Masdar Institute's YFEL Program Announces Sixth Year's Participation at WFES 2016

Panel Discussions, Debates, Interactions with Global Sustainability Leaders and Knowledge-Sharing Sessions Lined up for YFEL Members at ADSW 2016

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 14 January, 2016 – Masdar Institute of Science of Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technology, today announced it has lined up an impressive array of prominent inspirational leaders in clean energy to interact with members of the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2016.

The YFEL stand #7370 (Hall-7) is located at the Masdar Institute pavilion at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2016, which is being held from 18-21 January at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).

The stand offers YFEL members a strong platform to network and interact with global industry leaders and decision-makers, who provide experience and guidance of relevance to the YFEL’s members on development into future energy leaders. Additionally, YFEL members will attend the last day’s events at ‘Egypt Energy Forum 2016: A decade of future energy opportunities’.

Dr. Lamya N. Fawwaz, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Public Affairs, Masdar Institute, said: "We are pleased to see that, through the YFEL program, Masdar Institute has inspired a new generation of sustainability thought leaders through international experiences and high-impact training sessions. During WFES, these students will continue their growth with opportunities to engage with global sustainability influencers."

“The program’s success is thanks both to the high caliber of students we receive every year and to the support of the UAE’s leadership and the program’s sponsors,” Dr. Fawwaz added.”

The YFEL agenda for WFES includes addresses by sustainability leaders from international non-government, government and private sector organizations, including His Excellency Felipe Calderon, Chairman, Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, and Former President of Mexico; HE Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Dr. Abubakr S Bahaj, Professor of Sustainable Energy, Head of Energy and Climate Change Division, University of Southampton, and Chief Scientific Adviser, Southampton City, UK; Christine Lins, Executive Secretary, REN21, H. E. Dr. Thani Al-Zeyoudi,Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Head of the Directorate of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) within the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA); as well as Khalifa Al Qama, Founder of Dubai-based multi-disciplinary engineering company OpSys.

His Excellency Felipe Calderon will open the proceedings on 18 January at the YFEL stand. He will share his perspectives on the recently concluded 21st United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris, encouraging YFEL members to be more pragmatic with their projects in clean energy. Representatives of YFEL groups will then offer a brief description of their chosen projects to the audience.

A debate on whether government steps or market forces are required to encourage more renewable energy installations will be moderated by Dr. Sgouris Sgouridis, Associate Professor, Masdar Institute on the first day. Subsequent days will witness debates including one titled ‘The Positive and Negative Impacts of Technology Innovations,’ to be moderated by Dr. Ken Volk, Outreach Manager, Masdar Institute, and ‘Waste to Energy Conversion Pathways’, to be moderated by Dr. Isam Janajreh, Associate Professor, Masdar Institute.

Panel discussions will focus on energy and economics that will shape the clean energy market in the next decade, sustainable water resources management in Abu Dhabi, and accelerating progress to a low carbon future.

Sharing his experience with YFEL members, Khalifa Al Qama will speak about developing a business just out of his personal interest in innovation, entrepreneurialism and a determination to add value.

Launched at the WFES 2010 as an initiative to engage the youth in advanced energy and sustainable technology, the YFEL program aims to prepare them to be the future leaders. Through networking with decision-makers and industry leaders who attend the program, the YFEL program encourages members to discuss, share and learn, from them in order to add great future values.