Our Vision Carnegie Mellon will meet the changing needs of society by building on its traditions of innovation, problem solving and interdisciplinarity.
Our Mission To create and disseminate knowledge and art through research and creative inquiry, teaching, and learning, and to transfer our intellectual and artistic product to enhance society in meaningful and sustainable ways. To serve our students by teaching them problem solving, leadership and teamwork skills, and the value of a commitment to quality, ethical behavior, and respect for others. To achieve these ends by pursuing the advantages of a diverse and relatively small university community, open to the exchange of ideas, where discovery, creativity, and personal and professional development can flourish.
Our Values Dedication, as exemplified by our commitment to the critical issues of society and our uncompromising work ethic. Collaboration, as exemplified by our interdisciplinarity, our external partnerships, and our capacity to create new fields of inquiry. Measuring excellence by impact, as exemplified by our focus on issues critical to regional development, national interest, and global welfare. Entrepreneurship, as exemplified by openness to new ideas, prudent use of resources, and readiness to act. Depth driving breadth, as exemplified by our issue足-driven research, our context-based general education initiatives, and our focus on problem solving and creative production at all levels. Compassion, as exemplified by our focus on human welfare, on the betterment of society, and on the personal development of the members of our community. Integrity and inclusion, as exemplified by our attention to the highest ethical standards in all domains, and our commitment to being a community which welcomes talented minds from diverse backgrounds and challenges them individually and collectively to achieve their best.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Highlights
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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July 2011
September 2011
November 2011
Summer College Preview Program Thirty-two high school seniors and 22 juniors benefited from Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Summer College Preview Program (SCPP). The annual three-week college preparatory course aims to give high school students an insight into university life and help prepare them for admission and enrollment in a top university.
Freshman Convocation A long-standing university tradition, the ceremony marks the official start of the academic year and the first day for a new class. Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, invited the class of 2015 students into the university’s global family.
Student Biotechnology Explorer Program Qatar secondary school students learned how to analyze a simulated disease outbreak during the Student Biotechnology Explorer Program, a new interactive outreach program developed by Carnegie Mellon.
August 2011 Students participate in iSTEP Carnegie Mellon Qatar students Asma Hamid and Afnan Fahim participated in the Innovative Student Technology ExPerience (iSTEP) internship program, joining Carnegie Mellon students from the main campus in Pittsburgh. iSTEP is organized by the TechBridgeWorld research group at Carnegie Mellon and provides students with the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to real-world challenges in developing communities.
October 2011 Qtel CEO delivers Making the Connection lecture Nasser Marafih, CEO of Qtel Group, presented the year’s first Making the Connection lecture. The series brings a diverse range of industry leaders to campus to speak with students about their organizations and their careers, and to share their insights into business.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Students organize first Tartan Carnival Organized by Student Majlis, Carnegie Mellon’s Qatar’s first Tartan Carnival was dubbed “Tarnival.” The event was inspired by the Pittsburgh campus Spring Carnival — the biggest event of the year for students and a reunion opportunity for alumni.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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December 2011
February 2012
May 2012
Shell in Qatar donates books The library received a collection of 40 books on the oil and gas industry from Shell in Qatar as a step toward reinforcing the ongoing partnership between the two organizations. Saad Al Matwi (TPR’10), who is working for Shell, initiated the donation.
Nicole Taylor and Daniel Ernst perform Carnegie Mellon hosted world-famous soprano Nicole Taylor and concert pianist Daniel Ernst in a performance that was open to the public and was followed by a question-and-answer session. Taylor and Ernst are both graduates of Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts.
Graduation Carnegie Mellon Qatar celebrated its largest graduating class to date at a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre. His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al-Thani, director general of the Al Jazeera Network, delivered the keynote speech to the 61 graduates and an audience of more than 1,000 family, friends and community members.
Sheikh Hamad Al Thani gives Dean’s Lecture Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani, president of Qatar Statistics Authority, reflected on his organization’s role in the development of Qatar and the need for more trained statisticians in the country.
March 2012 CS4Qatar for Women The university hosted a new, hands-on computer science experience especially designed for women that included workshops on programming, puzzles and research projects.
Faculty members publish book Amal Al Malki, assistant professor of English, spoke at the launch of her new book, Arab Women in Arab News, which she co-authored with three other Carnegie Mellon faculty members: David Kaufer, Suguru Ishizaki and Kira Dreher.
June 2012
January 2012
Tartan Service Initiatives students explore South Africa Six student volunteers from Carnegie Mellon participated in a student-led service trip to Cape Town, South Africa. The students taught at Christian David Moravian Primary School, located in the Capricorn community on the outskirts of Cape Town.
Hassan Al Thawadi speaks about Qatar’s Successful World Cup bid As part of Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Dean’s Lecture Series, Hassan AlThawadi, secretary general of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee and one of the most powerful sport industry figures in the region, gave a passionate speech on the power of sports to catalyze socioeconomic development.
April 2012 Female students explore research at OurCS Female high school students and undergraduates from universities and high schools in Qatar gathered at Carnegie Mellon for the first Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Computer Science (OurCS) Qatar conference. The program featured prominent female computer scientists, including Sihem Amer-Yahia, principal research scientist at Qatar Computing Research Institute and former senior scientist at Yahoo! Research.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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From the President Carnegie Mellon University has been a birthplace of innovation throughout its 112-year history. With a strong emphasis on hard work, creative problem-solving and collaboration across disciplines, we measure excellence by the impact we have on making the world better. Over the past eight years, I have seen how the Qatar campus embodies the vision, mission and values of Carnegie Mellon — and this year was no exception. Sixty-one young men and women graduated in May from our programs in business administration, computer science and information systems, bringing our total number of graduates to 216. With most of them employed in Qatar and the region, our alumni are already helping the country fulfill its vision of building a knowledge-based economy by 2030. Our new dean, Dr. Ilker Baybars, has established three new distinguished lecture series, and is bringing Carnegie Mellon’s fine arts programs to Doha through a number of dramatic and musical performances. Another milestone this year was the beginning of an undergraduate degree in biological sciences. This program is a collaborative effort with Weill Cornell Medical College, exemplifying our continued commitment to developing programs, courses and activities that span multiple branch campuses within Education City. We are thankful for the vision and leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the support of Qatar Foundation and the leadership of Dean Baybars.
Jared L. Cohon
President, Carnegie Mellon University
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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From the Dean I am pleased to present the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar 2011–2012 annual report. This has been a year of new beginnings and continued momentum at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. Not only was this my first year as dean, but we welcomed 107 new students — our largest enrollment to date — and more Qatari nationals than ever before. In addition to our existing programs in business administration, computer science and information systems, we began offering Carnegie Mellon’s undergraduate degree in biological sciences in Doha, and we are poised to offer a degree in computational biology. At the invitation of Qatar Foundation, we brought these five programs to Qatar to support the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the framework it establishes for the long-term development of this country and its people. This year, we’ve kept the Qatar National Vision in mind as we’ve forged partnerships with a number of governmental organizations in Qatar. I hope these Memoranda of Understanding will lead to new educational collaborations, scientific research tailored to regional needs and internship opportunities for our students. We’ve also established a Dean’s Lecture Series, which brings leaders from government and industry face-to-face with our students, faculty, alumni and the public. This year, we welcomed Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, and Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani, president of Qatar Statistics Authority, who each spoke about the impact their organization is making on the country’s development. Three new distinguished lecture series will also connect renowned faculty and internationally recognized industry leaders with our campus and the community. The series are named after former deans of Carnegie Mellon — A. Nico Habermann, Richard M. Cyert and John Patrick Crecine. This year, we invited scholars from the U.S. and Germany to speak in the series during weeklong visits as Distinguished Scholars in Residence, where they met with students and served as resources to faculty. I close by extending my thanks to Qatar Foundation, and our faculty, staff and community partners. I hope you enjoy this report.
Ilker Baybars
Dean, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Strategic Partnerships, 2011-2012 General Secretariat for Development Planning
Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee
Permanent Committee for Drug and Alcohol Affairs
Lecture Series, 2011-2012 Dean’s Lecture H.E. Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit Secretary General
Hassan Al-Thawadi Secretary General
Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diplomatic Institute
Major General Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi Director General of Public Security and Chairman
Ministry of Interior’s Police Training Institute
Hassan Al Thawadi Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee A. Nico Habermann Distinguished Lecture in Computer Science Randal E. Bryant Dean of the School of Computer Science and University Professor Richard M. Cyert Distinguished Lecture in Business Management Jerome Apt Executive Director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center A. Nico Habermann Distinguished Lecture in Computer Science Kurt Mehlhorn Director of the Max Planck Institute and Professor at Saarland University John Patrick Crecine Distinguished Lecture in Social Sciences
H.E. Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Assistant Minister for Services Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Brigadier Mohammed Abdullah al-Mahanna al-Marri Director of the Police Training Institute
Al Jazeera Network
Qatar Statistics Authority
John P. Lehoczky Dean of the Marianna Brown Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon Dean’s Lecture H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani President of Qatar Statistics Authority
H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani Director General of Al Jazeera Network
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani President
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Academics
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar provides its students with a world-class education in the following areas: business administration, computer science, information systems and biological sciences. Plans are also underway to begin offering a new program in computational biology at Carnegie Mellon Qatar in the near future. Students on the Qatar campus complete the same graduation requirements as their counterparts on the Pittsburgh campus. They are broadly introduced to the liberal arts and sciences during their first semesters in college, narrow their focus to their major core classes in the middle semesters, and deepen and broaden their education in the last semesters through advanced electives in their majors and completion of minors that provide depth to their overall education. This has been a hallmark of Carnegie Mellon’s approach to education since the introduction of the Carnegie Plan for Education more than 60 years ago. It prepares students for the modern world, in which technologies, systems and even occupations change rapidly. The challenging math and statistics courses hone students’ analytical skills and, combined with exposure to different disciplines and approaches to problem solving, develop their ability for critical thinking. The emphasis on being good citizens and having respect for their society and one another reinforces the importance of ethical behavior in their professional 16
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Enrollment for the 2011-2012 academic year 6
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69
79 63
Biological Sciences
Business Administration
Computer Science
Information Systems
Cross Registrations
lives. The focus on developing exceptional communications skills provides students with opportunities in and outside the classroom to develop first-rate leadership and teamwork skills. The rigor of the coursework teaches them the value of a commitment to excellence and provides a broad understanding of professional practices in their major area.
Course Offerings
In the 2011–2012 academic year, Carnegie Mellon Qatar offered majors in business administration, computer science Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Courses offered by year
123
Courses offered, 2011–2012
146 163
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Biological Sciences
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Information Systems
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Computer Science
43
Business Administration
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General Education
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Summer School
164
2008-2009 2009-2010
and information systems. For the first time, we introduced biological sciences coursework and offered it to third-year transfer students from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. Some of the major, and many of the elective, courses were classes developed by Carnegie Mellon in Qatar faculty, with oversight and review from the home department on Carnegie Mellon’s main campus in Pittsburgh. Carnegie Mellon Qatar offered 164 courses in 2011–2012, a slight increase over the 163 classes offered in 2010–2011. Enrollment in the classes totaled 3,213, a 10 percent increase from the 2,921 enrollment in 2010–2011 (the average student enrolled in 10 classes). Eighteen business administration instructors offered 43 classes in business, statistics and economics that had an average course section size of 23 students. Ten computer science instructors offered 20 classes in the major (including the foundational programming classes), with an average course section size of 13 students. Five information systems instructors offered 15 classes in the major, with an average 18
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
2010-2011
section size of 12 students, and three biological sciences instructors offered six classes, with an average section size of 15. General education faculty had the most course offerings, due to providing general education requirements for four majors housed in four different colleges in Carnegie Mellon. Thirtyfour instructors delivered 70 courses that had an average section size of 16 students. The courses were a variety of history, English, science, engineering, languages, math, design and statistics taken by students in all majors. Several of the new general education faculty were hired jointly with Northwestern University in a postdoc program that allowed both schools to increase their offerings in several hard-to-fill areas, including psychology, political science and philosophy. New courses developed by Qatar faculty in 2011–2012 included “The Political History of the Modern Middle East” and “Revolution & Search for Democracy in Today’s North Africa & Middle East.”
2011-2012
Carnegie Mellon Qatar continues to offer a common curricular experience for all first-year students. The common curriculum facilitates systematic and intentional development of the skills and habits that students need to be successful at Carnegie Mellon. The common fall semester consisted of the English, math, programming, world history and Carnegie Skills Workshop classes, as well as a majorspecific freshman seminar. In the spring, students took common English, math and economic courses, as well as the requirements needed to meet their major areas of study. In addition to their work in the classroom, Carnegie Mellon Qatar students are challenged to get involved outside of the classroom. Examples of course-related outreach included students enrolled in Community Service Learning courses, teaching English to migrant workers in Reach Out to Asia’s Adult Literacy Program. Other courses provided opportunities for students to tutor younger learners at local schools. Carnegie Mellon students also volunteered for a number of community service organizations, including the
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Family Consulting Center, Al-Fakhoora Campaign, Qatar Guest Center, Rumaila Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Earthquake Relief, Hamad Hospital, Reach Out to Asia, Qatar Youth General Authority, Gawad Galinga, Shafallah Center, Diabetes Association, Youth City 2030, Al-Kawther, Red Crescent and Qatar Charity. Carnegie Mellon students had about three opportunities per week to attend seminars led by Carnegie Mellon or guest faculty speakers in a variety of topics that expanded their education beyond their coursework and major areas of study.
Faculty
Sixty-three faculty members taught at Carnegie Mellon Qatar in the 2011–2012 academic year. We continue to attract world-class professors. Some of our faculty teach part of each year in Doha and in Pittsburgh, while some have made the commitment to teach full-time in Doha for a longer term and have moved from Carnegie Mellon’s main campus to the Qatar campus. Others have been hired and recruited directly to teach on our
Qatar campus, and still others are world-class scholars and teachers from outside Carnegie Mellon whom we invite to visit for a semester or a year to teach and do research in their areas of expertise. In addition, some summer courses are taught by advanced Ph.D. students completing their degrees. This model is used on both our main campus in Pittsburgh and our Qatar campus. Please see Appendix C for a detailed breakdown on faculty members by area of specialization.
Biological Sciences
Carnegie Mellon’s degree in biological sciences provides students with an education that has both intellectual breadth and depth of exposure to modern research biology. This education prepares students to pursue employment and graduate school opportunities in multiple areas. The 2011–2012 academic year was the first year biological sciences was offered in Qatar, and thus a milestone year for the program. In Qatar, this program is a collaborative effort with Weill Cornell Medical College, with students receiving
The Carnegie Plan
In 1938, Carnegie Mellon President Robert Doherty implemented what became known as the “Carnegie Plan,” the present-day foundation of many engineering and science curricula throughout the world. The Carnegie Plan aimed for a well-rounded “liberal professional” education in which students were taught to apply fundamental knowledge to solving practical problems, but were also required to learn about and appreciate academic disciplines outside their primary areas of study. This approach allowed students to gain an understanding of the social context and impact of technical decisions.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
their bachelor of science degree from Carnegie Mellon. The biological sciences program is modeled after a wellestablished and successful program in the United States, built upon providing students with a foundational core curriculum in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics. One of the advantages of this curriculum is that it is designed to provide a multidisciplinary education that is both flexible and integrative, allowing students to tailor their education to meet their talents and interests. This enables students to approach some of today’s most difficult and complex scientific problems with an interdisciplinary approach, and gives them a great advantage in their careers. Qatar is undergoing unprecedented change, particularly with regard to the sciences. With the implementation of science and research initiatives like Qatar Science and Technology Park, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar Computing Research Institute, and Sidra Medical and Research Center, there has been a surge of world-class institutes in the area of science and technology. The biological sciences major will prepare students to become leaders and innovators in research, technology and medicine both in this country and around the world. This academic year presented tremendous opportunities for the first cohort of students enrolled in the program. Five of the six students were able travel to the campus in Pittsburgh and enroll in both summer sessions there. While spending nearly three months in the United States, these students travelled to various parts of the country, completed a full lab course for their major, enrolled in other science courses, attended several faculty research talks and participated in independent research projects within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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College Honors
Edmond Abi Saleh (TPR’12) successfully completed a College Honors research project titled Islamic Finance Meets Wall Street.
The independent research projects were student-driven and involved experimental design to test a particular hypothesis under the supervision of Dr. Gordon Rule, who will become faculty coordinator for Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s biological sciences program in fall 2012. The students investigated the role of metal ions in DNA-protein interactions by generating mutations in a gene encoding an enzyme required for site-specific DNA cleavage. In this research environment, they learned how to solve technical problems by changing their experimental strategies and how to interpret and draw conclusions from primary scientific data.
of educators, called the Life Science Educator Network (LiScEN), has forged relationships between life science educators at all levels to work together to brainstorm about how to incorporate inquiry into currently existing curriculum standards. With the help of the Supreme Education Council (SEC), these workshops fostered partnerships between life science educators at the university and high school levels to work in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 in promoting scientific education and research in the region.
Importantly, the students had the opportunity to present their research results to their peers and faculty at a departmental poster session at the end of the summer. This presentation, and their final report, enhanced their skills as effective science communicators. During their stay in Pittsburgh, the students interacted with their Pittsburgh peers on a daily basis, which provided opportunities to discuss ideas, share thoughts and exchange information about science and other subjects in an open environment.
The business administration major is housed in the Tepper School of Business, which is among the world’s elite programs for undergraduate business education. Its success is based on a rigorous academic curriculum, rich in the technical aspects of management, with a global focus that emphasizes the quantitative decision-making and analytical approach to problem solving for which Tepper is worldrenowned. The 2011–2012 academic year saw a number of program highlights.
This year marked the start of two new outreach initiatives by the biological sciences program. In fall 2011, the program held its first high school outreach program in what will become an annual program. In two separate events, 50 students from 15 schools in the region gained first-hand lab experience through a day of lab and classroom instruction, while being introduced to the degree program at Carnegie Mellon.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Business Administration
In the spring of 2012, Carnegie Mellon joined forces with Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar to offer two workshops aimed at empowering life science educators in local primary and secondary schools to prepare their students to succeed in science-based programs. More than 50 educators from Qatar schools participated in the workshops, which provided educators with new tools to infuse scientific inquiry in the classroom. This network
New courses developed by Qatar faculty in 2011–2012 include “Volatility Trading,” “Marketing Analytics” and “Written Communication.” “Management Game,” the recently revised capstone course for graduating seniors, was a big success. External board members drawn from local business community were impressed by the energy, enthusiasm and creativity of our students during the business simulation game. Professor Sham Kekre offered two courses to strengthen the course elective options in the
operations area: “Managing the Enterprise of the Future” and “Logistics and Supply Chain Management.” Both these courses were very well received by students. New cases and video presentations enhanced the content for these courses. MBA students from the Pittsburgh campus spent two days at Carnegie Mellon Qatar as part of their Middle East Trek trip to Doha and Dubai. This gave Carnegie Mellon Qatar students a good opportunity to interact with the visitors. The business administration faculty presented an intensive twoday lecture program that gave the visitors a true overview of the Middle East from a broad business perspective. This year, students in the program participated in the following events: International Development Conference at Harvard Kennedy School of Government Internal Business Case Competition Doha Undergraduate Business Case Competition at the main campus in Pittsburgh Al Fikra National Business Plan Competition Business Administration organized experiential learning trips to major business centers for students to absorb realtime information about the developing economies in Asia and their relationship to Qatar:
China, March 2012 Singapore, May 2012 Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Computer Science
The computer science major is housed in the School of Computer Science, one of the first computer science departments and a world leader in research and education. Its success is based on combining a solid core of computer science courses with the ability to gain real depth in another area through a required minor in a second subject. As computing is a discipline with strong links to many fields, this provides students with unparalleled flexibility to pursue allied (or non-allied) interests. The 2011–2012 academic year was an active and fruitful one for the computer science program at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. A very talented set of young students started their freshmen year in September 2011 and the program saw its largest class of students to date graduate in May 2012. Two computer science juniors, Sidra Alam and Hanan Alshikhabobakr, were awarded Google Anita Borg Scholarships, distinguishing themselves among many qualified applicants to be among the 40 female students
selected from the Europe, Middle East and North Africa regions. This is a great recognition that is not only a testament to their achievements at Carnegie Mellon Qatar, but also a source of aspiration for younger female colleagues here and elsewhere. With Sidra and Hanan, Carnegie Mellon Qatar now boasts four Anita Borg Scholars in computer science in as many years. Another junior, Afnan Fahim, was selected to be a Fifth Year Scholar to pursue an area of interest on Carnegie Mellon’s main campus in Pittsburgh after completing his studies in Qatar. He is the second computer science student to be selected for this honor. During this academic year, six students visited the main campus for one semester and two students from the main campus came to Qatar under Carnegie Mellon’s Campus Exchange program. One of our seniors, Dania Abed Rabbou, successfully completed and defended a senior thesis titled, “Leveraging Social Networking and Indoor Localization for Context-Aware Ubiquitous Systems.”
Also, two sophomores, Amna Al Zeyara and Nawal Behih, received the Best Student Research Award in Computing at the 2011 Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum. Finally, three teams of computer science students ranked second, third and tenth (among 42 teams) in the Gulf Programming Competition, held in Abu Dhabi in the spring of 2012.
processing, robotics, networking, systems, technology for developing world, programming languages and security. In addition to working on some of these projects, four students benefitted from SIURP Grants, which funded summer research projects that they conducted under the direction of a faculty member.
Computer science faculty also had a productive year. New courses developed by Qatar faculty in 2011–2012 include “Cloud Computing” and “Introduction to Text Processing.” In addition to successfully delivering the courses for the computer science undergraduate program, they continued on their research projects and published their results and findings. Three computer science faculty — Yonina Cooper, Saquib Razak and Davide Fossati — received National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) grants during the last round of funding (for details, please refer to the Research section). With these awards, the total number of NPRP and Young Scientist Research Experience Program (YSREP) grants awarded to computer science faculty has risen to 24, covering a wide variety of areas, such as natural language
In addition to the A. Nico Habermann Distinguished Lecture Series in Computer Science (see Dean’s Office section), the department delivered 20 seminars and two tutorials during the academic year by numerous visiting researchers (see http://www.cs.qatar.cmu.edu/activities/seminars for a list of these seminars). Faculty and students were also engaged in a series of outreach events to increase awareness of computer science in the local community and to encourage local high school students to consider computer science as a career. For the first time, the department targeted the female student population in high schools with two dedicated events. In December 2011, the department held its first-ever
Sidra Alam and Hanan Alshikhabobakr were awarded Google Anita Borg Scholarships 26 24
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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“CS4Qatar for Women” event, to which only the female students from select high schools were invited. About 100 enthusiastic female students attended this event and made it a big success. A parallel information session was held for their parents, to inform them about Carnegie Mellon Qatar and computer science. A second new event was the OurCS Research Workshop, held in April 2012 with attendance by about 30 female high school students and undergraduate students from Carnegie Mellon Qatar and Qatar University. The workshop, which involved students teaming up with a faculty member to work on day-long research project, was deemed a success by all attending and was widely covered in the local press. In addition to these programs, the department held CS4Qatar, its flagship outreach event, in February 2012. This event featured a series of introductory computer science workshops targeted to local high school students and was attended by 110 students selected from an applicant pool of about 250 students. The annual High School Programming Competition (HSPC) was held in March, with about 45 students from various local high schools attending. The annual regional Botball competition also took place in March, with about 100 students forming 25 teams.
Information Systems
The information systems program at Carnegie Mellon is an internationally recognized undergraduate major for students who want to design and implement effective solutions to meet organizational and management needs for information and decision support. Graduates of the information systems program are ideally situated to take leading roles in shaping the information-based future. The information systems curriculum continues to expand its courses offerings. Novel courses were introduced to expand the newly added content areas, user-centered information design and applied informatics: Interaction Design for the Web: explores the symbiotic relationship of design and technology Mobile Web Development and Usability Testing: emphasizes a ‘mobile first’ approach to responsive web design, development, and user experience ERP Systems; Concepts and Practice: discusses the role and the various functions of Enterprise Resources Planning systems Electronic Business: Gives students a good understanding on how e-business is conducted and managed The information systems program believes learning takes place in many different ways. In addition to developing novel courses, we nurtured our relations with industry and businesses in Qatar, inviting our partners to deliver guest lectures and to provide internship experiences to the students. We developed the information systems networking series, where our students share their experiences with the industry and businesses.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
The students also made use of an innovative undergraduate information systems lab—a state-of-the-art facility that is now available for undergraduate research experiences in such areas as information security, user experiences in design, global project management, healthcare informatics and business process design. Students were encouraged to participate in competitions at the local and international levels. Aamir Masood won first place in the Association for Information Systems (AIS) students’ international competition in the IT Risk Management Track. This is an outstanding achievement considering that AIS is the premier professional global organization for academics, students and professionals specializing in information systems. We also had student teams place first and fourth in the ‘Indie Fikra Appathon’, a mobile applications development competition organized by Vodafone and QITCOM. Another student reached the local finals selection stages for The Microsoft Imagine Cup Qatar 2012.
Our students also enjoyed opportunities open to them for study abroad. Three students spent a fall/spring semester, and nine spent a summer term at the main campus in Pittsburgh. A student also visited a university in Spain during the summer.
Aamir Masood won first place in the Association for Information Systems (AIS) students’ international competition in the IT Risk Management Track
In information systems, we value undergraduate research as a powerful way to develop creative critical thinkers. Our students continued to engage in research, through Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) projects (see Research section), independent studies in information systems and research internships. As a result, a number of our students co-published research papers at international conferences. Mohammed Al Haddad co-authored a paper at the 2012 Hamlyn Symposium of Medical Robotics, Salwa Al-Mannai co-authored a paper at ISDOC 2012 – The Information Systems and Design of Communication ACM event, and Maahd Shahzad, Aysha Anggraini and Nawal Behih co-authored a paper at HCIST Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Dean’s List Fall 2011 Sara Abbas Muhammad Abbasi Rafay Abbasi Hawra Abdulla Dania Abed Rabbou Edmond Abi Saleh Omar Abou Selo Yazan Abu Hijleh Noor Ul-Huda Admaney Rand Aga Rawan Agha Saad Ahmed Fatema Akbar Mohammed Al Ahmadani Amal Alamri Mohammed Al-Ansari Hiba Al-Ashtal Maryam Al-Buhendi Aisha Al-Hail Tarek Al-Hariri Khadeejah Al-Husseiny Lana Al-Kahala Fatima Al-Khayat Sarah Allouba Aljawhra Al-Mana Hamsa Al-Massri Mohammed Al-Matwi Amna Al-Mazroei Rashed Al-Kaabi Belal Al Kadhi Hind Al Khulaifi Abdullrahman Al Muftah Mohammed Al-Rawahi Mohammed Al Saad Ahmad Al-Sarraf Issa Al-Sheeb Maryam Al-Subaie Ghanim Al-Sulati Ghaya Al-Sulati Reham Al Tamime Faisal Al-Thani Maryam Al-Thani Mohammed Al Thani Aisha Al-Zaman Nur Aysha Anggraini Nahan Arif Shivani Arora Afrozul Aziz Sabih Bin Wasi Daniel Cheweiky Fahim Dalvi Manoj Dareddy Abdallah Darwish
Spring 2011 Aliah Dehdary Ma. Francine Dinglasan Mohammad Dualeh Mei Elgindi Ali Walied El Hag El Houssain El Marabti Hadya Elshakh Omar El Zoheery Saoud Faiadh Nihal Fathima Kenrick Fernandes Marie-Joe Germanos Kharchan Syed Haider Anas Halbawi Asma Hamid Nabeeha Haque Layal Hasan Afrah Hassan Tanzeel Huda Mohammed Hussain Narjes Jafarian Sama Kanbour Raji Katibe Batoul Khalife Elie Mansour Syed Moosavi Jyda Moussa Fathima Lamana Mulaffer Sarah Mustafa Fatima Nadeem Amel Osman Arun Pandian Muhammad Polin Lakshmi Prakash Allan Reeves Shaileja Harendra Relwani Amalan Roshan Nada Salem Rama Sbei Baljit Singh Saba Singh Omar Shamiyeh Ian Skjervem Mohamed Soudy Patrick Steinhagen Akhmed Sungurov Humaira Tasnim Haya Thowfeek Abhay Valiyaveettil Mohammad Samer Younes Mohammad Zafar Haider Zali
Rafay Abbasi Abdulrahman Abdulla Dania Abed Rabbou Edmond Abi Saleh Omar Abou Selo Amira Abu-Saba Noor Ul-Huda Admaney Wadha Alajmy Layal Al Alami Saoud Al-Badran Maryam Al-Buhendi Marwa Alfakhri Tarek Al-Hariri Khadeejah Al-Husseiny Noura Al-Jurdi Rashed Alkaabi Lana Al-Kahala Sara Al-Khalifa Fatima Al-Khayat Aljawhra Al-Mana Hamsa Al-Massri Mohammed Al-Matwi Noor Al-Mohannadi Noora Alsooj Reham Al Tamime Aisha Al-Thani Almaha Al-Thani Faisal Al-Thani Maryam Al-Thani Fatema Akbar Nur Aysha Anggraini Nahan Arif Shivani Arora Ridin Balakrishnan Zainab Baqri Mohamed El-Amin Benkermi Sabih Bin Wasi Daniel Cheweiky Fahim Dalvi Manoj Dareddy Abdallah Darwish Mohammad Dauleh Ma. Francine Dinglasan Mei Elgindi El Houssain El Marabti Hadya Elshakh Sana Fathima Flavio Fenley Kenrick Fernandes Zuhair Ghalib Syed Haider Zeeshan Hanif Nabeeha Haque
Layal Hasan Afrah Hassan Almulla Hassan Tanzeel Huda Mohamed Hussain Narjes Jafarian Chathurika Jayakody Sama Kanbour Raji Katibe Batoul Khalife Rana Khalil Aamir Masood Syed Moosavi Fathima Lamana Mulaffer Sarah Mustafa Fatima Nadeem Amel Osman Arun Pandian Muhammad Polin Lakshmi Prakash Allan Reeves Amalan Roshan Nada Salem Omar Shamiyeh Saba Singh Ian Skjervem Mohamed Soudy Aniish Sridhar Akhmed Sungurov Humaira Tasnim Haya Thowfeek Mohammad Samer Younes Maryam Yousuf Mohammad Zafar Haider Zali
Experts from education, government and industry judged the sixth annual Meeting of the Minds Research Symposium
2012 – the International Conference on Health and Social Care Information Systems and Technologies. We also organized the third regional Undergraduate Conference in Information Systems (UCIS), where we showcased the research projects of students in Qatar and universities from the region. The information systems program continued to offer its flagship outreach program, Ibtikar. This year’s theme promoted Qatar’s culture and heritage to 2022 World Cup visitors. 120 students from more than 20 high schools participated. The winning team’s project was selected this year by ictQatar’s “TumuhaTEC” initiative as part of its top ten national high school projects. The information systems program initiated a new workshop series, “in-depth IS,” that targeted high achievers from selected schools and provided them the opportunity to explore information systems hands-on in our top class lab facility. This program was very well received by its participants and will continue to grow.
Meeting of the Minds
Meeting of the Minds is an undergraduate research symposium that helps students bridge the gap between conducting research and presenting it to a broad audience. A long-standing Carnegie Mellon tradition, Meeting of the Minds is held on the last day of the academic year.
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Eighteen teams of undergraduates, along with graduate students and faculty members, showcased a wide variety of projects to hundreds of guests from the education and business communities in Qatar. The first-place award went to business administration student Edmond Abi Saleh for his research on Islamic finance. Second place went to computer science student Raggi al Hammouri for his work on developing a Qatar-Specific Road Safety simulator. For a full list of projects, see Appendix D.
Collaborative Efforts within Education City
During this academic year, Carnegie Mellon continued to take a leading role in developing programs, courses and extracurricular activities that span multiple branch campuses. The most ambitious of these efforts was the launch of the new degree offering in biological sciences that is a collaborative effort with Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. That program launched successfully in the fall of 2011 with an incoming class of six students who transferred to Carnegie Mellon’s biological sciences program after completing the pre-medical program at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. All six of those students completed their first year at Carnegie Mellon successfully. We continue to work with Northwestern and Georgetown campuses in Education City to jointly offer our and their students the opportunity to complete minors in journalism, media studies, business and international economics. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Library The Library at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar continues to operate successfully as an “information commons,” providing physical and digital resources, as well as a gathering space for students, faculty and staff.
10,000 books Physical resources
Textbook and course reserves Popular magazines, scholarly journals, and local, regional and international newspapers
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1,000 DVDs
Digital resources
Equipment for loan
Services
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2,000 Kindle edition eBooks 500 iTunes movies and television shows Millions of full-text and abstract periodical articles
iPads and Kindle eReaders Headphones
Reference assistance Information literacy training Inter-library loans between other Education City institutions and, via Pittsburgh, from a large network of U.S. and international libraries Materials purchases Rosetta Stone language software
Students Participating in Graduation
Academic Resource Center (ARC) Study Sessions by Subject Math/stats 1573
Programming 775
Others 692
Writing 193
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
The variety and quality of courses available to Carnegie Mellon students through cross-registration with other Education City branch campuses remains strong. These courses enrich offerings in the general education categories. The most popular Carnegie Mellon classes for students from other Education City campuses were “Communication Design Fundamentals,” “Urban Design Methods,” “Community Service Learning” and “What Philosophy Is.”
Academic Support
As an example of Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s commitment to the success of its students, the Academic Resource Center (ARC) and eight faculty members who serve as academic advisors provided support for students throughout 2011–2012. The ARC’s programs are designed to help students master difficult course material, hone their study skills and delve deeper into academic challenges. ARC
staffing consists of five full-time and two part-time staff with specializations in economics, ESL, mathematics, programming and statistics. Individual and small-group tutoring remained the ARC’s core service during the academic year. To assist that effort, ARC hired and trained 17 peer tutors, 58 teaching assistants and two academic counselors. On average, 135 tutoring sessions were held each week, more than half of which supported core freshman courses.
Graduation
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar held its fifth graduation ceremony at the completion of the 2011–2012 academic year. Of the 61 students who participated in the ceremony, 33 were business administration students, 15 were computer science and 13 were information systems majors.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Research
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Carnegie Mellon Qatar continues to make significant progress toward developing its research activities and capacities. The university’s esteemed faculty members build regionally relevant research programs in their areas of interest and expertise. These research programs fall within the following areas: Computing and Mathematics Biological Sciences Information Systems Economics, Business and Social Systems Sustainability and the Environment Language Acquisition and Education Arabic Language and Culture Liberal Arts In Carnegie Mellon’s tradition of interdisciplinary research, the university continues to actively pursue opportunities for research collaboration with colleagues at other Education City branch campuses, Qatar University, Hamad Medical Corporation, Exxon Mobil Oil, Maersk, and many academic institutions in the region and around the world, including Carnegie Mellon’s home campus in the United States. Further, Carnegie Mellon Qatar is expanding its collaboration within industry in Qatar and the region to
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
develop programs through which industry can benefit directly from the research capacity, labs and expertise at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. Currently, Carnegie Mellon Qatar has been awarded 128 research projects totaling $38 million USD. Research at Carnegie Mellon Qatar is funded by several research programs: Qatar National Research Fund’s (QNRF) National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) QNRF’s Junior Scientist Research Experience Program (JSREP) QNRF’s Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Seed Research Fund Student-Initiated Undergraduate Research Program (SIURP) Industry
Qatar National Research Fund
Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (Qatar Foundation), established by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser. QNRF is the premiere funding agency of basic and applied research in Qatar.
National Priorities Research Program
Qatar National Research Fund’s National Priorities Research Program continues to be a major source of funding. In the fifth cycle of program awards, in November 2011, Carnegie Mellon Qatar faculty submitted 17 proposals and were awarded the following four NPRP grants for a total of $3 million USD: Alice for Middle East (Alice ME), Yonina Cooper, Ph.D. Undergraduate Discipline-Specific Writing: Expectations, Demands & Development, Silvia Pessoa, Ph.D. Raising Language Effectiveness in Arabic E-commerce Websites, Zeinab Ibrahim, Ph.D. Intelligent Learning Environments for Computer Science Undergraduate Education, Davide Fossati, Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon Qatar currently has 28 funded NPRP projects from the first four cycles of program funding. We have competed six of these 28 projects. These projects represent more than $23.9 million USD in awarded grants. (For a list of all NPRP-funded projects in the first four award cycles, see Appendix E.)
Junior Scientist Research Experience Program
This program is intended to support the overarching goal of Qatar National Research Fund — to foster a research culture for junior scientists and fund research of interest to Qatar’s National Priorities. The program was not open for competition this year.
Undergraduate Research Experience Program
Carnegie Mellon Qatar faculty participate in QNRF’s Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP), which has been effective in encouraging students to get involved in research and in supporting their work. The following UREP projects were awarded during the 2011–2012 academic year: Qatar Above-Ground Resources, George White, Ph.D. (faculty) and Ian Skjervem (student) Using a Mobile Application to Enhance Young Qatari Health Behavior, Selma Limam Mansar, Ph.D., (faculty); Maahd Shahzad, Nawal Miloud Behih and Syeda Sarah Ali (students)
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Projects Funded by Carnegie Mellon Seed Research Projects
Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s long-term faculty are eligible to compete for Seed Research Funds. Faculty members may apply for research grants of up to $200,000 to initiate and fund research projects in their areas of expertise or to explore projects in new areas. Carnegie Mellon Qatar strongly encourages faculty to focus on research that is relevant to Qatar and the region. The Seed Research program continues to be an important tool for recruiting strong faculty to Carnegie Mellon Qatar.
The following statistics attest to the productivity of the Seed program. (All figures are cumulative from the beginning of the program in 2004 through the end of calendar year 2011.) 51 faculty supported 74 projects funded 151 collaborations with researchers from corporations, government agencies and other universities around the world 70 external grant proposals generated 30 have been funded 320 published papers, books and conference presentations
Student-Initiated Undergraduate Research Program
Carnegie Mellon has been a leader in undergraduate research for decades. Carnegie Mellon in Qatar has continued that tradition with the Student-Initiated Undergraduate Research Program (SIURP), which was created to complement a research stream, similar to the main campus, that supports student-initiated research and encourages students to develop cross-disciplinary projects while being mentored by Carnegie Mellon Qatar faculty. The Fellowship for Student-Initiated Undergraduate Research awards up to $4,000. Those eligible to apply are Carnegie Mellon Qatar undergraduate students – including freshmen – in a degree-granting program enrolled for the fall semester after the SIURP fellowship and who have earned a minimum of 3.00 GPA in the most recent semester. Students may apply for research in any area, as long as the research can be conducted on campus. Carnegie Mellon Qatar students work with a faculty advisor to participate in the university’s competitive SIURP.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Highlighted Research Obesity management program
Highlighted Research Democratic accountability and electoral responsiveness in the context of macro-economic outcomes
Student researchers
Maahd Shahzad, Aysha Anggraini, Nawal Behih
Funding
Carnegie Mellon Seed Research Grant and Qatar National Research Fund (Undergraduate Research Experience Program)
The team
The project
The team
Selma Limam-Mansar, Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon Qatar Shashank Jariwala, research assistant, Carnegie Mellon Qatar Angela Brunstein, Ph.D., Royal College Surgeons in Ireland– Bahrain
John Gasper, Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon Qatar Andrew Reeves, Ph.D., Boston University
Obese patients can often achieve weight loss, but have difficulty maintaining it. Providing good information about the effects of obesity and promoting self-awareness and control can have significant positive results in the Qatari population. This research involves developing mobile-based applications that support obesity management. The research explores ways in which technology can motivate appropriate eating and exercise habits and enact behavior change.
Funding
Carnegie Mellon Seed Research Grant
The project
Do democratic electorates hold politicians accountable in a way that promotes responsible governance? Scholars have sought to reconcile voters’ low levels of political knowledge and high levels of attitude instability with meaningful democratic accountability. To some scholars, collective mass responses are reactive to the world around them, while to others, collective mass behaviors are responsive to the actions and responsibilities of those in power. In an analysis spanning the past several decades, this project develops an understanding of how voters hold their elected officials accountable in a context where different politicians have clearly defined and different responsibilities.
Impact
This research adds to the poorly explored area of Arabic-based mobile applications in healthcare for the Arab Gulf countries.
Automated measurement of galaxy morphology The team
Impact
Alex Rojas-Pena, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon Qatar Steven Bamford, Ph.D., University of Nottingham
Our project will provide a better understanding of the level of sophistication of an electorate in promoting responsible governance.
Funding
Qatar National Research Fund (National Priorities Research Program)
The project
As distinct gas and stellar units, galaxies exist in many shapes and sizes. This project aims to develop software with multi-band capability that can quickly and reliably decompose galaxies into their main structures and robustly measure the physical properties of their internal structures. These types of analyses are necessary for us to understand the evolution of galaxies and the physical processes that occur over time.
Impact
Our research found that multi-band modeling can better describe the size and geometry of galaxies than single-band
MetaCLF: Formal Reasoning about Languages for Distributed Computation
A type-safe programming language to build safe and secure web applications The team
Thierry Sans, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon Qatar Iliano Cervesato, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon Qatar
Funding modeling. The software has proved an excellent tool for current day surveys and represents a step forward in many areas of astronomy.
The team
Iliano Cervesato, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon Qatar Frank Pfenning, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University Jorge Luis Sacchini, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon Qatar Beniamino Accattoli, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University Chris Martens, Ph.D. student, Carnegie Mellon University Ian Voysey, Carnegie Mellon University Rob Simmons, Ph.D. student, Carnegie Mellon University Carsten Schürmann, Ph.D., IT University of Copenhagen
Qatar National Research Fund (Young Scientist Research Experience Program)
The project
Qatar offers many services related to e-government, e-business, e-education and e-health through web and mobile applications. Deploying such applications requires a strong security assurance. Writing correct and secure web-based applications is complex and, as a result, attacks targeting web and mobile applications are on the increase. The main reason is that web technologies
currently used were not originally designed with built-in security features. Testing is the most common way to catch security breaches as current technologies provide limited support. However, there are doubts that this can scale up to meet the expectations of more sophisticated web applications. We are working on a new programming language called Qwel, which has built-in security features that provides the developer with a way to control data that are coming in and going out of the application.
Impact
As more people communicate sensitive information over web and mobile applications, it has become a top priority for developers to build secure applications from the ground up. Qwel has built-in security features that have the potential to protect users and their personal information.
Funding
Qatar National Research Fund (National Priorities Research Program)
The project
This project aims to develop a solid methodology for specifying concurrent and distributed programming languages and their properties, and to implement supporting tools, complete with mechanized reasoning procedures for them. This work will also provide a better understanding of the foundational properties of these languages.
Impact
This project develops some of the technology that will enable a new generation of computer applications that are more sophisticated, more secure and more reliable than today’s, thereby pushing the boundary of what is computationally feasible in practice.
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Student Affairs
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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The core mission of student affairs at Carnegie Mellon Qatar is to create the ideal undergraduate experience for students to be engaged, challenged and supported. This year, our students rose admirably to the challenges — they engaged actively with their community and grew and thrived beyond our expectations. This is largely due to a cohesive support network created for them by the joint efforts of faculty, staff and student affairs. To achieve this goal, we set multiple programming objectives based on our belief in the development of the student across a wide array of content areas, from the personal to the professional, social, emotional, physical and intellectual. Notably, our work was underscored by constantly providing personal care and attention given to each student through our daily interaction, particularly in our roles as diwanis or advisors. An integral part of our strategy has been to complement our work by forging multiple partnerships with our home campus in Pittsburgh, the Education City branch centers and Qatar Foundation, with the intent of developing a web of strong connections that serve to further enhance our students’ experiences.
Service and Community-Building Creating a campus culture has traditionally been a high priority at Carnegie Mellon. To that end, we provide resources and support to empower students in creating and developing a community that encourages social, cultural, service and leadership opportunities that contribute to the growth and development of students and complement our academic mission.
Tartan Service Initiatives
At Carnegie Mellon, core values of compassion, collaboration and integrity shape everything we do. There’s no better way for students to exemplify these values than through service initiatives. Service is a rewarding experience that gives students the opportunity to give back to local and global communities and grow their leadership and personal and professional skills. Tartan Service Initiatives provides a range of programs where students can expand their understanding of social issues by engaging firsthand through on-site service. This year, students had the opportunity to participate in the following Tartan Service Initiatives:
Doha Community Engagement Program 2012 This year, DCEP selected to fund the project Oktob (meaning “Write” in Arabic), which was submitted by two juniors in business administration, Sara Al-Mannai and Najla Al-Madhadi. The Oktob project was designed to engage youth in an Arabic and English literacy project. Najla and Sara worked with Qatar Academy to design an eight-week after-school program that encouraged creative writing for 9-to 12-year-olds. Upon completion of the eight-week program, Najla and Sara compiled the stories and had them printed as books for each child to keep. They gave additional copies to the Qatar Academy school library and the Carnegie Mellon library. 44 42
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Students taught English and shared healthy living tips during a service learning trip to Xi’an, China
Doha Community Engagement Program
Service trip to South Africa
In the Doha Community Engagement Program (DCEP), students select social issues they want to focus on and design projects that directly address those issues within Qatar. To apply, students draft a proposal outlining how they will create social change and enhance the community. After review by the DCEP Proposal Committee, one or two projects are funded and the students manage a small budget of funds dedicated to supporting their programs.
During this student-led weeklong service trip, students volunteered at a Cape Town school. Participants taught English, art and crafts to young children, while learning about South African culture.
Service Learning Trip to China Students were challenged to develop new ways to communicate English lessons and share healthy living tips during a trip to Xi’an, China. For the majority of Chinese students, this was their first opportunity to interact with people outside their own culture. The trip also involved a visit to a Chinese state-run orphanage and a privately run orphanage.
Education City Make a Difference Day Make a Difference Day (MADD) is a one-day event where students from throughout Education City come together to participate in a local service project.
Best Buddies Best Buddies is a student organization that provides teaching and support to students with special needs at the Shafallah Center in Doha. 44
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Homework Café with Qatar Academy Students volunteered their time to help tutor Qatar Academy’s grade 6 to 12 students in a collaborative after-school project.
First-and Second-Year Programs The First Year Experience
This year, Carnegie Mellon Qatar welcomed its largest class of new students to date. The goal of our First-Year Programs (FYP) and New Student Orientation (NSO) is to equip first-year students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their first year at Carnegie Mellon. During Orientation, students are introduced firsthand to the university’s culture, resources and opportunities at the main campus in Pittsburgh.
students participated in “The Sophomore Experience,” a series of exercises and workshops on balancing academic, personal and career goals.
Sophomore Initiatives
Leadership Workshops GPS 1.0 and GPS 2.0
Sophomore Initiatives allow students to explore issues such as leadership development, career and internship exploration, and research or service opportunities. This year,
Leadership Development Carnegie Mellon students have opportunities to develop their leadership skills throughout their academic careers, both in class and outside of the classroom.
Class of 2015, with 30 students completing at least one of these programs (GPS 1.0 is facilitated in the fall and GPS 2.0 in the spring). The GPS 1.0 curriculum is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership and the GPS 2.0 curriculum is based on the Carnegie Mellon Core Convictions of Leadership, which are self-knowledge, action and reflection, risk, service, inspiration, and relationships. In spring 2012, six GPS graduates returned as guest facilitators to assist with GPS, illustrating our students’ continued interest in their leadership development.
GPS has been a weekly leadership program for freshmen since 2008. This year, we saw increased interest from the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Student Organizations
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Active Women
organizes activities that promote women’s empowerment
All-Around student newspaper & yearbook
documenting life as a Tartan since 2004
Best Buddies
promotes friendships between CMU students and students in Doha with special needs
CMBA Business Club
organizes business events and competitions
CMQ Volleyball
organizes weekly volleyball practices and matches with other universities
Computing Club
organizes computer science events and competitions
Cricket Club
organizes practice sessions and matches with other universities
Cultural Exchange Club
promotes cultural learning and exploration
Debate Society
provides opportunities to practice and compete in formal debates
DSO (Development Solutions Organization)
organizes global development projects
Gaming Club
hosts gaming tournaments promoting social interaction
Health and Fitness Club
promotes healthy lifestyles among students
Men’s Football Club
allows players to train together and compete in several university tournaments
Music Club
organizes opportunities for music education and exploration
Photography Club
organizes photo exhibits and competitions
Qatari Student Network
promotes awareness and appreciation of Qatari and Arab Culture
Qatari Women’s Organization
empowers Qatari and Arab women through leadership development
Silver Phoenix
helps campus clubs integrate technology into their programs
Student Majlis
campus governance body that oversees student organization funding
Table Tennis Club
promotes table tennis through monthly tournaments
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Women’s Leadership Program
Women’s Leadership Program is a six-week seminar for young women that explores the relationship between gender, culture and leadership, and the changing role of women in communities and the workplace. Sessions are designed to stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills while providing opportunities for students to cultivate networks with other women in the campus community. This year, female students were invited to attend the 2011 Women as Global Leaders Conference and the International Women’s Day Event, where local female community leaders shared their insights. The office also supported the Qatari Women’s Student Organization.
Student Clubs and Organizations Student-led clubs and organizations provide meaningful learning opportunities where students can apply concepts learned in the classroom and practice implementing organizational skills necessary in the real world. These organizations also promote campus involvement and university citizenship. Our students are increasingly involved in and committed to the student organizations they join. For example, this year, student clubs participated in a new campus-wide event known as Tartan Carnival. Modeled after a similar event in
Pittsburgh, this daylong festival was organized by Student Majlis and filled with community-building activities, such as games, cultural dances and a group photo booth.
Sports and Recreation
In an effort to enhance school spirit and increase attendance at sporting events, students created a new fan group called Tarfans. Some of the highlights of the sports and recreation program include the men’s football (soccer) team winning the Education City College Football League (ECCFL) in 2011 and finishing second in the Ministry of Interior’s 2nd Annual Prevention Football Tournament. Additionally, Carnegie Mellon’s cricket and volleyball teams also performed well in Education City tournaments.
Professional, Practical and Experiential Learning Carnegie Mellon recognizes the importance of bridging academic and business environments to create conditions for a progressive, knowledge-based society. In an increasingly competitive global market, today’s graduates must possess more than superior academic knowledge and a desire to succeed — they also must gain practical experience in business and industry. Carnegie Mellon Qatar provides a number of ongoing programs that reflect the university’s commitment to our students’ career and professional development. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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Professional Day
Our Partners The Office of Professional Development has built relationships with companies and organizations across various sectors. Many attend professional day or speak in the Making the Connection lecture series, while others offer internships and jobs to students and graduates. Accenture AKTOR Al Fardan Group Aljazeera English Amana Steel Building and Contracting Arqaam Captial Aspire Bank International – Indonesia Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing Brown Harriman Brown Lloyd James Citibank Commercial Bank ConocoPhillips Credit Suisse Deloitte & Touche Consulting Doha Bank Doha Film Institute Dohaland Dolphin Energy Dossary Trading Enterprises Enterprise Qatar Ernst & Young
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Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Exxon Mobil Fuego Digital Media General Electric Google GulfTalent Hewlett Packard HSBC Bank Huawei Tech Investments ictQATAR iHorizons International Bank of Qatar JP Morgan KPMG Maendeleo Ventures Malomatia, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art Maersk Oil Masraf Al Rayan Mashreq Bank Michael Page Microsoft Musheireb Properties Nakilat Occidental Petroleum
Oryx GTL PricewaterhouseCoopers Qtel QAPCO Qatar Airways Qatar Chemical Company (QChem) Qatar Computing Research Institute Qatar Development Bank Qatari Diar Qatar Exchange Qatar Financial Centre Qatar Foundation Qatar Gas Qatar Investment Authority Qatar Islamic Bank QMedia Qatarlyst Qatar Museums Authority Qatar National Bank Qatar National Olympic Committee Qatar National Research Fund
Qatar Petroleum Qatar Olympic Committee Qatar Rail Qatar Science Leadership Program QSTP QU Wireless Innovation Center RasGas Reach Out to Asia Reed Shell Sidra Siemens Silatech Standard Chartered Bank Tasweeq Total United Development Company Vodafone Williams Technology
Professional Day is a career and networking fair that brings students and employers together to meet face-to-face and explore internships and career possibilities. Representatives from top organizations return every year because they appreciate the rigorous academic programs at Carnegie Mellon, as well as the wide range of co-curricular activities and projects in which students take part. This year: 53 organizations and 225 representatives attended 11 organizations participated for the first time, including Credit Suisse, Google, Qatar Computing Research Institute and Siemens 20 Carnegie Mellon alumni attended as recruiters
Making the Connection Lecture Series
Internships
Carnegie Mellon students participate regularly in internships that let them apply their learning in hands-on, real-world situations. Students find these opportunities to be invaluable in seeing how their education can be used in the workplace. Examples of companies offering internships to Carnegie Mellon Qatar students during the 2011-2012 academic year include Al Jazeera, Microsoft and GE Oil & Gas
Career Development
Conducted every February and March, the Professional Fluency Series encompasses programs and workshops designed to prepare students for Professional Day and for their job and internship search. In 2012, we coordinated 19 programs, including:
This lecture series brings to campus a diverse range of industry leaders to speak with students about their organizations and the career paths offered to students. Speakers this year included:
Dr. Nasser Marafih, CEO, QTel Group Farah Foustok, CEO, ING Investment Management, United Arab Emirates Aladdin Hangari, CEO, Credit Suisse Sofia Ferraz Hammoud, chief of staff, Citibank, Middle East Banking, Dubai Vikki Horton, campus strategy manager, Citi Graduate Recruitment, U.K. Dr. Yacine Messaoui, manager of IT & Digital Media, Al Jazeera Network
Beginner résumé writing Advanced résumé writing Technical résumé writing Mock interview information session What should I do with my life? E-mail etiquette Marketing your skills: John Watts, managing director, Brown Lloyd James The Google résumé Interviewing skills Marketing student club experience Personal marketing plan for Computer Science and Information Systems: Kevin Collins, CS Career Advisor Business Fashion Show, CMBA
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safe environment. In addition to counseling and consultation services, the university offers programs and services that enhance student development and quality of life by attending to the personal, emotional, spiritual and interpersonal needs of the students in and out of the classroom.
Personal Wellbeing Workshops
These workshops focus on a variety of topics affecting college students and offer effective management strategies and techniques. Topics range from the importance of sleep, body image, stress management and relaxation techniques to issues such as procrastination, positive psychology and effective communication. This year’s programs included:
Mental Wellbeing Week, a week-long program focusing on depression awareness, conflict resolution, self-esteem, the power of positive thinking and how to recognize signs of distress Stress Recess, a program focused on stress-reducing activities Depression and Eating Disorder Screenings Managing Stress, Restoring Harmony, a course focused on stress and the implications of stress on health and wellbeing
Big Questions Dinner
In collaboration with the Office of International Education, Carnegie Mellon Qatar offered this program during the spring semester to students who wanted an opportunity to sit down with classmates, Pittsburgh students, faculty and staff to engage in discussions related to the “big questions” in life. Some examples of questions discussed include: “If you could invent one thing that could make the world a better place, what would it be?” and “Do our daily actions become who we really are?”
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
March is mock interview month at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. This year, 15 faculty and staff members, as well as two local employers, participated as interviewers on campus over the course of three weeks.
Graduate School Information Series
Conducted every October, the Graduate School Information Series presents information sessions and preparation workshops focusing on students who have an interest in pursuing an advanced degree. In 2011, we coordinated 11 programs, including GRE/GMAT preparation with Paul Kanarek, founder and president of Princeton Review; Faculty Information Panels; a session with the U.S. Embassy; and a discussion with representatives from QF Financial Aid.
Student Employment Program
Qatar Foundation’s Student Employment Program runs every fall, spring and summer semester and includes both 50
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academic and non-academic positions. Between the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters, there were: 64 courses requiring teaching assistants (TAs) 123 total academic positions available 96 total students working as TAs or peer tutors In non-academic (staff) roles, students support a number of departments across campus, including Admissions, Library, IT, Marketing & Public Relations, Student Affairs, Computer Science, and Information Systems. Between the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters, there were: 99 total staff positions available 80 students working in staff roles
Personal Development Staff in the Office of Personal Development and Counseling Services offer students the opportunity to talk privately about personal, private or academic concerns in a supportive and
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment tool that lets participants learn more about their personality types and how these apply to career, learning styles, conflict resolution and interaction with others. We offered this assessment to students throughout the academic year.
Student Success Initiative
The Student Success Initiative (SSI) program is offered in spring to freshman students who seek additional support to reach their academic potential. This program is in collaboration with the Academic Resource Center and focuses on topics such as time management, goal-setting and behavior motivation.
Health and Wellness For students to succeed in life, they must acquire information, skills and attitudes that positively affect their academic success and other life goals. The goal of Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s health and wellness program is to support the physical, mental and social health and wellness of all students.
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Health 101 magazine
plan International Education Week and International Day, hosted events during IMPAQT Doha, and served on a number of committees and selection panels.
We launched an online magazine, Health 101, this year to provide students with an interactive format that engaged and informed students on a wide variety of health and wellness topics in a culturally appropriate format.
International Education Program Highlights Campus Conversation
Social, Mental and Physical Wellness
The promotion of physical activity and stress management continued to be a top priority, along with raising awareness on the importance of social wellness and creating healthy living environments in 2011–2012. The fall semester included weekly stress-free activities, such as de-stress zones at lunch time, yoga sessions and Zumba classes for our female students. Also highlighted this year was the first National Sports Day in Qatar, a community event with students, staff and faculty pledging to be physically active for at least 120 minutes a week. An information booth highlighted the importance of physical activity.
Movember Campaign
Cosponsored with the Active Women’s Student Club, the Movember Campaign was a first of its kind in Qatar. During the month of November, male students, faculty and staff
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were encouraged to help raise awareness for men’s health issues and cancer by growing mustaches. The campaign culminated with a party where lanterns were lighted in honor of loved ones who had survived or succumbed to cancer.
In November 2011, the Office of International Education and David Gray, an assistant teaching professor, co-organized the first Campus Conversation program on the Qatar campus. This program brought together a diverse group of students from Carnegie Mellon and around Education City to discuss an important local issue: food security in Qatar. Through democratic dialog like the Campus Conversation program, participants become active members of a process that not only gives them a voice in decision-making but also exposes them to diverse viewpoints.
International Education
Food for Thought
Carnegie Mellon’s support of international education continues to develop students’ global awareness and understanding of diversity. The 2011–2012 academic year saw an increase in student-led and student-planned programming. Students facilitated Pizza & Politics, helped
Food for Thought is a new, collaborative series of programs between the Office of International Education and the Office of Health and Wellness, with a focus on using food to engage students in discussions around culture, religion and values. The first program, Chai Time, introduced
students to a variety of teas (chais) from different countries and cultures, and engaged them in discussions about the use of chai in cultural ceremonies, religious practices and medicine. The second program presented types of food that are commonly used in religious ceremonies or traditions, and brought students together to share their own religious traditions with one another. In the final event, called Master Chef, teams of students competed to create cultural dishes.
International Day International Day is an annual celebration of our community’s diversity and the unique experience such a diverse community provides. The April 2012 celebration attracted more than 350 attendees and more than 15 performances by students, staff and faculty.
Global Learning Technology Consulting in the Global Community (TCinGC) program This year, two students from the Qatar campus participated in Carnegie Mellon’s Technology Consulting in the Global Community (TCinGC) program. TCinGC is a collaborative partnership between Carnegie Mellon students and faculty
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Nationalities of our students Afghanistan Azerbaijan Algeria Bahrain Bangladesh Brazil Canada Egypt France Germany Hungary India Iran
and governmental and nongovernmental organizations throughout the world. The summer 2012 student consultants traveled to Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to provide ICT assistance to the Office of the Prime Minister.
component, students work on projects aimed at improving linkages between students, enhancing exchange programs and more.
IMPAQT
The campus exchange program provides students on both the Doha and Pittsburgh campuses an opportunity to continue their Carnegie Mellon courses in a new culture and environment. During this academic year, 13 Doha students studied in Pittsburgh and six Pittsburgh students studied in Qatar.
IMPAQT, which stands for Initiating Meaningful Pittsburgh and Qatar Ties, was developed to build partnerships, increase awareness and establish stronger connections between the students on the Qatar and Pittsburgh campuses. This year, 10 Qatar students traveled to Pittsburgh and six Pittsburgh students traveled to Doha during their respective spring breaks. Students participated in cultural exploration activities, campus and city visits and many student engagement opportunities. In addition to the travel 54
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Iraq Jordan Kenya Lebanon Malaysia Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar
Russia Serbia Somalia South Africa Sri Lanka Sudan Syria Tunisia United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uzbekistan Yemen
Doha students taking summer classes in Pittsburgh
Campus Exchange
In addition to the academic year exchange, Qatar students may enroll in summer courses at the home campus. Interest in the Doha-to-Pittsburgh summer study program has steadily increased to 40 students for summer 2012.
The students have enjoyed taking a variety of courses related to their majors, as well as courses of personal interest.
13
25
40
Support Services for International Students
2010 2011
2012
In addition to advising international students on acculturation, independent living and other international matters, the Office of International Education is the liaison between students and the Qatar Foundation’s immigration and housing departments. Seven nationalities were represented among the 26 new international students for the 2011–2012 academic year, including American, Indian, Lebanese, Pakistani, Russian, Sri Lankan and Syrian. (Non-Qatari students living in Qatar with their families were excluded from these numbers.)
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Admission
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Applications from Qatari Nationals
Global Academy International
New Trier High School
Al Jazeera Academy
Gulf Coast Community College
Al Bayan Girls’ Scientific
Gulf English School
Omar Bin Al Khattab Secondary School
Al Iman Independent School
Home-schooled
American Academy
Ideal Indian School Ilma International School
Qatar Academy
American School Of Dubai
International Indian School
Qatar Independent Secondary School
Amna Bint Wahab Secondary School
International School of Choueifat — Damascus
Qatar International School
Aspire Academy
International School of Choueifat — Dubai
Bangladesh M.H.M. High School Beaconhouse School System Birla Public School Chettinad Vidyashram School Community College Qatar Doha College
International School of Choueifat — Doha Jasim Bin Hamad School Lahore Grammar School Lycée Français de Doha M.E.S. Indian School
268
P.S. Senior Secondary School
233 222
Enrolled
American School Of Doha
Pakistan International School
Carnegie Mellon is interested in students who can be successful at the university while taking full advantage of all the university has to offer and enriching the campus community. We also seek students who best embody our core values of dedication, collaboration, entrepreneurship, compassion, diversity and integrity.
Student Recruitment
Qatar is the primary geographic focus for student recruitment. To kick off the student recruitment season, we held two major events in Doha during September and October 2011: Eighth Annual Local Counselor Visitation Day, held in the Education City Student Center Seventh Annual Discover Education City recruitment kickoff event, hosted by the Student Center, with more than 1,100 in attendance Carnegie Mellon Qatar cooperated with the other Education City branch campuses to schedule local school visits. The Education City teams visited approximately 45 secondary
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685
821 685 624
624
Qatar University Rockville High School
179
107
Tatischevo Secondary School
Westminster School & College
204
204
SRP Junior College
The Cambridge School
228
228
Saint Patrick’s High School
2012
86
179
107 2012
2011
2011
2010
2010
86
Woodstock School
Modern Indian School
At Carnegie Mellon, every applicant is treated as an individual. The university applies a holistic approach to the admission process, in which all facets of an applicant are considered by counselors. Carnegie Mellon considers many factors when making admission decisions, including academic performance, exam scores and extracurricular activities. We take great care to make our admission decisions fair, thorough and sensitive.
268
821 233
Applications
Aitchison College
Enrolled
Mohanagar Ideal College
Applications
Doha Independent School
Accepted
Academic Bridge Program
Student Recruitment
Accepted
High Schools Represented
schools in Qatar, with some being visited more than once. For the first time this year, 13 schools were also invited for campus visits that included student panels, an admission presentation and tours of the building.
Applications from within Qatar
Applications increased from residents of Qatar (both citizens and non-citizens) 20 percent, from 466 applications in 2011 to 560 applications in 2012. When looking at Qatari nationals only, applications increased 15 percent, from 233 applications in 2011 to 268 applications in 2012.
International Recruitment
Internationally, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is defined as the secondary recruitment market. In past years, recruitment in the GCC was done jointly with Qatar Foundation’s Education Division and other universities in Education City. This cycle, we took a different approach; instead of doing the traditional school visit fair and or presentation, we used an interview-based model with students who were interested in Carnegie Mellon. During October and November 2011, Carnegie Mellon interviewed students in: Bahrain Oman Abu Dhabi Dubai Kuwait
R. Seetharaman, group chief executive officer of Doha Bank and Majid Al-Khulaifi, former chief economist at the Amiri Diwan, welcome newly-admitted students and their parents at the annual Marhaba Tartans reception.
Saudi Arabia Jordan Palestine In January 2012, the sixth annual Education City Regional Counselor Program (ECRCP) took place, sponsored jointly by Qatar Foundation and the six Education City university partners. The goal of the ECRCP is to showcase Education City to influential counselors throughout the Middle East, who will return to their schools and inform and encourage their students to apply. Approximately 25 university counselors and advisers from countries such as Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Mauritius, Malaysia and Pakistan attended the two-day program.
This year, applications from other countries in the Middle East and Africa increased 15 percent, from 214 in 2011 to 246 in 2012.
Financial aid
The following financial aid options are available to students who enroll at Carnegie Mellon Qatar: Emiri Scholarship from Qatari Supreme Education Council Sponsorship from a national company Qatar Foundation Loan Program Qatar Foundation Scholarship Program Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar Scholarship
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Student Financial Assistance, 2011–2012 14% Did not receive aid 34% Qatar Foundation loan Funding from
24% Qatar Supreme Education Council Qatar Foundation Loan
6% and a Carnegie
Mellon Scholarship
1% Carnegie Mellon Scholarship
6% Qatar Foundation Scholarship
11% Company scholarship
CS4Qatar For the 2011–2012 academic year, 288 Carnegie Mellon Qatar students received financial aid or sponsorship to pay their tuition and fees. Nineteen students received money from both Carnegie Mellon University and Qatar Foundation.
Pre-college Programs
Carnegie Mellon Qatar reaches out into the community through pre-college programs that bridge the gap between secondary school and university life. These programs are designed to encourage secondary students to focus on their studies and challenge themselves beyond their school curricula. The programs also inform students about the five majors offered at Carnegie Mellon Qatar, what it takes to enroll in the programs and the types of careers that are available to graduates.
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Summer College Preview Program
Modeled after Carnegie Mellon’s successful Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS), the Summer College Preview Program is designed to introduce academically motivated students to the demanding curricula of selective American universities such as the ones in Education City. Summer College Preview Program (SCPP) takes students through an intensive four-week experience with classes in mathematics and English composition, a hands-on project, and SAT preparation. During July 2011, students attended classes five days a week and completed four SAT diagnostic (practice) tests. 250 students applied 54 students were admitted 26 percent were Qatari nationals
Ibtikar Qatar
Ibtikar, which means innovation in Arabic, is an information systems innovation competition where high school juniors and seniors try to solve a real-world issue using information technology. The program also aims to raise student interest in the dynamic field of information systems. This year’s project was to develop a Nirvana phone application to help the Qatar Tourism Agency prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup by connecting World Cup attendees with information about Qatar. All eight winners were invited back for a meetand-greet with the information systems faculty, a workshop and a lunch with current students. 91 students applied 69 students enrolled, representing 15 teams from 10 schools
CS4Qatar is a developmental workshop designed to teach high school students about computer science and how it applies to all aspects of life. Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Computer Science Department does this by reaching out to students and exposing them to technological and computer science basics. 157 students applied 78 students enrolled representing 19 different schools
CS4Qatar for Women
This new initiative is similar to CS4Qatar, but designed for women. The workshops included programming, computer science puzzles and research projects. Participants also met with faculty, learned about Carnegie Mellon’s computer science program and saw how a computer science degree can help contribute to Qatar’s future. 90 students participated
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High School Programming Competition
Biotechnology Explorer Program
The High School Programming Competition challenges students to compete against their peers in a computer science-based contest. Teams of three students worked together to solve six computer problems in less than four hours. Students used their knowledge of computer programming languages such as JAVA, C and C++ to solve the problems. A panel of Carnegie Mellon faculty worked as judges to determine whether the submissions correctly solved the problems. 38 students from seven high schools participated
Botball
Botball is a U.S.-based organization that introduces robotics to high school students. Teams are equipped with a LegoŠ Mindstorm robot and instructions on how to design and program it to move autonomously through a course to complete a specific task. After working on their robots for eight weeks, student teams are pitted against one another to see whose robot can score the most points in two-minute competitions. Teams also must demonstrate the work they have done to create and program their robot.
A new initiative this year, the Biotechnology Explorer Program provided secondary school students with a first-hand lab experience as they tracked a simulated disease outbreak and learned techniques scientists use to determine whether someone has been exposed to a contagious disease. Participants also learned how diseases spread from one individual to another, how the immune system reacts to disease-causing microorganisms, how to track the original source of these microorganisms, and the methods used to treat and prevent diseases from reappearing or spreading.
Five-Year Dual Enrollment Program with the Academic Bridge Program
In an effort to target qualified Qatari nationals, a five-year joint program was established in 2011 between Carnegie Mellon and the Academic Bridge Program. Ten Qatari students participated in this program, taking classes primarily in the Academic Bridge Program, along with freshmen-level courses at Carnegie Mellon. After successfully completing this program, the students will be eligible to enroll at Carnegie Mellon as regular degreeseeking students.
164 students applied 25 students were admitted 100 percent of the admitted students enrolled and participated
In 2012, 28 schools from Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Egypt participated. The winning team from Al’Ruya Bilingual School in Kuwait received funding to travel to the United States to participate in the Botball world finals and take part in the Global Conference on Educational Robotics.
Teams Competing in Botball
28 4
2008 2005
2012
2012
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Marketing and Public Relations
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Facebook advertising clicks in Qatar 11-2012 20 25,000 10-2011 20
2
11-201 20 17,000
23,000
General advertising campaign
We don’t print diplomas. We create innovators. We know there’s no secret formula for innovation. Innovation is the result of creativity, collaboration and plenty of hard work. If you study at Carnegie Mellon, you’ll be challenged academically. Your creativity will be encouraged, you’ll collaborate with our world-renowned faculty, and you’ll explore and combine disciplines in new ways.
qatar.cmu.edu
Biological Sciences | Business Administration | Computational Biology | Computer Science | Information Systems
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Biological sciences campaign
The primary goal of the Office of Marketing and Public Relations is to extend Carnegie Mellon’s global brand throughout the region by working together with our colleagues on the main campus. Additionally, we work closely with Qatar Foundation and the other Education City branch campuses to promote the mission and vision of her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser. Marketing and Public Relations has four main areas of focus: Creative Media Relations Special Events Alumni Relations
Creative
This year, the Carnegie Mellon Qatar logo was updated to reflect Carnegie Mellon’s global brand. This created an opportunity to refresh the university’s official publications and align them with Carnegie Mellon’s identity and communications strategy. The office took an integrated approach, updating the website, official magazine and general advertising campaign. Within the parameters of the Carnegie Mellon brand, the aim was to develop publications that maximized the use of images, thus appealing to both English and non-native English speakers.
Advertising
The Marketing and Public Relations Office continued its advertising strategy to increase awareness of Carnegie Mellon in Qatar and the region. A list of publications the university advertised in can be found in Appendix F. Also this year, the office worked with Wall to Wall Studios, which was founded by two Carnegie Mellon alumni, to develop two new advertising campaigns. The first of those, titled “We don’t print diplomas, we create innovators,” began running in print magazines in June, 2012. The second, a series of advertisements featuring Andrew Carnegie, the university’s founder, will be introduced in the 2012−2013 academic year. In addition to the general advertising campaign, the university developed and created the following: Newspaper advertisement introducing the new biological sciences program Newspaper advertisement promoting the information systems program Newspaper advertisement commemorating Qatar National Day
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Qview Newsletter
A new initiative this year was the implementation of an electronic newsletter called the Qview. The newsletter allows the office to share news and events with the community in a timely fashion. A driving force behind Qview was the need for a single electronic publication to announce multiple upcoming events to an external audience. During Fall 2011 and Spring 2012, the newsletter was sent on a biweekly basis to the university’s mailing lists of more than 7,000 people.
Website
Facebook “Likes”
YouTube Views
Twitter Followers
2011-2012
Press Releases
1,200 23,000
358,300
2010-2011 17,000
186,000
Social Media
2009-2010 16,000
8,400
The office continues to use a variety of social media sites to interact and engage with target audiences, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flikr. According to the website StarCount, an independent data collection agency, the university’s social media sites placed it 7th overall in Qatar and 53rd worldwide in the education category.
400
900
2008-2009
Facebook Campaign During the 2011−2012 academic year, the Facebook advertising campaign has continued to generate impressive results. The general advertising campaign ran from December 15, 2011, through June 30, 2012, (to coincide with the admission cycle) and was concentrated geographically according to the university’s target recruitment markets. The advertisement generated a total of 862 million impressions (views on a screen) yielding almost 400,000 clicks − with users less than 21 year being directed to Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s admission website and users above 21 being directed to the Facebook page. In Qatar, the advertisement generated 96 million impressions and 25,000 clicks. Also this year, the university initiated a Facebook advertising campaign to promote the biological sciences program. This campaign, which also ran from December 15, 2011, through June 30, 2012, generated a total of 472 million impressions yielding almost 155,000 clicks, with users being directed to the biological sciences webpage. In Qatar, 87,000 impressions generated a total of 17,000 clicks.
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This academic year, we initiated a complete redesign of the Carnegie Mellon Qatar website, with a fresh look and an information structure that better reflects the character and achievements of the university and is more user friendly. The new design stemmed directly from user feedback gathered from student groups, faculty and staff, and was developed in collaboration with Wall to Wall, a Pittsburgh-based company founded by two Carnegie Mellon alumni who have a strong attachment to the Carnegie Mellon brand. In addition to the redesign, the site will have streamlined content, improved functionality and a responsive design that allows the website to adjust automatically, resizing the page when viewed on tablets and smartphones. Launch of the website is expected during fall semester 2012.
Publications Magazine During the 2011-2012 academic year, two issues of the official campus magazine, Akhbar, were published. Also this year, the department undertook a redesign of the magazine. The rationale was two fold: The first reason was to update and revamp the publication to make it more appealing to our primary audiences (prospective students, students, alumni in the 20-30 age range, and parents). This was achieved through the use of more white space, fewer fonts and large, dynamic images. The second reason was to complement a comprehensive redesign of the university’s official publications. The new magazine, On, will be introduced in the 2012-2013 academic year.
Other Publications Another major undertaking was the editing and layout of the third public annual report for the 2010-2011 academic year. The department also supported the creation of various publications for other offices, including the View Book and Program Handouts for admission, outreach brochures, and student affairs brochures.
Akhbar Summer/Fall 2011
Akhbar Winter2011/Spring 2012
Annual Report 2010/2011
Issue Highlights Campus Welcomes New Dean New Degree in Biological Sciences Doha Community Engagements Program Recipients Teach to InSPIRE
Issue Highlights Computational Biology Degree will Prepare Next Generation of Researchers Arabic Made Easy Carnegie Mellon Qatar Organizes Education City Campus Conversation
Issue Highlights Updated design elements More photos; large and dynamic images
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Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s new website will replace the current version in fall 2012
Media Relations
The university continues to have an outstanding relationship with the local and regional media. Our events were well attended by representatives from both Arabic and English media. This year, the office organized a press conference to announce the university’s new programs in biological sciences and computational biology. The press conference featured the following speakers: Mohammad Fathy Saoud, president of Qatar Foundation; Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon Qatar; Javiad Sheikh, dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar; and Kenneth Hovis, assistant professor of biology at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. Additionally, new initiatives and major events and achievements were conveyed to the local and media through press releases and media advisories. All releases were distributed in both English and Arabic. Please see Appendix G for a list of press releases and Appendix H for press clippings.
Special Events
Special Events focuses on the planning and implementation of generated public and event concepts, including the coordination of logistical and technical elements. Brand building is tied to all aspects of special events and great care 70
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is taken to maintain the integrity of the Carnegie Mellon brand while meeting university event standards. Special Events works closely with campus departments to provide resources as well as guidance through set processes in planning their respective events.
and concerts. His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani, president of the Qatar Statistics Authority, and Hassan Al Thawadi, one of the most powerful sport industry figures in the Middle East, were invited to speak at Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Dean’s Lecture Series.
This year, the office hosted more than 6,000 guests at more than 40 campus events. In order to reach a variety of audiences we hosted musical concerts, academic and general interest lectures, and graduation, where we invited students, alumni, family and members of the community, including important major leaders in Qatar and the region. For a list of special events, please see Appendix I.
Carnegie Mellon Qatar celebrated its largest graduating class to date on May 2, 2012, at the Qatar National Convention Centre on Qatar Foundation grounds. His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al-Thani, Director General of the Al Jazeera Network, delivered the keynote speech to the 61 graduates and an audience of more than 1,000 family, friends and community members.
Highlights
Community-Building Events
The year began with Convocation, a traditional ceremony welcoming the Class of 2015 that drew an audience of 500 family members, friends and community members. Other highlights from the year include a public performance given by world-famous soprano Nicole Taylor and pianist Daniel Ernst, who are both graduates of Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts.
Carnegie Mellon faculty, students and staff were invited to two events this year that helped build a sense of community and reinforce Carnegie Mellon’s history and traditions. In September, the “Thank You Bill” event celebrated a gift to the university of $265 million U.S. by William S Dietrich II, a businessman, scholar, philanthropist and long-time Carnegie Mellon University trustee. About 400 students, faculty and staff gathered to thank the donor for his recordbreaking gift to support the university’s academic initiatives and global mission. In November, about 300 people gathered
The office also hosted Carnegie Mellon University’s Starling String Quartet for a week of recitals, workshops
to celebrate our founder’s birthday, which included a cake, a giveaway of university items and a photo opportunity with a life-size cutout of Andrew Carnegie.
Alumni Relations
Alumni Relations at Carnegie Mellon Qatar aims to support the advancement of the university by building an alumni culture in the region and connecting and reconnecting alumni, students and university friends. This year, the office organized three events for alumni, the largest of which took place during the 2011 Doha Tribeca Film Festival. More than 50 alumni, faculty and staff, attended a networking reception followed by the world premiere of the film Black Gold. Also this year, 11 alumni took the opportunity to meet with MBA students from the main campus in Pittsburgh, and 18 alumni attended a barbeque with graduating seniors. Carnegie Mellon alumni also assisted the university this year. As part of the university’s professional development program, alumni participated in Professional Day (21 alumni), a Slice of Life Panel Discussion (4 alumni), and as judges in the Internal Business Case Competition (11 alumni). All in all, unique alumni participation this year was 37 percent.
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Goals during the next academic year are to connect alumni through a range of events with broad appeal, to encourage alumni to assist in university events and as advisors to our students, and to foster communication through the web and social media.
Qatar Alumni Chapter A significant accomplishment for our alumni officers this year was the creation of an alumni card, which has become an education city-wide alumni privilege. The card gives alumni access to facilities in Education City, including the gym, recreation center and student center.
years. The funds will support undergraduate students who qualify for financial aid and can be offered to outstanding students applying to any of Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s programs.
Looking Ahead
Major initiatives planned for the 2012-2013 fiscal year include:
Fully implement the new advertising campaign Introduce the new magazine Develop a mobile application for the new website Implement a measuring tool for social media
Current Officers President: Mohammed Abu Zeinab (TPR’09) Vice President: Maha Mahmoud (TPR’09) Director of Communication: Reem Al Muftah (TPR’09) Director of Finance: Basit Iqbal (TPR’09) Members at Large: Ramsey Ramadan (TPR’ 09) and Yasser Masood (HSS’11)
Alumni Philanthropic Giving This year the campus received two donations by alumni: Saad Al-Matwi (TPR’09), facilitated a donation to the library of 40 books on the oil and gas industry from Shell in Qatar Keghani Kouzoujian (CS’11) donated a piano for students to use on campus
H.E. Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani Scholarship
This year, the office worked with an anonymous local donor to develop the H.E. Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani Scholarship. The scholarship will cover the cost of attending Carnegie Mellon Qatar for four students for four 74 72
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Operations
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Human Resources
The Carnegie Mellon Qatar Human Resources Department supports faculty and staff in the areas of employment, immigration services, benefits and allowance administration, employee relations, and staff development. Working in collaboration with Business Operations, Facilities, Finance, Global Security and Information Technology, the department assists employees with on-boarding and day-to-day worklife matters. Areas of accountability include: Hiring and contract renewal Recruitment and staffing assistance Compensation and job classification administration Policy and procedure development and interpretation Visa, resident permit, exit permit and driver’s license services International benefits management Dependent schooling and tuition benefits administration Pre-employment and new employee orientation Relocation and repatriation arrangements
Emergency calling tree, phone directory and distribution list maintenance Expense and reimbursement administration Employee events management
Charles E. Thorpe Awards
The Charles E. Thorpe Distinguished Service Awards, named after Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s founding dean, are a tribute to the teamwork and dedication of the university’s staff members. Five staff members were recognized this year.
Information Technology
Information Technology provides the computing and communication environment that supports education, research and administration at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. The department delivers services that are consistent with the Pittsburgh campus and customized to meet the needs of our local campus community. Our focus is on enduser computing support, technology for teaching and collaboration, and the systems and networks required to
deliver reliable enterprise services. Information Technology Services include: Defining and delivering the Windows and Macintosh end-user and computing lab environment Classroom and conference room services, including wireless network connectivity, projection and audio systems, IPTV, multi-point video communication, student response systems, and sophisticated hi- definition Telepresence Key enterprise applications such as Blackboard, e-mail and calendar, and SharePoint for collaboration IT Service Desk operations to help understand constituent requirements and provide timely problem resolution Virtualized Windows and Linux servers, network- accessible storage, and information security monitoring and response Support for academic and research programs through our research data center service offerings and participation in the cloud computing program
Support for faculty and staff hardware and software acquisition Planning and support for CMU-Q events
Facilities
Facilities Management provides services for the needs of our ever-evolving education and research activities. The department aims to provide a safe and secure environment in which effective teaching, research, working, residential and recreational activities can take place. The department partners with our stakeholders and with Qatar Foundation’s Engineering Department and Qatar Foundation’s Health Safety and Security Department. Facilities Management services include:
Conference and event support to campus, Qatar Foundation and branch campuses FM Help Desk Building maintenance Space management
Charles E. Thorpe Awards
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Outstanding Innovation
Outstanding Newcomer
Outstanding Service to Students
Outstanding Dedication to CMU
Outstanding Commitment to the Community
Special Thorpe Award
Carol Miller, Research Business Manager
Shayan NoorMohamed, Senior Accountant
Jill Duffy, Student Development Coordinator
Eleanore Adiong, Coordinator for Faculty Events
Otto Chacon, Facilities Manager
Robert T. Monroe, Associate Dean
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Service attendants Vehicle management Transport services Customs clearance for international shipping Inter-campus mail services Stationery supplies Catering Cleaning Access control Building security Staff housing Over the past 12 months, Facilities successfully supported all staff and faculty operational needs for the delivery of all campus teaching and learning requirements, including summer school and the Summer College Preview Program. We have provided venue, delivery and support to a wide range of internal and externally sponsored events.
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Global Security
Mellon community without causing panic or unnecessary concern. Periodic security assessments of residential compounds are an important feature of the security program, as is addressing all resident faculty and staff concerns in a timely manner.
The Global Security program for Carnegie Mellon University was established in 2003 on the Pittsburgh campus and relocated to Qatar in 2006 as a means to further grow and develop the program and better support the university’s interests in Qatar. The CMU-Q Global Security program continues to grow and expand into new areas. A core component of the program is the Qatar Crisis Preparedness Plan, which ensures that trained professionals are prepared to act decisively on behalf of the Carnegie Mellon community in the event of a disaster, whether security, natural, medical or other calamity. In furthering professional development, the senior director continues to serve as the chairman of the local Doha Council for the U.S. State Department-sponsored Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), working closely with officials at the U.S. Embassy, as well as senior security professionals representing most of the major multinational companies conducting business in Qatar.
Finance
The Finance Office supports Carnegie Mellon Qatar in the areas of accounting and finance, and is a central resource/ liaison for these departments in Pittsburgh and Qatar. The Qatar Finance Office maintains close coordination with Qatar Foundation’s Finance Department and plays a vital role in the process of decision-making, budget control, reporting and planning. Global Security, in conjunction with contracted security consultants specializing in Middle East security, continues to conduct regular risk and threat assessments and carefully communicate the appropriate messages to the Carnegie
The Qatar Finance Office also is actively involved with Qatar Foundation’s Finance Committee and in providing information for Carnegie Mellon Management and the Joint Advisory Board.
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Appendices
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Lost & Found MoltaQatartans: Tartans Forum System Using Mobile Technology for Enhancing Young Qatari Health Behavior
Appendix A
Joint Advisory Board (JAB) Members, 2011-2012 Academic Year President Qatar Foundation
Co-Chair
Mark Kamlet, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Provost Carnegie Mellon University
Members
H.E. Abdullah Al Kubaisi, Ph.D. Executive Director Her Highness’ Office
Duane Seppi, Ph.D. Professor
Ilker Baybars, Ph.D.
Gettin’ the Flow; Makin’ Good Grades Service Learning at CMU-Q: Motivations, Gains, and Challenges
Mary Jo Dively
Ahmed Hasnah, Ph.D.
Independent Joint Advisory Board Members
Challenges in Mobile Opportunistic Networks CoGRS: A Center-of-Gravity Reduce Task Schedule for MapReduce Characterization of Hadoop MapReduce Applications
Professor Saarland University
Appendix E
Vice President and General Counsel Carnegie Mellon University Associate Vice President of Higher Education Qatar Foundation
William Scherlis, Ph.D.
Professor and Director Institute for Software Research Carnegie Mellon University
H.E. Abdullah Al Thani, Ph.D. Vice President for Education Qatar Foundation Ex officio
Kurt Mehlhorn, Ph.D.
N. Balakrishnan, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Indian Institute of Science
Murry Evans
Jarrod Mock
Ilker Baybars, Ph D.
Jim Gartner
Robert Monroe, Ph.D.
Lisa Ciletti
Steve Huth
Ray Corcoran
Gloria Khoury
Erin Stewart Galloway
Aaron Lyvers
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Dean
Senior Director of Global Security
Director of Operations
Chief Information Officer
Director of Facilities
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Director of Human Resources
Director of Finance
National Research Priorities Program grants awarded to Carnegie Mellon Qatar faculty
Henry Grunfield Professor of Investment Banking INSEAD
Fadhel Annan
Director of Government Initiatives
Post-Graduate Posters
Gabriel Hawawini, Ph.D.
Appendix B Senior Staff
Humanities and Social Sciences Posters
Dean Carnegie Mellon Qatar Ex officio
Cycle 1
Mohammad Fathy Saoud, Ph.D.
Tepper School of Business Carnegie Mellon University
Director of Admission Associate Dean
Richard Mundy
Chief Operating Officer
John Robertson, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs
Majd Sakr, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Research
Cycle 2
Chair
Susan Hagan, Ph.D. Geoff Harkness, Ph.D. Khaled Harras, Ph.D. Erik Helin Kenneth Hovis, Ph.D. Starling Hunter, Ph.D. Kelly Hutzell Ludmila Hyman, Ph.D. Zeinab Ibrahim, Ph.D. Lansine Kaba, Ph.D. Andreas Karatsolis, Ph.D. Krishnapuram Karthikeyan, Ph.D. Sham Kekre, Ph.D. Ian Lacey, Ph.D. Divakaran Liginlal, Ph.D. Selma Limam Mansar, Ph.D. Teresa MacGregor Rebecca May, Ph.D. J. Patrick McGinnis Robert Monroe, Ph.D.
Terry Murphy, Ph.D. Kemal Oflazer, Ph.D. Marion Oliver, Ph.D. Sonali Pahwa, Ph.D. Silvia Pessoa, Ph.D. Daniel Phelps, Ph.D. Saquib Razak, Ph.D. Benjamin Reilly, Ph.D. Dudley Reynolds, Ph.D. Alex Rojas, Ph.D. Thierry Sans, Ph.D. Wilfried Sieg, Ph.D. Patrick Sileo, Ph.D. Christopher Sparshott, Ph.D. Jeffrey Squires Peter Stuettgen Matthew Szudzik, Ph.D. Ray Tsai, Ph.D. Steve Vargo, Ph.D. George White, Ph.D.
Appendix D
Meeting of the Minds, 2012 Business Administration Poster Islamic Finance Meets Wall Street
Computer Science Posters
Building a Virtual Computer from the Ground Up Developing Scenarios for a Qatar-specific Road Safety Simulator Evaluation of the Ability of a Robot to Embody Different Cultural Traits Evaluation of Variations in Giving Directions Across Cultures Image Processing on the Cloud: Characterizing Edge Detection on Biomedical Images
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Malware Inc. – Facebook and Google AppEngine Malware Inc. - Web Browsers Multi-Robot Simulation Projecting Named Entity Boundaries from English to Arabic SCOUT: Extending the Reach of Social-Based Context-Aware Ubiquitous System
Cycle 4
Amal Al-Malki, Ph.D. Brett Browning, Ph.D. Sean Burns, Ph.D. Stephen Calabrese, Ph.D. Jonathan Caulkins, Ph.D. Iliano Cervesato, Ph.D. Alex Cheek April Conkey, Ph.D. Yonina Cooper, Ph.D. Hasan Demirkoparan, Ph.D. Bernardine Dias, Ph.D. Mohamed Dobashi, S.J.D Kira Dreher Rami El Samahy Tom Emerson, Ph.D. Bijan Esfahani Jonathan Finkel, Ph.D. Davide Fossati, Ph.D. John Gasper, Ph.D. David Gray, Ph.D.
Cycle 3
Appendix C
Faculty Members Fall and/or Spring Semester, 2011-2012
GreenLoc: Energy Efficient Wi-Fi-based Indoor Localization Hala 2.0: Considerations for Developing a Test Bed for Multilingual, Cross-cultural Human Robot Interaction Performance Prediction of MapReduce Applications in Elastic Compute Clouds SmartReader: A Natural Language Processing-Based Active and Interactive System for Accessing English Language Content and Advanced Language Learning VOtus: A Flexible and Scalable Monitoring Framework for Virtualized Clusters
Lead PI in Qatar
NPRP
Title
Amal Al-Malki, Ph.D.
NPP29-6-7-9
Images of Muslim Women in Translated Mideast Media Sources: A Content and Discourse Analysis
Majd Sakr, Ph.D.
NPRP 29-6-7-24
Human - Robot Interaction in an Arabic Social and Cultural Setting
Bernardine Dias, Ph.D.
NPRP 1-7-7-5
Automated Tools for Effective Team Coordination in Emergency Response
Bernardine Dias, Ph.D.
NPRP 30-6-7-91
Enhanced Education for the Visually and Aurally Impaired Using Automated Tutors and Interactive Computer Games
Jon Caulkins, Ph.D.
NPRP 20-6-7-6
Modeling Control of Infectious Disease
Charles Thorpe, Ph.D.
NPRP 29-6-7-43
Intelligent Diabetes Assistant: Predicting and Optimizing Blood Glucose
Alex Rojas Pena, Ph.D.
NPRP 08-643-1-112
Automated Measurement of Galaxy Morphology
Brett Browning, Ph.D.
NPRP 08-589-2-245
Non-Destructive Gas Pipeline Inspection Using Computer Vision
Khaled Harras, Ph.D.
NPRP 08-562-1-095
Coverage, Networking, and Storage Problems in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks
Kemal Oflazer, Ph.D.
NPRP 08-485-1-083
Improved Arabic Natural Language Processing through Semi supervised and Cross-Lingual Learning
Silvia Pessoa, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-857-5-123
Transnational Labor Migration in Qatar: An Empirical Sociological Analysis
Kemal Oflazer, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-1140-1-177
Learning from Comparable Corpora for Improved English-Arabic Statistical Machine Translation
Bernardine Dias, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-980-2-380
Robust Localization and Mapping for Autonomous Gas Inspection Vehicles
Majd Sakr, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-1116-1-172
Qloud: Towards a Cloud Computing Infrastructure in Qatar to Target Regional Scientific Applications
Majd Sakr, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-1113-1-171
Towards natural multi-cultural human-robot interaction
Kemal Oflazer, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-873-1-129
A Natural Language Processing-based Active and Interactive Platform for Accessing English Language Content and Advanced Language Learning
Iliano Cervesato, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-1107-1-168
Formal Reasoning about Language for Distributed Computation
Iliano Cervesato, Ph.D.
NPRP 09-667-1-100
Effective Programming for Large Distributed Ensembles
Vinay Kolar, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1620-1-266
Large-scale, Personal and Mobile Sensor Networks and their Applications in Qatar
Mary Dias, Ph.D.
NPRP4-439-1-071
Innovative Computing and Mobile Technology for Improving English Literacy Skills for Children and for Adults
Mary Dias, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1330-1-213
Cooperative Robotic Boats for Monitoring Coastal and Flooded Areas
Andreas Karatsolis, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1538-6-048
Improving Professional Communication Skills through an Online Tutorial
Dudley Reynolds, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1172-5-172
Improving reading skills in the middle school science classroom
Kemal Oflazer, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1058-1-168
Automatic Correction of Standard Arabic Text: Resource and System Development
Hasan Demirkoparan, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1138-1-178
New mathematical models for the large strain swelling response of biological tissues
Hasan Demirkoparan, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1333-1-214
Complex Material Response Described by Continuum Mechanics with a Deformation Gradient Product Decomposition that has Novel Hyperelastic Implications
Zeinab Ibrahim, Ph.D.
NPRP4-1074-5-164
Advancing Arabic Language Learning in Qatar
Information Systems Posters
A3 (A-Cubed) EZ Intern: Internship Tracking System
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Appendix F
Appendix H
Advertising Campaign during the 2011-2012 Academic Year Al Raya Newspaper Al Sharq Newspaper Arab Hospital Magazine Arabian Business Magazine Arab University Magazine American School of Doha Calendar B’Here Qatar Annual Review CIS International Directory Doha Events Guide Dubai Explorer Education Today Facebook Gulf Times Gulf Times Special Supplement on Education
ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Today IEEE Spectrum International Edition John Catt International School’s Directory Marhaba, Qatar Informational Guide Marhaba Education Section MEED Business in Qatar MEED Economic Review MEED Education Quarterly MEED Special Report for Qatar MEED Qatar Project Supplement MEED Yearbook MEED Magazine Newsweek Asia
Newsweek Asia EMEA edition Oman Guide ORYX (Qatar Airways In-flight magazine) Peninsula newspaper Qatar Al Yaom Qatar Book 2012 Qatar Education Guide 2012 Qatar Explorer Qatar Today Society Magazine TESOL Conference Women Today
Press Clippings, 2011-2012 Academic Year
Appendix G
Subject: New Biological Sciences Programs Date: September 26, 2011 Source: Al Watan. Section/page: Main/20
Press releases during the 2011-2012 Academic Year American School of Doha Places 2nd at the Global Botball Robotics Championship Summer College Preview Program preps students to enter university life Students work on technology projects for improving literacy in Uruguay Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar teaches new students the value of community service New dean welcomes freshmen students to the class of 2015 TESOL research conference is slated as QNCC’s inaugural event Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar to offer undergraduate degree programs in biological sciences and computational biology 107 new students with the highest enrollment of Qatari nationals Qtel CEO kicks off Carnegie Mellon’s “Making the Connection” lecture series Making the Connection lecture series highlights how technology is shaping the media industry Students simulate disease outbreak in Carnegie Mellon’s new biological sciences outreach program Carnegie Mellon organizes campus-wide conversation on the impact of climate change on food security CMU students awarded for outstanding computer science research Growing Movember: Carnegie Mellon event raises money for cancer research and education Carnegie Mellon University celebrates Qatar’s culture and heritage GSDP and Carnegie Mellon Qatar sign agreement to collaborate through research and education Hassan Al Thawadi to speak at the “Dean’s Lecture Series” at Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon Qatar names new Associate Dean for Education CMU and the State of Qatar exemplify innovation and pioneering spirit Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s library receives a donation of books from Shell – Qatar
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Press Conference Introduction of new Biological Sciences and Computational Sciences degrees Carnegie Mellon launches new Distinguished Lecture Series in Computer Science A team of juniors from Cambridge International School for Girls wins first place in Carnegie Mellon’s Ibtikar Qatar Competition Carnegie Mellon Qatar and Weill Cornell Medical College launch two new joint undergraduate degrees in the Biological Sciences and Computational Biology Carnegie Mellon alumna and world- famous soprano to perform live at Carnegie Mellon Qatar PCDAA and Carnegie Mellon Qatar sign an agreement to collaborate through education, technology and scientific research CS4Qatar rallies students to become part of Qatar’s technologically-driven and knowledge-based economy Carnegie Mellon Qatar encourages young women to consider a career in computer science Over one hundred students are named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 term Diplomatic Institute at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and CMUQ sign MoU Excellence at Carnegie Mellon manifested in diversity of distinguished lectures offered this week New book highlights the ‘real’ role of Arab women in Arab news Carnegie Mellon Qatar teams take top honors at the Second Gulf Programming Competition A Case for Expansion Debate results are a testament to Carnegie Mellon students’ logical reasoning Credit Suisse, Google among new recruiters at Carnegie Mellon’s 6th annual Professional Day
Google, Credit Suisse among new recruiters at Carnegie Mellon’s Professional Day Annual robotics tournament brings together the best from the region Carnegie Mellon alumnus, students organize first TEDxEducationCity conference Imagine it’s 2021 Carnegie Mellon Qatar focuses on attracting women into science and technology Carnegie Mellon students encourage creativity at Qatar Academy afterschool program Carnegie Mellon students encourage creativity at Qatar Academy afterschool program Qatar’s ambitious goals have created an unprecedented need for expertise in Information Systems New book reveals the extraordinary story of a unique CEO CEO, top economist, welcome prospective Carnegie Mellon Qatar students Students recognized by Google For Carnegie Mellon distances are just a formality Media Advisory: Carnegie Mellon Qatar Graduation Ceremony President of the Qatar Statistics Authority to speak at Carnegie Mellon Carnegie Mellon Qatar recognizes outstanding staff At Carnegie Mellon, research and education are synonymous 61 Graduates join the global Carnegie Mellon family of alumni Carnegie Mellon and Weill Cornell: Working to inject inquiry into scientific learning
Subject: New Biological Sciences Programs Date: September 26, 2011 Source: Gulf Times. Section/page: Main/2
Subject: Carnegie Mellon Qatar welcomes Class of 2015 Date: September 9, 2011 Source: Qatar Tribune. Section/page: Main/1, Nation/13
Subject: Student Biotechnology Explorer Program Date: November 25, 2011 Source: Al Raya. Section/page: Local/27
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Appendix H Press Clippings, 2011-2012 Academic Year
Subject: Dean’s Lecture Series- Al Thawadi Date: January 18, 2012 Source: The Peninsula. Section/page: Main/2
Subject: CMU, Permanent Committee on Drug and
Alcohol Affairs sign agreement
Date: February 8, 2012 Source: Al Sharq.
Subject: Carnegie Mellon students
help kids publish books
Date: April 19, 2012 Source: The Peninsula. Section/page: Culture/19
Subject: CS4Qatar Women Date: February 19, 2012 Source: Qatar Tribune.
Section/page: Nation/1
Subject: Dean’s Lecture Series with Al Thawadi Date: January 18, 2012 Source: Al Sharq. Section/page: Sports/7 Subject: 2012 Graduation Date: May 8, 2012 Source: Al Raya. Section/page: Main/20 Subject: Students awarded Google
Anita Borg Scholarships
page: Main/8
Date: April 29, 2012 Source: Gulf Times. Section/
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Subject: Professional Day 2012 Date: April 1, 2012 Source: Gulf Times. Section/page: Main/9
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Appendix I
Special Events September 4, 2011 Freshman Convocation
A long-standing university tradition, the ceremony marked the official start of the 20112012 academic year, and the first day for the class of 2015. Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s new dean, Ilker Baybars, invited the students into Carnegie Mellon’s global family.
September 8, 2011 Thank You, Bill!
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar celebrated the gift to its parent campus in Pittsburgh, US, of $265 million U.S. dollars by William S Dietrich II, a businessman, scholar, philanthropist and long-time Carnegie Mellon University trustee. Students, faculty and staff gathered to thank the donor for his recordbreaking gift.
October 8, 2011 EC Family Day
Annual Qatar Foundation sponsored family day.
October, 25, 2011 Alumni Movie Night
Alumni reconnected with faculty at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Black Gold. Graduates from the classes of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 were present.
November 2, 2011 WISE Media Fair and Networking Lunch
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar hosted a reception for WISE participants to meet Qatar Foundation Centers.
November 19, 2011 Student Biotechnology Explorer Program
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar held its first high school outreach program for biological sciences and computational biology. Secondary school students learned how to analyze a simulated disease outbreak during a new interactive program developed by Carnegie Mellon.
November 23, 2011 Andrew Carnegie’s Birthday
The Carnegie Mellon community celebrated the birthday of its founder Andrew Carnegie.
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December 1, 2011
February 2, 2012
March 13, 2012
March 31, 2012
May 2, 2012
Shell Book Donation
Biosciences Press Conference
Alumni Reception
High School Programming Competition
Dean’s Lecture Series: His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim Al Thani
The library at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar received a collection of 40 books on the oil and gas industry from Shell in Qatar, in a step to reinforce the ongoing partnership between the two organizations.
December 3, 2011 Ibtikar Workshop
An Information Systems workshop designed for teams to learn the rules of the Ibtikar competition
December 10, 2011 CS4Qatar for Women
A hands-on experience specially designed for women, which included workshops on programming, puzzles and research projects.
January 17, 2012 Dean’s Lecture Series: Hassan Al Thawadi
Hassan Al-Thawadi, one of the most powerful sport industry figures in the Middle East, gave a passionate speech on the power of sports as a means of socio-economic development.
January 27-28, 2012 Botball Workshop
The Botball Educational Robotics Program engages secondary students in a team-oriented robotics competition. Qatar Shell once again partnered with Carnegie Mellon University in sponsoring the 2012 BOTBALL program.
Carnegie Mellon University in, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and Qatar Foundation participated in a joint press conference introducing two new collaborative undergraduate degrees between CMU-Q and WCMC-Q in biological sciences and computational biology.
February 9, 2012 Nicole Taylor Recital
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar hosted Nicole Taylor, world-famous soprano and Daniel Ernst, concert pianist. The performance was open to the public and was followed by a question-and-answer session.
February 11, 2012 CS4 Qatar
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar held its fifth annual CS4Qatar workshop for high school students aiming to inspire Qatar’s youth to join the field of computer science and become creators of innovations that will change the world.
March 11, 2012 Jerome Apt Lecture
Jerome Apt, former NASA space shuttle Atlantis astronaut and director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center in Pittsburgh, presented Orbit: This View of Earth.
March 12, 2012 Richard M. Cyert Distinguished Lecture in Business Management
Following the Ibtikar Qatar Workshop, students came back to campus to present their posters and compete.
Jerome Apt, former NASA space shuttle Atlantis astronaut and director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center in Pittsburgh, was the first speaker in the distinguished lecture series in business management at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. Apt’s lecture was entitled “Electricity – What’s Next?”
January 27, 2012
March 13, 2012
January 28, 2012 Ibtikar Competition
A. Nico Habermann Distinguished Lecture in Computer Science
Dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Prof. Randal E. Bryant, was the first speaker in a new distinguished lecture series in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
A. Nico Habermann Distinguished Lecture in Computer Science
Kurt Mehlhorn, director of the Max Planck Institute of Informatics at Saarland University in Germany was the second speaker in the distinguished lecture series in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
Alumni and faculty gathered for an evening reception with Carnegie Mellon’s MBA Middle east Trek during their visit to Doha.
March 14, 2012 John Patrick Crecine Distinguished Lecture in Social Sciences
John Lehockzy, dean of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh was the first speaker in the distinguished lecture series in Social Sciences.
March 15, 2012 Starling String Quartet Concert
Carnegie Mellon University’s Starling String Quartet gave numerous performances during the week and finished their visit with a concert open to the Doha community.
March, 22, 2012 Alumni and Senior Class BBQ
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar alumni, faculty and graduating seniors enjoyed a BBQ on campus.
March 25, 2012 Book Launch: Arab Women in Arab News
High school students from Qatar and the region are invited to demonstrate their computer programming skills at the Carnegie Mellon University High School Programming Competition.
April 7, 2012 OurCS
Female high school students and undergraduates from universities and high schools in Qatar gathered at Carnegie Mellon for the “Opportunities for Undergraduate Research in Computer Science” (OurCS) Qatar 2012 conference.
April 12, 2012 International Day
Carnegie Mellon Qatar celebrated its diverse student population, representing 39 different countries from around the world, at International Day. The evening’s performances included everything from bagpipes, to flamenco and traditional desi dance groups from the Indian Subcontinent.
April 19, 2012 Marhaba Tartans
Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s annual Marhaba Tartans event welcomes new students and their families to campus to meet faculty, staff and learn more about life at the university.
A groundbreaking study on the role and representations of Arab women in the media was the focus of a new book launch and signing. The book, titled Arab Women and Arab News: Old Stereotypes and New Media, was written by Dr. Amal Al Malki, Dr. David Kaufer, Dr. Suguru Ishizaki and Kira Dreher.
April 24, 2012
March 28, 2012
May 1, 2012
Professional Day
More than 50 companies from industries as varied as finance, high technology and film descended on Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar looking to hire the university’s skilled student population.
Presidential Search Forum
The community forum offered the opportunity to provide feedback to the presidential search committee. The goal of the search committee is to name the new president in the Spring of 2013.
Meeting of the Minds
Dean’s Lecture Series at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar hosted a public lecture by His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim AlThani, president of the Qatar Statistics Authority, on Qatar’s National Strategy for the Development of Statistics and the involvement of higher education in the National Development Strategy.
May 7, 2012 Graduation
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar celebrated its largest graduating class to date at a ceremony on Monday, May 7, at the Qatar National Convention Centre. His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al-Thani, Director General of the Al Jazeera Network, delivered the keynote speech to the 61 graduates and an audience more than 1,000 family, friends and community members.
May 23, 2012 Creative Commons
The creative community in Qatar gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of Creative Commons Qatar (CCQ) by showcasing their work using Creative Commons to share their creativity. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar hosted the one-year anniversary celebration, which was supported by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR).
July 1-29, 2012 Summer College Preview Program (SCPP)
The SCPP is a rare opportunity for students from Qatar and the surrounding region to visit our campus and put their skills and abilities to the test within a community of other bright young scholars.
Meeting of the Minds is part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Undergraduate Research Initiative, which is a program that supports and encourages undergraduates to participate in innovative research.
March 30, 2012 BOTBALL Final
The annual BOTBALL championship took place at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. For the third year in a row, Shell Qatar sponsored the regional tournament, which attracted 250 students from 27 schools.
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