The Fastest Supercomputer in The Kingdom Makes a Quantum Leap in The College of Information Technology Dr. Al Junaid: Benefit Advanced Artificial Intelligence & Computing Laboratory at UoB Serves the Interests of The Local Community

Sakhir – University of Bahrain

18 February 2023

The Dean of the College of Information Technology, Dr. Hessa Jassim Al-Junaid, confirmed having the Benefit Advanced Artificial Intelligence & Computing Laboratory at the University has made a quantum leap in the College in terms of performance and services provided and that are to be provided to University students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and to researchers from inside and outside the University of Bahrain (UoB), as the laboratory consists of a collection of supercomputers, working together to provide the fastest supercomputer in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

This came during the recently held first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Benefit Advanced Artificial Intelligence & Computing Laboratory at UoB, chaired by the Dean of the College of Information Technology, who explained that the aim of forming the steering committee is to supervise the laboratory’s events and activities, and to exchange views with specialists in information technology for the benefit of students, the university, and the local community.

For his part, Dr. Hesham Al- Ammal, Chairman of the Committee of Benefit Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence, thanked the Benefit Bahrain Company for its generous contribution to equipping the laboratory with the latest technology. He also presented the computer that uses the technology of parallel processors, its constituent computer servers, and how it is used by both students and researchers.

The laboratory committee carried out many experimental activities targeting students and researchers, by training and qualifying them to use the laboratory. The laboratory was used in the last semester by more than 150 students and researchers at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in several courses, in addition master’s and PhD theses and other research, and it recently hosted the AI Hackathon Challenge as well.

Moreover, the Steering Committee discussed the annual Benefit Award for Research at the level of students and researchers – which is scheduled to be launched in March 2023 – and ways of cooperation between the University and the public and private sectors, to make the most of the laboratory’s capabilities.

The meeting was attended by the external and internal members of the Steering Committee, including: Executive Vice President of Electronic Transformation at the Information and eGovernment Authority, Dr. Zakaria Ahmed Al-Khaja, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Services at the Benefit Bahrain Company, Yousif AlNefaiei, Assistant General Manager of Marketing and Innovation at Benefit, Nezar Maroof, Associate Professor In the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Riyad Ksantini, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Hesham Mohammed Al-Ammal, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Qaddoumi, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Dr. Abdullah Ahmed Al-Asa’adi.

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