Abu Dhabi: XPANSE 2024 promises science and tech experience that 'relates to everyone'

An immersive science and technology symposium — XPANSE — is making its Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi next week.

From November 20 to 22, XPANSE will bring together as many as 2,500 professionals including Nobel Prize winners and global science and tech leaders, who will showcase pioneering ideas at ADNEC exhibition hall through engaging short sessions held over immersive stages.

The event includes startup pitch sessions which are expected to spark new business opportunities, said Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Chief Commercial Officer of ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.

Chief Creator of XPANSE Dr Zina Cinker said the event infuses science-tech and art so that "everyone can relate to it".

“As we bring those world-renowned sciences it is very important to make it understandable, because science is so far away from people’s minds, but science belongs to humanity not only to scientists.”

“In keeping with the vision of XPANSE, all our talks are eight minutes long. We sit down with the scientists and allow them to tell us what story they’re going to tell, and then we craft it with our creative agency to create artistic representations of their ideas.”

Main figures to present at XPANSE include Dr Steven Chu, Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr Anton Zeilinger, Nobel Prize-winning physicist in quantum physics, and Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder of WPP and CEO of S4 Capital.

Key discussions will address the future of communications, including 6G and Industry 5.0, bio-inspired AI, developments in materials science, genomics, brain-machine interfaces, and precision medicine.

XPANSE is hosted by ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, and held in partnership with the international think tank managed by Dr Cinker – MATTER, and Technology Innovation Institute (TII).