The 1st International Conference on Innovation, Sustainability, and Applied Sciences (ICISAS2023), organized by Curtin University Dubai, concluded on 10th December, leaving a lasting impression of academic brilliance and forward-thinking dialogue. The two-day event, held on 9th and 10th December 2023, has been a melting pot of ideas, bringing together experts from 17 countries across 5 continents. The conference aligned closely with the themes of COP28, which provides a platform for global experts to discuss and develop solutions pertinent to environmental challenges.
Curtin University recently leaped into the Top 100 of the QS World University Sustainability Ranking and 183 in the QS World University Rankings. The university is known for its commitment to addressing global challenges, and it integrates these values into its research, education programs, and campus operations. In a continuous effort to foster impactful sustainability initiatives across its five campuses (Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Mauritius), Curtin University annually presents the Global Curtin Award. This prestigious award was recently conferred upon to the initiative behind ICISAS 2023, highlighting the contribution to meaningful and sustainable change.
Over 250 scholars and researchers submitted their papers at the conference, each of which was subjected to a double-blind review process by international experts. Following thorough revisions that included integrating feedback from these reviewers, the papers were finalized for presentation. The conference maintained a selective standard, with an overall acceptance rate of approximately 64%. During the ICISAS 2023 conference, a total of 160 research papers were presented over two days across 18 parallel sessions. These sessions encompassed a broad range of topics, including but not limited to sustainable development, manufacturing techniques, management, finance, education, information technology, computing, psychology, humanities, optimization techniques, material engineering, sustainable materials, and electrical and electronic engineering. This diversity of subjects highlights the conference’s comprehensive approach to addressing various aspects of innovation and sustainability. Selected papers will be published with partnering publishers Springer, MDPI, Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Scientific.net.
The inaugural ceremony of the ICISAS 2023 conference was graced by distinguished guests including Professor John Evans, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Curtin University Dubai. The event also featured a special address from the Honorable Minister Reece Whitby, Western Australian Minister for Environment and Climate Action. His Excellency Dr. Juma Madani, Chairman and CEO of the Al Matiya Group, and Mr. Yaqoob Al Ali, Executive Director & Private Advisor in the Office of His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, were the esteemed guests of honor at the ceremony.
The ICISAS 2023 conference featured insightful keynotes from esteemed speakers: Mr. Andrew Stotter-Brooks, Vice President of Learning and Development at the Etihad Aviation Group; Dr. Arshi Ayub Mohamed Zaveri, CEO of the Trust with Trade Group and Senior Advisor to the Royal Family Offices in the UAE; and Dr. Vedrana Mladina, Associate Director of Counseling at NYU Abu Dhabi and UAE Country Chapter Director of the Middle East Psychological Association. Their presentations added significant depth and perspective to the conference’s themes. Mr Ghanim Al Falasi, Senior Vice President – Technology and Entrepreneurship at Dubai Silicon Oasis graciously awarded the best presenter awards during the valedictory ceremony.
The two-day conference was followed by a Research-Pitch competition related to the theme of innovation and sustainability for senior school students in the UAE. The top three winning teams received awards and will receive further mentoring from Curtin Dubai’s Incubation Center to develop their ideas. Maryam Khan and Pujan Barot (from JSS Private School) presented their winning idea of Intelligent Bacterial Cellulose Wound Patches/Cellosolve.
The conference’s success is seen as a stepping stone for future collaborations and expansions, promising even greater growth and impact in the coming years. With a focus on sustainable innovations and cross-disciplinary insights, ICISAS is set to become a flagship event in the academic calendar.
Messages from the organizing team
Prof. Chithirai Pon Selvan (Conference Chair)
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all participants, speakers, guests, and organizers for their invaluable contributions. Together, we have created a landmark event that not only highlights our commitment to sustainability and innovation but also sets a new benchmark for academic and collaborative excellence.”
Dr. Nidhi Sehgal (Organising Committee Chair)
“It was a privilege to witness the convergence of cutting-edge research and collaborative discussions shaping our collective future. I am honored to have played a role in establishing a platform that seamlessly connected experts and researchers thereby nurturing a collaborative environment for cross-disciplinary insights. This conference served as a nexus for global minds to explore sustainable innovations, uniting diverse perspectives and catalyzing actionable solutions for a more resilient future.”
Dr. Sonakshi Ruhela (Convenor)
“As the convener of this intellectual symposium, I am pleased to share that the recently concluded two-day conference left an indelible mark on the academic community. The synergy of diverse perspectives fostered an atmosphere of creativity and collaboration that surpassed our highest expectations.
Looking ahead, we anticipate building on this success, with the lessons learned serving as a catalyst for even more impactful ICISAS 2024.”
Dr. Noor Ulain Rizvi (Publication Committee Chair)
“The inaugural conference exceeded expectations! Our collaboration with Springer, SCI, Scopus, Taylor and Francis, MDPI, Building’s Journal for a special issue titled ‘Buildings for the 21st Century, Advances in Materials and Processing Technologies’ journal have been instrumental in our achievement. We’re excited to expand our partnerships with renowned journals in various disciplines in future conferences, promising even greater growth and impact each year.”
