Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technologies, said four Emirati students and members of the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program led by a faculty, became the first-ever team from Middle East to participate in the Alberta Energy Challenge in Canada.
Total UAE was sponsoring the team of four Emirati students — Wail Farouq Almaeeni, Iman Ustaadi, Ameirah Al Dahmani and Mohammed Al Sharhan, led by I-Tsung Tsai, Assistant Professor at Engineering Systems and Management program.
Tsai’s research interests include carbon management, carbon finance, infrastructure policy and information economics, while each of the Emirati student and YFEL member has a stellar track record in participating at international and local events.
Total hosted a reception in Abu Dhabi for the participating team from Masdar Institute before their departure to Canada.
Hamza Kazim, vice-president, operations and finance, Masdar Institute, and Zainab Abdul Rahim Al-Ali, senior outreach officer and YFEL program coordinator at Masdar Institute, attended the event to acknowledge Total’s gesture of supporting the program.
Focusing on exploring the opportunities and challenges in the dynamic energy sector, the Alberta Energy Challenge is a business case competition held at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton this month.
The challenge is organized by the University Of Alberta School Of Business and the Commerce Energy and Environment Group.
The Alberta competition provides delegates with the opportunity to interact with industry consultants and experts in developing their solutions.
Providing teams with a ‘live’ case allows students to apply their academic knowledge in a real-world environment and learn from top-ranked professionals.
The ‘live’ Texas-style presentation will encourage teams to think quickly on their feet and possessing adequate knowledge of current events in Alberta’s energy and environment industries is considered an asset.
Sultan Al Haji, vice-president, Institutional Development, Total UAE, said: “We are proud to sponsor the first team of Emiratis from the Middle East for the Alberta Energy Challenge in Canada. This participation signifies the commitment of the students and YFEL members to contribute to the sustainable energy industry. Total, as a major energy company globally and a partner of Masdar in Shams 1 solar energy plant in Abu Dhabi, believes that participating in such international challenges will enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills of Emirati youth. Under CSR activities of Total in the UAE, capacity building of Emiratis is high on our list of priorities. This also identifies Total’s commitment to Abu Dhabi and 2030 Vision of transforming Abu Dhabi into knowledge-based society.”
Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, president, Masdar Institute, said: “Participating in international competitions such as the Alberta Energy Challenge offers students and YFEL members an opportunity to be exposed to real life challenges. As directed by the country’s leadership, such events also serve as platforms for the students and young professionals to interact with industry experts and share their views on the energy sector. We thank Total UAE for their support and we believe the students’ participation in the Challenge will yield long-term returns for the UAE community.”
Each student and YFEL member has been selected on the basis of their previous performance.
Earlier in the year, Wail Farouq Almaeeni participated in Total Summer School (TSS) 2012 at Universite Total in France. He later attended the 22nd International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) symposium in Rome to initiate measures that will facilitate the opening of INCOSE UAE Chapter and eventually establish a student’s division at Masdar Institute.
Iman Ustaadi completed her six-week internship at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland as part of a student exchange and internship program for the summer.
Working on the evaluation of the integrated Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants with CO2 Capture, Iman worked closely with the Edinburgh team to study the natural gas market in Scotland, comparing it with the UAE market, and evaluated the effect of the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) deployment on the demands in the natural gas market.
Ameirah Al Dahmani was part of a select group of students chosen for the Masdar Institute Practical Experience program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston.
The well-structured program has enriched her with real-life exposure through a productive learning experience.
Mohammed Al Sharhan participated in the fourth annual International Hesselbein Student Leadership Summit 2012 in Pittsburgh, US, as well as the Helsinki Summer School for Transportation 2012, themed ‘Concepts and Practices about Sustainability in Transportation’ at Aalto University, Helsinki.
YFEL offers participants exceptional and unmatched access to top global leaders, senior business executives and academics engaged in alternative energy and sustainability through events such as World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi and other major events held globally.
It is mandated to educate, inspire and empower students and young professionals to become future leaders capable of solving the world’s most pressing challenges in advanced energy and sustainability.
Masdar researchers join Alberta Energy Challenge
Masdar researchers join Alberta Energy Challenge
Record $14.4bn rise in Saudi holdings of US Treasuries
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia increased its holdings of US Treasuries by 10.71 percent in November in what was the largest increase since data tracking began in 1974, according to the latest official data,
The Kingdom’s US Treasury portfolio stood at $148.8 billion in the month, up $14.4 billion from October.
Following the increase, Saudi Arabia moved up one place to 17th place among the largest foreign holders of US Treasuries.
Countries including Saudi Arabia invest in US Treasuries for their perceived safety, liquidity, diversification benefits, and alignment with economic ties to the US.
The Kingdom’s holdings were 17.25 percent higher in November compared with January 2025.
The allocation highlights Saudi Arabia’s preference for longer-dated US government debt as part of its foreign reserve strategy, focused on capital preservation, liquidity, and diversification amid global market volatility.
Saudi Arabia’s holdings included $106.8 billion in long-term securities, accounting for 72 percent of the total, while short-term holdings stood at $42 billion, or 28 percent.
Globally, Japan remained the largest foreign holder of US Treasury securities at $1.2 trillion, followed by the UK at $888.5 billion, mainland China at $682.6 billion, and Belgium at $481 billion.
Canada ranked fifth with holdings of $472.2 billion, followed by the Cayman Islands and Luxembourg in sixth and seventh positions, with portfolios valued at $427.4 billion and $425.6 billion, respectively.
France placed eighth with $376.1 billion, followed by Ireland at $340.3 billion and Taiwan at $312.5 billion.
Other countries included in the top 20 list include Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Norway, as well as India and Brazil.
The trade relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US remains strong, with the Kingdom exporting SR5.20 billion ($1.39 billion) worth of non-oil goods in October, data from the General Authority of Statistics showed.
Speaking to Arab News in October, Nasser Saidi, founder and president of economic and financial advisory services firm Nasser Saidi & Associates and a former minister of economy and trade in Lebanon, said US Treasuries are a critical pillar of stability.
“Holding treasuries allows Saudi Arabia to meet its international payment obligations — finance imports, service external debt, portfolio, and capital flows — provide a buffer against oil revenue shocks, while also generating a steady, low-risk stream of income,” he said.
