AUS Connect Fall 2013 by ODAA

ISSUE 11 | FALL 2013

AUS Hosts the MENA Economic Forum Sharjah 2013 Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), the MENA Economic Forum 2013 (MEF) concluded successfully with about 500 high ranking government and industry leaders, economists and educators attending the forum from about 25 countries and over about 70 top level speakers taking part in panel discussions on a variety of topics. “MEF 2013 was a landmark event as it demonstrated the lead leading role that the Emirate of Sharjah and UAE play in promoting dialogue and discussion between the Middle East and other regions of the world with a view to promoting stability and prosperity for its people and for securing their future’, said Peter Heath, Chancellor of AUS. He went on to comment “We are satisfied with the high level participation and ideas exchanged at MEF 2013 and were pleased to host it on our campus. It is a testament to our standing as a leading educator in the region and our appeal among key industry leaders and government officials. We thank Euromed and CAPMena for facilitating the forum and the enthusiastic support of our internal organizing team.”

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi addressing the guests at the Forum

Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, member of MEF 2013 Organizing Committee, said: “The brightest minds from our region and Europe have had a rare opportunity to

His Highness in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, His Excellency Dr. Anwar Gargash, His Excellency Jack Lang, His Excellency Philippe Douste-Blazy, Trustee Hamid D. Jafar, Her Excellency Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al Qassimi, Her Excellency Sheikha Nawar Al Qassimi, Chancellor Peter Heath, and Vice Chancellor Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah along with other University guests

European and Arab companies wishing to develop their skills, expand their network of influence and contribute to better mutual understanding. MEF 2013 hosted a series of panel discussions aimed at exploring areas for mutually beneficial partnerships between the MENA region and Europe. The discussions were in answer to His Highness’ call for increased cultural and economic interaction and cooperation between the East and the West in infrastructure, energy, water, finance, education and healthcare. These included ‘Challenges and Opportunities in the Aftermath of the Arab Spring,’ ‘Infrastructure and Energy: Building Resources for the Future,’ ‘Finance: In Support of Today’s Massive MENA Requirements’ and ‘Education and Healthcare: Meeting Higher Standards.’ Panelists were of the opinion that high impact partnerships could be developed between the EU and MENA in the fields of finance, health and education that would bring long term benefit to their growing populations and economies. His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan addressing the audience

share information and ideas on a variety of topics in an open and frank manner over the last two days. They have commented on the growing need for more engagement and exchange between our regions in an atmosphere of equality and openness, especially as in the changing world of today our futures seem to be increasingly intertwined. Our strengths complement each other, our cultures are now closer and our economies face the same challenges. The MEF 2013 will most probably be remembered as a conference where a new era in EastWest cooperation began.” Highlights of the conference included the tripartite agreement between AUS, CAPMena and Le Groupe Euromed Management for the Euro MENA Chair of Management as a blueprint for East-West cooperation and a format for future partnerships. The partnership agreement, signed at the forum in the presence of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, creates a unique chair of training, research and exchange. This will benefit students, entrepreneurs, executives and managers of

Key attendees and speakers included His Highness Sheikh Sultan, His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sheikhah Hour Bint Sultan Al Qassimi, President of the Sharjah Arts Foundation,

H.E. Jack Lang addressing the audience

H.E. Homaid Al Shemmari, H.E. Bariza Khiari, H.E. Jack Lang, H.E. Dr. Anwar Gargash, H.E. Philippe Douste-Blazy, and H.E. Miguel Àngel Moratinos, in the Inaugural Session moderated by Dr. Peter Heath and Professor Bernard Belletante

H.E. Lionel Zinsou, H.E. Simon Henderson, H.E. Anne Lauvergeon, H.E. Sheikh Khalid Bin Jaber Al Thani, H.E. Ahmed Tibaoui, H.E. Fouad Makhzoumi, and H.E. Saeed Al Mazrouei, in the Inaugural Session moderated by Mr. Ali Jaber

Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Thani, Director General of the Sharjah Statistics Center, Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qassimi, Director of the Ruler’s Office. Present were also Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development, Hamid Jafar Member of the AUS Board of Trustees and Mr. President of the Crescent Petroleum; Dr. Amr Abdul Hamid Advisor to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for Higher Education, Mr. Maroun Samaan,

Member of the AUS Board of Trustees, and President of Petrofac, H.E. Jack Lang, President of Arab World Institute and Former Minister of Culture in France. Sponsors included Mubadala Aerospace, Mubadala STRATA, AXA Insurance, Emirates Aluminum, ATIC, Petrofac; Ahmed Seddiqi and Sons, Bee’ah, Total, Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development, KEF Holding, Sharjah Holding, Global Energy Holding Company, and Veolia Environment.

H.E. Mohamed Ben Laden, H.E. Salah Al Shamsi, H.E. Saif Al Gafli, Mr. Mazen Al Sawwaf, Mr. Bora Yidilz, Dr. Afnan Al Shuaiby, Mr. Régis Arnoux, Mr. Patrice Fonlladosa, and Mr. Ali Nouri, in the Infrastructures & Utilities Panel

Dr. Peter Heath, Mr. Bernard Paranque, Dr. Hala Taweel, Mr. Thami Ghorfi, Mr. Sultan Al Haji, Mr. Edouard Tétreau, and Mr. Maurice Aboukrat, in the Education & Healthcare Panel moderated by Dr. Thomas Hochstettler

A Note From Acting Chancellor Hochstettler balance, we could provide you, our students, with a superior brand of education that would lead you to success not only in your first job, but also throughout your entire career. In the pages of earlier issues of AUS Connect, you have read the stories of dozens of AUS alums who, armed with the distinctive education that we have provided them, have gone forward from their day of graduation to make a success of themselves in myriad fields of human endeavor. And in each of these stories, we have seen evidence that suggests that we are indeed doing something right at AUS. This issue of AUS Connect continues that tradition of telling alumni stories. These pages reveal how several trendsetters and visionaries among our alumni have navigated their way into wonderful careers. Each story is full of human drama: like that of two graduates who followed their dreams to found a successful boatbuilding company; an engineer who plans to funnel engineers to AUS for further training; a 29-year old with his own contracting company; a large number of alumni blending their work experience with masters and doctoral studies abroad; a social worker for ArabAmericans in New York City; three alumni called “Arabs with Altitude” who scaled Mount Everest; the first female weightlifter in the UAE; and AUS filmmakers at the famed Cannes Film Festival in France.

By now, you’ve heard it said a hundred times: An AUS education combines the technical skills to know how to do a job with the soft skills that it takes to succeed in that job. It is a mantra that we who live and work at AUS take very seriously and try to live by every single day. It is our primary message to potential students who are contemplating whether to come to AUS or to go instead to a perhaps less expensive but perfectly reputable institution elsewhere, an institution perhaps where liberal learning, communication skills, analytical thinking are less valued than they are at AUS. And it happens to be something that I believe in deeply, this combination of hard knowledge with the ability to think. Ever since its founding in 1997, the academic leadership of the American University of Sharjah has striven to create a university that reflects the best traditions of an American-style university, always within the distinctive culture of the Arab world we call home. In establishing the programs of study at AUS, deans and faculty have therefore worked very hard over the years to strike a fine balance between courses that provide solid factual and technical grounding in a profession on the one hand, and courses that provide a more broadly based understanding of how the world works and how human beings interact on the other. It was hoped then, as it is our intention still today, that by achieving the right

Beyond recounting the stories of alumni success that validate the AUS educational mission, this issue highlights several on-campus events, including most notable two conferences—the MENA Economic Forum and the Conference on Philanthropy and Higher Education—that brought together governmental and corporate delegates, diplomats, and ministers of state from dozens of countries to deliberate on how to resolve some of the most vexing problems confronting the Middle East today. This is a packed issue, and I encourage you to read every page. You will see for yourself the activities of the AUS alumni and the record of pivotal events that are a part now of AUS life, all of which renders your alma mater an acknowledged source of best ideas and best practices for our age. I hope that you enjoy these features as much as we have enjoyed putting them together for you. Please allow me to take this opportunity to wish you every success in your current and future activities. And come back soon and often to visit us at AUS. We would love to see you. Sincerely, Dr. Thomas J. Hochstettler Acting Chancellor

AUS and du Announce AED 5 Million du Scholarship

5 Mr. Osman Sultan along with Acting Chancellor Dr. Thomas Hochstettler

American University of Sharjah (AUS) and du announced the establishment of an AED 5 million du scholarship, on May 13. The scholarship will enable meritorious students who are financially challenged to access the excellent education provided at AUS. Acting AUS Chancellor Dr. Thomas Hochstettler expressed his gratitude for du’s far-sighted investment in developing the region’s knowledge economy and human potential to the fullest. “We at AUS applaud companies such as du which are aggressively promoting the knowledge economy by integrating higher education with their strategic thinking about the future of the UAE. du will support AUS in educating young men and women and develop the advanced skills and the human resources necessary to take the Gulf forward for generations to come as set forth by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of American University of Sharjah,” he said. “Such scholarships are the material representation of the university’s mandate to connect with and engage various sectors of society. Our emphasis on academic excellence and integrity is well known and allows us to link with other entities that share the same values,” said Dr. Hochstettler. “Our vision includes being integrated

organically with the industrial, economic and cultural sectors of society, to become a center of research that addresses proactively the challenges faced by society through creative and forward looking solutions.” Osman Sultan, CEO, du, remarked, “We believe that education is the best investment one can make, and as a UAE national company the onus is on us to support efforts in this direction through our corporate sustainability initiatives. With the scholarship our intention is to support financially challenged meritorious students to study at AUS. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and it is vital that they be helped to prepare for their future roles at leading educational institutions such as AUS.” AUS Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah commented, “Assisting bright minds to attain their full educational potential could only enrich the social and professional fabric of the UAE and beyond. The UAE is increasingly empowering the intellectual capabilities of its young forthcoming workforce to further enhance the advancement and productivity of the region.” Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah added “du’s generous initiative will provide opportunities for talented students to pursue their educational ambition without being hindered by financial constraint and to contribute their full potential to the enhancement of the human capital in their respective societies.”

AUS and Chalhoub Launch Region’s First Luxury Brand Management Professorship

Dr. Thomas Hochstettler and Mr. Patrick Chalhoub during the launch of the Professorship, in the presence of Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Dr. Nicholas Ashill and other officials.

American University of Sharjah (AUS), one of the leading universities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, announced the launch of the first Luxury Brand Management Professorship in the MENA region. The professorship fulfills the need for a niche academic and talent development program that meets the specific demands of the luxury brand sector in the region. To this effect, AUS recently signed an agreement with Chalhoub Group, the leading partner for luxury brands across the Middle East. Senior executives of Chalhoub Group will act as advisors to develop and update the course structure and content so that it reflects new developments in the world of luxury brand management. The luxury brand management course introduces students to the theoretical and understanding of product development, distribution and communication that

at AUS practical pricing, appeals

to luxury consumers. It provides students with knowledge and skills to navigate issues including the balancing of desirability and accessibility of luxury, to manage a luxury brand over time and to create and build new and aspirational luxury brands. They receive the right blend of academic instruction and real-world experience as they are trained to apply concepts regarding consumer behavior and brand management to real-life luxury products and service examples. The course covers various sections of luxury brand management including fashion, cosmetics, fragrances, jewelry, cars, hotels and real estate. Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, AUS Acting Chancellor, outlined the impact the professorship will have on the region and said, “The professorship is a welcome innovation in the educational landscape of the Middle East. “This collaboration epitomizes our university’s commitment to forging pioneering partnerships in emerging fields. The Chalhoub Group is a leading entity in the field of luxury goods and this

collaboration reflects our desire to leverage the best knowledge and expertise available in that area. We sincerely hope that our mutual commitment in this endeavor will prove highly fruitful.”

special requirements of the luxury brands sector in the region. He said, “The AUS Luxury Brand Management Professorship represents a milestone in the growth of our marketing discipline.

Patrick Chalhoub, Group CEO, Chalhoub Group, announced the partnership and said, “Our partnership with AUS is in line with our guiding principles to empower the youth of the Arab World, and more specifically GCC nationals, by supporting academic institutes in the Middle East. We believe in this region and the role of youth in promoting and leading businesses on to the next level. We are proud of our collaboration with a prestigious institution of higher learning such as AUS and are certain that they will be able to develop excellent graduate students capable of growing luxury businesses across the Middle East and internationally.”

This new senior marketing course was developed drawing upon best practice curriculum from HEC Paris and the University of Bocconi, Milan. We have put together a schedule of inspirational readings and will host fantastic speakers who bring regional relevance to luxury brand management. We also support academic research on luxury branding and have begun work on projects examining luxury brand extensions and brand charisma. Equally, we are now in a position to channel our students into internship programs at leading luxury brand companies in the region.”

Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, AUS Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, was one of the key drivers in conceiving and crafting the agreement with Chalhoub Group. She said, “The AUS Luxury Brand Management Professorship presents students with new luxury business models grounded in anti-laws of marketing and reinforced through readings, case studies and course projects for practical application and experiential learning. It allows students to meet with key luxury experts from the Chalhoub Group and lets them relate to the realworld context of the branding process. Students also have the chance to be guided by mentors identified by the Chalhoub Group, who will support and direct them through their projects.” Dr. Nicholas Ashill of the AUS School of Business and Management assumes the responsibilities and duties of the professorship. A contributor to various international marketing journals and recipient of global awards, he has worked closely with several luxury brands to develop a contemporary and relevant curriculum that takes into account the

Vice Chancellor Mourtada’s MENA Economic Forum’s Address AUS Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs, and Dr. Hashem Dezhbakhsh, AUS Dean of School of Business and Management. it is my distinct honor to welcome you all to the MENA Economic Forum that conjoins the Middle East with Europe. Appropriately, EuroMed based in Marseilles (one of the leading business schools in Europe as recently showcased in the Financial Times ranking), and the American University of Sharjah, a leading hub of learning, educational pursuit and scientific research in the GCC and beyond, jointly organized this Forum. The MENA Economic Forum represents one dimension of the collaboration between the City of Marseilles in France and the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates within the private, educational, and cultural sectors. In addition to the many points of business articulation, both partners are developing the unique niches of their cultural and historical heritage. Marseilles Aix en Provence has the honor of having been selected as the cultural capital of Europe for 2013 and Sharjah, as I am sure we all recall, was selected by UNESCO as the cultural capital of the Arab World in 1998 and as the cultural capital of the Islamic World in 2014.

Your Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, President of the American University of Sharjah, our Founder, Your Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE, Your Excellency Anwar Gargash, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs, UAE, Monsieur Le Ambassador de France, Alain Azouaou, Monsieur Le President of Arab Institute Jack Lang, Monsieur Le Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, Esteemed members of the AUS Board of Trustees Mr. Hamid D. Jafaar, and Mr. Maroun Semaan, Your Excellencies, Fellow members of the MENA Economic Forum Organizing Board, Distinguished Guests. On behalf of fellow members of the organizing committee, Dr. Peter Heath, AUS Chancellor, Pr. Bernard Belletante, Dean of Euromed Management, FrancoisAissa Touazi, President, CAPmena, Mr. Salem Y. Al Qaseer,

We are honored to convene this Forum under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, who founded and is the President of our host institution, the American University of Sharjah. His Highness is considered as a “Father” of Applied Intellectualism in the UAE and beyond for he encouraged the pursuit of knowledge in universities, cultural institutions, and museums of many sorts. Their halls of learning and bedazzling settings, like those of University City where we convene today, were designed to train the youth of the Middle East to seek solutions for the pressing problems of the day. We may therefore think of this “applied intellectualism” as deriving the learned principles about how societies, economies, and even the environment work, to arrive at solutions to the problems that confront our peoples. We gather here for precisely that purpose – to strategize and then work out ways to “fast-track” economic growth in MENA in alliance with our partners in Southern Europe. It is quite a distinct honor to be in the company of such high powered intellectual participants representing the governments of the circum-Mediterranean countries. These distinguished representatives are here to share

their wealth of expertise in collectively conceptualizing the most appropriate solutions for the present state of our respective economies. The presence of so many high-ranking officials and leaders testifies to the magnitude of our purpose. Our overarching goal is to work out how governments, businesses, and a plethora of cultural and educational organizations can work more closely together to raise productivity standards for the benefit of all and successfully bridge the unemployment gap.

Investment in human and physical infrastructure creates the requisite factors to channel and absorb the growing young workforce in MENA. The expertise assembled from government and the private sector today sees firsthand how good policies translate into good jobs. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly what we are focusing on for the next two days under the aegis of His Highness. Thank you all for being our partners in this significant undertaking. Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs & Professor of International Studies

From the perspective of historical context, it is not coincidental that we convene at the American University of Sharjah, in the Emirate of Sharjah. His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, founded AUS to â&#x20AC;&#x153;seedâ&#x20AC;? an inclusive society with trained leaders and skilled and innovative professionals of both genders. Higher education thus joins institutions specifically designed and envisioned by His Highness for empowering and advancing the well-being of young professionals in the early years of their careers. The Emirate of Sharjah and His Highness himself through personal daily attention in spite of his very busy governmental schedule are widely recognized for bettering the day-to-day living of all social sectors and for initiating change that will render greater social and economic equanimity as its long-term strategic goal. Last year commemorated the 40th anniversary of accession of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi to the rulership of Sharjah. These four decades have seen breath-taking developments at home and abroad in culture, heritage, the arts, and science, on many fronts, as well as the great participation of citizens in the rapidly expanding private sector and capacity-building initiatives of all sorts in the Emirates. Sharjah has received awards as the cultural capital of the Arab world for its many museums and universities and is widely recognized for blazing the way to leadership in business, science, engineering, and the arts. In short, Sharjah through the vision of His Highness has established itself as a tolerant society steeped in its values and mindful of its culture where talents in many forms are nourished for the benefit of all.

His Highness Attends a Lecture by Nobel Laureate Dr. Thomas Sargent In his opening remarks, Dr. Hochstettler thanked His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for attending the lecture. “It is good to remind ourselves that from small but ambitious beginnings we have become a globally recognized university, with a faculty of high distinction and a student body of unbounded creative energy,” he added. Speaking to a packed house of students, educators and government officials, Dr. Sargent addressed the question of whether a country should or should not join a currency union. He pointed out a key reason to join a currency union as being government’s expectation that a foreign entity will finance its debt burden. He added that a clear reason not to join currency union is the discomfort caused by the fiscal and monetary discipline imposed by the larger entity. Commenting on the European crisis, Dr. Sargent said, “The problem with the European Union has been that it has not outlined what policies its member states can expect in a crisis situation. Will they get bailed out? The terms of the union are not clear and its ambiguous policy has led to decision making being delayed. Today, we are witnessing interplay of a diverse group of voters with conflicting interests within each group.”

Nobel Laureate Dr. Thomas Sargent addressing the audience

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), attended a lecture by Nobel Laureate Dr. Thomas Sargent, 2011 Nobel Prize winner in economics and one of the 20 most-cited economists in the world. Entitled “Euro Crisis: Sources and Its Global Implications,” the lecture inaugurated American University of Sharjah’s annual Nobel Laureate Lecture Series. The lecture that was held on May 12, was attended by Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qassimi, Director General of the Ruler’s Office; Dr. Amr Abdel Hamid, Advisor to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for Higher Education; members of AUS Board of Trustees Mr. Hamid D. Jafar, Chairman and CEO, Crescent Petroleum Company, and Mr. Maroun A. Semaan, President and CEO, Petrofac International; and Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, AUS Provost and Acting Chancellor.

He gave examples of Panama, Ecuador and Zimbabwe as being, in effect, in a state of currency union with the US as they have adopted the US Dollar as their currency. “But the question of currency union is a superficial one,” added Dr. Sargent. “The deeper question is whether a country should or should not pay its debt. Monetary union presents an opportunity to any country to avoid paying its debt as the larger, merged entity can take over its debt burden.”

His Highness along with H.E. Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qassimi, AUS Trustee Maroun A. Semaan, Dr. Amr Abdel Hamid, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Vice Chancellors Mourtada, Al Shehi, Al Qaseer, Shuhaimy, and McDaniel, and Deans Dezhbakhsh and Di Sabatino

as they have to be more disciplined due to lessons learned from the European crisis. “Every currency that pegs itself to the dollar has to be very close to a currency union. But I cannot answer the question of whether the GCC countries should enter a monetary union or not; it is for the stakeholders alone,” he added. Earlier, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah met with Dr. Thomas Sargent at AUS and exchanged views on the global economic situation. The meeting was also attended by senior AUS officials.

Current Dean Dr. Hashem Dezhbakhsh addressing the audience

At a subsequent briefing session where he fielded questions from journalists from across the GCC, Dr. Sargent touched upon the issue of the GCC Monetary Union and declared that he wanted to see more Sharia compliant financing contracts in the US. He said that he was very impressed by the equity-based contracts of Sharia compliant financing. “Sharia compliant contracts make better economic sense. We in the US are highly levered with our debt. We should have more equity, a sharing of profit as well as risk. It is a mystery to me why we don’t see more Sharia compliant contracts in the US,” concluded Dr. Sargent. Speaking to a group of journalists from across the GCC after his lecture, Dr. Thomas Sargent said that a monetary union will cut the ability that governments have of fiscal adjustments within their own economies

Thomas J. Sargent was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Economics, which he shared with Princeton University’s Christopher Sims, for empirical research on cause and effect in the macro-economy. He is the first W.R. Berkley Professor, appointed in September 2002, by NYU’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Stern School of Business. Among his books are Rational Expectations and Econometric Practice, with Robert E. Lucas Jr., University of Minnesota Press, 1981; The Big Problem of Small Change, with Francois Velde, Princeton University Press, 2002; Recursive Macroeconomic Theory, with Lars Ljungqvist, MIT Press, 2004; and Robustness, with Lars Peter Hansen, Princeton University Press, 2008. Professor Sargent is past president of the Econometric Society, the American Economic Association and the Society for Economic Dynamics. He earned his PhD from Harvard University in 1968 and was a first lieutenant and captain in the US Army. He was a university medalist as Most Distinguished Scholar in the Class of 1964 and won the Nemmers Prize in Economics in 1997. Professor Sargent was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, both in 1983.

Alumni Basel and Nour Sail on their Business “Al Marakeb”

It started as a dare, when Basel Shuhaiber was studying architecture at AUS and his classmates bet him that he couldn’t build the boat he said he could in his backyard. However, he proved them wrong and he decided to go into business by founding Al Marakeb, a company that makes boats. Alumna Nour Al Sayyed, joined Basel in Al Marakeb as head of design and production, after studying industrial design in Italy. Nour and Basel share their story with AUS Connect. Alumna Noor Al Sayyed at work in Al Marakeb

Could you please introduce yourself in a few lines?

Basel: My name is Basel Shuhaiber and I was born in 1983. I graduated from AUS with a bachelor of science in architecture. I was an active child with a passion for water sports and an eye for detail, my dream since childhood was to become an architect. Today I am the managing partner and the director of Al Marakeb – UAE Boat Manufacturing Company. Nour: Born in August 1984, I spent my childhood in Kuwait before moving to the UAE. I graduated from AUS in 2007 with a degree in architecture and then enrolled at the Florence Design Academy in Italy in 2007 to pursue my master’s degree in industrial design. I have been at Al Marakeb since 2008, but had never previously thought about being in the boating industry. However, this role is both interesting and productive, and it goes hand in hand with my pursuit for spontaneity. Basel, how was the idea of Al Marakeb born?

It all started out as a bet. During my third year at university, my friends challenged me to build a boat. Little did they know about my perseverance and dedication; I started building the very first boat in my backyard. Encouraged by family members as well as my friends who defied me, I started building a few other models, and what started out as a hobby is now my passion and drive and a UAE brand name today.

How did your AUS education in Architecture help you found your own business?

The architecture curriculum at AUS served as a foundation for my designs and business today. The extensive program empowered me to visualize an idea and create a tangible living space. A strategy I acquired throughout the years is my conception of boats and the challenges of fluid dynamics. They are in fact, very much like buildings – rather than resting on land, they lay on water and only when I conquered this rationale was I able to build any type of watercrafts. What are some of the challenges you face as an emerging entrepreneur in Dubai?

The challenges I faced as I entered this business were many. Venturing into this industry at a young age with limited experience, I endured many obstacles legally as well as in terms of production. Licensing the brand name as well as other administrative issues certainly wasn’t easy and extremely time consuming. In terms of production, we struggled to locate the right area and size of land where we could produce an adequate number of boats in order for the business to be efficient and effective. Al Marakeb had to move to three different locations within six years! What makes Al Marakeb stand out?

It is certainly the personalization options, which we offer. At Al Marakeb people build their own boats. They have the final say in design and are greatly involved in production, with technical guidance from our team, of

course, to ensure safety and functionality. We design what they imagine their boat to be and we work with them to craft this vision. Until now, Al Marakeb has never sold two identical boats; each boat that has ever left the factory was tailored to its owner’s requirements and wishes. Where do you see Al Marakeb in five years?

I see Al Marakeb building boats to be sold globally. We are, without a doubt, a small fish but I believe that Al Marakeb will make it big! In 2011 Al Marakeb produced 25 boats, in 2012 we produced 50 and in 2013 we are aiming to produce 70 boats. Five years from now we would like to be building in the range of 300 boats with a vast network of international agents and client base.

feed: wherein deals are closed and are scheduled in production. This requires design and technical feedback as well as approving new strategies to attract more clients. Along with some administrative work, I always communicate with my clients whose boats are in production to update them on the progress, design, and implementation. Towards the end of my day, I follow up with clients who have already received their boats to check on performance and schedule any maintenance or service work that is due. What motivated you to join Basel, your fellow alumnus, in Al Marakeb, since it was a new start up?

Before Basel and I graduated from AUS, he had started

What is your advice for your fellow alumni interested in starting their own businesses?

Success comes from hard work; calculators and business plans don’t make success they are only one means to the end. I advise you all, my fellow alumni with an entrepreneurial spirit, to dedicate time in personally resolving all matters - the smallest details and the biggest problems, to care about the staff - from junior to management, and most importantly to always be ahead of the game, to plan in advance and to always have a Plan B. Finally, I advise you to live your dream day in and day out till it happens, because limitations are only in your minds. A chat with Nour: 13

Nour, how did you first become interested in architecture? Has it always been a passion for you?

Raised amidst a background of contracting and interior design, I have always been aware of the architecture field. But I only became passionate about it when I started learning and practicing, and exploring the rich history behind it, how it evolved and the wide spectrum of possibilities that it holds. You completed a master’s degree in industrial design, in Italy. How was that different from your AUS education?

With a reputable team of educators, a well-rounded curriculum, top notch equipment and tools, AUS offers excellent educational facilities and interactive opportunities. Florence on the other hand, while also offering exceptional “in-classroom” education, was a city which was a constant educational inspiration. My learning experience in Italy was absorbed from the atmosphere in which I resided, from an architectural, artistic and design perspective, given that this city was the birth place of many influential designers in our field. You are currently head of design and production at Al Marakeb. What is a typical day like for you?

My day starts with production schedules and getting everything on track so that the day is set for the workers. I coordinate between production and procurement and ensure that all materials are available to avoid any hiccups or delays in schedule. Then I get the sales

building his first boat. Watching it in the making and seeing it get crafted was very impressive. However, I never thought I would be part of this world one day. After graduation, and after much reflection about my future and career, I was very attracted to the idea of doing something different. And after a year in Italy I knew that my future could be at Al Marakeb. The fact that it was a start-up was a challenge and an opportunity rather than a hurdle. The level of energy, motivation, and determination was intensified from the day we started up till now. Nothing feels better than the feeling of creating. Creating ideas, building them, meeting clients and watching them take home a product of your own hard work; it’s addictive and never gets old! Where do you see Al Marakeb in five years?

In 5 years, Al Marakeb will have a gone a long way. Having perfected our assembly line and with a larger production capability we will be catering to the global demand we surely will be receiving.

AUS Business Forum Bridges Industry and Higher Education to Promote Economic Development in the Region

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurates the annual AUS Business Forum along with H.E. Ahmed Al Midfa, Trustee Riad T. Sadek, Mr. Osman Sultan, Mr. Majid Jafar, Vice Chancellor Dr. Nada MourtadaSabbah, and guests of the University

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the annual AUS Business Forum and Career Fair at the University on March 18.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at AUS believe deeply that higher education and business can and must work in partnership to ensure a robust and prosperous future for this and succeeding generations. As a university in and of Sharjah, in and of the UAE, American University of Sharjah takes to heart its mandate to produce leaders in all fields of human

The opening of the event, which is being held in partnership with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, drew a large number of senior officials from the government as well as the private sector. Organized by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at AUS, the AUS Business Forum gathers eminent business leaders from the private sector whose presence allows for the sharing of bold, creative ideas on business development and growth in the region. As mandated by the Sharjah Ruler and supported by the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board of trustees, AUS has been at the forefront of partnering education and business and is recognized throughout the region for playing its part in encouraging such collaborations. Welcoming the delegates on the occasion, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Acting Chancellor and Provost, said:

H.E. Ahmed Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressing the audience

Mr. Majid H. Jafar, Chief Executive Officer of Crescent Petroleum and SCCI Board Member, in an exclusive interview session hosting Mr. Arif Al Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of The Abraaj Group

Mr. Hamish Gordon Tyrwhitt, Chief Executive Officer of the Leighton Group, Australia, addressing the audience

activity, and nowhere is our commitment stronger than in educating the business leaders for the future.”

leaders on many important topics and issues which need to be addressed.”

Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, also welcomed the delegates to the event. “We gather today to demonstrate how business and university can partner to better sustain a diversified and vibrant national economy. This formula for the present and future must bring together the best in development and promotion of the private sector, with far-sighted governmental leadership, along with leading university scholars and scientists, who innovate,” she said.

“Given the importance and significance of the forum and the stimulating panels associated with the day, in addition to you valuable partnership, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry is keen on future partnership with AUS,” added Al Midfa.

Ahmed Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also spoke on the occasion. He said it was a great pleasure to be in partnership with the AUS Business Forum. “The Business Forum represents a powerful platform for viewing models of practical experience and success stories of business. It is also a valuable opportunity for exchange in dialogue and consultation with a number of experienced industry

Other keynote speakers at the opening session included Hamish Gordon Tyrwhitt, Chief Executive Officer, Leighton Group, Australia; Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company (du), UAE; Arif Masood Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, The Abraaj Group; and Thomas Lundgren, Founder, THE One. “I am often asked what the recipe for success is. The reality is there no such thing as a simple formula. We must each find our own formula for success in life and business,” said Tyrwhitt, addressing the audience. He said that the measures of success varied enormously and shared his ideas for some pragmatic foundations of

Mr. Kamal Hassan, Ms. Hind Seddiqi, Mr. Abdullatif Al-Sayegh, Mr. Liam Wholey, Dr. Mohammad Ayish, and Dr. Mahboub Hashem, in the Social Media & Creative Technologies Panel moderated by Dr. Fadi Aloul

Mr. Marwan Al Serkal, Mr. Ziad Makhzoumi, and Mr. Philippe Dessoy, in the Innovative Trends in Entrepreneurship and Finance Panel moderated by Dr. Cleve McDaniel

H.E. Sanjay Verma, Mr. Habib Fekih, Mr. Sanjiv Mehta, Ms. Nariman Al Awadhi, and Mr. Yousuf Bastaki, in the Economic Outlook Panel moderated by Dr. Hashem Dezhbakhsh

success. These were: vision, which could be defined as the clarity of one’s goal; and values, which comprised honesty, loyalty and fairness. During his keynote presentation, Sultan said change was a constant in life and that it never stops. “The world does not stop changing. Change is in our DNA. When change comes fast, we feel it as a disturbance. When this change is disruptive, we see it as a crisis.” He added that being connected is becoming a basic human right. “There are new patterns for creativity, education, innovation and hierarchy models. I believe the digital age is an enabler of positive transformation in this region,” he said. In an engaging interview session conducted by Majid Jafar, Chief Executive Officer of Crescent Petroleum, Naqvi talked about the great scope and possibilities present in the region and spoke of a new world order which was emerging as new sources of economic growth lead us all to rethink our common future. He noted that there were vast opportunities ahead as well as challenges and the best way to define the way forward was to engage with stakeholders to create sustainable businesses and sustainable communities. “Working with academic institutions and engaging with our youth are critical to our regional and global success,” he added.

In his address, Lundgren observed that a vision without a plan was just a dream. “To become a successful entrepreneur you need to be both naive and stupid and you need to be at the right place at the right time,” he said. He said that we all had the same focus, questions, problems and dreams and that we all wanted the same thing. What was important, he added, was to determine what one’s legacy will be. He urged the students to find their purpose and to live it and advised them to follow their heart. Speaking at the event, Tirad Al-Mahmoud, CEO of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, UAE, said that this was an excellent forum which combined an exchange of ideas on current developments in economics and finance with a platform for young people looking to take their first steps into the business world. “Through our participation, we are encouraging students to look at business in a new way, to examine how a high ethical business model can lead to a fairer economic system,” he said. The opening was also attended by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Central Finance Department, Sharjah; Amr Abdel Hamid, Advisor to His

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, in a souvenir photo with the speakers of the AUS Business Forum and guests of the University

Mr. Marc Richili, Mr. Alexandre Mussallam, Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, and Mr. Fouad Kraishan, in the Energy & the Environment Panel moderated by Dr. Thomas Hochstettler

Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for Higher Education; and members of the AUS Board of Trustees Riad T. Sadek and Maroun A. Semaan; along with senior university officials, faculty members, students, and members of the media. An art exhibition is also running concurrently with the AUS Business Forum and Career Fair featuring work by Qatari artists Ali Hassan, Salman Al Malik and Amal AlAthem, and Emirati artists Dr. Najat Mekki, Ismail Al Rifai, Abdul Gader Al Rays, Abdul Rahim Salem and Khalifa Al Shimi. The exhibition is viewed as an investment in the cultural creativity of the Gulf. The exhibition is also part of the “Art through the University and Community Dialogue” initiative originated by AUS last year for the purpose of building relationships between educators and artists. The annual Career Fair will be held tomorrow, March 19, and will provide AUS seniors and alumni with the opportunity to meet representatives from the private and public sectors interested in recruiting students and graduates as either full-time employees or interns.

More than 70 local and multinational companies will be exhibiting during the event, most from the United Arab Emirates but many from other countries as well. Both the AUS Business Forum and Career Fair provide an opportunity for policy-makers, scholars and business leaders to share dynamic experiences, professional advice and trade opportunities with tomorrow’s regional and global leaders, at AUS. Sponsors include: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Barclays Bank, STRATA, Mubadala Aerospace, UAE Central Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Waha Capital, Crescent Petroleum, Unilever, National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Petrofac International Ltd., United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Airbus, Xerox Emirates, Cummins Middle East, Alsayegh Media, The Saudi British Bank (SABB), Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Veolia Water Services and Technologies, The Chalhoub Group, Shell, Nestle Middle East, Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Al Serkal Group of Companies, Mars GCC, Accenture, L’Oreal Middle East, Yahsat, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Khalifa University.

National and Regional Companies Flock to AUS Career Fair

Vice Chancellor Salem Al Qaseer inaugurates the AUS Career Fair, along with Ms. Rania Morsi, Mr. Yassine Otmani, Mr. Rami Jaber, Mr. Mohamad Al Mufti, Mr. Nitin Gogia and Mr. Mubashir Shaikh, of the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

Following the tremendous success of the annual Business Forum held at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), the university hosted the Career Fair on March 19, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of AUS. The Career Fair was inaugurated by Mr. Salem Yousef Al Qaseer, AUS Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs. The annual Career Fair, organized by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, provides AUS seniors and alumni with the opportunity to meet representatives from the private and public sectors interested in recruiting students and graduates as either full-time employees or interns. More than 70 local and multinational companies were present at the event, most from the United Arab Emirates but many from around the region as well. Some of the organizations present at the event included Crescent Petroleum, Petrofac International Ltd, Alsayegh Media, L’Oreal Middle East, Accenture, Mars GCC, Cummins Middle East, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank among others. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, said: “The Career Fair is characterized as a link between the AUS laboratory, where students have been equipped with skills and knowledge as influential young thinkers of tomorrow, and the world of work. Graduating seniors and alumni have the ease of interfacing with a multitude of company officers all present at one venue, which permits the exploration of various career paths and the professional opportunities that are assembled at the fair. We are very proud of our continued association with leading companies and business partners present here today.” Through the Career Fair, AUS graduating seniors and

alumni have the opportunity to interact with several companies all in one location. In turn, the companies are able to meet well-qualified candidates for jobs in their businesses. According to Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman, Unilever MENA: “As a leading consumer goods company, at Unilever we believe in our responsibility to help develop the local talent of tomorrow. Forums like this provide the students with the opportunity to interact, engage and get inspired by industry experts on the role that they can play in the future.” Mohammad Sadiyah, Director General of Khatib and Alami, Consolidated Engineering Company, expressed pride at being one of the sponsors of the successful career fair. “This emphasizes the importance of strengthening the partnership between institutions of higher education and the private sector. It is an ideal chance for students to be close to the practical life’s experience and career opportunity,” he said, stressing the keen interest of his company in its active involvement in corporate responsibility. Sponsors include: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Barclays Bank, STRATA, Mubadala Aerospace, UAE Central Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Waha Capital, Crescent Petroleum, Unilever, National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Petrofac International Ltd., United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Airbus, Xerox Emirates, Cummins Middle East, Alsayegh Media, The Saudi British Bank (SABB), Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Veolia Water Services and Technologies, The Chalhoub Group, Shell, Nestle Middle East, Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Al Serkal Group of Companies, Mars GCC, Accenture, L’Oreal Middle East, Yahsat, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Khalifa University.

Clockwise from top left to right: Alumni and senior graduates at the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank booth Alumni and senior graduates at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry booth Alumni and senior graduates at the Crescent Petroleum and Unilever booths Alumni and senior graduates at the AUS Career Fair Alumni and senior graduates speaking to officials of Waha Capital

Clockwise from top left to right: An official from Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oreal speaking to an AUS alumna Alumni and senior graduates visiting the Deloitte booth Alumni and senior graduates speaking to officials from Crescent Petroleum An official from Petrofac speaking to alumni and senior graduates

An official from NPCC speaking to an AUS alumnus

Alumni at Tenaris

Tenaris is a leading supplier of tubes and related services for the world’s energy industry and certain other industrial applications. Its mission is to deliver value to its customers through product development, manufacturing excellence, and supply chain management. Tenaris employees around the world are committed to continuous improvement by sharing knowledge across a single global organization. Mr. Martin Hannon, R&S and Development, HR International at Tenaris said that “AUS through their student career service support and high academic standards and multi-cultural vision has provided a population of post graduate students that have supported Tenaris’ growth strategy in the region. The students that have been recruited into the Global Trainee Program (GTP) have been fully prepared both academically and socially to add value to our multi – national challenging environment. We are proud to see these young professionals forge a successful career for themselves within our esteemed organization.” Alumna Huda Abu Kureibeh, commented “while completing my fifth year at Tenaris, I look back and recall my first days here. Through its GTP, Tenaris exposed me, as well as other fresh graduates, to a two-year intense learning experience full of learning, travel and interaction with different cultures who work within the same company. Having had the opportunity to complete

my studies in a prestigious university such as AUS, a very culturally rich and diverse institution, enabled me to join Tenaris and blend in very quickly.” Moreover, alumnus Karim-George Matta said that “through AUS, and thanks to its high academic standards, I was able to develop the skills and self-confidence required to join a grand multinational company like Tenaris. Tenaris gives recent graduates the opportunity to learn, work, travel and develop in a professional environment. With the aim of building a global network of contacts within the firm, and for educational purposes, I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Argentina filled with great professional and personal experiences.” Mr. Hannon remarked that “In AUS we have found a regional educational partner that can support Tenaris’ growth through the Global Trainee Program. AUS students are both culturally rich and academically aware to excel in the challenging multi-national world of Tenaris.”

University Leadership Council Organizes Forum on Role of Philanthropy and Responsible Social Giving

H.E. Jack Lang inaugurates the conference and art exhibition in the presence of H.E. Michael Corbin, H.E. Philippe Douste-Blazy, AUS Trustee Riad T. Sadek, Dr. Hisham El-Sherif, Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi, Vice Chancellor Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, and other guests

Under the Patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Youth, Culture, and Community Development, the conference on Role of Philanthropy in Sustainable Development was hosted by University Leadership Council (ULC) of the UAE in Dubai on May 26. The regional conference, themed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Philanthropy in Higher Education and Responsible Social

Giving: When Giving is a Reward,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; was inaugurated by UN Under-Secretary-General and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France HE Philippe Douste-Blazy, Jack Lang, President, Arab World Institute and Former Minister of Culture for France and Michael Corbin, US Ambassador to the UAE. The event highlighted the increasingly important role of philanthropy and responsible social contribution towards sustainable development. The ULC is a committee of academic institutions that seeks to facilitate the creation of an intensive knowledge-based economy in the UAE. The council executive committee comprises American University of Sharjah, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Zayed University, UAE University, Khalifa University of Science, Technology, and Researc. ULC members also include Abu Dhabi University and the education division of Dubai Healthcare City. This first-of-its-kind conference led to an exchange of ideas on socially responsible philanthropy, and explored philanthropy-led initiatives in higher education in the UAE.

Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, addressing the audience

The opening remarks were delivered by Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, on behalf of the ULC organizing Committee.

begin what I hope will be an ongoing effort to leverage the philanthropic impulse inherent in our culture in support of higher education.” Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs at American University of Sharjah commented that “this was a singular event, in that it brought together the senior leadership of all universities in the United Arab Emirates and those at the helm of key foundations in the region to raise consciousness on the importance of responsible social giving in building the very fabric of societies in the Arab world in multi-faceted meaningful ways. The involvement of high-powered business leaders in the dialogue between academia, governmental agencies, and the private sector testifies to the increasing awareness and significance corporate social responsibility is achieving in the region.” Dr. Shaikha Al Maskari, Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding, during her Keynote Address

Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh said: “The culture of giving is inherent in the very traditions, customs and rites of this region. The discussions at this event aimed to bring to the fore these practices, the multi-layered contribution of the key participants and raise awareness about how deeply entrenched they are in our societal practices. The participating stakeholders adequately emphasized the need for sustainable development through responsible social contributions.” Commenting on this initiative, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Provost and Acting Chancellor of American University of Sharjah said: “Philanthropy in education is of mutual benefit where industry and government support universities in funding their educational projects and at the same time provide a platform to develop new talent for building the regional knowledge economy. Regional universities are establishing endowments, scholarships, chairs and other opportunities for philanthropists to advance their corporate social responsibility initiatives. This conference is a perfect launch-pad for bringing the donor community in the form of our leading charitable foundations together with leading universities. It will

In addition to Ministers HE Philippe Douste-Blazy and Jack Lang, other keynote speakers at the conference included Dr. Hisham El-Sherif, Chairman of IT Investments and Professor Emeritus, American University of Cairo

H.E. Jack Lang, President of the Arab World Institute and Former French Minister of Culture speaking during the University Presidents’ Panel

The audience at “Philanthropy in Higher Education and Responsible Social Giving: When Giving is a Reward” Conference

Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, Dr. Samy Mahmoud, Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi, Mr. Varouj Nerguizian, and Vice Chancellor Mourtada along with AUS Alumni in a souvenir photo

in Egypt and Dr. Shaikha Al Maskari, Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding who highlighted the role of women in sustainable development and shared her experience as a co-founder of many entrepreneurial and charitable initiatives.

Four panel discussions featured top government officials and major international corporations and focused on the role of private philanthropic foundations and government organizations in supporting national development efforts. Panelists included Dr. Mohammed Banyas, UAE University; Dr. Nabil Ibrahim, Abu Dhabi University; Dr. Tod Laursen, Khalifa University of Science, Technology, and Research; Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, Dubai Healthcare City Educatıon; Dr. Larry Wilson, Zayed University; Abdullah Saeed Al Darmaki, Chief Executive Officer, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development; Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares; Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer, Al Jalila Foundation; Fouad Makhzoumi, Founder, Makhzoumi Foundation, UAE; and Clare Woodcraft, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Foundation.

Acting as a link for faculty and students to interface with both the public and private sectors, the University Leadership Council aims to seek industrial, government, and private individual financial support for the academic and research activities of the universities. It is also mandated to advance the educational goals of the UAE-based universities and align their policies with the government with regard to meeting the requirements of the economy and the industry. The conference is also a regional response to the contemporary global discourse on how ‘giving’ can be more effective and strategic. An art exhibition titled ‘Art Through University and Community Dialogue’, featured contemporary works by renowned Qatari artists Ali Hassan, Salman Al Malik and Amal Al-Athem, and Emirati pioneer artists Dr. Najat Mekki, Abdul Rahim Salem, and Khalifa Al Shimi, provided an additional dimension to the event. A tangible investment in the cultural creativity of the GCC region and a form of social giving and creative philanthropy, the exhibition aimed to build relationships among educators, artists, and the wider community.

Dr. Mohammed Banyas, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Dr. Nabil Ibrahim, Dr. Tod Laursen, Dr. Samy Mahmoud, Dr. Amer Ahmad Sharif, and Dr. Larry Wilson, during the University Presidents’ Panel chaired by Mr. Varouj Nerguizian

H.E. Philippe Douste-Blazy, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France during his Keynote Address

Dr. Hisham El-Sherif, Chairman of IT Investments & Professor Emeritus at the American University of Cairo during his Keynote Address

Mr. Harald Kroll chairing the Industry Panel, hosting Mr. Pierre Caussade, Mr. Philippe Dessoy, Dr. Azza El-Shinnawy, Ms. Laurie Kelly, Mr. Jose Antonio Lopez-Monis, and Ms. Kaye Krause-Whiteing

Mr. Nayaz Qazi chairing the Industry Leaders Panel hosting Mr. Tirad Mahmoud, Mr. Yousuf Bastaki, Mr. Harald Kroll, Mr. Sanjiv Mehta, Mr. Osman Sultan, Dr. Eustace Theodore, and Dr. Daniel White

Mr. Abdullah Saeed Al Darmaki, Mr. Tariq Al Gurg, Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, Mr. Fouad Makhzoumi, and Ms. Clare Woodcraft, during the Foundations Panel Chaired by Mr. Huw Gilbert

Alumna Amber Eltaeib, a Licensed Social Worker in New York State I identify as an American, and my ethnic background is Yemeni. The notion of what was “American” or “European” was very narrow at the time and explaining and discussing how people identify to themselves and to others is a personal choice. Another part of that was clarifying the meaning of what it meant to be “pure American.” I constantly reminded everyone I discussed this with that there was no such thing, because perceiving “pure Americans” as those who have blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes took away from the thousands of non-white individuals who identify as American. It was through those experiences that I was able to bridge the divide between myself as an American from New York, and a New Yorker with origins from Yemen. Today, I can say I am fully comfortable with identifying this way – as the saying goes ‘if you don’t know who you are, you won’t know where you’re going.’ Did your AUS education help you in choosing to pursue a graduate degree? Why or why not? Yes and no. It’s a difficult question to answer. The professors I had at AUS were very supportive and their classes challenging. They would make references to masters programs whenever we would complain about the workload, and yet they never backed down no matter how much we protested. This became an asset when I began a very challenging master’s program four years after I graduated from AUS. I would say that my combined experiences at AUS convinced me that I was prepared to apply to any master’s program I wanted, and I’m proud to say that I did.

Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? I was born and raised in New York City, spent 10 years living, studying, and working in the Middle East (where my parents are originally from), and eventually returned back home to New York four years ago, where I currently reside. You obtained your bachelor’s degree in international studies in 2006; what are some of your memories of your undergraduate education? I actually was among the first people to graduate with a dual degree – I completed the requirements for international studies and public administration during my time at AUS. I have so many great memories from my four years there…I was new to the Gulf (having only spent three years in Yemen prior to that) and I had spent all of my life in the West. I met so many people from so many different cultures (including my own), made life-long friends, and learned a lot about who I am as an individual. Of the many memories I had, one that taught me quite a bit, and I think about often, is how I was perceived on campus to many of my classmates. I constantly had to explain to people that I was American;

What graduate studies did you purse? Could you tell us more about it? I obtained a Masters of Social Work at New York University (NYU), and I am a Licensed Social Worker (LCSW) in New York State – which means I am licensed to provide a range of mental health services, with the exception of diagnosing and treating mental illness – unless I am supervised. Full-time, it was a two year program. The field of social work is very broad, and with an MSW there are many different sub-fields one can work in and move through: social service program development, mental health service provision, specialized psychotherapy, community advocacy, social policy development – the options are endless, really, when you choose to enter this field. One of the things I have been working on since graduating earlier this year is obtaining a second professional license as well as intense training in the field of family therapy. I want to be able to provide family therapy to immigrant families – particularly those who come from the Middle East, given my Arabic language skills and my bi-cultural background. Talking about mental health within our community is difficult – whether it’s in the Middle East or here in Brooklyn. It is difficult, but not impossible.

You have been involved in many special projects since graduating from AUS, can you describe which one or ones were most interesting and rewarding and why? Many of the projects I’ve been involved in since graduating from AUS have been incredible. If I had to choose two, I would say that the first would be my month-long project in the Philippines with NYU this past summer. I was selected to be a team leader in a poverty study which began in New York, and ended in a small community, across several islands in a place called Del Carmen. Our teams spent weeks conducting a needs assessment with the community by interviewing village leaders, families, local residents, health officials, children – you name it. Our goal was to understand the reasons for the very high poverty rate in that municipality. It was such a beautiful experience. It’s very difficult for me to put into words the kindness, beauty, hospitality that we experienced as a team of 22 people. Simply incredible! Another project I was most recently involved in was volunteering at Hurricane Sandy emergency evacuation shelters in New York. When Sandy hit the East Coast it was devastating for many families. My family and I were lucky – though we were near areas that were flooded, lost power, water and heat for weeks, we were very fortunate and very grateful. I spent several 12 hour shifts at local evacuation centers, providing psychological first aid to individuals dealing with the trauma of losing everything, and not knowing what was going to happen to them. It was an exhausting experience, but a pretty amazing one. Being able to counsel those in their most vulnerable hours, and being around a team of other volunteers working literally night and day to make sure these people were fed and comfortable was also incredible. It was also another very humbling experience. If we are unwilling to help others in need, how can we honestly say we exist as part of a society? Are you currently employed? And if yes, what type of work do you do? What is a typical day like for you? Currently, I supervise the Queens branch of the Preventive Services Program at an agency called the Arab American Family Support Center. I supervise five case planners; each case planner works with 12 families. The work I do is within the field of child protection and family services. The purpose of this particular program is to ensure the safety of all children under the age of 18 within the home. The New York City Department of Children and Family Services contracts us to provide these services specifically to the immigrant population (mainly Middle Eastern and South East Asians) in New York. Because of the diversity of the staff we hire, who are fluent in several languages and are also bi-cultural, we understand the cultural sensitivity surrounding physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse.

Sometimes it’s a domestic violence case – which is a crime, and warrants Child Protective Services to intervene in order to maintain the emotional and physical safety of the children. In the field of social work, there is no such thing as a typical work day. Sometimes the day will be going smoothly and a case planner will call and inform me of a crisis occurring within one of the families we are working with, which may include a suicidal mother at home with her two children. Sometimes one of the case planners learns that even though we are monitoring the family, abuse continues, in which case we are required by law to report it. It is a very fast paced, stressful field– but working with this population and being able to use my cultural and educational background is something I have always wanted to do. What specific goals, including those related to your education and/or occupation, have you established for your life? Aside from continuing my clinical training, I have a passion for research, specifically surrounding mental health service provisions and the Arab population – particularly, among the Yemeni community here in New York as well as in Yemen. At some point in the future I plan on opening a community based research center, that will be a base for conducting research and community needs assessments, which I hope will provide valuable data to the government (and international donors) for the funding of crucial social services programs. I also plan on teaching at a later point in my career. I want to be able to inspire young individuals the way I was inspired by several very special professors at AUS. Their approaches to teaching, as well as their unconventional ideas, inspire me to this very day. I hope to one day inspire students in much the same way. Would you like to share with us what are your hobbies? I’m a big fan of running. I don’t have any plans on running any marathons, but I do enjoy running anywhere between 6 to 18 miles every week, depending on my work schedule. Running during the freezing cold is one of the best experiences! It reinvigorates the spirit. I am a big fan of specialty coffee beans and tea. I try to make time to find favorite spots to purchase or indulge in unique coffee or tea. Currently I am making time to work on a book I’ve been writing for the past few years, which is a humorous account of growing up in between, and navigating two worlds – the East and the West.

A Message from AUSAA President been more active and engaged with their respective constituents. The Council has worked rapidly to provide alumni with value-creating initiatives including skills workshops such as “Finance for non-Finance” and “Dealing with Global Mentalities, Inspire” as well as many other interesting professional/social propositions. The Board recently began instituting the Alumni Mentorship Program incorporated under the brand name ‘CAUSE’ (Coaching AUS Executives) which alumnus Hisham Dirbas has kindly been developing over the past few months. The program aims to provide professional mentoring, especially to recent AUS graduates, in order to prepare them for the career recruitment journey as well as to mitigate traditional career myths and misconceptions.

Dear Alumni, I am pleased to have this opportunity to convey the recent developments taking place within AUSAA. As many of you know, I was elected into office along with my esteemed board members in May 2012. Since then our prime objective has been to promote and enhance the association as a networking and social vehicle for our alumni. Although this has proven to be a challenge, we are already sensing material improvements in how many of you perceive the association and how you leverage it to your advantage both in the professional, communal, and social spheres. Chief amongst the accomplishments has been the creation of the Alumni Portal. Yes it’s finally here – an online gateway dedicated solely to the AUS alumni community which now numbers 8050. The portal serves as a social networking and career furthering platform which allows users to integrate Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter as well as providing access to the renowned career application ‘Simplicity’. Furthermore, the portal hosts an Alumni Business Directory which facilitates networking among alumni. We hope that alumni will be enthusiastic in migrating to this unique portal so as to catalyse the subsequent networking benefits. My board has also been fortunate enough to work with the newly elected Council, whose members have

The Ibrahim Al Sadek Alumni Scholarship Fund was also setup during Ramadan 2012 to honour the late Dr. Ibrahim Al Sadek, may Allah rest his soul, in order to raise funds for students with limited finances. AUS has kindly agreed to match the proceeds of the fund oneto-one in honour of this great professor who served as a cross-generational beacon of kindness and giving for the whole campus community. I urge the alumni community to contribute generously to this noble cause. Moreover, the Alumni Privilege Program has also been steadily growing. The Board is planning the formalization of the program into a single alumni membership card which will also serve as a credit card. There are plans to streamline the participating outlets so that we provide our Alumni only with deals from the premium and popular retail/service providers. I therefore urge our dynamic alumni to muster-up the bravery and motivation required to engage in our young but rapidly growing association, which I have no doubt will continue to surprise everyone with the pace of development. Remember that the Association is only as good as the activeness of the individual constituents who make up its connective web. We want AUSAA to be your network for life! Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish AUS Chancellor Dr. Peter Heath, a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, and we pray to be able to enjoy his company, which has been greatly missed, in the very near future. On another note, I also want to wish our graduating Class of 2013 the best of success in their prospective lives; we can’t wait to welcome you to our association and eagerly await your active support and participation – CONGRATULATIONS! Ahmed Al-Jbori AUSAA President

AUS Alumni Association Holds its First Council Meeting for This Year

Vice Chancellor Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah along with the AUSAA Board officials and Council members

AUSAA Council members discussing future activities

The AUS Alumni Association (AUSAA) Council held its first bi-annual meeting for 2013 on May 11, at the AUS campus. The main thrust of the meeting was to review an agenda pertaining to the achievements and accomplishments of the AUSAA over the past academic year under the active leadership of the Board. The Council of the AUS Alumni Association is made up of representatives of all the chapters of the Association as well as class representatives from each of the colleges corresponding to every year of graduation. Around fifty alumni leaders, from the GCC and across the globe, gathered at the meeting to discuss future planned activities to be undertaken by the various

chapters for the current academic year. This meeting was held in the spirit of AUSAA’s continuous efforts to address the needs of our alumni and to encourage their involvement in multi-faceted meaningful experiences that serve the best interests of our alma mater. Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, expressed her profound satisfaction at the meaningful role played by the members of the AUSAA Council in bringing multi-faceted support to AUS. “AUS alumni are the University’s youngest ambassadors, who continue to play an important role in serving as active representatives of their respective constituencies in the AUSAA and for their continuous feedback and support of their alumni association and alma mater,” she added.

Alumnus Omar Asad Construes Innovation as Engineering I work for the Water Network Development Department. As the name specifies, we ensure that the existing water network, owned by Transco, is capable of transferring the production capacities from the water production plants to the interface points of the distribution companies. As in any water utility, the major components that we deal with are tanks, pumping stations, and pipelines. Based on various factors we prepare a document that is known as the seven-years planning statement. This document helps us work closely with other subsidiaries within ADWEA to confirm production capacities and demands. In our department we also handle budget requests and prepare the terms of reference related to the developments. Finally, we work closely with other parties of the water sector in bringing Abu Dhabi Government’s “2030 vision” alive. In your opinion, what are possible ways of cooperation between AUS and ADWEA?

Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines?

Omar Younis Asad, I am a UAE national. My early education began at the Rosary School in Abu Dhabi where I started kindergarten and completed primary school. Then I moved to Al Nahda National School where I graduated in 2005 with an American high school diploma. After that I joined AUS and graduated in 2010 with a BS degree in mechanical engineering. In early 2010, I started my professional career as a water system engineer working for Abu Dhabi Transmission and Dispatch Company (Transco), which is a subsidiary under a world class organization serving the water and electricity sector of the emirate of Abu Dhabi known as ADWEA - Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority. At the same time I stared my post graduate studies at Al Hosn University and graduated in 2012 with a master’s degree in engineering management. In looking back at your upbringing and education, who or what influenced you to study mechanical engineering? I have a wonderful father, an engineer, who graduated from university in the US with a double major: biomedical and electronic engineering. He advised me once to set priorities and make what I believe in come true. I was lucky to be close to him and watch how he deals with daily life activities, especially at work while solving problems or making decisions. I felt curious about his thinking, and once asked him: “how do you deal with things that you are not really sure of?” He answered with a smile saying, “that’s engineering sense.” I believe that it started from there. On a typical day in your position as a water system engineer at TRANCO, what do you do?

Based on my humble point of view, many steps towards the anticipated cooperation between AUS and ADWEA have already been established. Some of this is seen in ADWEA’s trust in AUS by sending their future engineers to AUS for development opportunities and in preparation for professional life. In addition to that, the periodic gatherings between both AUS and ADWEA represent the strong bond between them. Keeping what I have mentioned in mind, to enhance the cooperation, I propose that ADWEA share their fields of interest with AUS for access by students. Finally, I could not have achieved success without both of them: AUS and ADWEA. I would like to conclude not just with thanks, but also with a plea to both ADWEA and AUS to keep up the spirit and push further. We were once told by our father, leader and President of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (may Allah have mercy on him): “The prosperity that we have witnessed has taught us to build our country with education and knowledge and nurture generations of educated men and women.” What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for your life? Setting targets for myself in all areas of life is a technique that I implement. As a result, a time frame is designed to match with these goals. I believe I am very fortunate to work for a world class organization (Transco), and expand my experience in the field and prove to society and the water business a UAE national has the capabilities and skills to improve and help in developing the country, plus be an example for the new UAE generations. Finally, the ultimate goal that I am working to achieve in the long run is to be a strategic decision maker in the business of water covering all angles.

What are the top qualities of success that you would advise new AUS graduates to cultivate in the process of finding their first jobs? I would advise new graduates to specify and set their goals regarding what they wish to achieve from their studies in order to serve their future jobs. It would be beneficial for them to know their strengths and weaknesses so they can improve their skills when employed.

In addition, it is better to be flexible and loyal in their early professional stages, show a positive attitude, and the willingness to develop their skills and principles. Finally, and most importantly, they must learn to admit their mistakes and learn from them. Would you like to share some of your hobbies with our readers? My hobbies include horseback riding, scuba diving, and soccer.

Hussam Nasreddin’s Appreciation for the Art of Structural Design, Inspired him to pursue his PhD in London education in civil engineering. My time at AUS, however, opened my eyes to a much wider horizon of what civil engineering and specifically structural engineering could mean. Through my four years of engineering education, I came to appreciate the art of structural design and the endless creativity an engineer could express in the shape of the magnificent structures that we see and shall continue to see in future. I benefited a great deal from the strong knowledge and professional and well-disciplined environment in our school of engineering, which I valued greatly when undertaking my postgraduate studies. This helped me when I had to interact with engineers from different parts of the world. I am currently in my last year of a three year PhD program at University College London. My research focuses on the fracture behaviour of concrete under multi-axial stresses through a theoretical and a rational approach. It has been a great experience to work on this topic that has a long history of nearly 100 years, and still find room to produce a unique outcome that will help the science community progress further in the field.

Hussam Nasreddin’s Appreciation for the Art of Structural Design, Inspired him to pursue his PhD in London I graduated from AUS in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a minor in engineering management. From there, I moved to England to pursue a master’s degree in structural engineering at the University of Sheffield where I graduated in 2008. Following this, I worked for some time as a structural engineer in Kuwait before joining University College London in 2010 as a PhD student. As a high school student living in Kuwait, I have always been fascinated by the fast growing property market and the large scale building construction in the Gulf States. Having been in continuous contact with the construction market through my family business, I developed a great interest in pursuing my university

Research is about finding the truth of the matter, this is significantly different from my education at AUS, where most of my time there was spent learning the foundation knowledge and the basic principles of civil engineering. However, one of the challenges in becoming a researcher is to adapt to a state of critical thinking and find the ability to see gaps in science that demand further investigations. Time management is also a significant skill needed in research because at the end of the day there is a deadline that needs to be met. A typical day working on my PhD would involve a few hours in the laboratory monitoring stress tests on concrete specimens. The afternoon would then be split between helping undergraduate and master’s students with their design projects and writing my thesis. My plans after completing the structural engineering PhD are nowhere near finalised; I would, however, like to be involved in more research projects that are ideally in close contact with industry.

Dr. Khaled Assaleh, Professor and Inventor of Novel Technology

Professor Khaled Assaleh, Professor and Director of AUS Graduate Studies, earned his PhD in electrical engineering from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. He has worked as a research professor at the CAIP Center of Rutgers University, and as a senior staff engineer at Motorola in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. At Rockwell Semiconductor Systems (Conexant/Skyworks) in Newport Beach, California, he was an engineering group leader. Dr. Assaleh holds 11 US patents and has published over 100 refereed articles. His research interests include bio-signal processing, biometrics, speech processing, and pattern recognition. 32

Dr. Assaleh took some time from his busy schedule to share some of his thoughts with our readers. Would you tell us about yourself? When did you first come to AUS, and what were your first impressions? I grew up in Jordan and got my BSc. in electrical engineering from the University of Jordan in 1988. After that I moved to the US and stayed there till 2002. I earned my PhD in electrical engineering from Rutgers University in 1993, and started a career in industry with Motorola in Arizona and then Rockwell in California. I then moved to AUS in August 2002. When I first arrived at AUS I was very impressed by the campus in terms of its architecture and landscape. Your career included a 20-year career almost split between industry and academia. How did you become so deeply interested in teaching electrical engineering? During my graduate studies I was always passionate about teaching as I was a teaching assistant for many semesters. Moreover, throughout my career in industry I always enjoyed learning form experienced colleagues and mentoring younger engineers. The nice thing about academia, as opposed to industry, is that you get to choose your research projects and you get to interact with different batches of students and watch them as they develop their knowledge and skills.

Your research interests include bio-signal processing, biometrics, speech processing, and pattern recognition. What are some of the major projects related to these areas that your students have worked on? All my projects revolve around applications of signal processing and pattern recognition. Two of my major projects here at AUS are Arabic sign language recognition, and non-invasive extraction of fetal electrocardiogram. Both projects involved students who ended up publishing their work in journals and conference proceedings. Prior to joining AUS all may work was on the development of speech recognition and speaker recognition algorithms. I am proud to mention that I was a member of team that developed and deployed one of the first speech recognition systems in mobile phones. What do you see as the “next big thing,” in electrical engineering that will drastically impact society? This is really a tough question to answer. However, I tend to think that the “next big thing” in electrical engineering will be part of a multidisciplinary effort that involves many branches of science and engineering as well. I think that the area of efficient and cost effective energy storage has yet to have a breakthrough that will change the world in many ways.

You hold 11 US patents and have published over 100 refereed articles. What are other major awards and accomplishments throughout your professional career? One of my major accomplishments is being part of a team that developed a novel speaker authentication technology which evolved into a successful spinoff that was acquired by a major company in the US. Another major accomplishment is winning the “Engineering Merit Award” while at the Government and Space Technology Group, Motorola Inc. In addition to teaching, you serve as the AUS Director of Graduate Studies. What is your advice to students who would like to enroll in engineering graduate studies? Engineering graduate education is all about enhancing the depth of your knowledge in a specific area of specialization. If you are employed, try to choose your courses and research topic in areas related to your job. Also, if you plan to continue your graduate studies beyond the MS level, focus on the novelty in your thesis research and make sure that you publish your findings in quality journals.

In your opinion, how could alumni give back to AUS and to the College of Engineering specifically? Being ethical, competent, and professional at your workplace reflects positively on your university and the type of education you got. AUS graduates have always been excellent ambassadors of the University; therefore, every alumnus should strive to maintain this positive image. Moreover, alumni should make every effort to stay connected to and involved with the University and its activities. What activities do you enjoy doing outside of teaching and research? Spending time with my family, reading, and socializing with friends.

Chapter Events P

AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter

“Auction of Smiles” The AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter organized the “Auction of Smiles” event in Al Khalidiyah Palace Rotana Hotel on May 25 where 100 alumni organized an auction of paintings done by special needs children.

Chapter Events L

AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter

Kayaking Day The AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter organized a kayaking event for around 24 alumni on March 29, 2013. The two-hour activity was held at Corniche Al Qurm, Abu Dhabi.

This issue covers a series of events organized by AUS Alumni Association chapters around the UAE. From philanthropic, cultural and sports events to training courses, our vibrant community of alumni came together in various places and spaces to share good times, cross ideas and reconnect.

Leisure & Social

Philanthropy

Training

Culture

Sports

AUSAA Events Chapter and Dubai Chapter

Movie Premier The AUSAA Events Chapter, in collaboration with the AUSAA Dubai Chapter, organized a movie premiere for 150 alumni on May 21, 2013 at Dubai Festival City.

AUSAA CAAD Class of 2004

“Dysfunctional Corporate Cultures: Becoming Functional” Workshop The AUS Alumni Association CAAD Class of 2004 organized a professional workshop entitled “Dysfunctional Corporate Cultures: Becoming Functional,” by Dr. Raymond Hamden, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist, Director of the Human Relations Institute and Clinics in Dubai, on May 25, 2013. Twelve alumni attended this hands-on interactive workshop, which was held on the AUS campus.

AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter

AUSAA CAS Class of 2009

BBQ and Treasure Hunt

“Dealing with Global Mentalities” Course

The AUSAA Abu Dhabi Chapter organized a Treasure Hunt competition followed by a BBQ, on February 16, 2013. Around 25 alumni attended the day out which was held at the Eastern Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

The AUS Alumni Association CAS Class of 2009 organized a professional training course entitled “Dealing with Global Mentalities”, based on the MBTI theory, by Dr. Tamer Elewa, a human resources director and experienced presenter who has lectured across the Middle East, Africa, Russia, CIS, Turkey, and the Levant. The training which was held on May 30 – June 1, 2013 in Al Ghurair Rayhaan Hotel, Dubai, was attended by 11 alumni.

AUSAA CEN Class of 2012

AUSAA CEN Class of 2003

“Entrepreneurship Course”

“Finance for non-Finance” Workshop

The AUS Alumni Association CEN Class of 2012 organized a course entitled “Entrepreneurship Course,” by Dr. Andrew Klein, Assistant Professor of Management in the American University of Sharjah. This hands-on interactive course was held on June, 1, 2013, on the AUS campus for 20 alumni focused on the creation of new ventures: the people, the process and the dynamics.

The AUS Alumni Association CEN Class of 2003 organized a “Finance for non-Finance” workshop, for 20 alumni on June 1-2, 2013 on the AUS campus. This workshop allowed alumni, without a strong financial background, to grasp basic financial and accounting concepts and learn how to apply the fundamentals of finance in order to use them as decision-making tools in everyday business activities.

Mona and Basel: Alumni Couple Pursuing Masters in London and AUS offered me the opportunity to nurture this interest in the right direction. There were a number of experiences that highlighted my educational path such as the school critiques, movie screenings, dissertation projects, and more. Basel What was interesting about AUS is that education was not only in lecture rooms and labs. I personally learned and gained a lot through my experiences in the activities that were taking place at that University. The graduation project, Palestinian Club presidency, and the most active student award were some of my peak experiences at AUS. You both pursued your master’s degree. What program did each one of you pursue, in which institution, and how has it been different from your AUS education? Mona The program that I am currently undergoing is a master’s of science in advanced multimedia design and 3D technologies at at Brunel University in London. The education I received at AUS prepared me to tackle all sorts of challenges that I am currently facing during my studies. An example of these challenges would be the personal learning skills, which have been very useful in such a self-reliant master’s program. 36

Tell us briefly about yourselves – your education and work experience. Mona Abdallah I graduated from AUS in 2009 with a BS degree in multimedia design. I worked right after I graduated at a start-up TV channel in Dubai for about a year and a half, and then I worked independently as a freelance designer until I started my current master’s program. Basel Al Haj Majoring in mechanical engineering, I spent four years at AUS and graduated in fall 2010. Soon after graduation I had a few months of work experience in a media consultancy company. In September 2011, I moved to London to pursue my master’s in media and communication and recently received my master’s degree. You have had an exciting educational experience at AUS. What were some of your peak experiences together along this educational trail that motivated you to keep going? Mona What really kept me going is my aspiration to start a successful career in my field. I have always had high interest in design and media production

Basel I recently finished my MA in media and communication from Kingston University, London. Besides the fact that my majors were completely different during my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, the British way of teaching is quite different than the American system. The grading systems were really different. I still remember how I got disappointed with the first grade I received in my masters, which was 70/100. Later I realized that 70/100 is an A in the British system! What is the greatest challenge(s) you are facing as you are working on this degree? Mona My degree program requires the student to be very self-reliant. In most courses, there is no timeframe with a number of deadlines throughout the term. Instead there is only one deadline to submit a complete project from beginning to end on a certain date that is set from the beginning of the year. Basel The final research and the dissertation were definitely the main challenge that I faced during my master’s degree.

Short Films by AUS Students Shortlisted at Festival de Cannes Four short films directed by AUS students taking courses in the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) and one film by a professor have been shortlisted at the Festival de Cannes’ Court Métrage (Cannes Festival Short Films Corner) this year. The four shortlisted student films vying for the Palme d’Or prize are On the Edge, Shiddi 7eilik, Grief, and Hessa directed by Hana Kazim, Salma El-Shami and Areeb AlShathri, Omnia ElAfifi, and Rashed Al Nuaimi, respectively. As a result of making the shortlist, these directors have the opportunity to present their films to a global audience, critics, and industry A screen shot from the “Shiddi 7eilik” production personalities, as the Short Films Corner is an essential platform for showcasing new talent edge and the devices that led him to his current situation. for global filmmakers. Shiddi 7eilik, which means “Stay Strong”, written, directed, Rashed Al Nuaimi directed and acted in Hessa, a product acted in and edited by Salma El-Shami and Areeb Al-Shathri, of the AUS Multimedia Design Studio taught by Ludmil is a product of the Narrative Structure in Film course taught Trenkov. Hessa is about a woman whose life stories help by Tim Kennedy. It follows a documentary crew as they to instill good traits in people but whose stories have been attempt to uncover the lengths young women go to get forgotten by her great-grandchildren. It is an example of married. Along the way, the crew is introduced to interesting stories about people who are forgotten without their great characters, a marriage boot camp, and the pressures that tales enriching our lives. Arab society places on unwed women. Grief, written, directed, acted in and edited by Omnia ElAfifi, is a product of the Film Production II course taught by Jack Swanstrom. The story revolves around a young girl who expresses the grieving process by going through its five stages. The “five stages” that are originally used to describe the grief process of a person who is dying, have been applied to those that are still living. Hana Kazim wrote, directed, acted in and edited On the Edge, a product of the Film Production II course taught by Jack Swanstrom. In it, the hero relives his journey to the

“Shiddi 7eilik is a film that I and a lot of young women can relate to. It was a lot of fun making it, and to see it come to life and having it get this kind of exposure is more than we could ask for,” said El-Shami. “I genuinely did not think it would get the response it has gotten so far. It’s something we made in our friend’s backyard, and for people to like it is surreal,” said Al-Shathri. The four student films were among a staggering 1,945 registered short films represented this year in the Cannes Festival Short Film Corner from 88 countries. The Short Film Corner will generate more than 35,930 viewings among almost 3,000 registered film industry critics, producers, directors, and financiers.

A screen shot from the “Shiddi 7eilik” production

These four films were shortlisted from a group of 10 submitted by AUS students, giving the young aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to have their work presented to many important faces in the industry. In addition to the four student films, the film Four Days by Jack Swanstorm, Assistant Professor of Design in CAAD, has also been accepted into the Court Metrageat at the festival.

Alumnus Msallam Al-Hemyari Sets up his Own Contracting Company dealing with suppliers, clients, laborers, future planning, and so on. The complexity of the job was the fact that I started it from nothing with no experience, no mentor, and no one to guide me through the whole process. I started learning things the hard way. How did studying engineering help prepare you start your own business? Studying civil engineering, especially at AUS, helped me develop further. The systematic education and teaching approach of AUS to its students makes so much sense to me now. In brief, AUS taught me how to be a problem solver and that’s what I needed in the market. What were some of your major awards and accomplishments throughout your professional career? Opening the company has been an accomplishment in itself, and completing five different projects in two years is a tiny triumph. I have no time to relax, and I have no idea what my future holds. At this moment, I’m excited and I have already planned to take it to the next level by opening a consultancy office, Al Arif Engineering Consultancy. What specific goals, including those related to your career, have you established for your life?

My only goal is to do the best that I can. I will always give 100% to anything I work on. Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? My name is Msallam Al-Hemyari, I am 29, happily married, and I live in Abu Dhabi. I completed my bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2011. About four years ago I established my own business “Al Hamdani General Contracting” and I am looking forward to a great future. In looking back to your upbringing and education, who or what influenced you to study civil engineering? The market. Initially, I enrolled in AUS as an electrical engineer, but the market status in the UAE at that period of time made me change my mind and I pursued civil engineering instead, and I have no regrets. On a typical day in your position, what do you do? I check everything in the company daily, site reports, purchasing reports, project progress, and anything else that requires my input. What part of this job do you find most satisfying? Most challenging? The most satisfying is the challenge. There is no routine. Every day is different that the day before, so there is often something new to gain about work; for instance,

What special advice would you give a person entering your field of study? “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else,” as Albert Einstein says. What are the top qualities of success that you would advise the students of AUS to cultivate? Missing a class, means missing the key for a problem you might face in the future. Read a lot and do a lot of study cases, it will increase your ability to attain the solution to any problem in a shorter time in the future. While you are studying don’t think about the grade you will receive - A or B - think about the quantity and the quality of the information you are getting and the information which will help you realize a special career in the future.

Alumna Karen Pinto Pursues her PhD in Canada

Since my parents worked at AUS, I was exposed to the AUS community through meeting their friends and colleagues, who were mainly academics. Their lifestyle and their support of me pursuing graduate studies encouraged me. My time studying at AUS helped me specifically by providing me with opportunities to be a teaching assistant and a research assistant. I spent about three out of my four years doing this, and the experience helped me realize I would enjoy doing them at the post-graduate level as well as full time as a professor someday. What is the greatest challenge(s) you are facing as you are working on this degree? I would say the biggest challenge will be keeping my head in the game. I have already experienced a miniversion of this during my M.Sc., which was a research intensive degree. Self-motivation is the key in this field. The plus side is you get a lot of flexibility, in terms of time and work schedule-wise, and you work with soft deadlines. Your progress is entirely in your control and that is a real skill to develop.

Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? My name is Karen Pinto. I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS degree in business administration and a minor in accounting and MIS. I also have a M.Sc. in management with a concentration in accounting from the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, where I conducted research on “The Effects of Analysts’ on Earnings Management”. Since graduating from AUS I have been the recipient of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph Armand Bombardier Award from the Government of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship, Chartered Accountants Education Foundation (CAEF) Graduate Education Award, Management Student Professional Development Fund, and Provost Women’s Graduate Scholarship. These awards and scholarships supported my study of financial analysts in capital markets, which was accepted at the American Accounting Association (AAA), Annual and Western Conferences, and the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA) Annual Conference. I also had the added opportunity to present my work at the AAA’s Annual Conference. I am currently working on publishing my paper and looking forward to starting coursework at the University of Waterloo this fall. Did your AUS education help you in choosing to pursue a graduate degree? Why or why not? My AUS education certainly did give me the tools and experiences I needed to pursue a graduate degree.

Are you currently employed? And if yes, what type of work do you do? Yes, I currently work as a fund accountant for Royal Bank Canada (RBC) Investor Services in Toronto. What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for your life? My one specific long term goal, since I was about twelve years old, has been to get my PhD, and I now get to work toward it. It feels fantastic. What would you like to do after completing your PhD degree? Hopefully continue to work on the body of research I would have developed during my PhD while teaching a few courses. What advice would you give to graduating students looking for work? I would say: look for work! There are a number of students who go directly to post-graduate degrees and I think the experience of working after you earn your undergraduate degree in a certain field is invaluable. It helps you figure out your strengths and abilities as they apply in a real life setting. Also, do not snub any kind of work as beneath you. There are always great lessons to learn doing any work – the key is to be fully dedicated and to do it in earnest.

Alumni in Sports

AUS Alumni on Top of the World

A group of AUS alumni climbers made history by reaching Mount Everest in May 2013. The three AUS alumni including: Raha Moharrak from Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al Thani from Qatar, Masoud Mohammed from Iran, and their friend Raed Zidan from Palestine, call themselves “Arabs with Altitude”. “Arabs with Altitude” is a four-person expedition whose aim is to raise $1 million. Sheikh Al Thani is the Brand Ambassador for Reach Out to Asia (ROTA), a private non-profit organization, based in Doha, Qatar, which raises awareness about the importance of education for everyone. It is part of the Reach Out to Asia’s educational projects in Nepal. Everest Summit is one of the harshest environments on the planet, completely unpredictable and filled with uncertainty. It is one of the most difficult challenges a human being can undertake and is the ultimate symbol of human potential. Sheikh Mohammad Al Thani has become the first Qatari man to climb Mount Everest, and Raha Moharrak the first Saudi woman and youngest Arab to make it to the top of Everest. Discussing their alma mater, the three alumni remarked that AUS has created several young men and women who are powerful enough to undertake missions considered impossible. “My mental strength and resolution convinced my parents to let me do this. I am quite thrilled with the feedback that I have received from my country and elsewhere in the Arab world,” Raha said. Al Thani added that he was so happy to be at the top, where there are no communication links, no Internet or enough supplies of food and medicines. “Still, we, as a group, managed to complete the expedition with few injuries,” he commented.

For Sheikh Mohammed, mountaineering is a passion. In September 2011, he summited Mont Blanc at 4,810 m. He has also climbed the summits of Mount Kilimanjaro twice, at 5,895 m on March 2010 and on November 2011, respectively. Similarly, in December 2012, he reached the top of Mount Vinson, the highest peak of Antarctica, at an altitude of 4,892m, on August 28, 2012, he reached Mount Elbrus the highest point in Europe at 5,642 m, on October 2012 he summited Mount Kosciuszko, Australia at 2,228 m, and on January 2013 he reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua (South America), the highest peak in the Western hemisphere at an altitude of 6,960 m.

Alumni in Sports

Alumna Amna Al Haddad: The First Female Weightlifter in the UAE

Alumna Amna Al Haddad graduated from AUS with a BA in mass communication/ journalism and a minor in psychology. Her passion is lifting heavy weights and gaining physical strength while still maintaining her femininity. She was introduced to crossfit in April 2011, and decided to compete in October 2011. She then became the first Emirati and GCC national female to compete in the Reebok Crossfit Games Open and was ranked 77th out of 170 women in Asia. She qualified to compete with a team in the Asia Regionals, Korea from 4-6 of May 2012 and made history by being the first Emirati and GCC national to compete in the Asia Regionals. Amna has been breaking ground by representing her country around the world in the last few months at various International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) events. Last March, she became the first female Emirati to represent the UAE in the United States of America by competing at the IWF Arnold Weightlifting Championships in Columbus, Ohio. It was her first official international competition, and she registered her first classified total of 82kg. As for whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next on Amnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda, she believes she has a real chance of representing her country at the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016. She would become the first ever Emirati female to represent her country at an Olympics. Amna worked as a professional full time journalist for one year at The National newspaper in the UAE, and quit when she decided that sport is her passion. Although currently a full-time athlete, she still practices journalism as a freelancer. She has also been interviewed by media outlets such as the New York Times, Al Arabiya, Reuters and Think up GCC.

Alumna Ghadeer Arafah Runs Marathons For Fundraising Alumna Ghadeer Arafah has been running for almost a year and a half, and her first 10km race was in January 2012 at the Dubai Marathon. She also took part in the London Marathon last April representing a charity called Merlin. Merlin Charity provides emergency medical relief to countries in need. Ghadeer has been inspired to run by many people. During the 2012 Virgin London marathon she was motivated by several beautiful and moving stories about people who run for specific causes and people running to raise awareness. She then decided to run the Virgin London marathon in 2013. When Ghadeer started seeking out various causes she could run for, she found many that had great visions, messages and goals. She then found Merlin and contacted them asking to run the marathon as a member of their team and to help fundraise for them. Merlin would help all those people that Ghadeer wished she could personally help. They touch so many lives in the best possible way and that is how she decided to be a part of their cause.

Alumna Kholoud Sawaf Pursues a Masters in Theatre Directing in the United States

Alumna Kholoud Sawaf with the cast of A Doll’s House

Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? I am Kholoud Marwan Sawaf, I’m from Syria and was born and grew up in Damascus. I lived within a family who is passionate about art in all forms. I earned my BA in mass communication in 2009. I worked in Damascus at a production company and then at AUS in the Performing Arts Program until moving to the US in August 2012 to join the MFA program at the University of Arkansas. Even though I have been away from my home country for a while, my identity as Syrian comes out in any art I create. You are pursuing your MFA in Theatre Directing at the University of Arkansas, in the United States, as one of two students chosen from around the world every other year. Tell us more about the program you are pursuing and how it is different from your AUS education. The Drama Department at the University of Arkansas is a program that offers extensive courses in the various

aspects of drama including: acting, directing, lighting, design, costume design, technical lab, voice and speech, and several other areas. We have about a 150 students majoring in drama theatre, who are undergraduates. The department also includes about 25 MFA students. We all work together to produce theatre productions. Part of the educational process is that the MFA students teach classes to the undergraduates, which helps develop leadership skills for the MFAs, and it creates collaborative friendly relationships between graduates and undergraduates. I have recently won the award of Outstanding Newcomer, among all the freshman graduate students and it is usually selected by faculty members for the student that has done the most in their first year of studies. How did you first become interested in theatre directing? Has it always been a passion for you? I have always been interested in art forms, but theatre was the most “artistically satisfying” form. I have had

several experiences but the real start was at AUS when I was part of the Performing Arts Program producing several theatre shows and learning more about that art form. I was very involved with all the shows produced at AUS starting from Romeo and Juliet in 2007. I worked in several positions under the director Professor Anthony Tassa. I also participated in directing segments of several shows at AUS including Gilgamesh Images and Dreams with Anthony Tassa, Summer 840 with Emily Perkins, and I eventually directed a full piece entitled Forgiveness. My theatre experience at AUS served as the turning point for my decision to pursue a master’s degree. With the support of the team at AUS I was able to collect enough knowledge to get accepted at a program that accepts only two students every other year from around the world. What is the greatest challenge(s) you are facing as you are working on this degree? There are a lot of challenges being a female from the Middle East, coming from a culture that is conservative and practicing theatre in the United States. One of the greatest challenges is how to tell a story that is from a different culture but still has a touch that reflects my Middle Eastern background. It is always about finding that “equation” of how to tell a story in the best way possible and make it relevant to my audience as well as to my cast members, but still have it very personal to me. You have recently been awarded the best director for the production and directing of Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece A Doll’s House, a story about Nora, a housewife, searching for equality with her husband while facing the confining societal expectations of marriage. Tell us more about your experience in directing the play and the skills required to communicate with actors. I was very lucky to have experienced putting on a show during my years at AUS. I had worked with Professor Tassa on the preparation and research that precedes rehearsals. I also have worked with designers when I worked with Catherine Moran on costume design as well as Ken East on scenic and lighting elements, so I felt that my experience at AUS helped me a lot in those aspects. I was blessed with a great team, who was positive, open to suggestions, very imaginative, and handled the script with respect. I also had great help from my mentor here at the University of Arkansas, Michale Landman, who answered any questions I had to help me overcome any cultural, educational, or personal challenges. A lot of the skills needed to be a director were developed in me when I was at AUS and were enhanced when I came here. These skills involve leadership, being able to foresee things, telling notes in a positive way, keeping everyone on the team encouraged, and being able to edit choices delicately in order to serve the telling of a story. Who was your favorite character played to date, in either film or on stage? Why? My favorite character in a play was “Zaad El Khair” by “Fairuz” in a play called “Natouret Al Mafateeh” presented in late 1970s. I still hear the recording of the

play and every time I listen to that it bring me to tears. There is something so magical about it, and I didn’t even see the play, but grew up listening to. I heard a lot of stories and descriptions from my father, who got to see the original production. I still hope that one day I will be able to put this play on stage again and bring it vocally and visually to a modern audience. Are you working on any future projects? I’m currently working on picking a play for my second year project. During my three years of MFA I will get a chance to direct three plays (or more) aside from projects and segments. My second project will be presented in spring 2014. I am looking for a play that brings in some Middle Eastern touches but still relates to my American audience. What do you hope to do after completing your postgraduate degree? I am hoping I can get to be the “bridge” in this art form (theatre) between the east and the west. There is a lot of missing information about the Middle East and its people. There are not enough people from the Middle East in the US to represent our culture and tell our stories through the theatre art form. And I am finding that Americans are looking forward to hearing more about us and encouraging more of that exchange. What are your recommendations for graduates who would like to get involved with the entertainment industry? I strongly recommend that they go after their passion and have faith that their work will touch and possibly change the lives of others. So my recommendation to our graduates is to find their passion and go after it and believe that art forms (media, films, theatre, documentaries, etc.) all have the power to touch lives and possibly change them, and this is a power that no other field has so make sure you are aware of that power and use it wisely to reach to the human heart.

Alumnus Ahmed Owais Re-sizes, Repairs and Re-styles at Koshtban

Koshtban, the Arabic word for “thimble,” is the first customized fashion repair store in the UAE, and was founded by alumnus Ahmed Owais. Koshtban, which is located in Al Barsha, Dubai, is the store for anything related to fashion, all under one roof.

Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? My name is Ahmed M. Owais. I am Palestinian, but was born and raised in the UAE and I am 29 years old. I graduated from AUS in June 2006 majoring in international studies with a minor in literature. Currently I am the head of Bancassurance in Takaful Emarat Insurance Company and the very proud founder and owner of Koshtban Tailoring. Tell us more about founding Koshtban, your fashion custom alteration and repair business. Koshtban is the first store in the UAE dedicated to fashion alterations. The store handles all kinds and types of alterations including: clothes, shoes, bags, hats, and more. We repair, re-style, and re-size. I always wanted to open my own business and I wanted it to be one of a kind by not emulating other ideas. Having said that, I have to say that personally I love fashion, and I have ideas and tweaks that I have always applied to my own style. I used to have difficulty finding someone to execute my ideas for me. Also, it was difficult to find someone to do all the alterations for clothes, bags, and even shoes in one place.

“Dream, believe and pursue your dreams.“

Here the idea was born; I felt the need for a place to do all these alterations in one place; a place which will service all your fashion needs in one convenient location in addition to being friendly, fashionable, and trendy. Initially, Koshtban wasn’t unique enough, as it was missing something. And that was the delivery service, as no other place does this service in the UAE for tailoring. Koshtban was born in Barsha and all services are available under one roof as well as a delivery service, which is the express service. In addition there is the emergency service, wherein Koshtban will come to you anytime and anywhere to fix your fashion problem on the spot. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that Koshtban donates clothes to those who are less fortunate through our customers’ donations. We fix them, make them look new again, and send them out to all those who need them. How did you come up with the name Koshtban? I wanted an Arabic name for my business; I have always been fascinated with our rich Arabic language. I also wanted a name that describes the nature of my business itself, so I started listing names of tailoring tools like thread, needle, etc., until my mom, God bless her, told

me about Koshtban. I loved the name and I felt it was different, and I discovered that it is a very old name that only old people use or know. This made me even more excited about the name because now I have the chance to be unique and to educate people about this wonderful word. Therefore, in the future if anyone uses the name koshtban, it will always relate to my lovely store Koshtban. How did your AUS education help you start your own business? It helped me a lot as it shaped my personality and prepared me well to deal with the real world. It also made me believe in myself. For, if you graduate from AUS, you can succeed in anything afterwards. What are the challenges that you face as an emerging entrepreneur in the UAE and what makes you stand out? The challenges were very normal to any new entrepreneur and that was expected, but once you do your research right before starting, everything will fall into place. I believe that what makes Koshtban stand out is its new idea in tailoring, altering, cleaning, repairing, designing, restyling, and resizing anything related to fashion, from clothes to bags and even shoes.

You have been featured on different media channels like mbc1 and DMTV recently. How do you effectively advertise Koshtban, as a first of its kind business type in the UAE? I have also been featured on Al Hurra TV, Sama Dubai, and Al Ain TV, in addition to two magazines: Good Housekeeping and Mothers Baby and Child. The idea of Koshtban and the good work that paid off led the different channels to approach me because of word of mouth about our work and efficiency. That definitely helped, of course, in making people trust Koshtban even more, as Koshtban is now almost one year old and has over 3000 loyal customers. Where do you see Koshtban in five years? I would like Koshtban to be present in every neighborhood in Dubai and the UAE. Koshtban will be an umbrella to fashion companies that will seek the assistance of Koshtban for ladies and gents, from kandouras, to abayas, wedding dresses, and beyond. That is the main goal that I would like to achieve in the next few years. What advice would you give AUS graduating students and alumni who want to become entrepreneurs? Dream, believe and pursue your dreams.

Alumnus Mohammed Albahttiti Researches How to Improve High-Speed Rail Ties against Freezing and Thawing Conditions Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? My name is Mohammed T. Albahttiti, and I am originally from Gaza, Palestine though I was born and raised in the UAE. I completed my bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in civil engineering in 2010. In looking back at your upbringing and education, who or what influenced you to study engineering? I would say that my curiosity is the reason I studied engineering. I always liked the process of building development and the structural aspects of the concrete elements. Did your AUS education help you in choosing to pursue a graduate degree? Why or why not? It did, that was in addition to all of the encouragement from my professors at AUS and their support and the support of my family. Since I had a lot of interest in research and trying to study materials and structures, I was encouraged after working with the finest professors at AUS to pursue my graduate studies. You are pursuing your PhD degree at Kansas State University, USA. What is the program you are pursuing and how is that different from your AUS education?

I am currently working on the freeze-thaw durability of pre-stressed concrete railroad ties and also studying the effect of rheology and vibration on concrete air entrainment. My current program of study is related to one of the main transportation fields that is available in the US, Europe, and hopefully soon in the UAE. This project involves aspect that couldn’t be studied or are irrelevant to the climate in the UAE: the freeze and thaw aspect. This portion of the project required my colleagues and I to work in a chamber that is set to a temperature of 0 to 5oC most of the time, testing the pre-stressed concrete ties. Those temperatures are somewhat is colder than what I am used to in the UAE. What is the greatest challenge(s) you face as you work on this degree? I would have to say the adjustment in terms of weather and working with materials such as timber and high strength steel that we didn’t get to interact with during our undergraduate studies. I have to do a lot of research and reading regarding these materials in terms of analysis and design and also try to understand the differences in behavior from our typical materials. Are you currently employed? And if yes, what type of work do you do? What is a typical day like for you?

I am currently employed in the Civil Engineering Department at Kansas State University as a graduate research and teaching assistant. I usually work on my research in the morning, either in the cold chamber or in the concrete lab, then I attend classes, and in the afternoon I carry out my teaching duties if needed. As the President of the Civil Engineering Graduate Student Council at Kansas State University, I also am responsible for organizing our graduate seminars and trying to acquire guest speakers to present at the seminar. Finally, in the next two months I will be travelling to Spokane, Washington and Tucson, Arizona to conduct more

research in the concrete factories that manufacture the pre-stressed concrete ties. I will also be working as an intern in these factories. You are among a few AUS alumni who have authored a published book. Could you tell us more about your book entitled Wheat Fiber from a Residue to a Reinforcing Material: A Study on Wheat Fiber Reinforcement of Cementitious Matrices and Concrete. Are there any other topics that you are considering writing about in the future? The notion of recycling and using materials from nature is welcomed in some countries and required in others. In order to investigate one of the most common natural building materials, wheat fibers, as a reinforcing material, I did research for my master’s degree on these fibers as a reinforcing material. The main objective of the book is to determine if these natural fibers increase the loading capacity of the cementitious matrices and what is the optimum amount to do so. Also, the book compares the performance of wheat fibers with polypropylene fiber as reinforcing materials. Finally, I developed an ABAQUS model to simulate the effect of inclusion of these wheat fibers and to see how the interaction of these materials helps develop and deliver better and stronger cementitious matrices. As for future topics, currently there is nothing planned; however, I think railroad engineering using composite materials might be a nice topic for future research and hopefully a publication. What are you planning to do after completing your PhD degree? Nothing is set in concrete yet, but I hope that one day I will be able to repay the professors that taught me at AUS by being able to join their ranks and helping them teach the future generations what I have learned.

Alumnus Ayham Zedan Interested in Communication and Information Technology R&D in Germany Would you please introduce yourself in a few lines? My name is Ayham Zedan. I was born in Syria in 1990 and I grew up in the UAE. I received a scholarship to join AUS in the fall of 2008. In the spring of 2012, I graduated from AUS with a group of wonderful classmates with a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering. I enjoy music, coffee, and playing football. I also like to read about psychology, sociology, and economics in my free time. I am currently pursuing a master’s of science degree in Communications and Information Technology (CIT) at the University of Bremen, one of Germany’s 11eleven elite universities.

Looking back at your upbringing and education, who or what influenced you to study engineering? Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of the sciences. Thus, I grew up with a profound respect for the scientific fields and a curiosity to know how things work. I very much enjoyed reading science-related books and encyclopedias, especially in elementary school. In addition, my father, who also works in the field of communication technologies, used to explain to me simple things related to his field of work. I also joined a programming course sponsored by Microsoft back in the summer of 2006. I found programing to be an extremely valuable and fulfilling skill. I also met

are essential to becoming successful engineers. Abilities like social skills, team work, presenting, and report writing are very important and AUS graduates have exhibited notable proficiency in such skills. That is in addition to their strong foundation in engineering knowledge and problem-solving skills. What is the greatest challenge(s) you are facing as you work on this degree? I find the program very interesting and I enjoy my classes a lot. That helps me in adapting to the German university system and the increased difficulty in graduate courses. However, I find being away from family and dear friends the most challenging part of pursuing my masters in Germany. Are you currently employed? And if yes, what type of work do you do? What is a typical day like for you? Having 6 major courses a semester takes up most of my time. I use Google Calendar to keep track of class timings and to allocate study time to each course. I even include meal timings. I follow that schedule by the minute, and I leave plenty of time for sports and having fun. As all my classes are in the early morning, I usually wake up around 6:30a.m. and sleep at 11:00 p.m. This way I can keep up with the load, and I don’t have to miss enjoying a great time during my stay in Germany. three great people at that course who I later studied and graduated with at AUS.

What specific goals, including those related to your occupation, have you established for your life?

Did your AUS education help you in choosing to pursue a graduate degree? Why or why not?

My main goal right now is to finish my master’s degree with high grades and perhaps a couple of publications. However, my long term goal is to obtain a PhD from a prestigious university. That will help me get a teaching job in the future. I believe in the value of education as it constructs nations and gives hope to humanity. I also have to mention that my ultimate goal in the future is to contribute to the development of humanity, especially in my motherland Syria. What do you plan to do after completing your master’s degree?

In addition to my senior design project, I had the chance to undertake some research in the field of digital signal processing in fiber optics at AUS immediately after receiving my undergraduate degree. Interacting with my professors was very inspiring. They helped me gain valuable research expertise and experience in tackling practical engineering problems. Furthermore, AUS attracts the best students in the region, which is something not every university can offer. I have classmates who ended up pursuing postgraduate studies in prestigious universities around the world, such as Queens University in Canada, University of Melbourne in Australia, Leeds University in England, and many others. This gives one great motivation and a lot of selfconfidence. I find those to be important tools in pursuing dreams. You are pursuing your master’s degree in Communication and Information Technology at the University of Bremen, Germany. What does this program involve and how is that different from your AUS education? The first year and a half consists of 20 courses and a final practical project. The last six months are dedicated to completing the thesis. Through my courses at the University of Bremen, I found that the education at AUS offered fundamental skills that

Germany offers great hands-on opportunities for holders of master’s degrees in the field of CIT. Therefore, I hope to work in the field of research and development in Germany for a while to gain industrial experience before pursuing a PhD. The job of an engineer is to use available theories and systems to solve practical problems. For that reason, industrial experience is very important for engineers, and cannot be separated from theory. As Albert Einstein explained, “In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.”

AUS Career Services Portal As the most established University in the region with an enviable track record for its graduates advancing up the career ladder, in various walks of life, the proactive a Career Services division of ODAA at AUS has developed a new portal destined for students and alumni job seekers. Most of you would like to know about job opportunities throughout your careers. Therefore, the AUS Alumni Association (AUSAA) has been actively pursuing the offering of a specially designed portal to expedite the job search process, overcome challenges, and capitalize on opportunities. This portal will alert you to positions that may become available at a moment’s notice, as accessing this information rapidly is essential to ensure success.

The portal, therefore, becomes a platform for our alumni, senior students, and recruitment managers to interface and place top talent. The portal design also encourages fellow alumni to submit information on job possibilities in-the-making so that the AUSAA network is the first to learn about them. Our comprehensive career advancement portal has the following unique features: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Easy-to-use interface Customized personal calendar Personal profile Document management (CV, Cover Letter) Access employer’s profiles Easy-to-use job postings Workshop RSVP with time slot sign-up Multi-media library Tips from the Career Services Professionals

We invite you to start making use of this beneficial new service today! To register and start applying for jobs, please visit the Career Service portal at http://aus-csm.symplicity.com

In essence, you keep in touch with AUS, and the University keeps you in contact with your fellow alumni. We are sure that you will want to remain connected to the portal through Career Services for job postings and job networking.

AUS Connect Editor-in-Charge, Rola Habr

We Want You To Stay In Touch! The AUS Ofﬁce of Development and Alumni Affairs is keen to stay in touch with all of our alumni. We hope that you will take the opportunity to tell us about what is happening in your lives. Had a promotion at work? The joy of a new addition to your family? A major move across the globe, or a minor move around the corner? We want to know and share your news with your AUS friends and colleagues. AUS Connect is a wonderful way to stay in touch with your fellow alums, teachers and mentors. It is also a great way to show our friends in the community how proud our wonderful alumni are making us.

Send us an email. Our address is ODAA@aus.edu We look forward to hearing from each and every one of you. Ofﬁce of Development and Alumni Affairs American University of Sharjah P.O.Box: 26666, Sharjah, UAE Tel:+(971) 6 515 2547, Fax: +(971) 6 515 2297 www.aus.edu