Sharjah: The University of Sharjah (UoS), through its Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, recently organised a scientific symposium titled 'AI and Digital Twin for Energy Applications' in collaboration with the Sharjah Electricity, Water, and Gas Authority (SEWA). The event aimed to highlight the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technology to enhance energy efficiency and improve institutional services.
According to Emirates News Agency, the symposium was attended by Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, along with several research center directors, faculty members, students, and representatives from SEWA. The event kicked off with speeches from distinguished UoS and SEWA representatives. Prof. Maamar Bettayeb emphasised the strong collaboration between UoS and SEWA across various research fields, highlighting its role in advancing innovation and sustainability. Prof. Abdul Ghani Olabi, Director of the Sustainable Energy and Power Systems Research Center, underscored the University's dedication to impactful research in energy applications.
Ahmed Aylan Alshamsi, a Sustainability Engineer at SEWA, discussed SEWA's efforts to leverage advanced technologies such as AI and digital twins to improve energy efficiency and services. During the symposium, Prof. Abbes Amira, Dean of the College of Computing and Informatics at UoS, presented on 'Driving Energy Efficiency and Smarter User Behavior with AIoT: AI and Energy Applications,' addressing technologies and local initiatives involving AI applications across different organisations.
Khalid Diab, Customer Service Operations Consultant at SEWA, introduced 'Nafaa,' SEWA's AI-powered virtual assistant designed to provide fully automated customer support and address user needs effectively. Dr. Concetta Semeraro from the College of Engineering at UoS discussed the application of digital twin technology in energy.
A panel discussion titled 'The Journey of SEWA's Digital Transformation and Using AI in the Service,' chaired by Prof. Fatih Kurugollu, Acting Director of the Cybersecurity and Data Analytics Research Center at UoS, featured experts from SEWA and UoS. Participants, including Khalid Diab, Anand Subramanian, Prof. Huseyin Seker, and Prof. Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, discussed SEWA's practical deployment of AI to enhance customer service and achieve key business goals. The panel also addressed critical success factors for implementing AI, the associated risks, and strategies to mitigate them. They emphasised the importance of collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovation and explored future developments in AI.
The symposium also showcased a project exhibition and competition featuring innovative student work in AI, digital twins, and energy applications. The event concluded with the announcement of the winners, including students Omar Al Attar, Idriss Taleb, and Ali Ahmad, whose project "Live Analysis RAG AI Chatbot System for DCMD (Direct Contact Membrane Distillation) Process" was recognised for its innovation and technical excellence. Supervised by Dr. Muhammad Tawalbeh, the winners were awarded a 3-month internship opportunity at SEWA, providing valuable hands-on experience.
