American University of Sharjah (AUS) alumna, Apoorva Goel is among the top five finalists of Shell Ideas360, a global competition in which students develop ideas to tackle the pressures on the world’s food, water and energy resources. Goel made it into the finals with like-minded innovators from the US, France, Australia and Indonesia, out of 1,100 candidates that participated in the competition this year from all across the globe.

By Martin Giesen

Rarely do re-enactments add much substance to the original. Redressing the Renaissance, a recent project by students in the College of Architecture, Art and Design, is a laudable exception to the rule.

In April 2018, when a team of graduating architecture students called the Group of Seven chose to organize and choreograph a reunion of Raphael's School of Athens, they wondered what the outcome would be.

They picked a crown jewel in the canon of Western art history: the 1510 Vatican fresco that covers one of the walls in a room of the Pope's private apartments. In reality, the Stanza della Segnatura is neither private nor is merely a room. These days thousands of tourists are shepherded through the hall on their way to the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo was painting the ceiling just when Raphael, his much younger rival, was at work in the Apostolic Palace next door.

Raphael's painted vision assembled his Renaissance peers in a pageant of historical giants. Philosophers, poets, mathematicians and astronomers, dramatists and physicists, artists and architects—the VIPs of Europe's intellectual and creative history gathered in a fictional symposium below the grand Roman vaults of the new basilica of St. Peter.  

In Raphael's fresco the A-list of appearances is impressive. Alexander the Great is present. Socrates and Apelles mingle with Raphael's lover La Fornarina and the Andalusian polymath Ibn Rushd. Bramante, Raphael's mentor and architect of the new basilica, is featured prominently. Aristotle represents the empiricist school of thought, while Leonardo da Vinci poses as Plato and points towards heaven as the source of his theory of forms.

It took 61 students, staff and faculty of the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) to pull off the photo shoot for the reenactment. Garments and shaylas were procured. Skeptical mothers lent saris and bedsheets. The composition was color-coded and divided into regiments, each under the tutelage of one of the seven lieutenants. Parts were chosen or assigned according to personal preference or prevailing character. Prestige played a subordinate role.

Masking tape was deployed the night before the shoot to mark individual positions on the ground in front of the university's administration building. Raphael's image was carefully studied and actors were coached to mimic likeness of stance, gesture and expression. Wardrobe was labeled, and binder clips were readied to secure clothing.

The resulting work, however, is more than the kind of tableau sometimes enacted for entertainment at a fine arts graduation party. It is a statement that challenges the canon, argues stereotypes and redirects the debate. It is an art work in its own right.

The students' re-enactment debunks Renaissance notions in post-modern fashion. High and low culture hierarchy is shattered. Commercial exploitation of an original product is avoided. The cult of originality, embodied in the single-minded grouchiness of Michelangelo, is replaced by cheery teamwork. The almost all-male cast in the fresco is rebalanced by plenty of women, in recognition of the gender ratio of CAAD's student body. High-brow pretensions of the fine art of painting—a solitary affair of the lonely genius—are replaced by clever crafts, historically associated with women's work:  the textile world, linked to weaving, tailoring and dressing.

On the other hand, women's managerial skills are given a nod: the mainly female students multi-task to organize the majority male faculty. 

The Redressing counters global dispersion by grounding the locale firmly on the campus of the university. The library lent the arch. The dome was appropriated from a classroom building. The arcade was borrowed from those that front our academic buildings.

Contemporary media of art-making are given their due. The all in-house production benefitted from excellent IT infrastructure. The Photoshop work alone required a 5GB file.

The colonialist assumption of western/white superiority is confidently rebuked by parading a competent phalanx of minority actors and protagonists of color. Local cultural norms are respected: Raphael's naked Apollo got dressed. The universality claim inherent in Roman Catholicism is challenged by a cast that includes, among others, Muslims, Hindus, Protestants and Agnostics (here with a capital A).

At the end of the day, this contemporary work of art does not rebel against tradition or denigrate Raphael or Renaissance values. Instead, it seeks to celebrate another rebirth, a Renaissance that embodies the spirit of our age.

Redressing the Renaissance is more than a re-costuming event. It is the courageous and creative installation of seven students of American University of Sharjah who decided to pay tribute to and give artistic form to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah: to establish a distinctive institution, nurtured by history, responding to the aspirations of contemporary society in the United Arab Emirates.

Martin Giesen is a professor of art history at American University of Sharjah. 

To access high resolution copies of the image, Click Here.

Credits: Photo Credits:   Aashish Rajesh;    Editing Credits: Tasnim Tinawi;  The Group of Seven Team: Divya Mahadevan, Farah Monib, Zahra'a Nasralla, Gopika Praveen, Tasnim Tinawi, Uthra Varghese, Nabeela Zeitoun

By Gureni Lukwaro

Are you looking for a world-class education for yourself or for your child? The kind of education that can lead to exciting and rewarding careers? Education that can help students become the best versions of themselves?

If you are ready to unlock your true and full potential, then look no further; American University of Sharjah (AUS) can help you realize your goals. With world-class faculty; outstanding teaching, learning and research facilities; and one of the region’s most diverse and vibrant campuses, AUS is the place for students who are ready to make their mark in the world.

AUS offers 26 bachelor’s programs, 14 master’s degrees and one PhD through its four colleges:

College of Architecture, Art and Design

• Bachelor of Architecture
• Bachelor of Interior Design
• Bachelor of Science in Design Management
• Bachelor of Science in Multimedia Design
• Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication

• Master of Urban Planning

College of Arts and Sciences

• Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature
• Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication
• Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences
• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
• Bachelor of Science in Physics
• Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL)
• Master of Arts in English/Arabic/English Translation and Interpreting (MATI)
• Master of Science in Mathematics

College of Engineering

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering
• Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
• Master of Science in Civil Engineering
• Master of Science in Computer Engineering
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
• Master of Science in Engineering Systems Management
• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering
• PhD in Engineering Systems Management

School of Business Administration

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Accounting
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Economics
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Finance
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Management
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Science in Accounting

All these programs are designed to meet the challenges of a competitive and dynamic business and industrial environment.

The university is licensed by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (UAE) in the United Arab Emirates, which recognizes all undergraduate and graduate programs. American University of Sharjah is accredited in the United States of America by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

The Bachelor of Science degree programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering offered by the College of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Science degree program in computer science offered by the College of Engineering is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Architecture program of the College of Architecture, Art and Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration as well as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degrees offered by the School of Business Administration are accredited by the (AACSB).

Please click here to learn more about our internationally recognized degree programs, admission requirements and procedures, financial grants and scholarships and life on campus.

By Dr. Richard Schoephoerster

Space….the final frontier. Any true-blue Star Trek fan knows the source of those words, but, whether you are a Trekkie or not, everyone understands the spirit of their meaning. Frontier implies exceeding limits, moving into the unknown, with all of the excitement and thrill that comes with that. That excitement was palpable on the campus of American University of Sharjah (AUS) last week. Some of our alumni were on campus as the nanosatellite that they designed and constructed in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC), was launched into orbit. While there was certainly a roar of applause and a huge collective sigh of relief for each successive stage of the rocket launch, including the deployment of Nayif-1 into its orbit, the real moment of truth arrived when the first signals were received at the AUS ground station, because, for our former students and the MBRSC staff, that was the ultimate measure of achievement for this collaborative enterprise.

But as the Dean of the AUS College of Engineering, my greatest sense of pride comes in seeing our graduates embark on professional careers that impact society and contribute to a fulfilling life for them and those that care for them.  So, you see, what I observed was not just a launching of a rocket and the deployment of a nanosatellite, but the launching of careers and the deployment of engineering skills and problem-solving strategies sculpted through years of study and practice at AUS.  With an educational goal of attracting and preparing young minds for careers in the space industry, MBRSC could not have hoped for anything more, as all seven former AUS students who served on the Nayif-1 design team are now in the midst of highly successful careers with MBRSC itself or in the fast growing UAE space industry. As I spoke with our alumni before and after the event, their pride in AUS and thankfulness for the preparation they received here was clearly evident.

The AUS College of Engineering has long been known for its outstanding degree programs and its well-equipped teaching laboratories that provide extensive hands-on learning experiences for its students. We are striving to become the top engineering program in the region known for its practice-based learning approach and an emphasis on learning beyond the classroom. This will be achieved through close and active collaboration with government agencies and industry. The Nayif-1 project was a classic example of that kind of collaboration we seek across all of our programs. Through these kinds of cooperative ventures, we can work together with government and industry to produce the talent this region needs to thrive in a knowledge-based economy, and the innovation the region needs to adequately address the needs and desires of the regional population.

AUS is a university of “firsts.” It is only natural that we be deeply involved in the most recent “first” – the launching and deployment of the first UAE nanosatellite. As we move forward with our plans to become the top research university in the region, we look forward to many more “firsts.”

Dr. Richard Schoephoerster is the Dean of the American University of Sharjah College of Engineering.

For more information about American University of Sharjah, please visit www.aus.edu

By Tayiba Ahmed

After working hard on their startup ideas for months, 10 entrepreneurial teams recently had the opportunity to showcase their ideas to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, who attended the Inaugural Showcase Day held at American University of Sharjah (AUS). The ceremony that took place on February 15, 2017 was held under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, Shurooq.

The event was organized by Sheraa, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre housed at AUS, as the graduation ceremony for the first batch of participants in its Business Accelerators Programme. The cohort consisted of 10 teams who successfully completed all training sessions and workshops. The ideas for the teams’ projects, all of which are new and innovative, were tested for their feasibility and whether they would be successful. The projects were then shortlisted to pick the most suitable ones for launch. These teams will receive preliminary financing, a commercial license, a site and other benefits.

“Sharjah is taking steps towards the integrated system for Emirati work by encouraging and supporting youth so they can usher in a bright future in the world of business,” said Sheikha Budoor at the ceremony.

Meet the teams and their startups.

1. Tayar

Founded by Hashim Al Zaabi, Mohammed Rashid, Ali Al Hashimi and Nihal Abdulla, Tayar is a hardware and software solution that allows users to monitor and control electrical devices through their smartphones, and also strategizes methods for more efficient energy consumption. Rashid and Abdulla are alumni of the College of Engineering at AUS, while Zaabi is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Hashimi is pursuing Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at AUS. For more information about Tayar, visit www.tayar.ae.

2. The Mawada Project

Noha Mahdi’s The Mawada Project creates skill-building community engagement programs for children, providing them with transformative experiences that shape them into young leaders of the future. For more information about The Mawada Project, visit www.themawadaproject.org.

3. Juxtapiece

Hanin Hazeem and Arghavan Hatamabadi used unique technology to create Juxtapiece, which produces modern, hand-crafted, customized art pieces using a variety of wood types and styles as the primary material. Both of the co-founders of Juxtapiece are graduates of the College of Architecture and Design. For more information about Juxtapiece, visit www.juxtapiece.com.

4. Hamza

Hamza, founded by Anas Shahrour and Hicham Houmane, uses the latest findings in Natural Language Processing to facilitate the creation of high-quality Arabic content. Hamza is a writing enhancement platform that corrects spelling and grammar mistakes, and provides style enhancement suggestions. For more information about Hamza, visit hamza.ae.

5. Yadoh Fatima

Juma al Gaizi and Omair al Falasi’s Yadoh Fatima is a food delivery service that brings the traditional Emirati breakfast experience back with efficiency and affordability to employees in government entities. For more information about Yadoh Fatima, follow @yadoh.fatma on Instagram.

6. Camel Goat

Camel Goat is Fayez Mitch Barakji and Adbulwahab Sahyoun’s indie video game company for gamers who want to experience creative, meaningful and story-driven adventure games. Sahyoun is a graduate of the AUS College of Engineering, while Barakji is pursuing a Master of Science in Engineering Systems Management at AUS. For more information about Camel Goat, visit www.cg-interactive.com.

7. KEZA

KEZA, a seamless technology platform founded by Nida Sumar, aims to streamline the food and beverage industry, from the dining experience to the management of restaurants. For more information about KEZA, visit www.keza.it.

8. Cartpool

Founded by Adbulhameed Al Beiruty and Omar Yasir, Cartpool is a crowd-powered platform that facilitates group buying for individuals, giving them access to significantly reduced prices. The platform lists niche products specifically targeting millennials. Yasir is a graduate of the AUS College of Engineering. For more information about Cartpool, visit www.cartpool.com.

9. YallaPickup

Elie El Tom’s YallaPickup is an app that allows customers to connect to pickup truck owners in a secure, affordable way. For more information, visit www.yalla-pickup.com.

10. Mogz

Mogz, founded by Waleed Elaghil, Sami Elaghi and Khalid Elaghi, is a collaborative educational platform that enables university students to connect, share study materials and find peer tutors. Waleed and Khalid are alumni of American University of Sharjah. For more information about Mogz, visit www.mogz.co.

Congratulations to all teams! We wish you all the best as you move forward to an even brighter future. You indeed are the next wave of entrepreneurs.

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Dr. Mohamed El-Tarhuni

Back in March 2014, American University of Sharjah was approached by what was then known as the Emirates Institute for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) and now known as the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to embark on an exciting project. We were very proud of the fact that among all universities in the country, AUS was chosen as the academic partner for this ambitious project. Our student would build the UAE’s first nanosatellite and launch it into space!

Intensive discussions followed over the summer of 2014 and the project kicked-off in September 2014 as a senior-year design project for a group of seven Emirati engineering students supervised by engineers from MBRSC and seven faculty members from the AUS College of Engineering. The students—who came from the electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer engineering programs—were very excited to be selected for this project and worked diligently to learn more about CubeSat technology, which was to be used for the project because the size of the nanosatellite is practical for scientific investigations. Although a CubeSat is a small satellite with a basic size of 10 x10 x 10 cubic cm and weight of 1.3 kg, it has all the functionality of a conventional satellite. It was amazing to see how well the students progressed as they identified the mission and the different parts to be included in the design. The students went through different formal design reviews with MBRSC and the technology partner, Innovations in Space from the Netherlands. They even went to the Netherlands for training on CubeSat technology. It is impressive that the team members were full-time students taking at least five courses along with their design project, for which they had to meet the university requirements for project deliverables within specific deadlines.

After many iterations of design, simulation, integration and testing, it was finally announced that Nayif-1 was ready. Nayif-1 was chosen as the name for the CubeSat since in Arabic it means to fly high or to ascend in the sky. The students defended their project for graduation by the end of Spring 2015. However, the process was not over yet; there were major activities to be done, including testing for flight readiness and launching the CubeSat on a space rocket to be placed into orbit. They also had to work on the installation of the ground station at AUS to be able to control and monitor Nayif-1.

Following graduation, the students became engineers and four of them joined MBRSC working on different projects, but they did not abandon their original baby, Nayif-1. The moment of truth came on February 15, 2017 at 7:58 in the morning (UAE local time), when a rocket in India carrying Nayif-1, along with a world record of 103 other satellites, was launched into space. Nayif-1 team members came to the ground station room at AUS to watch the launch and then take over the control of the CubeSat. Everyone was holding his/her breath, and when the control room announced the successful deployment of Nayif-1 at an altitude of 500 km above the ground, a loud cheer was heard from the crowd at AUS. The CubeSat has to orbit the Earth at a speed of about 7.5 km per second, and it was due to be within the coverage range of the AUS ground station 90 minutes after launch. The team worked to finalize the setup of the ground station programs to be ready to receive the signals from Nayif-1. The crowd was so quiet, wondering if Nayif-1 could actually communicate with the ground station. And then it came: at 9:30 a.m. UAE local time, the first “beep-beep” was heard from the ground station speaker. This was the moment everyone was waiting for: Nayif-1 was successfully operating. It was a very joyful and proud moment for the team members and their mentors knowing that they had made history. Shortly after, text messages that had been preloaded into Nayif-1 started to appear on the screen informing the world about the creation of the CubeSat by AUS students, which was the first nanosatellite in the UAE and the GCC region. After another 90 minutes, Nayif-1 passed into range of the AUS ground station again. This time, the signal was even stronger and text messages in Arabic were sent from the ground station to Nayif-1 to be broadcast as it was circulating around the globe. The messages were received by amateur radio users in the US, Europe, Mexico, Canada, Estonia, Japan and many other places.

This has been a truly amazing experience for me as a lead advisor of the project at AUS. There are many success stories to tell. First, the successful design, testing and launching of the first CubeSat in the region by AUS students is a major achievement. Second, this project successfully demonstrated that a true partnership between academia and industry/government organizations could result in tangible and fruitful outcomes. Finally, but most importantly, seeing our AUS students grow and develop advanced knowledge and skills relevant to the real-world that make them ready to make an impact as they join the workforce is the real fruit of this project. They did not just learn technical skills, but they have acquired and applied teamwork and project management skills, developed the ability to work under stress and meet deadlines, and become holistic engineers who see the full picture as opposed to focusing on a very small part of the project.

I would like to acknowledge the Nayif-1 team members and their mentors:

Team Members: Khalifa AlMheiri, Shaima AlMarzooqi, Hessa Ali and Maitha Ahmed, Department of Electrical Engineering; Abdulla AlShehhi, Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Fadya  AlMaeeni and Ahmed AlShaer, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

AUS Faculty Advisors: Dr. Mohamed El-Tarhuni; Dr. Nasser Qaddoumi; Dr. Amer Zakaria, Dr. Shayok Mukhopadhyay and Engineer Ibrahim AbuSeif, Department of Electrical Engineering; Dr. Mohammad Jaradat, Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Dr. Assim Sagahyroon and Dr. Fadi Aloul, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

MBRSC Project Managers: Ibrahim Al Qasimi; Hessa Al Matroushi; Fatma Lootah.

Dr. Mohamed El-Tarhuni is Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs and Research at the College of Engineering (CEN), and Professor in Electrical Engineering at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Falah Gulzar

It was so good, I mean very good. You want to know how good? I will tell you this, even the Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve couldn’t remain seated, he got up and participated. That is how good this got when American University of Sharjah hosted fusion band Red Baraat on Monday, February 20.

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the eight-member band combined North Indian bhangra music with influences from funk, go-go and jazz. The audience enjoyed the band’s covers of Bollywood songs and their upbeat versions of sufi music. Students, faculty members and staff present cheered on the band and danced along throughout the performance.

“This is very nice as students gets to take a little break from studying hard,” said Dr. Kjerfve.

The academics at AUS are not necessarily easy and require effort, said Chancellor Kjerfve, adding that the AUS curriculum introduces students to all kinds of fields. Aside from major-related courses, the university requires its students to earn credit hours in the liberal arts subjects to help AUS students become well-rounded individuals.

“This past week was so stressful. I’m glad AUS hosts events like this all the time to break the tension of schoolwork,” said Amna AbuDyak, a sophomore in international studies.

 “It is very healthy for students to be not just good in their own field but also to take advantage of other opportunities including cultural and entertainment opportunities like this,” Chancellor Kjerfve said.

The event was a collaboration between the AUS Cultural Events Committee, the American Cultural Club, the Indian Cultural Club and the US Consulate General Dubai.

The show had a short intermission in which students had a chance to directly interact with the band’s founder and drummer Sunny Jain. One student asked him about the origin of the group’s name and Jain said that his inspiration came from brass bands that play at typical Indian weddings. He added that the word baraat means “wedding reception” in Hindi and the color red is usually associated with Indian ceremonies.

“Composing was a way of reconciling these Eastern traditions I grew up with and the Western tradition along with my strong Indian and Punjabi background,” he said, when asked about his liking for fusion music.

He added that “the wide variety of different backgrounds” each band member comes from helps them create such tunes.

The concert was a part of the US Consulate General Dubai’s ongoing program that involves “collaborations with local institutions to bring arts and cultural programs to the various cities,” said Christine Bello, US Consulate General Dubai Public Affairs Officer.

Bello said that the band reflects the diversity of the American population as well as of the AUS community.

“We brought Red Baraat because they are a very talented [and] diverse group, coming from a very diverse city and it’s a perfect fit for a very diverse country like the UAE and a diverse student body like AUS,” Bello said.

Board members of the Indian Cultural Club served as hosts for the event, and entertained and engaged the audience between songs.

“We are very impressed with the Indian Cultural Club along with the American Cultural Club; they have been very hands on with making this event a success,” Bello said.

More cultural events are planned for the semester, along with sports activities, lectures, conferences and workshops. See www.aus.edu/events for more information. The next performance will be the String-Wind Ensemble from the Samara State Philharmonic Hall and Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Russia tomorrow, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the Cashier’s Office.

Falah Gulzar is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Ashwatha Mahesh

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

—Benjamin Franklin

This quote was reflected during the recent Recycling Art Event that AUS Sustainability conducted for children in the American University of Sharjah community. Not only did the children use their creative talents in creating artwork from waste materials, they learned an important lesson in sustainability.

As stated in our Environmental Policy, American University of Sharjah aims to deliver excellent education and research in a sustainable manner. However, our sustainability efforts are not limited to engaging our students but are integrated through a widespread approach of actively involving the whole community. We understand the importance of building a strong foundation of environmental awareness at an early age. With that purpose in mind, the Sustainability division in collaboration with the university’s Wellness Program organized the Recycling Art Event.  

During the event, excited faces of AUS community children greeted staff at the Epicenter, the on-campus children’s center. Equipped with their personal collection of waste materials for the event, youngsters of all ages were enthusiastically engaged in creating useful items from everyday household waste items. This instills the behavior of recycling and reusing day-to-day materials from a young age.

Armed with colorful recycled paper and stationary, the children creatively transformed waste materials and learned the importance of reuse by turning cardboard boxes into dollhouses, and Pokémon cardholders and soft drink bottles into rockets, among other creations.

As a reward for their participation, the children were given plant seeds in colorful miniature pots to inspirit responsible care towards the environment.  

AUS strongly believes in creating a wholesome sustainable community by helping the next generation to become caring, environmentally aware and creative individuals. Keep tuned for more such exciting sustainability activities around campus.  

Ashwatha Mahesh is a Part-Time Administrative Coordinator at the Sustainability division of the American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Tayiba Ahmed

The faculty members at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) have time and again displayed, through their work, their expertise and knowledge in various fields. Rather than simply explaining how our education can be put to use in real life, AUS professors demonstrate and inspire the students through their work and provide us with a better understanding of various subjects. Dr. David Lea, Professor of Philosophy in the Department of International Studiesof the AUS College of Arts and Sciences, is one such professor. He recently launched his book Neoliberalism, the Security State and the Quantification of Reality (Lexington Books, Rowman and Littlefield) at an event at American University of Sharjah. The book is the most recent major book in the humanities/social sciences published by an AUS faculty member.

The idea for the book developed two years ago when Dr. Lea realized that the various articles that he had published for journals had a common theme and that he had enough material to turn them into a book. After expanding on these articles and adding more chapters, he formed the book. Neoliberalism, the Security State and the Quantification of Reality, is targeted at university students and aims to provide them with a better understanding of what’s going on in the world right now in terms of finance, higher education, professional practice, international relations and security issues. Dr. Lea’s book is also aimed at policy makers and faculty members, such as philosophers, political scientists and sociologists.

The book covers a range of contemporary issues including those related to higher education, science, professional practice, financialization, state governance, relations between the West and the Islamic world, terrorism and the state security. According to Dr. Lea, within all these areas one encounters problematic forms of human interaction which we seek to correct and improve. In his book, Dr. Lea also argues that humans, in their efforts to correct society and other social relationships, have become overly reliant on a form of problem solving narrowly focused on gathering statistics and applying mathematical formulas. He states that unfortunately this has resulted in systems that purport to represent reality but which are actually detached from and unconnected to the realities of social and environmental life.  The book demonstrates how policies based on such systems have not only failed but have also distorted our collective existence and our ability to deal with pressing social and environmental issues.

According to Michael Power, author and distinguished professor at London School of Economics, "Neoliberalism, the Security State and the Quantification of Reality will be of great interest to sociologists, policy makers, and many others since it deals with the most pressing questions of our time."

We are fortunate to have faculty members at AUS who continue to inspire us both within and beyond the classrooms through the tremendous work they do and through their remarkable achievements. Good luck to Dr. David Lea with his current and upcoming projects.

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Diana Farah

American University of Sharjah marked International Women's Day with celebrations on March 7-8.

International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. It was originally started to commemorate the movement for women's rights. Nowadays, the event celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.

Women’s Day Celebration Lunch

A special luncheon was held at the AUS Main Building on Wednesday, March 8, to celebrate women and it was attended by some AUS administrators, faculty and staff, as well as the AUS Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve. The lunch was organized by Dr. Linzi Kemp, Associate Professor of Management at the university’s School of Business Administration (SBA); Linda McLoughlin, Senior Lecturer of Marketing and Placement Director at SBA; and Dr. Tania Kjerfve, wife of Chancellor Kjerfve.

The event commemorated the Middle East's increase in the recruitment and promotion of women in organizations. Participants discussed ways in which women can become more successful in the business world.

The celebration called for people in society to "be bold for change" in line with this year’s International Women’s Day theme.

Dr. Tania Kjerfve said that the UAE supports women in the highest positions in political life, as eight of the 29 ministers in the current UAE cabinet are women, one of which is an AUS alumna, Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of State for Tolerance.

Dr. Kemp, Ms. McLoughlin and Dr. Norita Ahmed, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems, spoke about their project the Women and Leadership portal, which features The Expert Woman List, the first of its kind media database of female experts and leaders in the United Arab Emirates. Click here to read more about this project.

International Women's Day Poster Competition

The School of Business Administration's Women in Leadership (MGT 321) class, taught by Linda McLaughlin, collaborated with the Intermediate Digital Media in Mass Communication (MCM 200) class of the College of Arts and Sciences, taught by Ana Gavassa, to organize a poster competition illustrating International Women's Day.

According to organizers, the theme of the competition was "Empowering Women and Girls Around the World."

Mass communication student Yasmien Peck was announced the winner of the contest on March 7. Peck said that she wanted to create a poster in which she could portray women’s strength in “crushing” the stereotypical things said about them.

“I thought about all the things I have heard males around me say about women, and that inspired me to make a poster that would show us stepping on these stereotypes,” she said. Peck won a prize of AED 700.

Renowned Emirati poet Afra Atiq performed at the Poster Competition awarding event.

Women Empowerment Event

The AUS Women Empowerment Club also celebrated International Women's Day 2017 with their own event in AUS Main Building on Wednesday, March 8.

The event was led by Dr. Nawar Golley, Professor of English, who discussed the issues regarding gender equality and feminism.

Dr. Golley said that AUS is the perfect environment to engage, speak, and respect one another, in order to achieve the society that enables gender equality.

Two students also performed a gender role reversal play that portrayed men in the position of women in Middle Eastern societies. The man was asked to cook, clean, and prepare for marriage, while the woman was talked about in a more notable manner. The students were attempting to emphasize the different ways men and women are talked about in the Arab society.

Diana Farah is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Aya Sadek

As part of the fifth year design-build project, 16 Architecture students from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) are working on a project that is designed to provide suitable shading for security guards on campus. Supervised by William Sarnecky, Associate Professor of Architecture, the students have designed and are currently constructing a booth outside the CAAD building that will provide shade for security guards stationed at the University Health Center and CAAD building gate.

Sarnecky, who earned his master’s degree in architecture at the University of New Mexico in the United States, said that the function of the booth would extend beyond its simple job of providing shade for security guards.

“The booth will be two-sided, on one side will be the security guard booth which will be air-conditioned and will have a chair, a desk, some storage facility and a refrigerator. It will also have a sort of a front porch where the guards can be outside and still have a shade,” said Sarnecky.

“The other side will have a communal garden component that will include a flower garden and a drinking fountain for the landscape workers and underserved populations on campus–people who don’t seem to get a lot of attention paid to them but work hard to make the campus function,” Sarnecky continued.

The design will be covered by a bar grate cage, featuring top and side shading to protect security guards from the summer heat.

“The watchmen are on 12-hour shifts and they are required to be outside of the booth 70-80 percent of the time. It’s the least we could do for them,” he added.

According to Sarnecky, the roof will consist of solar panels that will provide energy for air conditioning during the day. He said that if the project receives the necessary funding for batteries, the panels would also provide electricity throughout the night.

Sarnecky added that he faced a few obstacles initiating the project.

“By developing the program as architecture students and professors tend to do, we’ve expanded the scope of our budget,” he said.

“Another problem is that we’re racing the weather. It’s beautiful outside now but a month from now it’s going to be miserable and two months from now it’s going to be unbearable,” Sarnecky added.

He noted that the design is site specific and not intended to be randomly placed.

Sarnecky stated that CAAD will monitor the booth’s energy consumption in order to report back to the university about any differences observed.  

Aya Sadek is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Aldrine Creado

To support students in their pursuit of a quality education, American University of Sharjah (AUS) has introduced new scholarship schemes:

• Distinguished Student Scholarship

Effective Fall 2017, the Distinguished Student Scholarship will be offered to new first-time students who have demonstrated academic excellence and achieved a high school percentage of 95 percent and above. The scholarship will cover 20 percent of the tuition and lab/technology fee.

• Academic Accomplishment Scholarship

New first-time students who have achieved a high school percentage of 90.00–94.99 percent will be eligible for this scholarship, and it will cover up to 10 percent of their tuition and lab/technology fee effective Fall 2017.

In addition to recently increasing the Merit Scholarship percentage for continuing students, AUS has also made changes to the Family Tuition Grant conditions and the eligibility requirements for financial grants for the summer term and for transfer students:

• Family Tuition Grant

This grant is offered to families with more than one child simultaneously enrolled at AUS. Effective Summer 2017, the grant will be offered in the summer term as well.

• Financial Grant for the Summer 2017 Term

Beginning in Summer 2017, new first-time and returning students are eligible to apply for financial grants for the summer term. 

• Financial Grant for Transfer Students

Students who transfer to AUS are now eligible to apply for financial grants in their first semester or summer term at AUS.

The deadline to apply for a financial grant for the summer term is May 2, 2017.

Please click here for complete information on grants and scholarships offered by AUS. You can also contact scholarship@aus.edu for more information.

Aldrine Creado is a Manager of Financial Grants and Scholarships at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Dr. Linda C. Angell

US News reported recently that the UAE was voted the best country for study abroad. Why should this surprise anyone?  Students coming to the UAE are in for a real treat!

This observation is backed up by our experience here at American University of Sharjah (AUS), where we welcome 25 to 50 incoming study abroad students every semester, and these students consistently report that they have had an excellent experience here.

There are so many reasons for this—below are top five reasons that students should consider studying abroad at AUS in the UAE.

1. It’s difficult to imagine any other country moving forward with the same pace of change as the UAE.
   

   Even if a student is only spending a few months in country, we can guarantee that they will experience dramatic changes on many fronts—geographically, socially, economically, culturally and most obviously in terms of the built environment. Employers are always indicating that they need people who can deal with a rapid pace of change, and what better place to develop adaptation skills then in a place like the UAE? Every single day the content of the local newspapers reflects the incredible challenges and ingenuity with which Emiratis balance, on the one hand, preserving their heritage, culture, values, language and general way of life in the face of so much diversity, while on the other hand embracing the future and all of the rapid transformation that comes with it. Sociologically speaking, this is a fascinating place to observe these struggles and triumphs taking place on a daily basis.

2. The UAE has the kind of multicultural diversity living in peaceful coexistence that other countries can only dream of.
   The population of students at AUS mirrors the diversity of the UAE more generally—about 17 percent of our 6,000 students are Emirati nationals, while the rest of our students represent over 100 different nationalities from across the Arab/Islamic world and beyond. Students who spend a semester or two here will of course be exposed to the Emirati culture, but where else in the world can you experience the full cross-section of the Middle East, the Gulf Arab World, the Islamic World and beyond? While all of our programs at AUS are delivered in English, when strolling around our campus and passing by small groups of students you will be just as likely to hear conversations in Urdu, Farsi, Hindi and a variety of other languages as you will be to hear Arabic. This place truly reflects the concept of “united nations.”

3. The UAE really is the center of the world.
   We are located geographically right in the very center of the world map, and our many airports offer direct and reasonably priced flights to pretty much every major city around the globe. This makes the UAE an excellent base for international exploration. In addition, the UAE is an international center for trade and a global hub for so many industries, including logistics, banking, construction, insurance, retail, tourism and more. AUS is ideally situated at the very center and heart of the country. If you go 20 minutes in one direction out of the main university gate, you end up in glitzy, cosmopolitan Dubai. Drive 20 minutes in a slightly different direction and you will reach to the Heart of Sharjah area, where all of the development is focused on becoming a model for the traditional Arab city, the cultural capital of the Arab (UNESCO, 1998) and Islamic (ISESCO, 2014) world, Arab Tourism Capital (Arab Tourism Organization, 2015), and recently listed in the top 100 QS Best Student Cities (2016, 2017). Meanwhile, 20 minutes out of AUS’s back gate will bring you into the landscape of the open desert, with the Al Hajjar mountain range visible in the distance, and a variety of iron-age archaeological sites available at Mleiha and other areas across the emirate. We are not kidding when we say that the AUS campus is ideally located within the heart of the Emirates at the very center of the globe.

4. Students here enjoy a high quality of life.
   Despite the challenging international reputation of the Middle East region, study abroad students in the UAE experience a high quality of life in a very safe environment. The UAE offers a very stable government with a high level of tolerance and security, as well as a range of cuisine, shopping and entertainment options to appeal to all cultures, interests and budgets. You don’t have to be wealthy to enjoy the many attractions available within the UAE! If you have limited resources and are trying to live on a shoe-string budget, you will find there is plenty for you to do. For example, you can have a delicious and filling meal for 20 AED (approx. US$ 5.50) or take an abra across the Dubai Creek to explore the various spice, textile and gold souks for 1 AED (approx. 20 cents of US$). Other budget-friendly options include watching a free Sunday night movie at Wafi City, enjoying a fire in the desert under the stars with your friends, hiking the wadis, visiting world-class exhibitions at the Sharjah Art Foundation, and seeing the aquarium and fountains at the Dubai Mall. If you are fortunate enough to come with ample resources, then the sky is absolutely your limit—and we mean that literally as many students have enjoyed skydiving over the Palm Jumeirah, or hot air ballooning over the Empty Quarter.  

5. You’ll have a warm welcome at AUS.
   The Office of International Exchange Programs (IXO) at AUS will become your home away from home while you are here studying in the UAE. Students can expect to be picked up at the airport and delivered to their dorms. The nine-day orientation aims to build the incoming study abroad cohort as a team, introduce arriving students to AUS students and locals, and includes outings to Sharjah and Dubai, and to Immigration to complete visa applications. Numerous events and outings occur throughout the semester, including trips to Musandam in Oman (a day out on a wooden dhow swimming and exploring the fjords), camel-racing, bull-fighting in Fujairah, group dinners and more. IXO includes a comfort station where good Arabian coffee is always brewing, birthdays are celebrated with donuts, and a lounge that provides space to relax, study and get to know each other. More generally, the IXO staff provides 24/7 emergency assistance and does everything possible to make your time in the UAE memorable.

The UAE is a fascinating, exciting and adventurous place to study abroad, and American University of Sharjah is the obvious choice to experience your adventure of a lifetime! Visit our website for information on how to apply.

Dr. Linda C. Angell is the Director of International Exchange Programs at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Dr. Nicholas Ashill

I am sure by now some of you are aware that I am planning to undertake a three-month run across the United States of America exactly a month from today. I am doing this very serious ultramarathon run from Los Angeles to New York in order to inspire people to dream big as well as to help families suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.

I want to bring you up to speed with what has been going on in preparation for the run. I plan to begin my attempt to run across America on Sunday, May 14, 2017 and hope to finish the run in New York about 110 days later. The 5,400 kilometers distance will take me through 13 different states and temperatures of 30-40 degrees.

My training continues to go well.  The past two months have been full on, with distance and core gym work and I have certainly welcomed the one-day of rest at the end of the week! My current weekly distance has reached 240 kilometers which is combined with gym work and cycling.

So far my body is holding up well. I keep asking myself if my training will be enough to see me through the 5,400 kilometers, but as other ultra-marathon runners have said, you need to keep reminding yourself that you can never really prepare for such a challenge.  The challenge itself will be the training!

My eating habits have changed drastically.  I am currently eating over 6,000 calories each day.  Over the past 12 months, I have trained my body to burn fat, following a Keto diet, rather than burn carbohydrates.  This means a diet with lots of vegetables and good fats like coconut oil, avocado and butter. I have found that my running times have improved significantly and this is the result of burning a cleaner energy source.

Part of the preparation includes spending time at the National Center for Sport and Exercise Medicine at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom where Professor Laura-Anne Furlong, a leading sports researcher at Loughborough University, will be studying my biomechanics (a study of running movement) over the 5,400 kilometers distance. This is a joint scientific research project with the University of Massachusetts in the United States.

So, a month to go before the race begins. I will have a support crew of three people, including my father-in-law and my eldest daughter who will be joining me for the 110 days.  They will follow me in an RV making sure that I stay out of trouble!

Dr. Nicholas Ashill is a Professor of Marketing at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah

By Tayiba Ahmed

How exciting must it be to get your work recognized and published as an undergrad student? To have your name printed in a journal? To experience, even as an undergrad student, being a part of a process that professors go through? Fortunately, American University of Sharjah (AUS) provides opportunities for its students to gain experience beyond the boundaries of a classroom. Economist Diwan, a new student-run academic journal, offers a platform for AUS students to publish their research in economics and related fields. The journal, which published its first issue this semester, operates under the AUS Department of Economics in the School of Business Administration (SBA), and is the result of the mutual effort between students and Dr. Ismail Genc, Head of the Department of Economics.

Every semester, students work on various research projects as part of their coursework. In fact, according to Jason Torion, co-founder of Economist Diwan, some of the courses offered by the Department of Economics, such as Introduction to Econometrics and Advanced Econometrics, are solely centered on empirical research. Being a part of Economist Diwan is a chance for students to experience having that research published and is a great addition to their resumes. However, it is a learning experience not just for the students who want their papers published, but also for those students on the editorial board. Since the journal mimics the publishing process of professional academic journals, it provides the students involved more insight on the publication process.   

One aim of the journal, which will publish an issue once every semester, is to create an environment where student researchers are encouraged to adopt the behavior and understanding that research is more than just part of coursework—it is an ongoing process. In fact, many students carry the research work done as part of their senior projects into their graduate studies as they work towards a master’s degree or PhD.

Although the papers eligible for publication in EconomistDiwan need to be related to the field of economics, the submission is not limited to economics majors. The pool of papers submitted to the editorial board includes submissions gained as a result of a call for submissions through email sent to students enrolled in SBA, along with papers recommended by professors. However, the main criteria is that the papers should include empirical research and should therefore be mathematically backed. Before publication, students can approach professors, get their work reviewed and work with the professors to improve their papers based on the journal’s requirements.

 “I hope that by publishing their early work, our student authors will achieve two objectives: offer interesting reading to peers in their discipline and incentivize fellow students to follow suit and start engaging in quality research, too,” said Dr. Jörg Bley, Dean of SBA.

Although for now the submissions are limited to AUS students, the journal’s long-term goal is to include work done by students in other universities in the region. According to Mehr Patni and Jason Paulo Torion, co-founders and chief editors of Economist Diwan, the journal aims to become “a gateway and foundation for aspiring and self-motivated young economists to be able to independently conduct research, even at the undergraduate stage and experience its publication. We envision this student-run journal to be one that even students outside AUS will proudly contribute to. We want to plant seeds that will hopefully bloom into what is a student research community in the UAE.”

If you’re interested in economics, this journal is a great way for you to get an insight about how economic theories and research methods are applied. Articles in the first issue address the following topics: the impact of unemployment on property crime, the relationship between urbanization and suicide in Japan and Korea, and quantifying the oil price plunge.

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Tayiba Ahmed

Education is the premise of progress and creates possibilities that one might not otherwise have. To be able to arm someone with that knowledge and education, and help better their future, is a tremendous deed and can be greatly self-fulfilling. To know that you have contributed to someone’s life in such a significant manner must feel so gratifying. The English classes being offered to Cleanco employees at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) is one such effort being made to contribute towards the community.

Some AUS faculty and staff members are teaching English classes for these workers, who provide the essential cleaning services for the university. The idea is a brainchild of Cindy Baker, Senior Instructor in Management at the School of Business Administration (SBA); Somia Anwar, adjunct faculty member at SBA; Jessica March, Acting Director and Senior Instructor at the AUS Achievement Academy; and Dr. Jeannette Vinke, AUS Chief Operating Officer, who also teach these classes for Cleanco employees. The classes help to expand the ability of the workers at AUS to communicate with others in English.

“As faculty members who live here and work here, it is important for us to be able to give back to the community, and not just be recipients of everything,” said Baker.

“The reason the institution is able to function effectively on a day-to-day basis is partly because of the Cleanco employees, who work relentlessly to prepare the facilities for daily use after we are done with our classes and work. It is essential that we, who benefit from their services, give back to them. There is also a need and opportunity to teach these workers the English language in order enhance their communication skills and make it easier for them to communicate effectively with the members of the AUS community. This is the reason some of the faculty and staff members at AUS thought of the idea to provide these classes for the workers,” Baker continued.

The program started in Fall 2015, about a month after the idea was conceived. It started small but as time passed and word about it spread, the group of people involved in the program, both participants and volunteers, increased. The program began with just a group of four volunteers but now has 12. Anyone at AUS who wishes to be a part of the program and give back to the community can volunteer to teach the classes.

According to Baker, since the program requires only one hour of volunteering a week, it is a simple commitment that anyone would be able to make. “We’re always looking for volunteers and creative ideas on how best to teach,” she said.

When the classes initially began, they were offered only to Cleanco employees. The program then coordinated with the Faculty Development Center at AUS and now includes security guards, maids working in the AUS housing facilities and office workers. The workers can either volunteer to take the classes, or can be recommended by their employers. So far, 52 of the 160 Cleanco employees at AUS have gone through the program, which is also why the program was expanded.

The classes are offered once every semester with 10 sessions for each class, held on Saturdays, and are an hour long. Although for now the classes focus on spoken English, the volunteers aim to offer more advanced classes in the future and expand the program to include writing and reading classes.

At the end of the classes, participants are invited to a graduation ceremony, and certificates of participation are presented to each participant.

To volunteer for the program, members of the AUS community can contact cbaker@aus.edu, or jmarch@aus.edu. 

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Tayiba Ahmed

Opportunities to grow and enhance your talents and skills at American University of Sharjah (AUS) are plenty. Here, you are encouraged to learn and explore beyond what you learn inside the walls of a classroom. The workshop Walking as Learning to See, which was offered by the College of Architecture and Design (CAAD) for its students enrolled in the CAAD Foundations Program, was one such opportunity for students to work on a project that encouraged them to think innovatively and creatively. 

Professor Roberley Bell, an American artist with experience in interdisciplinary arts at a foundational level, led the workshop that 110 freshman students were a part of. Professor Bell teaches in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York and this was the second time she has offered this workshop at AUS.

“When I came to AUS last time, I had been to Sharjah before but I hadn’t done this workshop,” said Professor Bell. “I really learned a lot from the students about things that were happening, such as the cultural things, and I also learned about the little corners of the city. So this time, as soon as the students started to talk about something, I was more informed, which changes the experience.”

Since Professor Bell was at AUS for a longer period this time, students could gather a lot more information to work with and had more time to think about the possibilities regarding their project. The students, who were grouped into teams of three, had to work on an observation journal as an expressive extension of learning to see time and space. For the two weeks of the workshop, which began on March 7, the students worked on the observational journal, and on March 20 they displayed their artwork based on that journal, such as maps and visual reference collages, in an exhibition at the college.

The aim of the workshop was to teach the students, as creative practitioners and designers, to see the world with all of their senses and not just rely on their eyesight to observe their surroundings. The idea was to consider walking as a means to see with their senses. We live a hectic and fast-paced lifestyle, which means that we often don’t take the time to observe and appreciate the things around us. However, according to Professor Bell, walking heightens all of our senses because when we are in a particular place, and not just going past it, we smell the air, we feel the ground underneath our feet and we hear the noises that fill the surroundings. Walking also slows us down, so the pace of our sensory observation also slows, which means that we really are able to take in more information. It’s really important for us to go beyond what something really looks like in order to understand space, said Professor Bell. Moreover, as we walk undirected, the unknown unfolds because we let our senses lead us to the things that interest us as we drift from one place to another. So the students, as they walked, tried to use all of their senses to understand the space of the city through the user.

The project got them out of the traditional classroom, and the city became their laboratory, their class, their site of learning. The students were given the freedom of choosing the sites they wanted to observe in the city. According to Professor Bell, projects such as this can benefit students in several ways, some of which they might not even realize. Such projects help them acknowledge that there is no shortcut to solving a problem, and that one needs to do the research and hard work in order to succeed. The students also learn to trust their instincts, and learn to believe in a design project that is created through a laborious process. Another valuable aspect of such a workshop is that it helps to instill confidence in the students, and makes them realize that to be a good designer one has to invest the time and energy, and has to passionately want to do such type of research to understand something. Workshops such as these also provide opportunities for a diverse student body to work together in a collaborative setting.

As part of this workshop, students also had some challenges that they needed to overcome. The biggest challenge for the students was to come up with their own sets of criteria to work with all the information they archived through their field research. They also had to seek the problem, which was much harder than them getting a problem to solve. This meant that instead of them getting a location to design something for, the students had to find their own site in the heart of Sharjah and then decide what would be best on that site. They had to consider what they could design to make the site active for the user.

According to Professor Eirik Heintz, Director of Foundations at the College of Architecture and Design, “Professors at CAAD understand and acknowledge that curricula are evolving worldwide to address the global, economic, social and cultural shifts that will play a role in students’ future. They believe that it is essential to include integrated learning and learning through collaborative practices in these changes. This is why it is the desire of the foundations professors at AUS that this type of workshop and project will become part of the on-going curriculum in the years to come.”

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

Speaking to students and faculty in an American University of Sharjah lecture hall on Tuesday, April 25, Jenifah Abu-Hassan, Senior Instructor at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Achievement Academy, said she used her experience in teaching and cooking to help refugees in Northern Greece.

Speaking at a forum sponsored by the AUS Faculty Development Center, Abu-Hassan said she had always felt fortunate, and wanted to give back to society. She said she looked for places to volunteer, and decided to go to Greece following a suggestion by her daughter.

Through YallaHelp, a non-governmental organization her daughter co-founded, Abu-Hassan found a way to volunteer in Greece. She spent her winter break from mid-December to early January in Greece.

When Abu-Hassan arrived in Thessaloniki, a city in Northern Greece, she saw both homeless refugees and refugees from camps, who were everywhere during the day because they were not allowed to find jobs. At night, those from the refugee camps would go back to the camps for the night. She noted that only refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan were able to gain asylum into other European countries after being interviewed. Refugees from other countries, such as Congo, Pakistan, and Iran, had a harder time getting asylum interviews, and many lived on the streets.

“I visited Camp Kaloxari, where I hoped to teach,” she said describing the conditions in the camp as dismal, and that “migrants lived in huge cold warehouses filled with tents that provided little insulation from the extremely cold weather. Shipping containers named ‘ISO’ boxes were used for make-shift classrooms as well as soldiers’ guardhouses.”

Abu-Hassan said she encountered “bureaucratic red tape that caused me to change my plans to teach refugees, and I decided to cook for them while waiting for things to work out for me to start teaching.” So she joined Soul Food Kitchen, where she cooked Middle Eastern-inspired dishes for 150-200 refugees.

After two days of cooking for Soul Food Kitchen, she had a breakthrough and was placed in a small classroom within an abandoned office building to start teaching. Ten refugee families lived on a single floor.

“Here I taught both children and young adults. Their English language skills were poor. So I taught them vocabulary, common verbs, as well as basic anatomy so they could communicate with doctors in case they had medical problems,” said Abu-Hassan. “I also taught them to write and say numbers, and noted that numbers were important when these students went shopping and translated for their parents. On average I had 12 children and 10 adults who attended my classes over the three weeks period I was there. So I continued cooking in the afternoon and teaching in the evening.”

“While there I faced various challenges volunteering in the classroom mostly due to electricity problems. Volunteers had to choose between having either light or heat, because turning one on would require the other to be off,” added Abu-Hassan.

She also said that scheduling was difficult, and that some of the students did not attend classes at times because they and their parents went to Athens to interview for asylum.

She said that a few volunteers were difficult to work with as they were territorial about their positions, refusing to allow other volunteers to observe them and learn from them.

Abu-Hassan added that transitioning back to her life in the United Arab Emirates was difficult due to the lack of debriefing. She said she did not think one should move from the poor conditions of a refugee camp and back to their own life without psychological services facilitating the transition.

Addressing those who may be considering doing the same, her advice was, ““Go there. Help people, but at the same time, don’t neglect your well-being.”

Despite these challenges, she said that she had met amazing people during her time in Greece. She said she met volunteers, both young and old, from all around the world, including countries such as Spain, Bosnia, France, Germany and Luxembourg. She also said that she met refugees who, despite their predicament, were warm and kind towards her. She added that the donors were generous, and provided the NGOs with everything they had asked, from mundane items such as rubber gloves and kitchen items, to various materials and equipment.

“The overall experience was good and I am looking for a possibility of doing it again,” concluded Abu-Hassan.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

More Photos

By Dr. Nicholas Ashill

With less than a week before I leave for America, I am making final adjustments to training, logistics and chasing potential sponsors. The realization of what lies ahead of me has not yet hit home. Certainly nerves are starting to show and I am eager to get the first day of running behind me. 

If you are not yet aware of this, my next big thing, well, I am doing this very serious ultra-marathon run from Los Angeles to New York in order to inspire people to dream big as well as to help families suffering from pulmonary fibrosis.

In April I spent time on the treadmill at the National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine at Loughborough University. I met with Professor Laura-Anne Furlong and Research Associate Mathew Black, who will be studying my biomechanics over the 5,400km run. They completed some blood tests and generated a 3D video of my running.

The blue loopy shapes indicate the position of the markers Professor Furlong attached to my body. The ones highlighted are the ones on the outside of my little toe, the outside of my ankle and my knee (which are used for calculating ankle angle). Humans don’t do things the same way over and over so you can see subtle changes between each step. The graphs on the right are the position of these markers in 3D space. 

The good news is that I can run!! The blood and breath analysis showed that I should not run faster than 12km/hour over the 5,400km and my required calorie intake will be 6,500 kcal/day. 

So if all goes according to plan, I will start at 6 a.m. on Sunday, May 14, 2017 in front of Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. This is the very end of the famous Route 66. Am I prepared physically? I have no idea. I have trained hard over the past two years and I know I will have to dig deep to complete the 5,400km distance.

I am excited to see my father-in-law and eldest daughter next week. They will be members of my support crew. I am also excited about meeting individuals and families dealing with pulmonary fibrosis when I arrive in Los Angeles. Raising awareness of this illness globally is a major objective of my run.

Thank you American University of Sharjah friends, colleagues and students for your words of encouragement. You can follow my progress on Facebook and Instagram (@Nick.RunsAmerica). You are also welcome to check my website.

The talking is over.  Let the running and mind games begin. Maybe I will reach New York and decide to run all the way back to Los Angeles! Now that would be something special!

Dr. Nicholas Ashill is a Professor of Marketing at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.

By Tayiba Ahmed

The students at American University of Sharjah (AUS) have always demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility and commitment to giving back to the community. Whether it be by raising funds for Sharjah Autism Center, being a part of the Food for the Needy campaign, or  even renovating a house for an underprivileged family, AUS students have worked to care for members of the wider community. As part of their efforts, the AUS Student Council, Office of Student Affairs’ Community Services Division, and the Indian and Pakistani cultural clubs recently organized this year’s Annual Cleanco and Security Appreciation Lunch to show their gratitude to the cleaners and security guards who are part of the AUS community.

This year, a total of 172 Cleanco staff and 42 security personnel attended. Thirty student volunteers served lunch to the guests of honor and distributed giveaways as a token of appreciation. The workers also participated in various games organized by the volunteers. Members of the two cultural clubs had dance performances prepared for the workers and brought the workers up to dance along. Prior to the event, volunteers encouraged other students to donate, and the funds were used to support the lunch.

The food and gifts were a symbol of appreciation, and were an attempt to bring smiles to the workers’ faces. At the end of the event, a group photo was taken and a cake cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the workers.

"It was a humbling experience doing something for those who do so much for us. Each and every day they work so hard to make sure that our campus is safe and clean. Interacting with them, performing for them, serving them a meal and, above all, giving them a token of thanks was very pleasing. After all, gratitude should be an attitude," said Siddhant Iyer, President of the Indian Cultural Club.

First Name Last Name, President of the Pakistani Cultural Club, shared similar views. “All of us are responsible for bringing good to this world in some way or another. The Cleanco and security staff serve us all year round to provide a clean and a secure environment to the AUS community, and as an AUS student I believe it is my duty to serve their community as an appreciation of their hard work. Therefore, being the President of the Pakistani Club, I thought it was necessary to unite the members of the Pakistani Club to help out the Student Council in this year’s Cleanco and Security Appreciation lunch.”

Tayiba Ahmed is a student at American University of Sharjah.

Visit www.aus.edu for more information about American University of Sharjah.