Flashes - May 2015

M AY 2015

A M O N T H LY M A G A Z I N E O N K N O W L E D G E A N D D E V E LO P M E N T B Y T H E M O H A M M E D B I N R A S H I D A L M A K TO U M F O U N D AT I O N

Nobel Museum

Inspiring the local youth to attain and achieve GENERATION ‘C’

18 to 34 year olds are now ‘Generation C’

STORMING THE CLASSROOMS

Revolutionising education to combat the Arab world’s problems

EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING

The unique technique of using horses to teach leadership

CONTENTS

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COVER IMAGE: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visits Nobel Museum

MANMADE EARTHQUAKES Hydraulic fracturing or fracking

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GOOGLE MAPS Scaling Mt. Everest with the help of Google Maps

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CHAMELEON SKIN 26 Engineers have created a chameleon-like artificial ‘skin’ that shifts colour on demand GENERATION C 18- to 34-year-olds are now ‘Generation C’

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www.mbrf.ae

THE NOBEL WORKSHOPS

revolutionising education and creating ‘solutionaries’ to combat the Arab world’s problems / 30

IN CONVERSATION WITH…

The unique technique of using horses to teach leadership and emotional intelligence / 34

Insightful workshops helmed by leading figures associated with the Nobel Prizes / 06

Benny Parihar explains why he has brought cryotherapy to the Middle East / 18

STORMING THE CLASSROOM

Think Unlimited is

TRANSFORMING PEOPLE

THE EVOLUTION OF PLASTICS

Humans have been using naturally derived plastics for far longer than you may imagine / 38 MAY 2015 / FLASHES

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mPay

Reaching you wherever you are Top up your Dubai Customs account using mpay mobile application www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae

Printing & Publishing Services Member of MBRF Holding CHAIRMAN HE Jamal Bin Huwaireb CORPORATE AFFAIRS ADVISOR Saif Al Mansoori MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Lina Al Anani Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation T: +971 4 4233 444 F: +971 4 368 7777 PO Box 214444, Dubai United Arab Emirates www.mbrf.ae flashes@mbrf.ae

A Motivate Connect Publication

Media 1 Tower, Dubai Media City PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE T: +971 4 427 3000 F: +971 4 428 02261 motivatepublishing.com connect@motivate.ae PUBLISHER Chris Capstick chris@motivate.ae SENIOR ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR Ingrid Valles CONTRIBUTOR Nusrat Ali GENERAL MANAGERPRODUCTION Sunil Kumar Printed by Rashid Printers

FOREWORD

T

he recent Arab Youth Survey

by ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller reveals that unemployment is one of the biggest obstacles facing Arab youth today.

There is a greater need now than ever before to come up with sustainable solutions that will empower our youth, educate them and prepare them for the challenges of the future. It is heartening to know that organisations like Think Unlimited are tackling the issue head-on and are devising creative and innovative solutions to channel our youth’s spirited energy.

Dubai remains the most preferred city to live in the Arab world, and I attribute this to our visionary leadership and the environment of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. The

population of the UAE have emerged as serious game-changers in the Arab society. People, especially the youth, are looking to us for solutions for a better and sustainable future. Events such as the Nobel Museum’s travelling exhibition being hosted in Dubai by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) show how much we value innovation and creativity. The Emirati Innovation Day hosted by MBRF is another initiative that fosters the spirit of innovation and encourages Emirati inventors to serve humanity. Who knows, one day one of you may bring home the Nobel!

HE Jamal Bin Huwaireb MD of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation

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THE NOBEL WORKSHOPS Thinkers, intellectuals, intelligentsia and the curious: all converged at the Burj Khalifa last month to explore the history of the world’s most prestigious award at the Nobel Museum’s ‘The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing the World’ travelling exhibition. The exhibition was brought to Dubai by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of 6

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the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of MBRF. Apart from the interesting exhibits and interactive displays, visitors were treated to insightful workshops helmed by leading figures associated with the Nobel Prizes. Tobias Degsell, Curator at the Nobel Museum; Dr. Gustav Källstrand, Senior Curator at the Nobel Museum; Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Laureate (2006), and Dr. Katarina

Nordqvist, Head of Research Department of the Nobel Museum, took to the stage to discuss a variety of topics such as the history and impact of the Prizes, creativity, alleviating poverty and medical advances brought about by the Nobel-awarded discoveries.

This was the first time the prestigious exhibition and such workshops were hosted in an Arab city under a new theme, underlining MBRF’s commitment to become a key player in the dissemination of knowledge in the region.

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Igniting a Creative Spark

Nobel workshop draws attention to ‘Spark of Creativity’ in every individual Is creativity innate or can it be cultivated in an individual? How can creativity be encouraged and what hampers creative thought?

These were just some of the questions Tobias Degsell, Curator at the Nobel Museum, addressed in a ‘Spark of Creativity’ workshop. Degsell’s workshop in Dubai couldn’t have been timed better – just as the country’s residents are racking their brains on how to make their own unique contribution to the UAE’s ‘Year of Innovation’.

Earlier, creativity was recognised as a talent only few people in the world possessed and that it was an inherent gift. However, far from it, everybody has the ability to be creative, Degsell stressed. “Creativity is unique in every person and each individual is capable of finding creative solutions to problems,” he said.

According to him there are no set criteria or definitive road map for being creative except qualities such as steadfastness to accuracy, attitudes of courage and perseverance, and a visionary and curious mind. And these are what have helped Nobel laureates achieve their distinction.

TEAM WORK & CREATIVE ENVIRONMENTS ENHANCE CREATIVITY Another factor that promotes creativity is group work said Degsell. “At times group effort is required to solve a problem. Several Nobel laureates have highlighted the importance of collaborative approach to work.”

Positive and creative environments are vital to enhancing creativity. In fact, this is the reason institutions such as Cambridge and Bell Labs have been able to produce a number of Nobel Prize winners over the years. Degsell www.mbrf.ae

strongly urged companies to look at ways to improve creativity in people by creating the right work environment.

The workshop concluded with a practical exercise in which each member of the audience were provided with four Lego pieces and asked to create a duck using these. The result was impressive as each individual had created a unique duck shape,

highlighting the distinct creative ability in every person.

Tobias Degsell developed his concept of ‘Spark of Creativity’ for business professionals in 2010. Since then he has been travelling the world preaching the power of creativity. So far Degsell’s ‘Spark’ has inspired companies, organisations and universities from Stockholm to Beijing, and New

Above: “Creativity is unique in every person and each individual is capable of finding creative solutions to problems,” says Tobias Degsell, Curator at the Nobel Museum.

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The Nobel Prize: An Inspiration like no other

Since decades the prestigious Nobel Prize has been spurring people on to the quest of invention and discovery.

Apart from the significant prize money, it is the esteem that it confers upon the winner that makes the award the most prestigious and highly coveted the world over. The contribution of the Prizes in the dissemination of knowledge was the first topic of discussion in a series of workshops organised as part of Nobel Museum’s travelling exhibition.

The ‘Ideas Changing the World: Impact of the Nobel Prizes’ workshop was led by Dr. Gustav Källstrand, Senior Curator, Nobel Museum. “The Nobel Prize has contributed to the dissemination of knowledge and has been a source of inspiration for people to work on some of the major inventions in society. The Prize will continue

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to help create more scientists in the coming years,” Dr. Källstrand said.

Furthermore, in honouring individuals for outstanding achievements in various fields, the Nobel Prize recognises their countries for creating ideal environments for inventors and achievers. The Nobel Foundation in Stockholm has established a culture of innovation by involving scientists, institutions and governments in the exchange of ideas and inspiring people to serve humanity to create a better world, he added.

“The founder of the Prize, Alfred Nobel, was not only an inventor but a businessman who devoted considerable time and effort to ensure that inventions provided real benefit to

people, met the needs of the market and provided returns to the inventor,” stressed the senior curator.

The workshop also provided an overview of the mechanism of nomination of the recipients of the award over the decades.

Dr. Källstrand is currently focused on his studies of the Nobel Prize by organising the Nobel Foundation’s archives. Although the Nobel Prize is his main interest, he has also coauthored a history of the Swedish space programme and a history of a Swedish publishing house.

Below: The ‘Ideas Changing the World: Impact of the Nobel Prizes’ workshop was led by Dr. Gustav Källstrand, Senior Curator, Nobel Museum.

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Small Money, Big Change

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus highlights micro-credit as effective tool to empower disadvantaged sections in society Easy access to small credit facilities can enable disadvantaged sections of society to achieve economic self-sufficiency said Muhammad Yunus in Dubai recently. The Nobel Laureate was speaking at a workshop on ‘Microfinance’, the third in a series organised as part of Nobel Museum’s travelling exhibition hosted in the emirate.

Yunus described micro-credit system as a cost effective and easily accessible tool to fight poverty.

The erstwhile professor of economics founded the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh in 1983 on the microfinance concept, which eventually won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. He said the basic idea behind Grameen www.mbrf.ae

Bank was to remove the need for collateral and create a banking system based on accountability, mutual trust, creativity and participation.

“When we started microcredit, we faced challenges as people doubted if it was possible to lend money without collateral. We have demonstrated that it is possible to make funds accessible to the poor without collateral and transform their lives by enabling them to gain self-sufficiency,” he said.

Yunus designed microcredit with the only intention to help people come out of poverty. He said the Grameen Bank concept has not changed over the years, and it continues to reach out to the poorest, and has demonstrated

that despite disasters it can work.

Today, Bangladesh has 2,564 Grameen branches, with 19,800 staff serving 8.29 million borrowers in 81,367 villages. On any working day Grameen collects an average of $1.5 million in weekly installments. Of the borrowers, 97 per cent are women and over 97 per cent of the loans are paid back, a recovery rate higher than any other banking system. Grameen methods are applied in projects in 58 countries, including the US, Canada, France, The Netherlands and Norway.

Above: Yunus designed microcredit with the only intention to help people come out of poverty.

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The Cornerstones of Innovation

MBRF workshop highlights competencies that are key to innovation.

Clear vision, perseverance, encouragement and a keen desire to uncover the truth are the key factors that promote innovation among individuals said Dr. Katarina Nordqvist, Head of Research Department of the Nobel Museum.

Dr. Nordqvist was speaking at a workshop on ‘Medical Advances from Nobel Discoveries’. The session was the last in a series of high profile workshops, helmed by prolific figures from the Nobel organisation as well as Nobel laureates, organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) as part of the Nobel Museum’s ‘The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing the World’ travelling exhibition.

Dr. Nordqvist has a long experience of research and innovation from Karolinska Institutet, AstraZeneca, and Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA).

Addressing the workshop, in the presence of His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, and a number of specialists from the medical sector, Dr. Nordqvist said Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, allocated a major part of the prestigious prize to honor excellence in the medical field. “He was particularly keen to encourage innovation in medical and pharmaceutical fields due to his interest in the field of chemistry.”

Highlighting some key medical inventions honoured with the Nobel Prize, Dr. Nordqvist mentioned Dr. George Herbert Hitchings’ work on chemotherapy; American biochemist Robert William Holley’s discovery of the structure of alanine transfer RNA, linking DNA and protein synthesis; Austrian biologist and physician Karl Landsteiner, noted for having first 10

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distinguished the main blood groups; and Scottish scientist Sir Alexander Fleming, who is known for the discovery of antibiotic substance penicillin.

Dr. Nordqvist said the Nobel Prize winners are chosen carefully every year through an elaborate evaluation and voting process to maintain its position as the world’s most prestigious excellence award. She also highlighted that Cambridge, Chicago, Harvard and Columbia universities have made their mark as major centres of innovation with a number of Nobel Prize winning discoveries coming from them,. Likewise, in terms of countries, the US has bagged the largest number of Nobel Prizes as a result of huge

Above: Dr. Katarina Nordqvist, Head of Research Department of the Nobel Museum, has a long experience of research and innovation from Karolinska Institutet, AstraZeneca, and Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA).

government investment in the field of scientific research and education, she noted. She stressed that encouragement from universities, governments and organisations was imperative if nations wanted to encourage innovation amongst their people. And when coupled with personal traits like perseverance and dedication, anyone could be on the path to making world-changing discoveries and inventions.

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Finish with a Flourish

Ruler of Dubai visits Nobel Museum.

MBRF’s efforts to bring the Nobel Musuem’s travelling exhibition to Dubai reaped rich rewards with thousands of visitors walking through the display halls making the event a grand success. But the final seal of success came when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited the Nobel Museum Exhibition just days before it closed.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed toured the exhibition accompanied by H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of the Foundation.

Huwaireb briefed Shaikh Mohammad on the exhibits that showcase the Nobel Prize’s 120-year history in the fields of chemistry, physics, medicine, economy and peace. His Highness also met Emirati inventors who briefed him about their inventions showcased in the exhibition.

The Vice-President emphasised that the UAE will always be a home for knowledge, science, as well as Emirati and Arab scientists, by supporting and encouraging national talents and consolidating a culture of innovation and research. He said www.mbrf.ae

that the UAE is also keen on being a primary destination for knowledge and development in various fields that serve humanity.

“It is through patience and determination that we can achieve our goals. As leaders, government and people we must arm ourselves with the determination to achieve change in various areas for the happiness of our people and to develop our nation culturally, economically and socially,” Sheikh Mohammad said. His Highness expressed hope that Emirati inventors will be nominated for the Nobel Prize in the near future.

“We are happy that the Nobel Museum exhibition has been a source of inspiration for the talented sons and daughters of the UAE. We are confident that one day their names will shine among the list of Nobel Prize winners. The youngsters of our beloved country have the determination and passion to attain the knowledge required to take them to top positions in various fields. And this is what we saw clearly when we hosted the ‘Emirati Innovation Day’ as part of the Nobel Museum exhibition,” said H.E Jamal Bin Huwaireb.

NOBEL MUSEUM EXTENDED Following His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s, visit to the Nobel Museum’s ‘The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing the World’ travelling exhibition, MBRF extended the event’s stay in Dubai for another week, until May 7 2015.

The Foundation announced the extension taking into consideration the wide interest the museum had sparked. Thousands of visitors from different nationalities, including specialists, intellectuals and university and school students visited the event during its one-month halt in Dubai. A series of workshops organised on the sidelines of the exhibition attracted wide participation from all groups, especially young Emirati talents and innovators, enhancing its appeal.

MBRF also announced that it will continue with this journey of innovation and excellence with the second edition of the Nobel Museum exhibition in Dubai next year. “We are happy to state that the Nobel Museum exhibition will become an annual event that adds to the wealth of activities organised in the Emirate of Dubai. It will be an event that encourages creativity and innovation, opening new horizons of knowledge for everyone,” said H.E Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of the Foundation.

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M O H A M M E D

Y U N U S

Photo: Roger Richter

A PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, FOUNDED THE GRAMEEN BANK IN BANGLADESH IN 1983 ON THE MICRO-FINANCE CONCEPT, WHICH EVENTUALLY WON HIM THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE IN 2006. THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND GRAMEEN WAS TO REMOVE THE NEED FOR COLLATERAL AND CREATE A BANKING SYSTEM BASED ON ACCOUNTABILITY, MUTUAL TRUST, CREATIVITY AND PARTICIPATION. YUNUS DESCRIBES THE MICRO-CREDIT SYSTEM AS A COST EFFECTIVE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE TOOL TO FIGHT POVERTY. 12

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Welcome to Dubai and the Nobel Museum exhibition. How does it feel to be here?

I am thrilled to be here. I was invited with such warmth and friendship that I had to accept and am delighted to meet with everybody at the MBRF. It is also exciting to see the Nobel Museum exhibition. I haven’t had a chance to see something like this before – such exhibitions are usually organised in Sweden and Norway. But now it’s here and I am glad to be a part of it.

Tell us about your work.

My work is actually very simple. It’s not complicated or very elaborate. We started with a very simple idea but ended up severely attacking something very strong: the conventional financial or banking system. Grameen Bank started when I began lending small amounts of money to any poor person who approached me. It soon grew to challenge the entire banking system of the world which championed the proposition that banking for the poor cannot be done. Most banks believed that the poor are not credit-worthy. I raised a simple question, why should a bank tell people whether they are credit-worthy or not.

Shouldn’t the people be asking if the bank is people-worthy or not?

This is the real question that my work asks. This is the issue we were chasing and still continue to explore. In this process the banking that we created in Bangladesh came to be known as micro-credit bank, named the Grameen Bank.

Have micro-credit banks succeeded outside of Bangladesh?

Micro-credit banks work anywhere in the world. We have experimented with the concept in diverse locations, in countries in Africa, South America and East Asia. In fact, in USA, Grameen Bank has 19 branches including eight in New York City alone.

Does Grameen Bank have any special schemes for women?

We strongly believe in helping poor women create opportunities for income generation for themselves.

In Bangladesh, Grameen Bank has 8.5million borrowers, of which 97 per cent are women, making Grameen women-owned, women-run and women-benefitting bank. At Grameen, they not only take loans but deposit funds too. Women were included in the financial system in Bangladesh after the establishment of Grameen Bank.

This inclusion has huge ramifications – it empowers them. Something very interesting happened last year.

We loaned nearly $1.5billion but our deposits exceeded that amount. Women now had more money in the bank www.mbrf.ae

than they took, transforming the situation completely.

This is their money, not their husband’s or their family’s and this ownership is very liberating. It makes her the sole-decision maker regarding her money. In fact, even in the USA, 100 per cent of our borrowers (nearly 70,000) are women.

We have also introduced other exciting initiatives such as Social Business which challenges the idea that personal profit cannot be separated from business. A cause-driven business idea, social businesses are allowed to make profit on the condition that the profit stays with the company; the owners will not take profit beyond the amount equivalent to investment.

Is it possible for micro-credit to flourish in the Middle East? Will we see Grameen operate here?

There are several micro-credit organisations in the Middle East. One such is the AG Fund headed by His Royal Highness – Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Micro-credit organisations are also present in countries such as Yemen and Jordan. Our Grameen Foundation has partnered with the Abdul Latif Jameel Community to open branches in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia and Yemen.

Which is the biggest challenge and greatest opportunity for micro-credit organisations?

Two kinds of micro-credit organisations are in operation today, commercial micro-credit and social micro-credit.

Commercial micro-credit organisations abuse the concept and use it as a tool to make money and exploit the poor. There have been cases where people have made obscene amounts of money at the expense of the poor.

This is the biggest challenge to micro-credit today: people have to be able to differentiate between the commercial, exploitative ones and the social ones, which are truly concerned with making a difference to people’s lives.

Our greatest opportunity comes in the form of the millions of people who are still left out of the financial system. We have to think of how to bring them back into the circle. The most critical factor here is to establish a law for the creation of micro-finance banks. When Grameen was set up, it was called a ‘bank for the poor’. So what should other banks be called, ‘bank for the rich’ perhaps? We need more banks for the poor and microcredit organisations should be allowed to transform themselves into banks. The difference is that when you run it as a non-government organisation, it is dependent on funds from outside, limiting the scope of operation.

But if you allow it to function as a bank then people can make deposits and these can be used to loan money. The opportunities then are unlimited and you can reach as many people as you want.

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Photo: London Book Fair

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OP E N IN G A N E W PAGE AT TH E LO N D O N BOOK FAIR

MBRF participates in London Book Fair 2015 aiming to strengthen cooperation with global publishing houses The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) left a remarkable impression on nearly 13,000 visitors at the London Book Fair (LBF) held last month. The fair, held in the British capital from 14-16 April, offered Qindeel Printing and Publishing Services – a division of MBRF – the opportunity to highlight its efforts in the field of publishing and the leading role of the Foundation in the dissemination of knowledge and contribution to development projects all over the world. The Fair served as the ideal platform for Qindeel to strengthen ties with other Arab and international publishing houses.

This was MBRF’s first participation at the prestigious book fair – the second largest in the world – and comes on the heels of its successful debut at the Frankfurt Book Fair last year.

His Excellency Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, said, “Our first participation in the LBF is in line with MBRF’s strategy to promote cultural exchanges with various countries of the world, and share best practices in the production and transfer of knowledge in alignment with UAE’s pursuit to build a knowledge based society.”

Describing the London Book Fair as one of the most important cultural events in the world, H.E. Huwaireb said that it was an excellent opportunity to engage in constructive communication with international publishing houses. “We will

discuss ways of cooperation and partnerships in publishing in specialised areas such as science, innovation, self-development, and children, which we see as critical to the development of Arab societies and to equip our young people with the necessary knowledge for sustainable development of our countries,” he said.

Among the key highlights of the fair was the visit of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, at the Qindeel stand. A number of Arab and international publishing houses dealing in areas such as science, innovation, self-development and children’s literature, plus companies specialising in electronic publishing and smart solutions were also drawn to the Qindeel pavilion.

Below: The Fair served as the ideal platform for Qindeel to strengthen ties with other Arab and international publishing houses.

Left: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, talk with Mr.Jamal During his visit MBRF stand in London Book Fair www.mbrf.ae

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EM I R AT I IN N OVATION DAY UAE innovators and their achievements celebrated by MBRF The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) left a remarkable impression on nearly 13,000 visitors at the London Book Fair (LBF) held last month. The fair, held in the British capital from 14-16 April, offered Qindeel Printing and Publishing Services – a division of MBRF – the opportunity to highlight its efforts in the field of publishing and the leading role of the Foundation in the dissemination of knowledge and contribution to development projects all over the world. The Fair served as the ideal platform for Qindeel to strengthen ties with other Arab and international publishing houses.

Five Emirati innovators joined forces to inspire the country’s youth on Emirati Innovation Day organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF).The Emirati inventors engaged audiences with their experiences in the field of innovation, egging

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Below: The Five Emirati Innovators

listeners to not be disappointed by setbacks and persevere through the odds. The event was a part of the Nobel Museum’s travelling exhibition in Dubai.

Among the innovators participating in the Emirati Innovation Day were Dr Habiba Al Saffar, who made a genetic map for the prevention and early detection of diabetes; Dr Mohammad Marzouqi, inventor of the method to automatically detect toxic gases in the oil and gas fields through thermal reading; Ahmad Al Harithi, who invented a mechanism for generation of biofuels with industrial quantities using genetically-modified algae; Rashid Hamdan Al Gaferi, who invented the world’s first male genetic print for forensic use; and Adib Sulaiman Al Baloushi, the first Emirati child to figure among eight most genius children in the world.

UAE WILL EMERGE AS CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE “The UAE is rich in talent and genius, and the sons and daughters of the country have demonstrated excellence in all fields. We have a number of inventions and discoveries with as many as 67 patents approved during the past two decades.

Certainly, the figure will rise in the coming years, establishing the UAE as a centre of excellence and innovation,” Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, said.

“Based on the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, innovation is the way of success and progress for future generations,” added Dr Marzouqi said.

Dr Al Saffar said: “I am proud to share my novel discovery in the field of genetics at the Nobel Museum exhibition in Dubai. This is great milestone for Dubai and the UAE to provide a creative inspirational venue for our youth to learn about discoveries and innovation.”

According to Al Baloushi, “the Nobel Museum will inspire creativity and innovation and progress to pave the way for remarkable achievements. The MBRF’s initiative to allocate a day for Emirati innovators is a great effort towards supporting and motivating innovation. I am confident that the Nobel Prize will be handed some day to Emirati innovators for changing the world for the benefit of humanity.”

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S T O R I E S F R O M J A PA N

Emirati writers to produce books based on their experiences in Japan The land of the rising sun and its customs, traditions and cultural ethos will become the basis of new books to be penned by Emirati authors. Three Emirati writers recently returned to the UAE after spending nearly three weeks in Japan. This marked the conclusion of the second phase of the ‘Writers Exchange’ category of Dubai International Programme for Writing, launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF). MBRF views the initiative as a tool to pave innovative paths in the transfer and dissemination of knowledge as well as to enhance the status of Arab talent across the globe.

The visit enabled writers Mohsin Suleiman, Alhonof Mohammed, and Talal Salem to closely observe the culture and lifestyle of people in Japan and visit prominent locations that reflect the social values and cultural heritage of the country. They will now narrate their experiences and observations through

three books in the Arabic language.

The books will be further translated into various other languages, including Japanese and English.

His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, said: “The Writers Exchange between the UAE and Japan will contribute significantly to the enrichment of literary talent in both the countries. It offers the opportunity for young writers to experience cultures other than their own and produce literary works that are realistic in their narrative. The transparent expression of personal experiences will add considerable value to cultural exchanges and help promote the intellectual and literary portfolio of each country.”

Describing her visit to Japan, writer Alhonof Mohammed said: “The Writers Exchange is a unique experience that helps create a new generation of writers who are equipped with

enhanced awareness about new cultures. My visit to Japan has drawn my attention to a range of areas such as poetry, theatre and fashion in that country. I look forward to expressing through poetry the details of Japanese life in relation to the four seasons, especially spring.”

Japanese theatre will become the focus of author Mohsen Suleiman’s book while the country’s strong work ethos and culture of innovation will form the crux of author Talal Salem’s book. “The Writers Exchange represents a vital bridge between cultures by offering an opportunity to know more about other cultural experiences. Our visit to Japan provided me insights into the country’s cultural heritage. I have observed with keen interest the dedication of the Japanese people to the culture of work and innovation,” he said.

Earlier this year, four Japanese writers visited the UAE and experienced the local culture and social life as well as the business environment as part of the first phase of the Writers Exchange category. They also visited prominent tourist attractions in the country. Taking back a wealth of observations and experiences, the Japanese writers are currently working on books based on their time in the UAE. Their works will be translated into Arabic and English too.

Left: Three Emirati writers recently returned to the UAE after spending nearly three weeks in Japan.

www.mbrf.ae

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C R Y O THERAPY Benny Parihar, explains why he has brought cryotherapy to the Middle East and how he is expanding the CRYO Health business regionally.

www.mbrf.ae

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Cryotherapy is the fastest growing beauty and recovery application in a wellness market that will reach $265 billion worldwide by the end of 2017. This was the base for starting CRYO Health over a year ago and the success is terrific.

What is cryotherapy and what are the benefits?

Modern ‘Whole Body Cryotherapy’ (WBC) has a long-standing history, which began in 1978 in Japan, when Dr. Yamaguchi started using freezing treatments of short duration on his rheumatoid arthritis patients’ skin surface for pain management purposes. He concluded that rapid short-term freezing of the skin’s surface led to the immediate release of endorphins and is more effective than gradual cooling in an ice bath. Further research conducted over the last two decades in Europe has established WBC as a powerful treatment for inflammatory disorders and injury.

We offer WBC and Local Cryotherapy (facial treatments, localised treatments to specific areas like ankles, and joints). The treatment has many benefits that include weight loss, anti-ageing and muscle recovery.

Why did you decide to bring cryotherapy to the region?

Above: Benny Parihar, Managing Partner, CRYO Health

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We have invested in the health, wellness and beauty sectors in the Middle East since the mid 80s and saw the rapid growth of non-invasive/holistic treatments in North America and Europe. Cryotherapy is the fastest growing beauty and recovery application in a wellness market that will reach $265 billion worldwide by the end of 2017. This was the base for starting CRYO Health over a year ago and the success is terrific. CRYO Health specialises in cryotherapy and has packaged itself well as a lifestyle offering for its clients.

Also, low-temperature therapy in the desert heat

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”

seemed to be an inevitable eventuality.

There is increased demand for the most cutting edge technology to develop young athletes in the region, and even His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has installed a cryotherapy chamber at his home. Some of the largest global sporting events take place in the Middle East ranging from polo to tennis, and not to mention the upcoming Qatar World Cup. Top athletes in these fields use cryotherapy consistently, and now the general public is demanding these standards.

How difficult is it to compete in the Dubai health and wellness scene?

It’s a rapidly growing industry, with the influx of cosmopolitan, health conscious people moving to Dubai over the past decade. Dubai has become home to some of the most advanced medical and sport science facilities in the world. But we have managed to bring a team of specialists from all continents that help us keep our finger on the pulse of technology when it comes to new age treatments. Non-invasive, holistic treatments are the future of health and wellness.

We have also gained the trust of the Dubai health and wellness scene. From chiropractors, to physiotherapists, to skin care experts and fitness centres, they understand our services play a key role in the market and often recommend their clients to use cryotherapy. Our presence has rapidly been recognised through the media and events.

Educating the general public has increased our competitiveness.

I N C O N V E R S AT I O N

Left: CRYO Health concept by opening a second location in Jumeirah, at Dubai Ladies Club.

How much of an appetite do you think there is for this type of specialist treatment across the region and do you have any sales/customer targets?

The response to the CRYO Health treatments has been phenomenal. With the growth and diversification of health and fitness, we are growing with it. Cryotherapy has now become part of many athletes’ disciplines from the UAE, whether it is horseracing, football, cross-fit or fitness championships and each of our clinics is targeting 600 treatments a month. We also have a steady demand for in-house installations for people who want to have access to their own CRYO chamber as much as needed. Our service company has a full team just dedicated to private installations.

How are you planning to expand the business?

We have already started the expansion of the CRYO Health concept by opening a second location in Jumeirah, at Dubai Ladies Club. The sole purpose was to be able to cater to our growing female clientele, and the branch is now fully operational. Our first franchised location is to open in the first quarter of 2015 in Beirut, Lebanon. Several centres around the Middle East are planned for 2015, and we are looking for strong partners to grow internationally.

We very quickly found ourselves setting up www.mbrf.ae

numerous cryotherapy chambers for private and commercial use all across the UAE. In the past year we have diversified our product range and now distribute multiple brands of cryo chambers, and have also added to the portfolio cryogenic freezers for blood banks, liquefied gas tanks, piping products and other cryogenic specific products.

Our business is reliant on liquefied gases and very quickly we learnt that with the growth of cryotherapy we needed to setup a services company “CRYO Services�, which specialises in engineering cryogenic applications and servicing them. The company trades and transports liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, dry ice, and other industry specific gas requirements.

Historically in the region, the gas manufacturers were distributing gas directly to the end user and servicing different clients/industries, with no real industry specific specialisation. We pride ourselves in small consumption/micro bulk servicing for healthcare and industrial clients who are using advanced medical and industrial setups for an array of businesses. We are targeting, stem cell research projects, blood banks, food logistics, oil and gas, automotive and construction.

Will you be hiring this year?

We are hiring in four different divisions: hospitality, sales, engineering and logistics. We are looking to double the number of team members in all divisions in 2015.

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EXPLORE

Manmade Earthquakes!

A hydraulic fracking well in Ohio triggered scores of small earthquakes in March 2014, including one large enough to be felt in nearby towns, a new study confirms.

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In March of 2014, Ohio’s Poland Township experienced a series of earthquakes, including a magnitude 3 earthquake. What is notable about the earthquakes is that prior to this, the township had never experienced any earthquakes – till the hydraulic fracturing or fracking operations started in the area. Seismologists at the University of Miami believe that the fracking led to the earthquakes, including the magnitude 3 one. They say it was “one the largest earthquakes ever induced by hydraulic fracturing in the United States”.

WHAT IS FRACKING? Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process by which sand, water, and various chemicals are injected into the ground to extract natural gas from shale rock deep underground. Fracking started in

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the Ohio Township in March 2014. “During this time the township saw the occurrence of 77 earthquakes,” said Robert Skoumal, a seismologist at Miami University. These earthquakes were so small that most went unnoticed by the area’s 15,000 inhabitants. “But when the hydraulic fracturing operations stopped, so did the earthquakes and no further earthquakes have been observed in this area since then,” he added.

FRACKING CAN POTENTIALLY TRIGGER EARTHQUAKES Skoumal is one of the researchers behind a new study that links a rare felt earthquake — an earthquake strong enough that humans can feel it — to hydraulic fracturing operations. In the study, Skoumal and his team of researchers compared the timing of the Poland Township earthquakes to the fracking

ENVIRONMENT

HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

Fracturing fluid (a mix of water, sand and chemicals) is pumped into the well

200

trucks of water for each well

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DETERMINING FAULT LINES CAN HELP AVOID INCIDENTS Researchers clarify that fracking can cause seismic activity only if the process is carried out near pre-existing fault lines and that fracking most likely only advances the occurrence of the earthquake. This means that the earthquake would eventually have taken place, even if fracking was not carried out.

Unfortunately, identifying faults prior to fracking is very difficult and expensive. So while oil and gas companies do avoid fracking near known fault lines, unknown ones still pose a danger.

The study reassures that fracking-induced earthquakes need not be cause for alarm. “People in areas with ongoing hydraulic fracturing should not panic about induced earthquakes.

The chances that hydraulic fracturing operation will induce felt seismicity is rare,” said Skoumal. Sumy is in agreement, stating: “the largest earthquake may have been felt by only a few people and likely caused little or no damage in the nearby regions.”

The researchers also agree that increased communication between industry, scientific bodies, and regulatory bodies will go a long way toward reducing the likelihood of these events in the future.

The pressure causes the rock surrounding the pipe to crack. The proppants hold open these cracks to allow the trapped natural gas to excape. Gas flows up the well to be collected.

Fissures

POTENTIAL RISKS: Ground water contamination and air quality degradation

Gas flows out Water, gas and chemicals agents Gas flows out

(sand or ceramic beads)

Various chemicals make up

300,0004 million

pounds of proppants used per well

Information courtesy: Earthworksaction.org

operations. They also compared the location of the earthquakes in relation to the fracking wells. This analysis helped them determine that a relatively small portion of the fracking operation — the northeast portion — was responsible for the earthquakes in Poland Township.

“The science is sound. Hydraulic fracturing usually causes very small earthquakes that are not felt by humans.

The novelty of the study therefore lies in the fact that the magnitude 3 earthquake is one the largest earthquakes ever thought to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in the United States,” said Danielle Sumy, an earthquake researcher at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. “Moreover, the findings show that hydraulic fracturing could potentially trigger larger magnitude earthquakes than previously observed in USA,” she added.

Since the earthquakes, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has announced more stringent regulations that it hopes will reduce the likelihood of fracking-induced earthquakes.

It is worth noting that there have been a handful of fracking-induced earthquakes in the past. For instance in 2012 in British Columbia, 38 earthquakes were detected by Natural Resources Canada, ranging between magnitudes of 2.2 and 3.8 on the Richter scale.

0.5-2.0%= upto 330 tonnes

total volume of fracturing fluid

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EXPLORE

Scale Mt. Everest – With Google Maps Now anyone can trek up Mount Everest – thanks to the new 360-degree panoramic images added to Google Maps recently.

Climbing Mount Everest may not be everyone’s cup of tea but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t experience this glorious achievement. Now you can scale the world’s highest mountain without leaving your living room.

Thanks to Google, climbing Mount Everest is possible, albeit in a virtual environment. Google’s Street View mapping service, along with Story Cycle, a Nepalese non-profit organisation, and the Apa Sherpa Foundation, is providing the hiking experience which viewers can undertake anytime, any day and anywhere as long as they have a computing device and internet connectivity.

Google teamed up with Apa Sherpa, a Sherpa mountaineer who holds the record for reaching the summit of Everest more times than any other person – an astonishing 21 times, to collect the series of panoramic images. Google’s Street

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View becomes a “trail” view, with Sherpa leading a 10-day trek through the Khumbu region in March 2014.

MORE THAN JUST A MOUNTAIN “Our region is famous for being home to Everest,” Sherpa wrote in a blog post for Google maps, “but it’s also the home of the Sherpa community and has been for centuries. The region has much more to offer than just the mountain. So last year, I guided the Google Maps team through my home region to collect Street View imagery that improves the map of our community.”

“Partnering with Google Maps allowed us to get important local landmarks on the map and share a richer view of Khumbu with the world, including local monasteries, lodges, schools, and more, with some yaks along the way,” he added.

“My hope is that when people see this imagery online, they’ll have a deeper understanding of the region and the Sherpa people that live there.”

TECHNOLOGY

WHAT YOU CAN SEE The Street View experience includes images of the Everest Summiteer Lodge, built by Apa Sherpa 19 years ago, as well as other buildings in the area. Viewers can virtually walk the trails on Mount Everest but will only get as far as Gorak Shep – a small village that sits at the edge of Mount Everest, at a height of 5164metres. Apart from great scenery, the experience also brings viewers face-to-face with the animal population residing in the area, including the familiar yak.

Those wanting to take the trek can amble around trails, exploring on their own, or take a guided tour that provides some unique perspective and history of the acclaimed region — virtual hikers will be able to hear monks chanting and meet Apa Sherpa too.

REMARKABLE VIEWS IN THE UAE Last year Google Maps forayed into the Arabian Desert with its cameras strapped on the hump of a camel. This was the first time the task was given to an animal – a 10-yearold camel named Raffia.

Raffia walked through the desert around Liwa Oasis with a Street View camera mounted on top of her hump to create panoramic views for internet users around the world. The images show scenery from Liwa, including dunes, the oasis, other camels and Raffia’s footprints and shadow. This is the third Street View available in the UAE, following the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Top and Left: Google images of Everest.

Below: Raffia walked through the desert around Liwa Oasis with a Street View Camera mounted on top of her hump.

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EXPLORE

The Colours of the Chameleon Borrowing a trick from nature, engineers from the University of California at Berkeley have created an incredibly thin, chameleon-like material that can be made to change colour – on demand – by simply applying a minute amount of force.

This new material of many colours offers intriguing possibilities for an entirely new class of display technologies, colour-shifting camouflage, and sensors that can detect otherwise imperceptible defects in buildings, bridges, and aircraft.

“This is the first time anybody has made a flexible chameleon-like skin that can change colour simply by flexing it,” said Connie J. Chang-Hasnain, a member of the Berkeley team and co-author on the paper published in The Optical Society’s (OSA) new highimpact journal.

By precisely etching tiny features – smaller than a wavelength of light – onto a silicon film one thousand times thinner than a human hair, the researchers were able to select the range of colours the material would reflect, depending on how it was flexed and bent.

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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE MATERIAL The colours we typically see in paints, fabrics, and other natural substances occur when white, broad spectrum light strikes their surfaces. The unique chemical composition of each surface then absorbs various bands, or wavelengths of light. Those that are not absorbed are reflected back, with shorter wavelengths giving objects a blue hue and longer wavelengths appearing redder and the entire rainbow of possible combinations in between.

Recently, engineers and scientists have been exploring another approach. Rather than controlling the chemical composition of a material, it is possible to control the surface features on the tiniest of scales so they interact and reflect particular wavelengths of light.

This type of “structural colour” is much less common in nature, but is used by some butterflies and beetles to create a particularly iridescent display of colour.

Controlling light with structures rather than traditional optics is not new. In astronomy, for example, evenly spaced slits are routinely used to direct light

Illustration: 1356

Changing colours like a chameleon may not be such a bad thing after all. Engineers have created chameleon-like artificial ‘skin’ that shifts colour on demand.

SCIENCE

Twisting a thin plastic film changes the spacing between tiny embedded silicon beams, altering the color of light they reflect.

and spread it into its component colours. The authors of the study applied a similar principle, though with a radically different design, to achieve the colour control they were looking for.

FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEY TO CONTROL Since the spacing of the ridges is the key to controlling the colour they reflect, the researchers realised it is possible to subtly shift the spacing – and therefore the colour – by flexing or bending the material.

Earlier efforts to develop a flexible, colour shifting surface fell short on a number of fronts. The Berkeley researchers were able to overcome these hurdles by forming their grating bars using a semiconductor layer of silicon approximately 120 nanometres thick. Its flexibility was achieved by embedding the silicon ridges into a flexible layer of silicone. As the silicone was bent or flexed, the space between the ridges responded in kind.

The semiconductor material also allowed the team to create a skin that was incredibly thin, perfectly flat, and easy to manufacture with the desired surface properties. This produces materials that reflect precise and very pure colours and that are highly efficient, reflecting up to 83 per cent of the incoming light.

Their initial design, subjected to a change in a space of a mere 25 nanometres, created brilliant colours that could be shifted from green to yellow, orange, and red – across a www.mbrf.ae

39-nanometer range of wavelengths. Future designs, the researchers believe, could cover a wider range of colours and reflect light with even greater efficiency.

MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS For this demonstration, the researchers created only a one-centimetre square layer of colour-shifting silicon but future developments would be needed to create a material large enough for commercial applications.

“The next step is to make this larger-scale and there are facilities already that could do so,” said Chang-Hasnain.

“At that point, we hope to be able to find applications in entertainment, security, and monitoring.”

For consumers, this chameleon material could be used in a new class of display technologies, adding brilliant colour presentations to outdoor entertainment venues. It also may be possible to create an active camouflage on the exterior of vehicles that would change colour to better match the surrounding environment.

More day-to-day applications could include sensors that would change colour to indicate that structural fatigue was stressing critical components on bridges, buildings, or the wings of airplanes.

“This is the first time anyone has achieved such a broad range of colour on a one-layer, thin and flexible surface,” concluded Change-Hasnain. “I think it’s extremely cool.”

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EXPLORE

INTERNET

Meet Generation C

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Forget Generation Y: 18- to 34-Year-Olds Are Now ‘Generation C’ Look out, Generation X, Y and Z – there’s a new generation emerging: Generation C. Its members have one big thing in common: they’re digital natives and exceptionally tech-savvy. The C stands for connected, communicating, content-centric, computerised, community-oriented, and always clicking. Generation C comprises individuals between 18 and 34 — who are defined by their digital connectivity. They consume media, socialise and share experiences through devices more than any other age groups.

TRAITS OF GENERATION C Technology is intimately woven into the lives of Gen C and many of their social interactions take place on the internet, where they feel free to express their opinions and attitudes. They have grown up under the influence of i -everything — iPods, iTunes, iPhones.

GEN C

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GLOBAL MEDIAN: 95%

GERMANY: 97%

FINLAND: 98%

INDONESIA: 98%

HONG KONG: 97%

POLAND: 99%

Percentage creating content at least once a month

COMMUNITY GLOBAL MEDIAN: 72%

CANADA: 77%

MEXICO: 77%

BRAZIL: 78%

Q: Which, if any, of the following describes why you create, upload, or share content online?

SOUTH AFRICA: 79%

APAC countries are not included because of lack of similarly worded question in the APAC survey

CONNECTION

US: 45%

UK: 45%

Source: Ipsos MediaCT YouTube Audience study conducted in 29 select markets in North America, Latin America, Europe and Africa by Ipsos MediaCT in summer of 2013; TNS Australia Pty ltd YouTube Audience study conducted in six APAC markets in Q4 of 2013 and the first half of 2013.

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YouTube data, December 2013

GLOBAL MEDIAN: 40%

Percentage watching videos on all screens AUSTRALIA: 40%

THEIR IMPACT It is expected that Gen C’s familiarity with technology; reliance on mobile communications; and desire to remain in contact with large networks of family members, friends, business contacts, and people with common interests will transform how companies work as well as guide consumer trends in the years to come.

The pace of innovation will accelerate, creating an ever more digital world, even as wireless devices become the dominant tool for trade, entrepreneurship, and Internet access.

With Generation C entering the workforce over the past decade, the manner in which it consumes information, communicates at work and play, and uses technology is transforming, and will continue to impact, many major industries.

The increasing technological sophistication will promote greater emergence of skilled and innovative digital entrepreneurs throughout the developing world.

And this may significantly disrupt traditional business models. The most affected sector will be telecommunications, which is at the very centre of how this new generation is living its life. Other sectors apt to greatly change include healthcare, retail, and travel.

The world of 2020 and beyond will be set and governed by the members of Generation C, as they mature and grow in numbers and power.

CREATION

JAPAN: 55%

SOCIAL ANIMAL 2.0 Thanks to the popularity and performance of social collaboration technologies and mechanisms, including social networks, voice channels, online groups, blogs, and other electronic messaging systems, the size and diversity of Gen C’s networks of personal relationships is growing exponentially. These networks include acquaintances ranging far beyond the traditional groups of family, friends, and work colleagues to include friends of friends, online acquaintances, and anonymous members of interest groups.

The average person in 2020 will live within a web of 200 to 300 contacts, maintained daily through a variety of

I-EVERYWHERE As privacy concerns dwindle, people’s personal data, such as identity, payment details, shopping preferences, interests, and membership in social communities, are becoming widely available. Members of Generation C are able to access their digital life from a multitude of digital interfaces and devices, because they live in a fully interconnected world in which services and data reside online — in what is known as cloud computing — rather than on those devices themselves.

AUSTRIA: 76%

CONNECTED CONSUMERS Being connected around the clock will be the norm by 2020 — in fact, it will become a prerequisite for participation in society. Currently, there are 4.5 billion mobile users and 2.3 billion internet users globally. By 2020, the number of people using mobile phones will reach 6 billion (nearly 80 per cent of the world population) and 4.7 billion people will access the internet, primarily through their mobile devices.

channels. Even within the family, the need for physical proximity will be reduced through increased digital interaction.

KOREA: 65%

Analysts say that by 2020, they will make up 40 per cent of the population in the U.S., Europe, and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries, and 10 per cent of the rest of the world — and by then, they will constitute the largest single cohort of consumers worldwide.

This is the first generation that has never known any reality other than that defined and enabled by the internet, mobile devices, and social networking. They have owned various handheld devices all their lives, so they are intimately familiar with them and use them for as much as six hours a day. They all have mobile phones, yet they prefer sending text messages to talking with people. More than 95 per cent of them have computers, and more than half use instant messaging to communicate, have Facebook pages, and watch videos on YouTube.

GENERATION C AROUND THE WORLD

ARAB CONTRIBUTION

S T O R M I N G

T H E

CLASSROOM

Think Unlimited is revolutionising education and creating ‘solutionaries’ to combat the Arab world’s problems.

According to the Arab Labour Organisation (ALO), more than 30 per cent of young Arabs are jobless. “The unemployment rate among Arab youth until the age of 30 years exceeds 30 per cent,” said Ahmad Mohammed Luqman, Director General of the Arab Labour Organisation. The number of Arabs without jobs has jumped two million since 2011, making the total number of unemployed Arabs at 20 million,” said Luqman.

In 2013, the UN International Labour Organisation stated that youth unemployment in the Arab region is the highest in the world at 23.2 per cent, compared to a world average of 13.9 per cent. While unrest is a dominant factor for the unemployment, authorities also state that many graduates fail to find employment because their

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specialisations are not adequate.

The dominant trend in the Arab world today remains “education for unemployment” rather than “education for employment”. Centuries old teaching methods and obselete curriculum does not support students with the competencies they need. It takes the average employer in the Arab world nine months to train a new worker to be proficient. The Middle East is struggling to meet the educational and economic needs of an unprecedented and growing youth bulge. Job markets are unable to keep pace, and outmoded education systems leave youth unprepared for work and citizenship.

This is where Think Unlimited’s Solutionaries programme comes in.

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ARAB CONTRIBUTION

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ARAB CONTRIBUTION

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“Young people everywhere are realising that if they can’t find the job they want, their best option is to create it. And if they don’t like the world they’re living in, they can stand up and build change. I believe that promoting these same realisations among Arab youth and enrolling them in these two global movements is by far the best strategy for laying the foundations for lasting progress and change in the Middle East,” says Shaylyn Romney Garrett, Co-Founder and Co-executive Director at Think Unlimited.

Garrett came to Jordan as a volunteer teacher.

She watched her students grapple with their lack of opportunity and voice as they became more connected to the globalised, democratising world. She saw them grow disillusioned with the outdated school system and believe that studying wouldn’t get them any closer to their dreams.

This spurred Garrett to start Think Unlimited.

Think Unlimited, a U.S.-registered NGO based in Amman, Jordan, offers a year long, credit-bearing course in Middle Eastern universities teaching social entrepreneurship and creative problem solving.

environments that give birth to ‘Solutionaries’ – individuals equipped and empowered to solve their nations’ most pressing problems through social innovation.

The first of its kind in the entire Middle East region, the Solutionaries programme is teaching critical and creative thinking for social change, and connecting Arab youth across the globe to form a powerful movement of change makers – armed with the next-generation solutions their societies so urgently need.

EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING ARAB YOUTH TO THINK UP THE FUTURE Think Unlimited is reimagining learning in the Arab world by turning classrooms dominated by rote memorisation into transformative

THE COURSE Solutionaries is a university course that builds on the core competencies of motivation, creativity, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship skills, and encourages young people to apply

FLASHES / MAY 2015

ARAB CONTRIBUTION

those skills through social innovation. It equips and empowers Arab youth to become individuals who identify, understand, and work to solve the world’s most pressing problems. The creditbearing course teaches social innovation through games, activities, reflection, and real-world projects. It is taught in universities to groups of 20 students in two 75-minute sessions/week, 60 sessions over two semesters, resulting in 75+ hours of transformative learning.

The course content is 100 per cent evidencebased, drawing on cutting-edge theories like neuroplasticity and the ground-breaking work of researchers such as Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, Martin Seligman, Ken Robinson, and James Kaufman. Learning through play is a central highlight of the course. The students perform an activity and identify what they’ve learned through reflection. Learning through play also means developing essential creative capacities. It not only gives students fun experiences, it re-wires their brains for innovation by strengthening the neural pathways associated with divergent thinking, creative problem solving, and ‘making friends with failure’.

To facilitate the course, Think Unlimited recruits the best and brightest Arab youth from all over the world, brings them to Jordan for a year of service, and trains them to become transformational leaders and powerful role models for their peers. They implement a curriculum of issue-centred experiential learning to help students identify the problems they are most passionate about solving, improve the quality and viability of their ideas, and chart a realistic course for implementing solutions. Every student who takes the Solutionaries course leaves with an actionable plan to start an initiative, a project, or business that promotes progress—from the bottom up.

universities in Jordan. The organisation aims to offer this course in universities across the entire MENA region by 2025.

Zarqa University, American University of Madaba, German Jordanian University, and Petra University are the organisation’s implementing partners in Jordan. It is noteworthy that each of these universities is bringing student-centred, project-based learning to their campuses for the first time. Think Unlimited has also partnered with the Jordanian Ministry of Culture to promote creativity and innovation inside and outside of the classroom.

Think Unlimited is capturing the energy and imagination of Arab youth and turning it into the fuel for progress and change. This program is striking at the heart of many of the region’s most complex problems, and is mobilising Arab youth to join an inspiring global movement that puts young innovators at the centre of the efforts to build a new world. Last semester, they enrolled one of Saddam Hussein’s grandsons, who devoted his project work to developing a creative initiative to combat religious intolerance. And a surprising number of students took on even thornier issues such as government corruption, domestic violence, and even the mistreatment of homosexuals.

“I believe that Arab youth are the only ones who can create lasting, positive change in their nations—and they must do it on their own terms and in their own way. That’s a real solution. That’s 100 million solutions. And, in my opinion, that’s what it means to “think unlimited” about the future of the Arab world,” adds Garrett.

Shaylyn Romney Garrett, Co-Founder and Co-executive Director at Think Unlimited

IMPACT OF THE COURSE When a student leaves the course, Think Unlimited connects them to ongoing educational programmes, training courses, funding opportunities, and support communities that continue to nurture them on their path to Solution-making.

Currently, Think Unlimited is working with 350 students in four Jordanian universities. They aim to more than double their impact in the near future by adding two new university partners and increasing the number of sections at each university. By 2016 they begin partnering with universities outside Jordan and by 2020, the course is expected to be implemented in all 42 www.mbrf.ae

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OPINION

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EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING

TRANSFORMING PEOPLE FROM THE PADDOCK TO THE BOARDROOM

The unique technique of using horses to teach leadership and emotional intelligence, is a catalyst that allows people to take charge of their lives, to find their purpose, and to draw upon their own gifts and talents, to become their authentic selves.

How does an authentic leader show up? Do they rely on their title? If not, what do they rely on to move the feet of their herd? In the wild, leadership is earned, while in the corporate world it is bestowed. But to really succeed – in the corporate world as well as in the wild – one has to earn the respect of one’s subordinates to get them to work for you.

I believe that one can learn this powerful skill of earning respect from the paddock. Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is regarded as a new leadership field in which experimental activities with horses reflect the realities of life. Participants learn about themselves and how to process behaviour, feelings and patterns. This helps to cultivate leadership skills, develop problem- and conflict resolution, establish boundaries and remain within them, deal with aggression and improve non-verbal communication.

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BACK TO BASICS Leadership has been defined in numerous ways, but ultimately it boils down to its most basic definition - getting work done through people. That sounds easy enough, right?

Well, anyone who has ever tried to motivate people into action knows the difficulties that arise when working with human beings. Leading people requires many skills. Daniel Goleman, in his book Working with Emotional Intelligence, provides supporting data that successful leaders possess competencies based on five elements in relationships: ✑ Self-awareness ✑ Motivation ✑ Self-regulation ✑ Empathy ✑ Adeptness

Horses possess many of the competencies described by Goleman. Their

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OPINION

awareness is so acute that they tune into all the non-verbal communication, including the emotions of the humans they interact with.

EMOTIONS AND TENSIONS THAT LAY UNDER THE SURFACE AND OUT OF OUR HUMAN AWARENESS ARE VERY VISIBLE TO THE HORSE. THEY NOTICE THE INCONSISTENCIES IN OUR ACTIONS AND NON-VERBAL MESSAGES. 36

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HORSES – THE PERFECT CO-FACILITATORS IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Horses by nature live the values that many organisations strive for – values which many leaders try with great difficulty to instill in the hearts and minds of their teams. Horses don’t lie and you cannot lie to them. The old adage “straight from the horse’s mouth” applies in this process.

In the wild, horses were preyed upon for food by wild dogs, big cats and primitive man. Their survival depended on their ability to be fully in tune with their surroundings – very perceptive and fast in reaction time.

Like humans they utilise all of their senses – sight, smell, hearing, feeling and taste – to take in their surroundings. However, horses’ senses are more acute. Their smell is similar to that of a dog. They can smell fear or anger in humans, and when smelling the ground they can identify who has passed by.

When interacting with people, the horses’ acute awareness allows them to recognise the slightest uneasiness or tension in our

bodies, as well as the non-verbal messages.

Their keen perception allows them to notice incongruence between our actions and our emotions. They are that perceptive! Not only do they notice the disconnections, they reflect them back to us through their behaviours.

The horses’ unique sense of awareness and their ability to reflect the emotions of humans make them the perfect cofacilitator in leadership development training. They help people to learn how others perceive them and how their actions are being interpreted.

LESS THREATENING LEARNING Learning via horses is less threatening, because it is a more personal experience and feedback is direct from the horse’s mouth.

Accomplishing a task involving a horse provides a wonderful metaphor when dealing with intimidating situations either inside or outside the workplace.

Horses are large and powerful animals – they provide a natural opportunity to overcome fear and develop self-confidence.

GREAT TEACHERS ABOUT LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS Linda Kohanov, an expert in equine facilitated

EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING

psychotherapy, elaborates in her book, The Tao of Equus, on the relationship between emotional intelligence and the benefits of working with horses. She puts into words what those working with horses have known for years – that horses are great teachers about life and relationships.

Working with horses offers the unique experience of developing a deeper understanding of yourself and how others perceive you, what motivates you, your adaptability and flexibility in changing situations, your innovativeness, level of commitment and initiative and ultimately your ability to understand and lead others.

BEST LESSON The best lessons learned from horses are those that allow us to adapt our behaviour to be more balanced and co-operative. Horses teach us to be conscious leaders! To truly lead others you must first understand yourself and recognise your areas of strengths and areas for development.

DISCONNECTIONS SHOW When we mask our emotions we hold tension in our bodies. Our horse partners recognise these disconnections and mirror it back through their actions. Emotions and tensions that lay under the surface and out of our human awareness are very visible to the horse. They notice the www.mbrf.ae

inconsistencies in our actions and non-verbal messages. Status does not impress them.

WHAT MAKES THIS APPROACH DIFFERENT? Learning takes place on the spot. The impact and learning are more powerful than the traditional methods of classroom training. Participants are taken out of their comfort zones and are so much more open to the process of self-discovery. They are more willing to accept feedback from a horse than from another human being.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yolanda Sing is the founder and owner of Chloe Consultants, a company that uses equineassisted learning techniques.

Sing is professional coach, equine facilitator and author of the book ‘Power In The Paddock’. She holds four degrees, specialising in People Development, Business Administration, Leadership Development and Psychology.

She has spent time in Spain, USA, and Europe to qualify herself as an Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator. Her technique of using horses to teach leadership and emotional intelligence has won the ‘UK HR Award for the Best in Learning and Development’.

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When you think of plastic, what springs to mind? Cheap toys from China? Packaging material? Or maybe a plastic bag?

But humans have been using naturally derived plastics for far longer than you may imagine.

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A millennium and a half before Christ, the Olmecs in Mexico played with balls made of a natural polymer – rubber. Later, medieval craftsmen made lantern windows out of translucent slices of animal horn. Although, it might be argued that animal horn is not a plastic, but from the point of view of strict chemistry, both are made from the same class of materials.

WHAT ARE PLASTICS AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM? The word plastic comes from the Greek verb plassein, which means “to mould or shape”. It only recently became a name for a category of materials called polymers. Polymers are made of long chains of molecules and they abound in nature such as cellulose, the material that makes up the cell walls of plants, is a very common natural polymer. Similarly, animal horns are made of keratin – a mixed carbon-nitrogen polymer – the same stuff that skin and hair, including wool, is made of.

Over the last century and a half, humans have learned how to make synthetic polymers, sometimes using natural substances like cellulose, but more often using the plentiful carbon atoms provided by petroleum and other fossil fuels. Synthetic polymers are made up of long chains of atoms, arranged in repeating units, often much longer than those found in nature. It is the length of these chains, and the patterns in which they are arrayed, that make polymers strong, lightweight, and flexible.

In other words, it’s what makes them so plastic.

These properties make synthetic polymers exceptionally useful, and since we learned how to create and manipulate them, polymers have become an essential part of our lives. Especially over the last 50 years plastics have saturated our world and changed the way that we live.

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Above: John Wesley Hyatt Right: Workers operating plastic molding machines in a factory

MARKETED AS ‘THE MATERIAL OF A THOUSAND USES’, BAKELITE COULD BE SHAPED OR MOULDED INTO ALMOST ANYTHING, PROVIDING ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES 40

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THE FIRST SYNTHETIC PLASTIC The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who was inspired by a New York firm’s offer of $10,000 for anyone who could provide a substitute for ivory. The growing popularity of billiards had put a strain on the supply of natural ivory, obtained through the slaughter of wild elephants. By treating cellulose, derived from cotton fibre, with camphor, Hyatt discovered a plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory.

This discovery was revolutionary. For the first time human manufacturing was not constrained by the limits of nature. Nature only supplied so much wood, metal, stone, bone, tusk, and horn. But now humans could create new materials. This development helped not only people but also the environment. Advertisements praised celluloid as the saviour of the elephant and the tortoise. Plastics could protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need.

The creation of new materials also helped free people from the social and economic constraints imposed by the scarcity of natural resources. Inexpensive celluloid made material wealth more widespread and obtainable. And the plastics revolution was only getting started.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLASTICS In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning it contained no molecules found in nature.

Baekeland had been searching for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator, to meet the needs of the rapidly electrifying United States. Bakelite was not only a good insulator; it was also durable, heat resistant, and, unlike celluloid, ideally suited for mechanical mass production. Marketed as ‘the material of a thousand uses’, Bakelite could be shaped or moulded into almost anything, providing endless possibilities.

Hyatt’s and Baekeland’s successes led major chemical companies to invest in the research and development of new polymers,

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and new plastics soon joined celluloid and Bakelite. While Hyatt and Baekeland had been searching for materials with specific properties, the new research programmes sought new plastics for their own sake and worried about finding uses for them later.

PLASTICS COME OF AGE World War II necessitated a great expansion of the plastics industry in the United States, as industry proved as important to victory as military success. The need to preserve scarce natural resources made the production of synthetic alternatives a priority. Plastics provided those substitutes.

Nylon, invented by Wallace Carothers in 1935 as a synthetic silk, was used during the war for parachutes, ropes, body armour, helmet liners, and more. Plexiglas provided an alternative to glass for aircraft windows.

A Time magazine article noted that because of the war, “plastics have been turned to new uses and the adaptability of plastics demonstrated all over again”. During World War II plastic production in the United States increased by 300 per cent.

The surge in plastic production continued after the war ended. After experiencing the Great Depression and then World War II, Americans were ready to spend again, and much of what they bought was made of plastic. According to author Susan Freinkel, “In product after product, market after market, plastics challenged traditional materials and won, taking the place of steel in cars, paper and glass in packaging, and wood in furniture”. The possibilities of plastics gave some observers an almost utopian vision of a future with abundant material wealth thanks to an inexpensive, safe, sanitary substance that could be shaped by humans to their every whim.

GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT PLASTICS The unblemished optimism about plastics didn’t last. In the post-war years there was a shift in perceptions as plastics were no longer seen as unambiguously positive. Plastic debris in the oceans was first observed in the 1960s, a decade in which people became increasingly aware of environmental problems. As awareness about

WORLD WAR II NECESSITATED A GREAT EXPANSION OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES

Below: Wallace Carothers Left: Nylon thread cones during fifties

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GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH, A SWIRL OF PLASTIC GARBAGE THE SIZE OF TEXAS FLOATING IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN 42

environmental issues spread, the persistence of plastic waste began to trouble observers. Plastic also gradually became a word used to describe that which was cheap, flimsy, or fake.

PLASTIC PROBLEMS: WASTE AND HEALTH Plastic’s reputation fell further in the 1970s and 1980s as anxiety about waste increased.

Plastic became a special target because, while so many plastic products are disposable, plastic lasts forever in the environment. It was the plastics industry that offered recycling as a solution. In the 1980s the plastics industry led an influential drive encouraging municipalities to collect and process recyclable materials as part of their waste-management systems. However, recycling is far from perfect, and most plastics still end up in landfills or in the environment.

Grocery-store plastic bags have become a target for activists looking to ban one-use, disposable plastics, and several American cities have already passed bag bans. The ultimate symbol of the problem of plastic waste is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which has often been described as a swirl of plastic garbage the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean.

The reputation of plastics has suffered further thanks to a growing concern about the potential threat they pose to human health. These concerns focus on the additives that go into plastics during the manufacturing process, making them more flexible, durable, and transparent. Some scientists and members of the public are concerned

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about evidence that these chemicals leach out of plastics and into our food, water, and bodies.

THE FUTURE OF PLASTICS Despite growing mistrust, plastics are critical to modern life. Plastics made possible the development of computers, cell phones, and most of the lifesaving advances of modern medicine. Lightweight and good for insulation, plastics help save fossil fuels used in heating and in transportation.

Perhaps most important, inexpensive plastics raised the standard of living and made material abundance more readily available. Without plastics many possessions that we take for granted might be out of reach for all but the richest people. Replacing natural materials with plastic has made many of our possessions cheaper, lighter, safer, and stronger.

Since it’s clear that plastics have a valuable place in our lives, some scientists are attempting to make plastics safer and more sustainable.

Some innovators are developing bioplastics, which are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, to create substances that are more environmentally friendly than conventional plastics. Others are working to make plastics that are truly biodegradable. Some innovators are searching for ways to make recycling more efficient, and they even hope to perfect a process that converts plastics back into the fossil fuels from which they were derived. All of these innovators recognise that plastics are not perfect but that they are an important and necessary part of our future.

Source: chemheritage.org

Plastic lasts forever in the environment