NYU Abu Dhabi To Host 13th International Hackathon For Social Good Focusing On Quantum Computing And AI

NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with Tamkeen, is preparing to host the 13th NYUAD International Hackathon for Social Good from 25-27 April. This event will bring together over 200 students from 50 countries and 50 mentors globally. The focus will be on Quantum Computing (QC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle global issues, aligning with the UAE’s Year of Community and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The hackathon offers a unique platform for interdisciplinary teams to delve into advanced technologies and create innovative solutions, particularly benefiting the GCC region. Participants will enhance their skills in QC, AI, software development, data science, machine learning, security, privacy, and entrepreneurship. They will apply these skills to develop impactful sustainable technology.

Participants will have the chance to learn from top leaders in academia and industry. Mentors include experts from Yale, MIT, Stanford, NYU’s Center for Quantum Phenomena (CQP), CERN’s Open Quantum Institute (OQI), Google, Microsoft, ADIA Lab, ETH Zurich in Quantum Information and Computation, Zurich EPFL Center for Quantum Science and Engineering (QSE Center), Sandbox AQ, IBM, Qbraid, QWorld, and TTI.

Through pre-event virtual workshops and QC certification courses, participants will gain insights into quantum computing applications across various fields. These include machine learning, AI, physics, chemistry, healthcare, mathematics, online gaming, security, social sciences, and the arts. World-renowned experts will provide hands-on mentoring during the event.

The opening ceremony on 25th April will feature a keynote address by Amir Karamlou from Google Quantum AI / MIT. The final presentations on April 27 are open to the public and include a keynote by Matthias Troyer from Microsoft Quantum. A panel discussion will feature figures from UNESCO, IBM, Quantum Leap Africa, TTI, The Beyond Lab at UN Geneva among others.

Sana Odeh of NYUAD stated: "This year focuses on contributing to the UAE’s Year of Community and GCC development. Entering our 13th year highlights our initiative's global impact through collaborations with UNESCO and GESDA." She added that NYUAD has become a hub for quantum research and AI by attracting talent and bridging educational gaps through training programmes.

Global Support for Innovation

The NYUAD Hackathon is backed by a consortium of global quantum computing leaders from both industry and academia. Supporters include Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Google Sandbox AQ CERN’s Open Quantum Institute GESDA NYUAD Center for Quantum Topological Systems Microsoft ETH Zurich Zurich EPFL QSE Center IBM qBraid QWorld NIEW MIT’s iQuHACK QC Hack Yale Stanford Berkeley QC Hackathon.

This three-day event continues its legacy of promoting social good in the Arab world and beyond. Since its inception over 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries have benefited from this platform which has launched careers scholarships startups.

With inputs from WAM