Sustainability Research Activation with Francesco Arneodo
Center for Astro, Particle, and Planetary Physics (CAP3)

In this tour you will learn about the X-ray Fluorescence Machine (XRF) and the techniques it is used in for conducting Cultural Heritage research on historic art pieces, tile, and ceramics. For this project, our lab collaborated with the Louvre Abu Dhabi to gain different samples for study.

Time: 12pm
Venue: Meet at John Sexton Square
Audience: NYUAD Community

Sustainability Research Activation with Pance Naumov
Smart Materials Lab

We will start with a 10-minute lab tour showcasing different labs and state-of-the-art instruments. The tour will be followed by an introduction to three main projects, presented by SML members, that are either inspired by nature (biomimetics) or aim to tackle and solve environmental issues like water shortage. During the tour, we will discuss opportunities for involvement in our work and answer any lingering questions.

Time: 1pm
Venue: Meet at John Sexton Square
Audience: NYUAD Community

In collaboration with COP28 and as part of NYUAD's leadership of the UAE Universities Climate Network, NYUAD Institute and the Office of Sustainability are organizing a panel discussion on the vital role of research in promoting environmental sustainability. The event will highlight NYUAD's multidisciplinary research initiatives, which range from nanoscale to mega projects and are aimed at developing energy-efficient structures, low-emission transportation methods, clean water techniques, desalination processes, conservation practices, and policies.

The panel of experts will offer insights into the current state and future direction of research in achieving net-zero emissions

Panelists

Monica Menendez, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs; Director of the Research Center for Interacting Urban Networks (CITIES); Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering, NYUAD
John Burt, Associate Professor of Biology, NYUAD
Raed Hashaikeh, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, NYUAD
Kemal Celik, Assistant Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering, NYUAD

Moderated by

Samer Madanat, Dean of Engineering; Program Head of Urbanization, NYUAD; Global Network Professor of Civil and Urban Engineering, NYU

Time: 6:30-8pm
Venue: Campus Center (C2) West Forum
Audience: Open to the public

Join us on this tour around campus facilities and get a closer look into campus operations in Recycling, General Waste Management, and a view of solar panels on the rooftop.

Time: 4pm
Venue: Campus Center (C2)
Audience: NYUAD Community

This interactive awareness session aims to educate community members about the principles and importance of environmental justice (EJ), with a focus on inclusion, diversity, belonging, and equity. Participants will explore EJ issues globally and more specifically as they apply to the United Arab Emirates. The session will also explore strategies that can be used to address EJ issues.

Time: 12-1pm
Venue: Hilary Ballon Center For Teaching and Learning, Campus Center (C2), Hilary Ballon Center, Library, Floor 3
Audience: NYUAD Community, No Registration Needed 

The Sense the Crisis interactive dance piece is an expression of the artist's reactions to her emotions related to the climate crisis, such as sadness, anger, and climate anxiety, based on her personal encounters with those on the front lines of the climate crisis downstream of the Himalayas. This piece touches upon themes of climate justice, despair, ignorance, the temporality of life, and holding onto purpose and love. In a multimedia performance consisting of dance, visual projections, and audio, film is projected on the dancer depicting her personal encounters with the climate crisis, while the choreography and audio depict her reaction to those encounters. This work embodies regeneration in combating the emotional crisis from the climate crisis, inviting community members to share this journey.

Time: 4pm
Venue: The Arts Center, Room 013
Audience: NYUAD Community

Part of the "Environment and the Middle East" Series: By 1535, the Ottoman Empire gained control of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from mountain to sea. This talk discusses the ramifications of this drastic political transition in the history of the longest rivers in West Asia. Above all, the unification of the Tigris and Euphrates allowed the Ottomans to rebalance a deep natural resource disparity along their eastern frontier, enabling them to move grain, metal, and timber from upstream areas of surplus in Anatolia to downstream areas of need in Iraq. This imperial system of waterborne communication, the talk argues, anchored the Ottoman presence in the river basin.

Speaker

Faisal Husain, Assistant Professor of History, Penn State University

Time: 6:30-8pm
Venue: Campus Center (C2) West Forum
Audience: Open to the public

The NYUAD Plastic Recycling Lab will introduce the community to its workspace and the team of students working in the lab. Participants will get an introduction to our process of collecting and segregating plastics from campus, and the different tools and technologies we use to design and create various upcycled plastic products. Participants will be able to try some of the machines we use and even have a chance at winning one of the products made in the lab.

Time: All Day
Venue: Campus Center (C2), Baraha
Audience: NYUAD Community

Come join SLICECT for a restorative justice circle process focusing on the intersectional nature of climate anxiety and how different cultural contexts and social identities experience climate change. Circles provide an opportunity for processing a range of feelings and emotions, as well as making meaningful connections with one another. The Circle gives space to the person who has a talking piece to speak their heart and offer wisdom to the Circle. Once the holder of the talking piece has completed speaking, they pass it to the next person. Each in turn until all participants have spoken. This event is open to the NYUAD community.

Time: 4:30-6pm
Venue: Campus Center (C2), Baraha, E245 and E247
Audience: NYUAD Community

Children's Sustainability Trip to Vine Communities with NYUAD's Office of Social Responsibility

The Office of Social Responsibility is pleased to announce a trip to Vine Communities,  the UAE’s first sustainability and self-sufficiency learning center. This will be an enriching experience filled with opportunities for children to learn and develop a deeper appreciation of the importance of sustainability skills through a book reading and other activities. There will be two workshops, wherein children can engage in either Emirati Khoos basket weaving or camel milk soap-making.

Time: 5-8pm
Venue: Meet at the Welcome Center
Transportation: Buses will leave the Welcome Center at 5pm and arrive at Vine Communities at 5:30pm
Audience: NYUAD Community

NYUAD’s beloved annual Nurdle hunt is back!
 
What in the world is a Nurdle? Nurdles are small plastic pellets used in the manufacturing of plastic products. Due to spills and mishandling, they often end up in the ocean, causing harm to marine life.  
 
NYUAD Community Outreach invites you to join us for this Spring’s Great Nurdle Hunt this May during Net Zero Week!
 
The Great Nurdle Hunt is a fun & educational event where volunteers will collect nurdles from the Jumeirah at Saadiyat beach in this unique variation of a beach clean up. 

Time: 7:30-10am
Venue: Jumairah at Saadiyat Island Resort
Audience: NYUAD Community

Join us for an exhilarating day of sport at the New York University Abu Dhabi Indoor Triathlon on Saturday May 6! As part of Net Zero Now week, our triathlon is more than just a race — it's a celebration of our shared responsibility to live sustainably and promote healthy lifestyles.

We believe that a sustainable future must prioritize not only environmental stewardship, but also the health and well-being of individuals. Exercise and healthy living are crucial components of this vision, and our triathlon is a perfect example of how we can combine these goals into one exciting event.

So come on down and join us for a day of fun and fitness — together, we can create a better future for ourselves and the planet!

Time: 8am-3pm
Venue: Campus Center (C2), Competition Pool
Audience: Open to the public