How this Canadian expat in UAE became a ‘Dreamer’ at Expo 2020 Dubai
Dr Shadi Wajih Hasan from Khalifa University creates biodegradeable anti-virus mask
Dubai: A Palestinian-Canadian professor living in Dubai is among the privileged expats to be featured as a “Dreamer” at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Dr Shadi Wajih Hasan, associate professor of chemical engineering and a deputy director at the Centre for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT) at Khalifa University, said it is an honour for him to be part of the project.
Dr Hasan said his scientific background in the fields of membrane technology and nanomaterials allowed him and his team to come up with a sustainable facemask called ‘NAVAMASK’.
“The NAVAMASK is a UAE certified invention/product. It is a new generation, sustainable and environmentally-friendly face mask made with a bio-based polymer [poly lactic acid, PLA] that can be composted and integrated back into our ecosystem. The concept of electrospinning technology was used to produce bio-based polymeric nanofibers coated with antimicrobial medicinal plants. The NAVAMASK is designed to protect us from both the spread of viruses and the negative environmental impacts of commercially available plastic-based facemasks,” he added.
Dr Hassan said the journey to realising his dream came after a good amount of hard work, persistence and patience.
“But what is perhaps more important is the fact that we have very well-equipped labs at the Khalifa University and this helped a great deal to execute our project. In addition, the strong support provided by the UAE leadership during the toughest times of the [COVID-19] pandemic kept us motivated to stay on the right track pushing us forward at all times,” he added.
Field of expertise
Dr Hassan’s field of expertise includes desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, nanomaterials and membranes, and energy efficiency and sustainability of water processes. He has worked on the development, characterisation and testing of advanced hybrid membranes for water and wastewater treatment. He has more than 140 journal publications and conference proceedings to his credit, including one patent - a book with 15 chapters.
“My research has had a significant impact, leading to several funding opportunities both internally and externally.”
He is serving as an editorial board member for Canadian Association on Water Quality (CAWQ), International Water Association (IWA), International Desalination Association (IDA), Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance (GCWDA) - “H2O minus CO2”, Water Process Engineering, Water and Desalination Research, among others. He has supervised more than 40 MSc and PhD students, and research fellows. He has been recognised among the top two per cent scientists by Stanford University (2020 and 2021).
‘Follow your dream’
Dr Hassan said: “Follow your dream despite the challenges you might face. Be patient and take things one step at a time. Never give up and keep your inspiration alive. The UAE lies at the deepest point of my heart, and is my home. There is no doubt that it is the best place to live and work. This young nation is an inspiration to the world and history has been witnessing its glorious growth throughout the years.”
He added: “The multicultural environment and the beautiful integration of Emiratis and expatriates make the UAE a dream land for many people across the world. In addition, the UAE has a stable business culture. It is investor-friendly, a global hub. Basically it has all the ingredients to make it such a successful nation. Most importantly, the UAE has proven to be driven by long-term sustainable goals, for a better world for all.”
He said he felt privileged and honoured to be featured at Expo. “I am also glad to be there and share our innovation with the whole world. The theme of the Expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’. That being said, we hope to see NAVAMASK reach to the hands of everyone so we all participate in reducing the total amounts of solid waste for a cleaner and safer planet.”