Khalifa University students won the Excellence Award for Student Innovation in Agriculture/Aquaculture at the 2016 AGRAme Conference, held recently in Dubai.

The conference was the Middle East’s largest event dedicated to agribusiness, aquaculture and veterinary medicine, and university students from around the region were invited to submit a product or research project that demonstrated innovative, sustainable thinking and an impact for the Agra/Aqua industry.

Students Eiman Alrubaei, Alreem Almannaei, Amani Bin Amro and Halima Alhumoudi, who majored in civil engineering and mechanical engineering respectively, submitted their senior design project, which proposes a method to gather water vapor directly from the atmosphere and change it into liquid water.

Their idea stems from the fact that humidity levels in the UAE can reach up to 95% during the summer period, and the development of a multipurpose, aesthetic, economical and sustainable system that converts humid air into water would be invaluable. Their dew collector can be used for irrigation purposes as well as shade. It will be self-sustainable and capable of generating its own power via solar panels.

"Khalifa University encourages its students to pursue research in the areas of sustainable energy, especially innovation that focuses on using the UAE’s natural resources," said Dr. Mohammed Al Mualla, Senior Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies. "It’s quite encouraging to see our students harness a phenomena that many would see as a negative, like the high humidity that we get here, and turn it into a positive innovation that can contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of the entire country. It’s truly inspiring, and demonstrates our students optimism and dedication to the UAE."

Source:WAM