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AUS College of Engineering grants support 23 undergraduate research projects
- Undergraduate Research Grants foster independent research by engineering students
- Student research bridges innovation with practical solutions to real-life problems
From pioneering cancer treatment to improving assistive technology to aid visual impairments, 23 ambitious student research projects have been awarded undergraduate research grants by the American University of Sharjah (AUS) College of Engineering (CEN). These grants, which align with the university’s objectives of advancing research and scholarly and creative activities, encourage innovative and independent student-led research under faculty mentorship. They offer undergraduate engineering students the opportunity to explore cutting-edge topics, present their findings at academic events and participate in competitions.
The grant reflects the university’s broader vision of integrating research into education, empowering students to contribute meaningfully to their fields. Student projects submitted for grant consideration are evaluated by a specialized committee formed by the Office of the Dean. Individual student projects are eligible for grants of up to AED 5,000, while group projects can receive funding of up to AED 10,000.
“CEN is proud to support undergraduate research through these grants, which serve as a cornerstone of our commitment to academic excellence and innovation,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN. “They not only enable our students to pursue independent and collaborative research but also help them develop critical skills such as problem-solving, creativity and analytical thinking. By engaging in these research activities, our students are better prepared to contribute to their fields and address real-world challenges at both local and global levels.”
One of the featured projects focused on reducing the harmful side effects of chemotherapy in cancer treatment. Chemical engineering students Eman Adnan, Banan Mohamad, Rahma Al Bargouthi and Ahmad Alruzzi received a grant for their research project “Release of Chemotherapy Drugs in Response to Ultrasound from Nanocarriers.” Students were mentored by Dr. Ghaleb Husseini, Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, who is a patent holder in cancer treatment research. The students explored using tiny carriers like nanoparticles and ultrasound to deliver drugs directly to tumors. This innovative approach offers a smarter, more targeted way to treat cancer while protecting healthy tissues, showcasing the potential for real-world impact.
“We were especially drawn to brain cancer, because of the lack of research papers on it in comparison to other types of cancer. Brain cancer is difficult to reach and effectively eliminate. We focused on the use of active-targeting nanocarriers in order to surpass these barriers. We chose progesterone because brain cancer cells have more progesterone receptors than normal cells. We also chose ultrasound as our external stimulus to trigger the release of our selected drug, Doxorubicin. These decisions were made based on previous literature and research that demonstrated the safety and efficiency of these tools,” explained Alruzzi.
He added that their research holds great potential for building upon previous work in the field.
“The results that have been observed from similar experiments have shown promising results, and our addition of using progesterone will provide the research community with new data and useful kinetic models. This will allow us to get closer to our goal of improving the quality of life for cancer patients and replacing harmful traditional chemotherapy with safer and more efficient treatment alternatives,” he said.
Alruzzi noted that conducting research has positively influenced the student team’s academic and professional growth.
“Academically, I was able to gain valuable knowledge about drug delivery from a highly experienced scholar. I also learned how to collect data and create appropriate models, which are crucial skills in various industries. Professionally, it has been a beneficial addition to my resume and to advancing my research career, particularly in the biomedical field. The AUS Undergraduate Research Grant is an honorable achievement to have on my record.”
He further emphasized the importance of undergraduate research in helping students bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application. “The opportunity to carry out research at this level fosters critical thinking and creativity within young minds, enabling students to explore their interests, develop valuable skills, and build curiosity and resilience. At AUS, the support we received allowed us to explore an area of study that is both challenging and influential,” he said.
Another standout project, “Ro’ya: A Deep Learning Approach for Human Activity Recognition for Individuals with Visual Impairments,” takes on the challenge of creating assistive technology for the visually impaired. Under the mentorship of Dr. Mohammad Daoud, Visiting Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, computer engineering students Abdullah Shahid, Karim Elsayed, Mustafa Ashraf and Adam Burhanpurwala received a grant to develop a deep learning-based tool that enables individuals with visual impairment use smart glasses for recognizing human activities and localizing nearby objects in their surroundings. Powered by deep learning and graphics processing unit (GPU) technology, the smart glasses help users navigate their surroundings through verbal commands in either Arabic or English.
“We chose this particular area of research because we found a lack of significant innovation in the products currently available on the market for this demographic. Many existing solutions seemed outdated or unreliable, especially considering the rapid advancements in technology, particularly in the field of deep learning. We believed that using deep learning in this context could significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with visual impairment, helping to restore a sense of independence in their daily lives,” said Shahid.
He added that the potential impact of this research could be great in the lives of individuals with visual impairment.
“Our project used technologies like YOLOv5 for object detection, FaceNet for facial recognition and CogVLM for scene description to enhance accessibility. By integrating tools like MediaPipe for activity classification and custom deep learning models, we aim to deliver an innovative solution that empowers users to navigate and interact with their surroundings seamlessly," he explained.
According to Shahid, the Undergraduate Research Grant has been important in encouraging undergraduate research.
“Research provides students with the chance to apply the concepts they’ve learned in a more meaningful and practical way, something that’s often harder to achieve in a classroom setting due to time constraints and the need to cater to a large number of students,” he said.
“Undergraduate research gives students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of concepts and the reasoning behind key principles in a more hands-on and professional context. Having experience with meaningful research or publications demonstrates a student’s understanding of important topics and can make them stand out in their chosen field.”
Other research projects that received the grants covered pressing topics such as water treatment and purification, manufacturing engineering, ransomware detection using machine learning, predicting epileptic seizures and many others.
CEN is one of the region’s leading engineering institutions, known for its rigorous academic programs, state-of-the-art facilities and emphasis on innovation and research. The college equips students with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to excel in a competitive global landscape.
To learn more about the AUS College of Engineering, visit www.aus.edu.