DAE University Speaker Series highlights research advances in aviation

• Maurice Flannigan, vice chairman and president of Emirates Group, to speak 14 April
• International experts join University faculty in presenting new trends
• Advanced research in sectors ranging from NASA findings
to corporate governance

DAE University faculty members join other international experts in presenting trends in such wide-ranging topics as materials sciences, physics, corporate governance and business management.

The DAEU Speaker Series will also further build on the joint agreement signed by DAE University with the MIT Global Airline Industry Program to introduce global best practices in its aviation curriculum and promote region-specific research in the aviation and aerospace industry.

The series will emphasize the global exposure and experience of the university faculty, who have an accomplished track-record of working with international agencies and activities such as NASA, the FAA and the Americas Cup.

"Apart from providing a platform for student-faculty interaction, the Speaker Series illustrates the strong commitment of DAE University to undertake path-breaking research on aviation and aerospace," said His Excellency Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Managing Director, DAE Group. "It underscores the rich academic and research background of faculty members, who are internationally qualified to guide our students through the latest findings in the industry."

The inaugural session of DAEU Speaker Series was addressed by Dr Peter Belobaba, Principal Research Scientist for the International Centre for Air Transportation and Program Manager of the MIT Global Airline Industry Program. He presented a paper on 'Evolving Airline Competition: Pricing, Costs and Productivity,' which addressed the growth of low-cost carriers and their impact on fares, traffic and revenues.

Dr Belobaba said: "The DAEU Speaker Series serves as a perfect platform for furthering industry-specific research and sharing the information gained globally through interactive sessions. It fosters student-faculty-researcher dialogue and will help build a network of universities around the world to identify potential areas of research. This is of immense value in exploring uncharted areas through a truly global collaboration of researchers."

Professor Urs Meier from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, addressed the audience on 'What is new with composites' and presented the 40-year history of the development of advanced composite materials for aircraft. He discussed the application of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) for Airbus A380 and A350XWB, and Boeing B787, also highlighting the production processes relevant for composites in the aircraft industry. Topics discussed during Professor Meier's session included the future of "black" aircraft, usage commonalities of carbon fibres in the construction and aviation industry as well as the future possibilities of a space elevator made of composites.

He said: "Aviation research is fast-evolving with new areas being identified and studied on a regular basis. It is important for students - the future aviation professionals - to be in tune with the research findings, which will give them a clearer picture of emerging trends. DAE University's initiative will help prepare the students to gain a high level of exposure to the most pertinent topics in the aviation sector today."

There are several emerging sectors in the aviation industry that tend to be overlooked. Corporate governance is one such area, which demands immediate attention. The Speaker Series features a session on the inabilities of traditional governance structures and current legislation in North America and Europe. Similarly, the Series gives an insight into the research spearheaded by such international thought-leading research groups as NASA.

The DAEU Speaker Series will be an ongoing forum for dialogue that will also periodically discuss region-specific research to be undertaken through the collaboration of DAE University and MIT. Maurice Flannigan, vice chairman and president of Emirates Group, will be the featured speaker on 14 April. Mr. Flannigan will address students, faculty, and staff from DAE University and invited guests on a number of issues facing the growth of the aviation and aerospace industries in the region.

From time to time, the public will be invited; more information about the speaker series can be obtained from Dr Nick van der Walt or Dr Alex Friess at DAE University.

DAE University is the education and training arm of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, and currently offers Bachelors programs in Flight and Aviation Management and Business Administration. Two additional bachelors programs in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and four Masters degrees in Airport Management and Operations, Global Logistics, Air Transport Management and an MBA in Aerospace Management are pending accreditation for the September 2008 term.