Bernstein Scholar in Residence, New York Philharmonic
2018.11.20
David Wheeler, the editor of Al-Fanar Media, a five-year-old digital publication that began with a focus on Arab universities, reflects on what he and his fellow journalists have learned about the nature of education in the 22 Arab countries. Over time, the publication has broadened its interests to the arts, culture and all kinds of research. It has trained Arab journalists from every Arab League state with the exception of Djibouti and Comoros, and has sought to explore the effect of conflict zones on displaced and refugee youth. This talk focuses on lessons learned, the future of journalism about education, and the publication’s hopes for a more rounded form of adult literacy
Speaker David Wheeler, Journalist; Editor, Al Fanar Media
2018.11.19
The late Sheikh Zayed is well-known for his interest in, and support for, the natural and cultural heritage of the UAE. This talk examines the field of the environment and archaeology of Abu Dhabi to demonstrate his involvement in projects that have led to the preservation of two of Abu Dhabi’s most important nature reserves and to the promotion of knowledge of key archaeological sites, such as the early Christian monastery on the island of Sir Bani Yas. This talk also focuses on the way in which Sheikh Zayed saw the Sir Bani Yas site as being evidence of the UAE’s tradition of cultural and religious tolerance.
Speaker Peter Hellyer, Writer, Historian & Environmentalist, Individuals
2018.11.11
Insects walk on water, snakes slither and fish swim. Animals move with astounding grace, speed and versatility, but how do they do it and what can we learn from them? From the incredible efficiency of the wet dog shake to colonies of ants building rafts out of their own bodies, author Dr. David Hu examines how animals have adapted and evolved to traverse their environments, taking advantage of physical laws with results that are startling and ingenious.
Speaker David L. Hu, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology
2018.11.07
This lecture examines economic, political, ideological, and international causes of the Soviet collapse, as well as the role of political actors. The principal focus of the lecture is on 1991 as the year when all historical causes had created a “perfect crisis” and yet produced a surprisingly peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union. The lecture aims to problematize the dominant analysis that assumes that political liberalization and radical market reforms were the only exits from the Soviet post-totalitarian system. Discussion also includes the argument that the speedy implosion was primarily caused by Gorbachev’s two fundamental policy choices rooted in the ideological and historical optics of his times.
Speaker Vladislav Zubok, Professor of International History, London School of Economics and Politics
2018.10.24
Today, families in the UAE wait in hope that a life-saving organ may be donated to a critically ill loved on. In 2018, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi created history in the UAE by developing a comprehensive multi-organ transplant program which is already transforming patients’ lives. This talk explores how the transplants for four major organs – kidney, heart, liver and lung – are giving hope to families in the UAE and around the region by delivering a world-class level of care here in the nation’s capital, meeting the needs of the community while contributing to the sustainability of the country’s healthcare sector.
Speaker Bashir Sankari, MD; Chief of the Surgical Subspecialties Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Rakesh Suri, MD; Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
2018.10.22
Saruq al-Hadid, located deep in the desert in southern Dubai, is one of Arabia’s richest and most enigmatic archaeological sites. During the Bronze and Iron Ages (c. 2200-800 BCE), the site witnessed social gatherings for hunting, feasting, craft production and ritual activity. The site’s abundant material remains of precious metals, ceramic, stone, bone, shell and wood have much to tell us about the human groups who travelled to Saruq al-Hadid. But hearing these stories requires the application of scientific approaches – from zoology, botany, materials science, and more – to otherwise mute remains. This lecture discusses insights into the ancient use and significance of Saruq al-Hadid, as derived from scientific analyses.
Speaker Lloyd Weeks, Professor of Archaeology, University of New England
2018.09.19
Archaeological discoveries from an ancient village on Marawah Island located in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region reveal the presence of a sophisticated and skilled population that traded and thrived during the Neolithic period. Artefacts excavated provide a comprehensive picture of life in the UAE around 8,000 years ago. The people living there constructed stone-built houses, the earliest examples of such architecture discovered in the Arabian Gulf. These people herded sheep and goats, and used stone tools to hunt animals like gazelles. The presence of fish, dugong, turtle and dolphin bones suggest that seafood was an important part of their diet. This talk delves into the above topics and examines their historical scope in greater details.
Speaker: Mark Beech, Head of Archaeology (Al Dhafra & Abu Dhabi), Historic Environment Department, Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)
2018.09.17
This documentary covers the story of the young Emirati, Dr. Khaled Al-Suwaidi, who, on February 3, 2018, ran a 327-kilometer, 80-hour ultramarathon from Fujairah Port in Fujairah to Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi. It was the first time someone had ever run such a distance in the United Arab Emirates. Dr. Khaled dedicated this initiative to raise funds for the Cancer Patient Care Society (Rahma), which was established by his father, Prof. Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi. Dr. Khaled believes that in order to reach maturity and personality growth, and to be able to comfortably deal with all difficulties, it is important to step outside of one’s “comfort zone” and accept “self-suffering.” Until October 2017, Dr. Khaled had had no running experience. Since his childhood, he has also had a case of “flat feet,” which is an obstacle to running. Nevertheless, this only added to his determination to achieve his goal. By following a very strict exercise regime, he was able to obtain victory in this difficult battle.
2018.09.24
This talk focuses on work in mathematical visualization: making accurate, effective, and beautiful pictures, models, and experiences of mathematical concepts. This talk also discusses what it is that makes a visualization compelling, and show many examples in the medium of 3D printing, as well as some explorations in virtual reality and spherical video.
Speaker: Henry Segerman, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Oklahoma State University
2018.09.26 One very big ocean. One very small boat. Four very determined women. This is the story of four very different personalities who decided to put their lives on hold and rough it, pitting themselves against the might of the ocean and the sometimes terrifying moods of the weather. The crew remained entirely self-sufficient for the duration of the 2,550 nautical mile long journey, and with their satellite phone failing after just 2 weeks, they were very much alone. This talk examines this incredible feat of endurance, bravery, teamwork, tolerance, organisation, learning, motivation and sheer hard work earned the women a Guinness World Record.
Speaker: Kathy Tracey, Ocean Rower; World Record Holder; Founding Partner, Thinking Spaces Ltd
2018.09.30
This talk presents a personal story of a three-time cancer survivor and how people have tried to fight back against cancer by studying the chemistry and anti-cancer biology of expanded porphyrins. Expanded porphyrin is a term we introduced into the literature in 1988 to describe larger homologues of natural blood pigments, such as the dyes (called heme) that make blood red. Many expanded porphyrins are now known. This talk also focuses on a set of expanded porphyrins called texaphyrins. These compounds were named for the State of Texas due to their size. Two of the texaphyrin complexes, known as MGd and MLu, were the founding technology for Pharmacyclics, Inc., a company that later developed a best-selling leukemia drug and was acquired by AbbVie for $21B in 2015. The talk concludes with lessons learned from the early days of Pharmacyclics, Inc. and leading to the founding of Cible, Inc.
Speaker:Jonathan L. Sessler, Professor of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin
2018.10.02
Most of the software we use today comes from one part of the world. Is that a necessary reality or something we can challenge? In this talk, Sanjiva Weerawarana discusses the story of WSO2 and how a global technology leader was built out of Sri Lanka, a country famous for tea, garments, tourism and sending people to work all over the world. The presentation also discusses how Abu Dhabi can build a culture of creativity and the ecosystem necessary to take advantage of its unique aspects to help build global technology leaders. In particular, the speaker focuses on the critical role of higher education institutions on fostering research and innovation to challenge the world to go from being a paying consumer of technology to a driving innovator and creator of technology which becomes a revenue source for the country.
Speaker: Sanjiva Weerawarana, Founder and Chairman, WSO2
2018.10.09
The UAE has embarked on a number of ambitious initiatives to create a vibrant cultural scene. Through commissioned art projects, educational programs, infrastructural development, and cultural diplomacy, a variety of local and international organizations have created spaces for engagement, creativity, and social change. What role do policies focusing on women, youth and national development play in the cultural field in the UAE? How do top-down initiatives interact with marginal spaces and non-state actors? This panel discussion includes an interactive and candid conversation with Her Excellency Noura Al-Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Chairwoman of Twofour54 to reflect on her personal and professional journey and her aspirations for art and culture in the UAE.
Speaker: Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development for the United Arab Emirates, Individuals
2018.10.14
The talk explores the concept of philanthropy in the region, identifies recent trends that have changed the philanthropic landscape, and proposes methods to create and run successful philanthropic organizations.
Speaker: Mohamed T. Al Qadhi, Director-General, Sandooq Al Watan
2018.10.15
In October 2017, the UAE has released the first national Artificial intelligence (AI) strategy recognized as the first strategy of this caliber in the region and the world. The strategy is meant to highlight the framework of the first project in the UAE centennial 2071 and an initial step in 2021 roadmaps. The AI initiative in the UAE is aimed at focusing on revolutionizing technology, education, space, health, energy, water, environment, transport and traffic sectors, amongst others, through building proficient, productive, cost-effective and innovative solutions. The results achieved will streamline an innovative industrial arm of the future in placing the UAE as a global industrial hub, and building the proper economic, technical and scientific communities and groundwork that will support this vision. How important it is to build futuristic research and development industrial communities to support this vision? What are the main criteria that should be set in place to achieve successful outcomes? This discussion is a genuine and collective conversation with His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and a Member of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation and the Deputy Managing Director of the Foundation to capture his vision on the execution of the UAE AI strategy and the resonance of his endeavors to build a pathway for the future of industry and technology in UAE. Speaker: His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Individuals
2018.10.07
Distinguished and award-winning novelist, Elias Khoury, discusses his work and the Arab novel in general as it has developed over the last ten years. Ten years ago he discussed his celebrated Bab al-Shams. This evening he considers his own work and how the Arab literary scene has developed since the inaugural Institute event he took part in October 2008.
Speakers Elias Khoury, Lebanese Novelist; Playwright; Critic.
In conversation with Bilal Orfali, Chairperson and Associate Professor of Arabic Studies, American University of Beirut
March 12, 2018
Part of "Evolution Across Disciplines"
African human genomic diversity is highly understudied and this also true for African-descended individuals in the Americas (New World Africans). Yet these data form the foundation for subsequent sophisticated applied work in genetics and genomics of relevance to all peoples of African descent (e.g., in pharmacogenomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, proteomics, gene-environment interactions, and other applied fields.). This talk explores how the lack of adequate information on peoples of African descent has been a major disincentive to their participation in biomedical studies and genetic/genomic surveys with a focus on applying the tools of genetic anthropology to these groups, in hopes to strengthen both the science of their biological origins and community’s trust in this science.
Speakers Fatimah Jackson, Professor of Biology, Howard University
April 16, 2018
What is a citizen scholar? What kind of scholarly research captures the attention of the general public and how can we optimize public engagement in it? What is the role of the digital humanities that have become so relevant in western and non-western academic contexts in recent decades? This talk introduces the notion of open social scholarship that involves creating and disseminating research and research technologies to a broad audience of specialists and active non-specialists in ways that are accessible and significant.
Speakers Raymond Siemens, Canada Research Chair in Humanities Computing and Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Victoria
April 9, 2018
In the 1970’s Ireland was a poor agricultural society with one of the lowest standards of living in Northern Europe. By 1985 per capita GDP stood at 70% of the European Union’s core 15 states. By 2007, it had doubled to 140%. GDP Growth will be 3.5% (2018) and Ireland will remain the EU’s fastest growing economy until 2024. The Global Innovation index 2017 ranked Ireland 10th between Germany (9th) and South Korea (11th). What made these changes possible in a tiny economy on Europe’s periphery? What does a knowledge economy look like from the inside? This talk offers a personal view of what enabled such enormous change so quickly: Leveraging of fundamental scientific research and coupling high-quality education to attract foreign direct investment; Concentration on key niches coupled to a gradual move up the value chain from mere production towards ever-greater innovation.
Speakers David Sheehan, Professor of Biochemistry and Interim Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
March 27, 2018
The dispossession and forced migration of nearly 50 percent of Syria's population has produced the greatest refugee crisis since World War II. This talk places the current displacement within the context of the widespread migrations that have indelibly marked the region throughout the last 150 years. Syria itself has harbored millions from its neighboring lands, and Syrian society has been shaped by these diasporas. Dawn Chatty explores how modern Syria came to be a refuge state, focusing first on the major forced migrations into Syria of Circassians, Armenians, Kurds, Palestinians, and Iraqis. Drawing heavily on individual narratives and stories of integration, adaptation, and compromise, she shows that a local cosmopolitanism came to be seen as intrinsic to Syrian society.
Speakers Dawn Chatty, Professor of Anthropology and Forced Migration, Former Director of the Refugee Studies Centre and Emeritus Fellow, St Cross College, University of Oxford
April 30, 2018
Gender diversity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is a global challenge in this rapidly growing industry. Experts studying the gender ratio in STEM have found that it is far more balanced in the Arab world than in the West. The many examples of highly successful women entrepreneurs in the technology sector emerging from Arab countries is contrasted with some remaining challenges faced by Arab women in their education and employment trajectory in STEM. This panel of experts in gender, STEM and technology highlights the inspiring contributions Arab women have made to the STEM fields and cover the remaining challenges to addressing the global STEM gender gap.
Speakers Marina Hamed Kazim, Medical Practitioner, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) Jennifer Olmsted, Professor of Economics and Business, Director of the Social Entrepreneurship Semester, and Director of Middle East Studies and Arabic, Drew University Sana Odeh, Clinical Professor of Computer Science and Faculty Liaison for Global Programs of Computer Science, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU
Moderated by Kirsten Sadler, Associate Professor of Biology, NYUAD
March 7, 2018
Enslaved Africans and their descendants contributed in vital ways to the economy and culture of eastern Arabia. Global economic forces, especially international demand for Gulf pearls and dates, drove demand in the Gulf for slave labor from Africa. The reversal of those trends in the 1930s spelled economic collapse for the Gulf and an eventual end to the slave trade. This talk traces the origins of the African diaspora in eastern Arabia, explores the lives and labors of enslaved Africans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and discusses the significance of the African legacy in the Gulf today.
Speakers Matthew S. Hopper, Professor of History, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
April 11, 2018
The National Pavilion UAE’s architecture exhibition at this year’s Venice Biennale explores human-scale architectural landscapes and aims to highlight the role of architecture and urban design in forming the choreography of people’s daily routines. The interplay between the physicality of architecture and places, and the dynamic choreography of everyday life will be investigated through a curatorial selection of different typologies and places from the UAE’s diverse landscapes and present an exploration of their physical characteristics and typologies; behavioral rhythms and life; and the design traditions that have shaped them. This talk invites the audience to experience important landscapes that are often overlooked in common perceptions about UAE’s mega-development discourse.
Speakers Khaled Alawadi, Curator, National Pavilion UAE at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia
March 25, 2018
Over the past few years, the science from the 100-meter Green Bank Telescope has ranged from discovering complex organic molecules in space, searching for elusive gravitational waves, scanning the skies for signals from alien civilizations, mapping swarms of hydrogen clouds which are streaming away from our galaxy, and unearthing new facts to help us understand how planets form. This talk reviews these topics, and other, recent discoveries and discusses the impact they have on societies understanding of the Universe.
Speakers Karen O’Neil, Green Bank Site Director and Assistant Director for Green Bank Operations, The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
April 1, 2018
This talk addresses how the racialization of Arab Americans differed in timing from that of other racialized groups in the US, even though many of its ideological aspects (essentializing) and outcomes (discrimination, surveillance, and hate crimes) are shared. The racialization of Arabs foreshadowed the racialization of US Muslims and South Asians as terror threats. This history should lay to rest the commonly held, but inaccurate, idea that the “special treatment” of US Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians started with 9/11. This talk examines these topics and more.
Louise Cainkar, Associate Professor of Sociology & Social Welfare and Justice and Director, Peace Studies Major, Marquette University
April 23, 2018
This talk examines why the large-scale forces that have already transformed the global economy – globalization and the shift in economic activity toward the emerging economies in the Global South, the exponential rise in the speed and sophistication of information technology, and the blurring of traditional categories of organization and thought – are producing “disruptive innovation” in the market for legal services, and the implications of these changes for law, lawyers, and the rule of law.
Speakers David Wilkins, Lester Kissel Professor of Law, Director, Center on the Legal Profession, and Vice Dean for Global Initiatives on the Legal Profession, Harvard Law School
March 29, 2018
For a long time, Emirati women were mainly associated with the concealed space of the domestic household and considered as the guardians and transmitters of Emirati tradition and religious values. During the last years, however, Emirati women figure more prominently on the public stage – not least due to a variety of state-sponsored programs aiming at the empowerment of women, particularly in the domain of education, political representation and economic performance. In this context, the term women leadership looms largely in public and governmental discourses highlighting the success that Emirati women meanwhile have achieved by venturing into a great variety of occupations, ranging from business women and politicians, to fighter pilots, athletes, and offshore engineers. The panel discussion aims at alleviating this gap by bringing together three distinguished Emirati women who will address the theme of women’s empowerment from the perspective of their individual specializations and experiences.
Speakers Maitha Al Khayat, Writer & Illustrator, Individuals Mona Al Ali, Museum Curator and Consultant, Individuals Rana Al Mutawa, PhD Candidate in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford
Moderated by Laila Prager, Senior Humanities Research Fellow, NYUAD
March 5, 2018
The elimination of extreme poverty has been recognized as a global goal. Extreme Poverty was defined in the 1990s by the World Bank in terms of its famous ‘$-a-day’ poverty line. The line has been controversial, in part because it is not clear how anyone could live on one dollar per day. This talk examines a more transparent approach. This new approach is based on people’s needs for food, shelter, and clothing, and it indicates there is more extreme poverty in the world than the $-a-day line shows. This talk also focuses on trends in poverty and inequality.
Speakers Robert Allen, Global Distinguished Professor of Economic History, Social Science, NYUAD Francois Bourguignon, Former Chief Economist of the World Bank; Dan David Prize Laureate; NYUAD Global Professor of Economics
2018.03.22
In 1941, the largest, bloodiest war ever broke out between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Worldwide, some 55 million people were killed in WWII, half in the Soviet Union. Who was Joseph Stalin? Who was Adolf Hitler? Why did they clash? This talk, based upon a book of the same name, uses a vast array of once secret documents to trace the parallel rise of Soviet Communism and Nazism and analyzes why Great Powers go to war against each other, delivering lessons relevant for today.
Speakers Stephen Kotkin, John P. Birkelund '52 Professor in History and International Affairs; Co-Director, Program in History and the Practice of Diplomacy; Director, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Princeton University
Sunday, January 28, 2018
In the last 15 years, people’s understanding of how the Solar System evolved into what we observe today has greatly expanded. This became possible as advances in scientific computing enabled us to fully explore a wealth of observational data and -- more importantly -- the powerful theory of Celestial Mechanics, going far beyond its traditional boundaries. As a result, a new theory of Cosmogony has emerged, contradicting the traditional view of a 'perfect clock'-like system; this theory is also applicable to other worlds (i.e. extra-solar systems). In this talk, the speaker begins with a short presentation of the populations of celestial bodies in the Solar System. Then, he explains the basic scientific ideas on which traditional cosmogonic models were based, and discuss how these models fail and why. Finally, the speaker discusses recent theoretical models that explain how the Solar System came to be.
Presentation: http://bit.ly/2ocMXhw
Speakers Kleomenis Tsiganis, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
January 4, 2018
Billions of people, and billions of their animals, still harbor infections with various types of parasitic worms (helminths). These infections are not usually acutely lethal, but they reduce growth and productivity and contribute to the cycle of poverty. Impressive achievements in the development of new strategies for parasite control have led to the near eradication of human infections with the Guinea Worm (Dracunculus medinensis) from the world. What factors prevent people from repeating this successful campaign? This lecture explores the current landscape of helminth infections and the options available for improving lives through their control and elimination.
Speakers Timothy Geary, Canada Research Chair in Parasite Biotechnology; Institute Director, McGill University
January 15, 2018
The arrival of massive amounts of data from imaging, sensors, computation and the internet brought with it significant challenges for data science. New methods for analysis and manipulation of big data have come from many scientific disciplines. The first focus of this talk is the application of ideas from differential equations, such as variational principles and numerical diffusion, to image and data analysis. Examples include denoising, segmentation, inpainting and texture extraction for images. The second focus is the development of new ideas in information science, such as soft-thresholding, sparsity and compressed sensing. The subsequent application of these ideas to differential equations and numerical computation is the third focus of this talk. Examples include soft-thresholding in multiscale computation, solutions with compact support and “compressed modes” for differential equations that come from variational principles, and applications to quantum physics.
Speakers Russel E. Caflisch, Director, Courant Institute; Professor of Mathematics, NYU
January 9, 2018
Until very recently, fraternal polyandry was the traditional marriage form observed by ethnic Tibetan people of many high Himalayan valleys. In this type of marriage, women marry a set of brothers, co-reside with them, and can bear children to all of them. Polyandry is rare among mammals, and is almost unknown among humans. Indeed, it challenges many common assumptions about marriage and family formation processes, no matter what the cultural or ecological context. This talk discusses why this unusual marriage and family system is practiced in this region, and why it is now quickly disappearing.
Speakers Kimber Haddix McKay, Professor of Anthropology; Director, International Development Studies, University of Montana
12/12/2017
his talk showcases a little-known gem of medieval Arabic creative literature, the Da`wat al-Aṭibbā’ or Doctors' Dinner Party by Ibn Butlan (d.1066 CE). This text is an important, but little-known, milestone in the history of pre-modern Arabic narrative. This talk also focuses on the significance of the work along with the challenges of translating such a work into English in the 21st century as well as why it still appeals to a contemporary audience.
Speaker Philip Kennedy, General Editor, Library of Arabic Literature and Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, NYUAD
11/26/2017
People live in an era of smart cities empowered by Autonomous systems, FinTech technologies, Quantum computations and Artificial Intelligence. The new-age information revolution is pushing the limits of all electronic representations in terms of computational complexity, power, and area. The security of any hardware devices, embedded systems and generic system used within these environments will be dependent on the robustness and strength of Cryptographic primitives used as atomic security components. This talk addresses the evolutions of different cryptographic landscapes through presenting (software and hardware-centric) designs that fit into different environments, especially environments with extreme computational limitations, and the potential attacks levels proposed to estimate the resiliency of these systems.
Speaker Hoda Al Khzaimi, Research Assistant Professor, Engineering; Director, Center of Cyber Security, NYUAD
In Collaboration with Center for Cyber Security
12/07/2017 A machine plays the strategy game ‘Go’ better than any human; upstarts like Apple and Google destroy industry stalwarts such as Nokia; ideas from the crowd are repeatedly more innovative than corporate research labs. In this talk, MIT’s Andrew McAfee discusses what it takes to master this digital-powered shift and delves into topics surrounding how individuals must rethink the integration of minds and machines, of products and platforms, and of the core and the crowd. In all three cases, the balance now favors the second element of the pair, with massive implications for how people run their companies and live their lives.
Andrew McAfee, Author, Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital Future (W. W. Norton Company, 2017); Co-founder of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy
11/15/2017 Most people have experienced the close links between their body rhythms and mood. For example, changes in sleep-wake cycle during jet lag can temporarily affect mood. In light of the fact that most people feel good, and function better, after a good night’s sleep, it is surprising that sleep deprivation therapy can rapidly treat depression in psychiatric patients. One of the leading hypotheses for the therapeutic effect of sleep deprivation is that it resets abnormal rhythms in depressed patients. This talk explores how stress affects the neurophysiology of brain circuits linking mood and rhythmic processes such as sleep.
Dipesh Chaudhury, Assistant Professor of Biology, NYUAD
11/19/2017
Date palms are the most significant food crop in the Middle East and North Africa and are one of the few crop species that thrive in hot and dry environments. How did this important food crop evolve? Where did they come from? What are the genes that make different date palm varieties unique? This talk explores the evolution and genetics of date palms as uncovered by research at the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Genomics and Systems Biology.
Speaker Michael Purugganan, Dorothy Schiff Professor of Genomics; Professor of Biology, NYU
10/30/2017
Based on his new book, Keeping It Halal: The Everyday Lives of Muslim American Teenage Boys (Princeton University Press, 2017), sociologist John O’Brien provides a uniquely personal look at the social worlds of a group of young male friends as they navigate the complexities of growing up Muslim in America. This talk offers a portrait of Muslim American teenage boys concerned with typical teenage issues—girlfriends, school, parents, being cool— and describes their efforts to devise novel and dynamic modes of Muslim American identity in a new and changing America.
John O’Brien, Author, "Keeping It Halal: The Everyday Lives of Muslim American Teenage Boys" (Princeton University Press, 2017); Assistant Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, Social Science, NYUAD
09/12/2017 Comedian, writer, actress, tap dancer, and disability advocate Maysoon Zayid tells a humorous tale of beating the odds and laughing in the face of failure. As a Palestinian, Muslim, disabled woman growing up in America, she was taught to dream big and to have no fear. In her talk, she gives advice on how to be the best you that you can be and how we can fix our broken world. Maysoon had the most viewed TED Talk of 2014 and has toured the globe making sold out audiences worldwide laugh until they cry.
Maysoon Zayid, Actress, Comedian, Disability Advocate and Writer,
10/23/2017
In everyday life individuals learn by ‘seeing’ things using light; the same is true in science. The extraordinary power of synchrotron light has made it an essential tool for studying matter on scales ranging from biological cells to atoms. This lecture discusses the idea of SESAME, an international institute in the Middle East built on the successful model of CERN, in fields like archaeology, biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, medicine, and physics.
Speaker Rolf Heuer President of the German Physical Society (DPG); Former Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
10/3/2017
This lecture underlines the special character of nuclear weapons and discusses the desirability and the feasibility of a nuclear-weapon-free world. In addition to addressing some past activities that worked to promote nuclear disarmament and the transition to a nuclear-weapon-free world, the lecture also covers the significant developments initiated by the January 2007 Wall Street Journal op-ed coauthored by Shultz, Perry, Kissinger, and Nunn, which culminated in the April 2009 Prague speech by President Obama.
Speaker Francesco Calogero Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’; Former Secretary-General of Pugwash Conferences
11/6/2017
Racial violence, perpetrated by law enforcement or private citizens, has re-emerged as a potent social and political issue in the United States. Yet, racially motivated violence is deeply rooted in American history. Although images of Southern racial violence capture the public imagination, much is still unknown. There is no scholarly consensus on the total number of deaths. Nor do people understand the full scope and nature of such violence or its consequences for political, economic, and social life in US South.This talk discusses the development of a database of racial murders, drawing on underutilized or previously unavailable primary sources, including newspapers, NAACP papers, U.S. Department of Justice and FBI files, court papers, coroner’s reports, and contacts with surviving family members.
Speaker Melissa Nobles Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences; Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
10/16/2017
Anthropologist, geneticist, author, and entrepreneur Spencer Wells discusses his work using genetics to track human movement patterns around the world. A new and rapidly-growing industry, consumer genomics gives people the opportunity to learn not only about the origin of their ancestors, but also about the traits they have inherited from them, using DNA data. Through a whirlwind tour of the past 60,000 years of human history, Wells speculates about where current demographic trends might be in the future and discusses how consumer DNA tests can be used to better understand the human population.
Speaker Spencer Wells Geneticist; Anthropologist; CEO, Insitome Inc.; Adjunct Professor, University of Texas
10/18/2017
Ubiquity of electronic devices—mostly smart ones with electronic chips embedded in them—is attributed to the desire to improve the quality of our lives, but can we really trust these chips? Driven by cost-conscious consumer electronics, outsourcing of various crucial steps in chip design and fabrication is forcing chip designers and users to re-assess their trust in hardware. Chips are increasingly prone to hardware-level threats such as reverse engineering, counterfeiting, Intellectual Property (IP) piracy, and malicious tampering (i.e., hardware trojans).
This talk covers various forms of threats that the electronic chip supply chain is up against as well as defenses that the research community has developed, including recent efforts from NYU Abu Dhabi to design a prototype—the first chip resilient to hardware-level threats due to its built-in defense at the hardware-level.
In Collaboration with Center for Cyber Security
Speaker Ozgur Sinanoglu Associate Dean of Engineering for Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, NYUAD
11/5/2017
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, on trajectory to cause 1 billion deaths this century. A particularly alarming trend is the rise of alternative tobacco products, which are often perceived as safe as or less harmful than cigarettes. Dokha tobacco use is very common throughout the Gulf region, and use appears to be emerging in other parts of the world. While the risks of use of other forms of tobacco are documented, very little is known about dokha. In this public lecture, tobacco control experts will describe emerging evidence about the health effects of dokha and discuss lessons learned from international tobacco control research that aims at curbing the global spread of this form of tobacco.
Speakers Thomas Eissenberg PhD, Professor and Director, Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, Virginia Commonwealth University Rima Afifi PhD, MPH; Professor, College of Public Health, University of Iowa College of Public Health
Panelists Mohammed Al Houqani MBBS, MPH, FRCPC, FFOM; Assistant Dean for Medical Education; Consultant of Internal Medicine, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) Michael Weitzman MD; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, NYU
2017.09.12 Comedian, writer, actress, tap dancer, and disability advocate Maysoon Zayid tells a humorous tale of beating the odds and laughing in the face of failure. As a Palestinian, Muslim, disabled woman growing up in America, she was taught to dream big and to have no fear. In her talk, she gives advice on how to be the best you that you can be and how we can fix our broken world. Maysoon had the most viewed TED Talk of 2014 and has toured the globe making sold out audiences worldwide laugh until they cry.
Maysoon Zayid Actress, Comedian, Disability Advocate and Writer
In collaboration with The Arts Center
October 1, 2017
Presented by Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program, Robert Swan, OBE, one of the world’s greatest explorers, is the first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles. With his presence and integrity, and his accomplishments and reflections, Swan has an extraordinary ability to inspire and motivate audiences worldwide. Having experienced leadership and team cooperation in some of the world’s most hostile environments, Swan, who was recently appointed ambassador to Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Program, applies the leadership lessons he has learned to inspire bold management practices and effective communication styles.
Robert Swan OBE, FRGS; Founder of 2041 Voyage for Cleaner Energy; UN Goodwill Ambassador for Youth; Ambassador for Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Program
September 26, 2017
Legal practitioners often describe the United Arab Emirates as a "civil law" jurisdiction. But is that description accurate? The United Arab Emirates is called a melting pot because of the many nationalities and cultures that coexist within its borders. Fittingly, the legal system of the United Arab Emirates mirrors the cultural complexity of the country's population. The United Arab Emirates is an evolving legal system that currently reflects a unique mixture of several of the world's great legal traditions, including Islamic Shari'a, French-inspired civil law, and the Anglo-American common law. This talk will explore the depth and breadth of the legal system in the UAE.
Herb Wolfson Attorney, Managing Partner, ELN Associates FZE
September 13, 2017
This lecture suggests a new explanation for why international peace interventions so often fail to reach their full potential. Based on several years of research in conflict zones around the world, everyday elements – such as the expatriates’ social habits and common approaches to understanding their areas of operation – strongly influence peacebuilding effectiveness. Through an in-depth analysis of the interveners’ everyday life and work, the speaker proposes innovative ways to better help host populations build a sustainable peace.
October 8, 2017
In 2007 an agreement was reached between the leadership of New York University and the government of Abu Dhabi to create a cutting edge university that would combine the strengths of Abu Dhabi and NYU. This challenge provided the opportunity to revisit and reevaluate the meaning of a liberal arts institution of higher education in the 21st century, with a truly global character and research and excellent undergraduate education at its heart. Deputy Vice Chancellor Hilary Ballon, who died at the age of 61 in June 2017, was one of the small group of gifted visionaries who drove the project from its outset, conceiving what soon became NYU Abu Dhabi: a uniquely integrated institution, in its architecture, its innovative undergraduate curriculum, and in its key role as a global hub with students and faculty from every continent.
Mariët Westermann Executive Vice President for Programs and Research, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
John Sexton President Emeritus; Benjamin F. Butler Professor of Law, NYU
September 17, 2017
In this public lecture, Abouheif will address a number of controversial questions and explore if an understanding or appreciation of evolution is necessary for the advancement of science in the Islamic world.
Part of "Evolution Across Disciplines"
Speakers Ehab Abouheif James McGill Professor, McGill University; Guggenheim Fellow; Member of the Royal Society of Canada
September 19, 2017
Award winning author and journalist, Charles Siebert, talks of his many experiences visiting with, and writing about, non-human animals, and what they reveal to us about themselves and us. Through his interludes with everyone from a former cellist in an all chimpanzee circus orchestra; to an octopus escape artist; to elephant and whale ventriloquists; to traumatized orphaned parrots who heal equally traumatized war veterans, Siebert introduces us to the animal within all humans; the common biology and languages we share with other beings; and the costs of failing to hear “What On Earth Animals Are Saying.”
Charles Siebert Professor of Practice of Literature and Creative Writing, NYUAD
2017.09.11
The global circulation of Donald Trump’s political rhetoric during the presidential campaign of 2015-16 produced international dismay, bewilderment, and apprehension, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It also effected a rupture of the crucial divide between American popular culture and US politics—a distinction that allowed American cultural products, massively popular in the Middle East and elsewhere, to proliferate in places where U.S. politics were unpopular or rejected. During the Bush II and Obama administrations, a new generation in the MENA region differentiated between the cultural products and political system of the U.S. and creatively recoded, incorporated, and localized a global American culture. The breach of the divide between American popular and political culture, or its blurring, portends the winter of the American empire and the postscript to the “American century,” an influential formation which held that the popularity and attractiveness of American culture had positive political benefits for the United States. In the age of Trump and Twitter, the American political system itself has become a horrible form of global entertainment. How devastating the effects will be remains to be seen.
Brian T. Edwards Crown Professor in Middle East Studies and Professor of English, Comparative Literary Studies and American Studies, Northwestern University
September 5, 2017
Internationally acclaimed novelist Mohsin Hamid, author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Harcourt, 2007) and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (Riverhead Books, 2013), speaks about his newest work Exit West (Riverhead Books, 2017). Set in a world much like modern society, with some surreal twists, this timely and highly acclaimed novel explores the experience of two ordinary people, Saeed and Nadia, who become refugees when their world is suddenly upended. Their condition as migrants—facilitated, fantastically, by secret portals that whisk them away to unknown destinations—vividly evokes migration crises faced in many parts of the world, but also suggests that “migration” may be a permanent condition that all people share. The challenges these characters face, including how to negotiate their evolving relationship, require them to define and redefine their notions of love, loss, belief, and identity.
Mohsin Hamid Author, "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" (Harcourt, 2007) and "How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia" (Riverhead Books, 2013)
April 20, 2017
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a degenerative neuromuscular disease; people with late-stage ALS typically retain cognitive function, but lose the motor ability to speak, relying on gaze-controlled AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) devices for interpersonal interactions. State-of-the-art AAC technologies used by people with ALS do not facilitate natural communication; gaze-based AAC communication is extremely slow, and the resulting synthesized speech is flat and robotic. This lecture presents a series of novel technology prototypes from the Microsoft Research Enable team that aim to address the challenges of improving the expressivity of AAC for people with ALS.
Meredith Ringel Morris Computer Scientist and Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research
April 25, 2017
Starting from ‘The Tower. A Concrete Utopia’ (2015), a video-installation made by Congolese photographer Sammy Baloji and Belgian anthropologist Filip De Boeck, this talk proposes a reflection on the legacy of modernist architecture in Kinshasa, the social afterlives of colonialist infrastructure, and different historical and contemporary utopian visions of the city, including those coming from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other new urban hotspots. Reflecting upon colonial modernity’s promises, its visions of possible futurities, and the way in which these visions continue to inspire (or not) urban life in Central Africa today, this presentation not only comments upon the degradation of colonial infrastructures but also explores the ways in which the city continues to reformulate these earlier propositions, threading new openings, possibilities and alternative utopian visions into the very ruination of its material fabric.
Filip De Boeck Professor of Anthropology, Institute for Anthropological Research in Africa; Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Leuven
May 1, 2017
The premodern Muslim thinkers who undertook the task of surveying the entirety of the human experience attempted to account for not only the world of nature, but also the unseen worlds beyond the senses. This presentation examines the roles assigned to the occult sciences in two encyclopedic works composed in the 14th century: the Muqaddima, the famed Arabic introduction to history by the North African scholar Ibn Khaldun, and the Nafa’is al-fonun, a Persian encyclopedia by the Iranian savant Al-Amuli. Both thinkers grappled with the classification of ambiguous examples including dream interpretation, astrology, divination, and the powers of Indian yogis. The presuppositions and implications of their different approaches to classifying the occult are explored as case studies in the engagement between rational discourse and the experience of the supernatural in Muslim contexts.
Carl Ernst Kenan Distinguished Professor of Islamic Studies, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
May 3, 2017
Diabetes. Obesity. Cancer. Chronic diseases are taking their toll on the world’s population, and their threat is rising. The instinct to accelerate research with a laser focus on finding treatments to halt these diseases in their tracks is shared by researchers, physicians, patients and the general public; but the race to the cure is not always the path to transformative discoveries. Basic understanding of the cellular, genetic, epigenetic and physiological processes that underlie all diseases is the primary way to figure out what has gone wrong. Using the model system, zebrafish, our work is uncovering the fundamental processes that give rise to metabolic disease and cancer in the liver. This lecture discusses how a focus on basic research paired with efforts to encourage creativity and zeal in research opens new insights into biology and disease, and includes a discussion of how mentoring, empowering non-typical researchers, and openness to ideas inspires novel solutions.
Kirsten Sadler Associate Professor of Biology, NYUAD
April 27, 2017
How can Palestinians most effectively represent their past and present to Western and Arab audiences? This event brings the scholar Rashid Khalidi into conversation with playwright Ismail Khalidi to discuss their academic and artistic trajectories and the ways in which art and scholarship approach Palestinian history and society in differing, complementary ways.
Ismail Khalidi Playwright, Poet and Director
Rashid Khalidi Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies, Columbia University
Moderated by Justin Stearns Associate Professor in Arab Crossroads Studies, NYUAD
2017.04.12
What are the most luminous explosions in space? What objects possess the strongest magnetic fields in nature?How can we hear the sirens of the Cosmos? In the last 30 years, High Energy and Gravitational Astrophysics have unveiled exciting new phenomena that address all these questions. Gamma-ray bursts are the brightest flashes in the gamma-ray sky, releasing in a few seconds as much energy as the Sun will release in its entire 10 billion year lifetime. Magnetars: young, slowly rotating neutron stars have been found to harbor the highest magnetic fields in the Universe. Gravitational Waves were detected in 2016 on Earth, emanating from the merger of two black holes. This lecture addresses these phenomena and explores how new missions can connect the dots between High Energy and Gravitational Astrophysics.
Chryssa Kouveliotou Professor of Physics, George Washington University
2017.04.09
In recent years, worldwide attention to the protection of animals has risen dramatically. Unlike the global movement for human rights, the animal rights movement has remained confined within particular countries, or regional groupings, operating without the guidance of an international framework or generally agreed upon principles. In this decentralized system of animal rights protection, the influences of religion, culture, and history have a substantial impact on the well-being of animals. This talk considers the influence of the Muslim world on this movement, the role that it might play in its future, and addresses the fundamental question: Are animal rights Islamic?
Speakers Kristen Stilt Professor of Law; Director of the Islamic Legal Studies Programs, Harvard University
2017.04.03
This lecture is the keynote address for ACM Asia Conference on Computer and Communications Security (ASIACCS) 2017
People talk about what computing can do for sustainability, but a more concrete and urgent question is: How can computing itself become more sustainable? As more products go online—from medical devices to cars—pre-market testing no longer guarantees a product’s utility or safety. Their connectivity also requires ongoing software maintenance and updates, in order to prevent security vulnerabilities and safety problems. Our recent study for the European Commission of the implications for product regulation, showed that Europe's ecosystem of safety regulators, standards bodies and testing labs needs a substantial upgrade. As we develop software for the future, we must take into consideration the evolving security vulnerabilities of “smart” devices and invest in the tools to keep network security current and make it sustainable.
Speakers Ross Anderson Professor of Security Engineering, University of Cambridge
2017.03.09
In a series of personal letters to his son, Omar Saif Ghobash offers a short and highly readable manifesto that tackles our current global crisis with the training of an experienced diplomat and the personal responsibility of a father. Today’s young Muslims will be tomorrow’s leaders, and yet too many are vulnerable to extremist propaganda that seems omnipresent in our technological age. The burning question, Ghobash argues, is how moderate Muslims can unite to find a voice that is true to Islam while actively and productively engaging in the modern world. What does it mean to be a good Muslim?
H. E. Omar Saif Ghobash Author, “Letters to a Young Muslim” (Picador, 2017); Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Russia
2017.04.11
In the 4th century BCE, Diogenes of Sinope claimed that the whole world was his hometown. Since then, that idea has influenced hundreds of generations of people including figures as diverse as Rumi in 13th century Persia, and Montaigne in 16th century France. Surely Diogenes’ claim was ahead of its time, since up to quite recently, the large majority of people didn’t know about or have the capacity to influence most other people in our “global village.” Today, in a world that is interconnected in so many ways—technically, culturally, economically, ecologically—the idea seems much more apt. But how do we understand the idea of world citizenship in the absence of a global state of which we could literally be citizens?
Speakers Cyrus R.K. Patell Professor of Literature, NYUAD; Professor of English, NYU
K. Anthony Appiah Professor of Philosophy and Law, New York University
Matthew Silverstein Assistant Professor of Philosophy, NYUAD
Chiran Raj Pandey Bachelor of Literature, Class of 2020, NYUAD
2017.04.06
In 2016, American literary magazine The Common published a special issue devoted to contemporary Arabic fiction. Co-edited by the journal's editor-in-chief Jennifer Acker and prominent Jordanian writer Hisham Bustani, the issue was the result of four years of collaboration that began in Abu Dhabi. Today, award-winning Egyptian writer Youssef Rakha, who contributed an introduction to the volume, joins the issue’s editors to discuss the 25 stories representing 15 countries across the Middle East, as well as the topics of translation from Arabic to English and international artistic collaboration.
NOTE: This event will be in English with simultaneous Arabic translation.
Youssef Rakha Writer
Hisham Bustani Writer
Jennifer Acker Visiting Lecturer, Amherst College; Editor in Chief, The Common
Moderated by Marion Wrenn Senior Lecturer, Director of the Writing Program, NYUAD
2017.04.04
An efficient and productive aviation sector can be a strong driver of economic growth. In order to support the development of the sector, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is committed to cultivating a culture of innovation. This will lead to economic expansion and the reduction of environmental risks in the air transportation services industry. This lecture explores how the focus on research and innovation throughout the sector not only leads to more efficient aircraft technology and operational practices within the industry, but also helps expand research capacity at universities, and develop skills across society.
Part of "Distinguished Women in Science Series"
Speakers Laila Hareb Assistant Director General - Aviation Strategy & International Affairs, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)
2017.03.29
The Falcon Genome Project commenced in 2010 and resulted in de novo genome assemblies for the peregrine and saker falcons in 2013, which have been used to understand avian evolution, demography and evolutionary adaptation. The two reference genomes have been the basis for further exploration into adaptation in saker falcons across their geographic range in Eurasia, resulting in some surprising patterns and inferences on the recent history of this species. This lecture describes the anatomy of this genomics project, the challenges and outcomes of the research, and the current research directions of the Falcon Genome Project.
Speakers Michael Bruford Professor of Biodiversity, Cardiff University
2017.03.27
Since the 1920s the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has promoted the formal interpretation of Islam in the Kingdom, commonly referred to as Salafism or Wahhabism, through its missionary efforts abroad. However, Salafism is also the religious doctrine to which many Sunni militants subscribe. As a result, some political pundits and the media have frequently linked Saudi Arabia's missionary activity with the rise of Islamic militancy. This lecture explores the alleged connection and questions its veracity.
Speakers Bernard Haykel Professor of Near Eastern Studies; Director, Institute for Transregional Study of the Contemporary Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, Princeton University
2017.03.15
Universities are proliferating around the world to meet the growing demand for graduates equipped with work-ready skills, and for research that produces innovative approaches to human security. But what kind of study and inquiry actually serves those purposes? Is the rush to address today’s problems leaving us ill-prepared for tomorrow’s tasks? In fact, what happens when students are exposed to a variety of approaches to their world, and researchers are encouraged to follow their curiosity? This lecture examines how the less hurried and more measured liberal arts tradition provides better preparation for the unknowable challenges of the future.
Speakers Lisa Anderson Senior Humanities Research Fellow, NYUAD; Former President, American University in Cairo
2017.03.12
The Arab world’s experience over the last two years has cast more light on questions of religion, religious leadership and religious life than at any time in the region’s recent history. Common narratives about the “problem” abound, but few, if any, people have asked critical questions like: How do young Arabs think of their faith today? Who do they go to for religious concerns? How do they make sense of their religious identity and their faith’s role in society? This panel showcases the results of the survey conducted by the Tabah Foundation's Futures Initiative:“Arab-Muslim Millennial Attitudes on Religion & Religious Leadership”.
Panel Members James Zogby Managing Director, Zogby Research Services; President and Co-Founder, Arab American Institute (AAI)
Abaas Yunas Research Analyst, Tabah Foundation
Moderated by John O’Brien Assistant Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUAD
2017.03.07
World-renowned animal rights attorney Steven Wise talks about his ground-breaking efforts to win legal personhood status for highly intelligent animals such as chimpanzees, elephants, and whales. The author of four books on the history of animal law, he has gone toe to toe with some of the best legal minds in the world, in defense of his efforts on behalf of sentient beings with no rights to defend themselves. Wise made history by filing lawsuits on behalf of caged chimps, cases heard for the first time in U.S. civil courts.
Speaker Steven M. Wise Founder and President, The Nonhuman Rights Project
2017.02.28
In a series of podcasts, now published as a book, Peter Adamson attempts to tell the story of philosophy in the Islamic world "without any gaps.” The goal is to include all authors and texts from the Islamic world worthy of historical consideration. More an ambition than a feasible goal, this editorial curatorship raises numerous questions. Is this really the story of philosophy only among Muslims, or also among Jews and Christians? To what extent did philosophy undergo a "decline" after the classical era as is so often alleged? Does Islamic theology (kalām) fall within the scope of this inquiry? This lecture explores these methodological issues by way of illustrative examples drawn from a wide chronological and geographical range.
Speaker Peter Adamson Professor of Philosophy, LMU Munich
2017.02.26
Muhammad Ali Sa'id was born in West Africa, the son of a leading general in the African state of Borno. Enslaved as a teenager and taken across the Sahara in the early 1850s, he eventually found himself in North America, a free man. In North America he enjoyed a distinguished military career fighting for The Union in the US Civil War. This lecture explores the unique story of Ali Sa'id and provides a framework for the discussion of topics such as: the jihad movement in West Africa, slavery across the Sahara to the Ottoman Empire, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Speaker Paul Lovejoy Distinguished Research Professor; Canada Research Chair in African Diaspora History, York University
2017.02.20
We cannot simultaneously recognize every object in our field of view. As a result, we deploy attention from object to object or place to place, searching for what we need. This works quite well because our search can be guided by the features of the targets we seek, and the structure of the scenes in which those targets are embedded. Nevertheless, there are times when the search does not work perfectly and we intermittently fail to find what we seek. When those missed targets are tumors or bombs, these errors are socially significant, worth understanding, and, if possible, correcting.
Speakers Jeremy M. Wolfe, Director, Visual Attention Lab, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Professor of Ophthalmology and Radiology, Harvard Medical School
2017.02.07
The entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus are elements of the brain’s circuit for spatial navigation and memory. This talk demonstrates that the entorhinal cortex contains grid cells – cells with firing fields that tile environments in a periodic hexagonal pattern, like an internal coordinate system – as well as cells that monitor direction, speed, and local borders. Collectively, these cells form the elements of a positioning system that dynamically monitors our changing location in the environment. Deficiencies in the function of this map may be at the core of neurological diseases where spatial orientation is affected, such as Alzheimer´s disease.
Speaker Edvard Moser Nobel Laureate; Founding Director, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience; Professor of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
2017.02.13
We take our perception as truth. But what ends up in our mindscape is far from veridical. We are fooled in many ways. We believe our perception is complete, giving us access to all of the rich details of our external environment as it unfolds. We believe our perception is reactive, with incoming sensory stimulation initiating activity in our brain. We assume our perception starts and lives in the present, bringing in the unravelling world afresh. Drawing from experiments in cognitive neuroscience, this lecture shows us how these strong intuitions are illusory and argues that a much more limited and biased form of perception provides the basis for guiding our adaptive behavior.
Speaker Kia Nobre Head of Department of Experimental Psychology; Chair in Transitional Cognitive Neuroscience, Oxford University
2017.02.05
DNA is a master key that unlocks medical and forensic secrets, but its genealogical life is also revelatory. Tracing genealogy is now the second-most popular hobby amongst Americans. This billion-dollar industry has spawned popular television shows, websites, and a booming heritage tourism circuit. However, this talk reveals how genetic genealogy is also being propelled into a variety of sociopolitical uses, including kin-keeping, reparations politics, citizenship projects, and public commemoration.
Speaker Alondra Nelson Dean of Social Science and Professor of Sociology, Columbia University
2016.12.06 The Story of Reason in Islam narrates a sweeping intellectual history—a quest for knowledge inspired by the Qu'ran and its language, a quest that employed Reason in the service of Faith. Eschewing the conventional separation of Faith and Reason, the author takes a fresh look at why and how Islamic reasoning evolved over time. He surveys the different Islamic schools of thought and how they dealt with major philosophical issues, showing that Reason pervaded all disciplines, from philosophy and science to language, poetry, and law. Along the way, the best known Muslim philosophers are introduced in a new light.
Speaker Sari Nusseibeh Author, "The Story of Reason in Islam" (Stanford University Press, 2016); Professor of Philosophy and Former President, Al-Quds University
2016.12.08 What is it like to live in a refugee camp? Two American filmmakers head to Jordan’s largest refugee camp, just seven miles from the Syrian border, to live among 80,000 refugees.
2017.01.11 Islam and Christianity share the vision of being universal and missionary religions, both about equally strong in number of followers. Focusing on the relationship of Christianity and Islam, this panel considers the following question: how do Muslims and Christians serve the same God, who for both is God of Justice and Mercy, God of Majesty and Beauty, omnipotent and omnipresent? Both Muslims and Christians know that their ultimate destiny is anchored in the justice and mercy of God who alone offers life eternal beyond death to everyone. This session explores various aspects of these insights.
Gerhard Böwering Professor of Islamic Studies, Yale University
M. Cathleen Kaveny Darald and Juliet Libby Professor of Law and Theology, Boston College
Moderated by John Coughlin Global Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and Law, NYUAD
2017.01.24 The accuracy of published research is critical for scientists, physicians, and patients who rely on these results. However, the fundamental belief in scientific literature was called into serious question by a paper suggesting that most published medical research is false. This talk discusses two major open problems inspired by this scientific crisis: how do we know when a study replicates and what is the rate of false discoveries in scientific literature? In answering these questions, the speaker argues that much of the crisis in science can be attributed to misunderstanding statistics.
Speaker Jeff Leek Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2017.01.14 Jane Goodall blends her experience in nature with her enthusiasm to give the audience a deeper understanding of the world around us.
Speaker Jane Goodall DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, UN Messenger of Peace
2017.01.26 The coast of Zanj was fabled as an exotic land, full of wild animals, curious peoples, and precious commodities such as ivory and gold. Based on the most recent archaeological discoveries along the Swahili coast, this lecture reveals what the sailors and merchants from the Gulf actually found when they followed the monsoons to East Africa over 1,000 years ago. Emphasis is placed on the importance of Africa in the global trade systems of the Arabs, and how these incredible voyages took place to the furthest reaches of the Indian Ocean.
Speakers Mark Horton Professor in Archaeology, University of Bristol
2017.01.29 Is chaos the law of nature and order the dream of man, as Henry Adams once put it? Is "chance" just a name for our ignorance? This lecture demonstrates, through a few examples, why scientists and philosophers inevitably faced these questions, and what kind of answers they gave in the modern era. In order to decide whether certain curious coincidences that we experience are just the play of chance, or obey some hidden rules, one has to understand the basic laws of randomness. These laws are illustrated through a small number of mathematical examples. No mathematical prerequisites are necessary.
Speaker János Pach Professor of Mathematics; Chair of Combinatorial Geometry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne; Research Fellow, Rényi Institute of Mathematics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
2016.11.28 The development of the ship, or the dhow as is it is commonly referred to in Anglophone literature, played an essential role in the expansion of seaborne trade in the pre-modern Indian Ocean. These vessels were vehicles of trade, migration and culture that connected the region in a series of maritime networks. This talk discusses recent efforts to better understand the early ships of the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, with a focus on experimental maritime archaeological projects that have attempted to reconstruct and sail these vessels.
Eric Staples Assistant Professor, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zayed University
2016.11.19 This panel explores issues of global warming and rising water levels, in connection with the research and artistic movements that have emerged in response to these issues. The speakers also share their insight on the UAE’s response to climate change.
This panel discussion is organized in conjunction with Holoscenes, a powerful performance piece presented by the NYUAD Arts Center on the theme of climate change and rising water levels.
2016.11.20 This lecture reviews the archaeological evidence for the Sasanian to early Islamic periods (c 3rd/4th to 9th centuries) in the region, focusing on some of the more recent evidence that has come to light (for example from Kadhima in Kuwait and Fulayj in Oman). This evidence is contextualized within a broader framework of interpretation that incorporates the evidence from sites such as Kush and Jumeirah (UAE), Murwab (Qatar), and al-Qusur (Kuwait). In order to discuss where research should be focused in the future, current research and what has been learned over the past 15 years must be considered.
Speaker Derek Kennet Associate Professor of Archaeology, Sultan Qaboos University
2016.11.17 In this autobiographical talk, Michael Pollan tells the story of the path his thinking and writing have taken since he first planted a vegetable garden under the unfortunate influence of Thoreau and Emerson. Beginning with that horticultural disaster, his work evolved into an exploration of the human engagement with the natural world. But rather than go to “the wild” in search of nature, Pollan focused on nature closer to home: the garden, the farm, the table and, most recently, the altered states of consciousness that certain plants and fungi allow us to achieve. The talk includes brief readings from several of Pollan’s previous books and a work in progress.
2016.11.15 Human language technologies—from document search, to machine translation and question answering—have become an increasingly important part of our daily lives. The quality of such technologies for the English language continues to surpass the quality of comparable technologies for Arabic. This talk discusses the challenges of developing language technologies for Standard Arabic and its various dialects. The talk also presents current state-of-the-art in the field of Arabic language technologies and explores its potential, as well as implications, for Arabic in the 21st century.
2016.10.16 This year’s iteration of the Venice Architecture Biennale set its aim at highlighting the social consciousness of architecture. By shifting the discussion from the theory driven and formal concerns of the profession, and moving away from an architecture of the spectacle, the move was lauded by many yet disconcerting for some. This talk tackles the debate that architects are not equipped to deal with social issues, highlighting the extent to which the UAE National Pavilion, through its focus on a social housing project, made a positive contribution to the discussion.
2016.10.26 This conversation explores art and technology in the context of the NYUAD Art Gallery exhibition "Invisible Threads: Technology and its Discontents," framed by the region and upcoming Emirates Mission to Mars. The speakers lead a discussion about the philosophical and creative drive behind humankind's desire to travel into space.
2016.10.09 Mleiha is considered one of the most important sites in the Arabian Peninsula, standing out from any other site in the United Arab Emirates. Evidence has confirmed that Mleiha had set up trade links amongst major ports of the ancient world. The inhabitants even minted their own currency, proved by large numbers of so called “Mleiha coins.” The city was developed with monumental buildings, consisting of various styles that were used for different purposes. These features contributed towards making Mleiha such a distinguished site, which sustained ancient communities for a period 500 years.
2016.10.05 The US Presidential Election is less than two months away. As the race heats up, people around the world are anxious to know the implications of a Trump or Clinton victory on US foreign policy. Join us for a discussion of the campaign to date, recent debates, and potential consequences for both the US and the globe.
2016.09.24 This talk inaugurates the Art Gallery's fall exhibition, Invisible Threads: Technology and its Discontents. Among other themes of the exhibition, the artists explore the history of space travel and the future of technology.
2016.09.20 If the Global Sixties were marked by the spirit of freedom and the politics of revolt, where does Africa fit into the chronology? The continent certainly launched this momentous decade, with seventeen countries winning their independence in 1960 alone. It was the “Year of Africa,” the beginning of the African Revolution. Or so it was thought. By 1968, fourteen military coups had swept independent African governments from office and the nation-state project appeared a dismal failure. What perished in those critical years and how? What, if anything, should we mourn?
2016.09.27
Growing up in a very conservative family where many things are "haram" (forbidden in Islam), Abdullah struggles over the years to hide his love for music.
[Director: Humaid Al Suwaidi| UAE | 2015 | 97 mins | Arabic w/ English subtitles]
Speaker Ahmed Lotfy Producer, Abdullah
Mohammed Yehia Production Manager, Abdullah
2016.09.18
This panel explores the Sundance Institute Theatre Program’s innovative playwright initiatives in East Africa, as well as its new and exciting association with Middle Eastern playwrights, dramaturges, and directors. The program’s international vision is to create open, reciprocal, and meaningful artist-to-artist and people-to-people exchanges across borders, politics, economics, and culture.