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Showcasing the thrills of aerospace, cyberspace

Students in engineering and technology were given a preview and hands-on interaction of the latest defence technology and the many exciting possibilities in engineering at an exposition meant to encourage them to pursue careers in the field.

The three-day ‘Technology, Aerospace and Cyber Security Expo’, hosted by BAE Systems — a world leader in developing future technologies for both the civil and defence markets — in partnership with Khalifa University, featured talks from engineering and cyber security experts and showcased the latest technologies designed and manufactured by the company.

These include nanotechnologies; state-of-the-art helmet for fighter pilots; the cockpit of a Typhoon fighter jet; a flapless unmanned air vehicle; and Inviso, a visual aid device designed and built by BAE Systems Electronic Systems apprentices to boost morale of wounded servicemen and women in rehabilitation.

“What we are trying to do is instill in them (young Emiratis) a sense of belief in the need for the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and give them an opportunity to meet with (our) young engineers ... and talk to them about their experience of developing new and exciting technologies in aerospace, in defence and in the area of cyber (internet),” Dr Simon Jewell, managing director, BAE Systems Niteworks, said on Monday.

“All the plans of the country, whether the Abu Dhabi 2030 or UAE 2021, all these aim at diversifying and building a knowledge-based economy. These plans will need a lot of human resources trained in technology, science and engineering and you know that there is already a gap in terms of those specialisation,” Dr Mohammed Al Mualla, senior vice-president of Research and Development at Khalifa University, told Khaleej Times.

With more than 65 per cent of students choosing to study literature rather than science and technology, he said, “one aim of this expo is to reach out to the community and to show the students the possibilities they will have if they go to science and technology.”

The event is also an opportunity for Khalifa University to showcase its research results and to engage its faculty and students in collaborative works with the industry.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com