Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, located in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., is a private not-for-profit, independent, graduate-level, research-driven institute developed with the support and cooperation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The goal of Masdar Institute is to develop, over time, indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi with a focus towards advanced energy and sustainable technologies (www.masdar.ac.ae).  At present, the Institute grants graduate degrees in five programs: (i) Engineering Systems Management (ESM), (ii) Mechanical Engineering (ME), (iii) Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), (iv) Water & Environmental Engineering (WEE), and (v) Information Technology (IT).  The Institute follows a program-based structure rather than a department-based structure in order to foster collaborative projects and cross-disciplinary research. As a result, laboratory facilities and instrumentation are shared amongst faculty and programs.