The opening ceremony of the 2014 International Conference on Smart Grid and Clean Energy Technologies was held at American University of Sharjah today, October 30, 2014.

Dr. Leland Blank, Dean of the College of Engineering, welcomed the attendees and AUS Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve gave the opening address.

"AUS is very pleased to host the 2014 International Conference on Smart Grid and Clean Energy Technologies," said Dr. Kjerfve. "It is our constant endeavor to work to help promote sensitivity to water, energy and other environmental issues which play such an important role in our lives in this region. We are constantly trying to address the importance of these issues with our students not only through what we teach them in the classroom, but also by promoting such values through how we structure our campus facilities and organize campus life!"

"A conference such as this one is extremely important in bringing together experts such as yourselves from across the world. Problems and challenges are discussed and ideas shared in order to identify solutions that could prove to be of immense benefit to industry and beyond," added Dr. Kjerfve.

The first keynote address was given by Dr. Wajdi Ahmad, Technical Solutions Director, GE Digital Energy -Middle East & Africa, entitled "Distribution Automation: A Key Building Block for the Smart Grid."

Dr. Qi Huang, IEEE Senior Member from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, presented the second keynote address, entitled "Innovative Testing and Measurement Solution for Smart Grid."

The conference will end tomorrow, October 31.