Expo 2020 Dubai: Meet this teacher who wants his students to believe that sky isn’t the limit

Expo 2020 Dubai: Meet this teacher who wants his students to believe that sky isn’t the limit

Dubai: A teacher is not just one who imparts knowledge. A teacher is also one who inspires, motivates, sets a goal and provides opportunities for students to excel and make a positive impact on their lives and on the lives of others in the years ahead. Dr Firas Jarrar, assistant professor and manager, Yahsat Space Lab (YSL), at Khalifa University is all of that and much more. Honouring his work and his commitment towards bringing about a positive change in the lives of his students, the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has included him as one of the ‘dreamers’. Dr Jarrar is leading a team to inspire students to develop a love for engineering, using satellite research. For this purpose, he has put together a programme at Khalifa University’s Yahsat Space Lab (YSL) for students. The MSc Space Systems and Technology programme at YSL brings together graduate students from all areas of engineering, including electrical, mechanical and aerospace. As a team of 20 or so, the students design, assemble, programme and test small satellites called CubeSats for launch into space. Once the satellite is in space, the team communicates with it and processes the data. “Unlike conventional satellites, which