Campus August 2012 (Issue 13)

Yousuf Jassem Al-Darwish

Sindhu Nair Cassey oliveira rory coen orna ballout

Venkat Reddy M Hanan Abu Saiam

Sandeep Sehgal Alpana Roy Ravi Raman

Zulfikar Jiffry thomas Jose Chaturka Karandana

Hassan rekkab emily landry

dona fernandes

Pratap Chandran Bikram Shrestha Arjun Timilsina Bhimal Rai

Nadira Amarasinghe

Ayush Indrajith maheshwar reddy b

august 2012 Hurrah! It’s the end of another academic year for high school students. What’s your next move – stay back or study abroad? CAMPUS finds out from a few school pass outs.

We are also celebrating as qatar won its first medal at the London Olympics 2012. While the qatari athletes deliver their best at the Summer Games, we hope you too have had a healthy month of Ramadan in this scorching summer heat.

Wishing our readers Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak!

Address all your correspondence to CAMPUS, Oryx Advertising Co WLL, P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584, -Fax:(+974)44550982, email: campus@omsqatar.com. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising contents. Licensing/Republishing CAMPUS content: To obtain permission for text syndication in books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and web or to use images/pictures carried in CAMPUS, please contact our syndication & licensing department on the numbers given above. Permission is also required to photocopy a CAMPUS article for classroom use, course packs, business or general use. Custom reprints: Any of the previously published article/s to be used as stand-alone pieces can be reprinted by us on special request. The reprint cost is based on the length of the article and the quantity ordered. Contact our custom publishing division on the numbers given above for more information.Previous issues (January 2004 onwards) of CAMPUS are available for sale, contact our Library department. To subscribe to CAMPUS call our subscription department on the numbers given above.

Published by Oryx Advertising Co WLL, P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 email: campus@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com

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Where do we go from here?

Do you leave the nest to follow your dream in a college overseas or do you take what is available in universities locally? CAMPUS speaks to students in Doha to get an insight into this scenario.

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London 2012 Olympic games

The world’s biggest sporting event

16 Smooth

Communication

NUQ graduate Sara Al-Saadi is on a mission

One to Watch

Qatari fashion designer and VCUQ graduate Mona Al-Ansari is set to become one of the country’s creative stars.

14 Countdown

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To College 3-2-1-GO!

Teachers Academy Bringing fun into learning

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Let History Not Repeat Itself How to avoid a fire mishap

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Shell Eco-marathon Asia Qatari teams showcase innovation

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The Act of Volunteering

Sarah Suleiman, a ROTA volunteer, talks us into doing some good deeds this Ramadan.

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Skin care tips and make-up trends for the summer

CAMPUS NEWS

Stenden University

students host multiple events

I

t was a busy month for Stenden University Qatar (SUQ) students who organized a series of fun-filled events as part of their Business and Management Studies (IBMS) course program. IBMS has recently been approved by the Supreme Education Council. This four-year bachelor program is taught in English and its European degree is recognized around the world. Admission is open until the end of August 2012 for studies starting in September 2012.

A Charity Gala Dinner, ‘Who is Honored?’ was organized to recognize the performance and contribution of their professors. The event was sponsored by Qtel and the program included Ahmad Salem (guitar player), Mohammed Kamal (stand-up comedian), beat box show (Ahmed Abe Zeid) and a break dance group.

The first ‘Bollywood meets Hollywood’ charity ball was held at Grand Hyatt, Doha to celebrate the inspiration from both Indian and American film industry.

‘T he Magical Night ’ had students astound the audience with magical tricks and dance performance. The magical evening also featured international magician Andrew Lee who performed in Qatar for the first time. ‘Last Stamp’, a local break dance group, showed their dance skills and Issa Fahoum, the youngest stand-up comedian in Qatar, entertained the audience as well.

‘One T housand and One Nights’ or ‘Alf Laylah walaylah’, hosted at Sharq Village & Spa, depicted the feeling of a real Arabian night in a storytelling theme to an audience of 120 guests.

The main theme of the event was to entice and involve the audience in the different cultural performances and create awareness and understanding between different Arabian cultures and heritage.

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‘A Year to Remember’ charity gala dinner was hosted at Katara to celebrate the end of the academic year for all universities in Qatar. The event closed with a power packed performance by popular Arab superstar Ali Abdulsatar.

GUQ students participate in Community Engagement Program

S

ix students from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) visited the US recently as part of the University’s Community Engagement Program (CEP). The theme of this year’s CEP was on international disaster management, as students attended workshops, lectures and discussions, and learning about issues affecting populations around the world during visits to Georgetown’s main campus in Washington, D.C., the 2012 Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network (JUHAN) Conference in Fairfield, Connecticut as well as a Habitat for Humanity project in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

“The CEP is unique to our campus in Qatar, as participants take realworld lessons and apply them to their student life at SFS-Q. After participating in the CEP, previous students have engaged in meaningful initiatives related to migration and labor laws,” said Alex Silberman, a Student Development Officer at SFS-Q and one of the trip organizers. “The trip was a wonderful opportunity for participants to form new partnerships, forge new friendships, foster multi-cultural understanding and learn about ways to meaningfully contribute at home and abroad.”

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Summer courses at VCUQ

T

he July Summer Art and Design Community Classes at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) comprised a three-week design intensive course where students aged 16 and above explored traditional art media, digital media and photography as part of their portfolio development.

VCU Richmond faculty, Jan Johnston and Lenora Mesnard, VCUQ Exhibitions and Speaker Curator, Caitlin Doherty and Community Art Class lecturer, Verity Watkins taught the various programs with the assistance of VCUQ alumni Ahmad Oustwani and Haneen Al Sharif and VCUQ students Geetha Rajeswar, Hisham Dawoud , Amani Abbara, Noor Suleiman and Catherine Fe Chiuco.

“The learning which has occurred in and through design projects at VCUQ has been an enriching and rewarding experience for all,” said Lenora. “The students have learned transferrable skills for all their future endeavors and were able to participate in the VCUQ design culture.”

VCUQ Dean, Allyson Vanstone handed certificates to the students of all the programs in the presence of faculty, alumni, students and their families at the end of the course. Dean Vanstone said she was happy with the success of the summer program that has faculty from VCU Richmond leading the classes “which is building art and design appreciation and skills from early years to helping prepare senior teens for future careers in the creative industries.”

The next set of community classes and portfolio development classes will start in October 2012. Details will be available on the VCUQ website www.qatar.vcu. edu.

future plan

Where do we

go from

here ?

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By a rubingh sin

For a large number of the country’s high school graduates, it’s decision-time. Do you leave the nest to follow your dream in a college overseas or do you take what is available in universities locally, which offer a lot of choice, but still perhaps cannot hope to match the diversity abroad. So, home or away? CAMPUS speaks to students in Doha to get an insight into this scenario.

U

nderstanding the university application process, which differs not only from country to country and state to state but also from university to university can be a complete nightmare. Eighteen-yearold, Daniel Jensen of Denmark admits that setting up his UCAS application was not as easy as he had anticipated. “I didn’t have much help from my family as the system had changed quite a bit since any of them had last used it. My school career council wasn’t the most helpful either – they didn’t know about my course or how certain application procedures worked.

“Personally, I think the greatest help someone could have given me is the feeling of not being thrown into a pool of all this in one go. From wondering what transcripts are, to just giving up when I’m asked for my ‘title’ I was definitely a bit lost in the beginning.”

Qatari citizen Maryam Al-Muhaiza, a pass out from Arwa Bint Abd Almutalib School, chose to enroll in Qatar University, inspite of being offered a paid scholarship to attend any campus in Qatar Foundation because her interests were met by the courses offered at QU. “As regards to the application process, I wasn’t worried about anything. The entrance requirements were pretty easy except for the SAT exam.”

Mariam’s mother, Moza Al-Meharazi said she didn’t find the university process a challenge at all. She was initially wary of Education City, because she ‘used to believe that the level of education was extremely advanced’. “Being a Qatari citizen also made the experience a whole lot easier as entering Qatar University was free. All universities should be free. Education should not cost a penny,” reiterates Mariam.

Although I am lucky that my parents have opened up the world for me to choose where I want to go for further studies, it has in a way made the choice of university a tad difficult. Every country and campus differs in its modus operandi; there should be a course just to understand the various technicalities of university application process and selection criterion. I encourage people not to get sucked into the whirlpool of pressure that comes with applying to university.”

Inaita Singh, 19, Australian

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Texas A&M University has one of the best petroleum engineering programs in the world. I chose the campus in Qatar because of its renowned safety and the technology provided for students to work with.”

Shaheema Faizeen,

Sri Lankan, Newton International School -Lagoon

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser had provided the State of Qatar with venerable universities in the Education City, which offer multiple disciplines in the same quality of education offered at the main campus in the United States of America. I prefer to study chemical engineering at Texas A&M University in Qatar, as it teaches the students the same advanced methods as of the main campus in the US, in my beloved country and close to my family.”

Maryam Mohammed Saeed Abdulla,

18, Albayan Independent Secondary School for Girls

Education in Doha Seventeen-year-old Kenyan, Umm-Kulthum Umlai of Doha College, shares her reasons for continuing to pursue further studies in Doha: “Having lived in Doha my whole life I couldn’t bear the thought of studying abroad when the time came for applying to universities. I hated the idea of leaving my family, adjusting to living abroad and emotionally burdening myself with the problems that come with being an international student. Personally, I felt that Qatar would be much safer financially, and would provide a stable environment in which I would be able to achieve all my academic goals. Furthermore, studying at Education City would provide me with numerous opportunities for work experience, transfer/partnership programs and internships; an aspect of studying that is undoubtedly extremely valuable.”

Mahmoud, a Qatari citizen and a high school graduate from The Cambridge School in Doha says, “I was inspired to choose VCUQ because of the fields they offered and the aspect of proximity to family.” On the challenges of applying in universities, he says, “Some of the entrance exams like the SAT were

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harder than anything I have done before.”

Doha College graduate Yasmeen Suleiman also chose VCUQ. “It catered to what I’ve always wanted to pursue: art and design. I love the diversity of the courses on offer, and would even like to see more diversification (particularly architecture). Entrance exams were reasonable; I was excited to start a new chapter and to invest my time in the area that I’ve always loved so passionately.”

Overseas calling Canadian national Amani Olia says she looked at universities in Canada. “I decided against staying in Qatar because the course I wanted to take (environmental sciences) was not available here. I would also be more likely to be able to get a part time job and obtain more work experience in Canada.”

Regarding the challenges with choosing universities, she says, “It was difficult to narrow down which universities I wanted to apply to. I ended up choosing the University of British Columbia because of their high worldwide ranking, beautiful campus and interesting course content. The fact that it is also fairly close to my family also definitely played a part.”

Farukh Sardar says his son Sohail will be going to Canada “firstly because he thinks that there is no place like Canada and he believes that they have a great education system. Also, the program that he wants to pursue is available to him in one of the world’s best universities in Canada.”

Sohail adds, “Being a student at University level in Canada will give me the opportunity to live a student life on campus where they have over 10,000 students and a whole lot more in terms of freedom to make my own choices. Being a Canadian national, I also plan to continue living in Canada and thus studying in that system makes me more attuned to living and working there.”

University in Chester is my chosen place to study. I’ve never been there so it will be a good experience to live somewhere else and learn cooking, cleaning and taking care of myself. I managed to get home status which means I can get a loan which will be helpful for the price increase of accommodation and fees.”

Stephanie Beddoes, 18, British

I am about to start my senior year in high school and I am already in the process of considering my future majors and potential universities as I have to begin sending my applications right after summer. My current choices for universities include several in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. I have lived most of my life in Lebanon and Qatar, so living in places such as Canada, UK and US would be extremely different to the lifestyle I am accustomed too.”

Nasser Haidar, 16, Lebanese, American School of Doha

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There are several good universities in Qatar no doubt however I feel the level of education is still growing, so having a degree from CMUQ and the home campus in US has two different implications, which is one of the reasons I’d rather study abroad (in the UK). Another is that I feel the university experience can’t be achieved in Doha when your parents are living here too, so the feeling of living alone and self sustaining is important and should be experienced.”

Firas Akib Nomaan, 18, British, Doha College

Qatar offers many well recognized universities and if they offered psychology, Qatar would have been my first choice. It can be quite expensive for students to live here.”

Lorna Leather,

Irish, Park House English School

Although attaining high grades to study Law – particularly in London – is very daunting, a major problem I’ve encountered is accommodation as I was refused boarding by the university due to my previous residence in London.”

I plan to study at Imperial College London or University College London because it is close to my family, relatively inexpensive and the education is of a very high quality. I chose my home town London in particular because it is a busy, multicultural city where I feel I can excel.

Pursuing education in Qatar is a lot cheaper in terms of tuition and maintenance fees, given that I would probably be staying with my parents.

Personally, I want to study abroad because I feel like I am ready to live on my own. In terms of the value of degrees, it is difficult to compare Qatar to my home country.”

Rachel, Park House English School

From those that think there is no better place to go to for higher education, to those that believe the standard of education here isn’t high enough – we have covered almost the entire gamut of graduating students’ views as well as parent opinions.

Mustafa El-Mumin, British, Doha College

Is Doha a land of opportunities for higher studies?

We let you decide.

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By a nadisringhe amara

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2012

assignments or classes, then there are the stereotypical ‘nerds’ who find themselves marginalized and bullied by the cool kids, until they ‘find’ themselves and true love.

Thanks to horror movies, there is also the image of colleges filled with stalkers and axe murderers!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Here’s your wake up call!

Those are images of things colleges most certainly are NOT! So if you expected college to be any or all of the above, forget it.

College is pretty much like school, but unlike school, the onus to study is on you. Teachers and lecturers will not chase after you the way they did in school, you are now on the brink of adulthood and will be treated as such.

This can make the transition from school to college seem daunting, especially when you have to also fit in with a new set of peers instead of being surrounded by the familiar security of friends who saw you through grade school and high school. However, settling into college is not as hard as many imagine it to be; college will be what YOU make it.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do to help your transition go smoothly:

Psyche yourself up

C

ollege – there isn’t a word that fills you with more trepidation and excitement when you are in your last year of high school.

As September draws near, those of you heading to college for the first time will probably have mixed feelings about it, but all these feelings revolve around one question – “What will it be like for me?”

Mass media portrayals of college are many.

There’s the campus full of ‘cool kids’ who party every weekend and never seem to have

This may sound very new age but it really does work. It creates in you an innate positive outlook for college life. Think of yourself as a winner. Good things happen to those who act to make it happen. Start doing it a couple of weeks before your classes are due to start.

Look at yourself in the mirror and make positive statements like, “I will have a great time in college”, “I will make good friends in college”, “I will work hard at all my courses”.

By becoming positive about your experience you attract positive vibes. Don’t forget that “everyone loves a winner”.

Make an impression Even though not always true, the phrase “first impressions last” still holds some water. Lecturers and teachers very often remember the first student to answer their question correctly. So try to be that student. This means reading at least the first chapter of your textbook before you attend class. If you don’t have your textbook, read up on the subject online.

Don’t worry too much about this; they don’t expect you to be able to write a thesis on the subject on your first day. Just basic knowledge

of the subject will suffice.

Be friendly and approachable Remember everyone in your class is likely to be a freshman and they are probably experiencing the same levels of anxiety that you are.

Be friendly and smile! Make eye contact and when possible, try to engage a fellow classmate in conversation (Never do this during a lecture). People like talking about themselves, so you can always start by introducing yourself and asking them their name and where they are from. Try to remember names, because there is nothing more flattering to a person than to be called by their name when you meet them a second time. It makes them feel like they were worth remembering, and this will be sure to win you friends. You can also look up the list of clubs and extracurricular activities on the activities board of your college. Joining a club always helps with widening your social circle.

Be confident, not condescending Being in your first semester at college is an achievement in itself. It means that you graduated high school and were accepted by a college so that is no mean feat. So never feel that you are inferior in anyway to your classmates. Remember however, not to let your confidence grow into condescension. In college, everyone has equal opportunities so think of them as your equals and not above you or below you.

Prepare an appropriate schedule and study plan Once you have made that first good impression you need to keep the momentum going.

So make yourself a schedule that gives you the necessary amount of hours to study, sleep and socialize. You will need to allocate extra time for harder subjects, especially if they have projects and lots of reading. Make the schedule an actual physical one that you can look at and refer to, as this works better than a mental one.

Above all, keep in mind that life in college is not really as difficult as you imagine it to be.

All you need is to be optimistic. The correct attitude makes a big difference. You will succeed if you have a good plan and the will and determination to achieve what you have set your mind on achieving.

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Smooth Communication Y0UNG TURKS

NUQ graduate Sara Al-Saadi is on a mission

By y casseeira oliv

T

he day I met Sara Al-Saadi for this interview was exactly two months since she graduated from Northwestern University in Qatar with a degree in Communications.

“Wow! That passed really quickly,” exclaimed Sara as we sat down to talk about her life at NUQ and future

aspirations.

Sara was one of the six students chosen from among more than 300 peers as winner of the prestigious Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) President’s Award for academic excellence and student leadership. Only those students who had achieved a 3.6 overall Grade Point Average or higher and were engaged in extracurricular activities that served both their university and HBKU were nominated by their deans for the President’s Award.

“Honestly, I was not sure if I would be getting an award. There were so many amazing students at HBKU,” she says. “After all the hard work that you put in the past four years, it was nice to receive a token of appreciation.”

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“I think there is a strong need in Qatar for young people with knowledge in media to help our country navigate the changes we’re experiencing as Qatar’s profile rises on the regional and international stage.”

Life at NUQ During the four year course at NUQ, Sara studied subjects from public relations to filmmaking, documentary-making, research and statistics, law and political science. “This field has helped me become a very well-rounded person and opened doors for me to work on a variety of subjects.”

Filming a documentary in Qatar was one of the most challenging projects of the course program. “You might have a subject, but you don’t find people who are willing to discuss this subject,” she says.

A documentary that Sara produced with classmates Maaria Assami and Latifa Al-Darwish was about Qatari boys in public school dealing with a perceived urban-Bedouin divide. The film captures 10-year olds in one local primary school taunting non-Beduoin boys in the typical struggle between tradition and modernity.

“We were really surprised to see this divide between Bedouin and non-Beduoin students.

I had never come across this situation maybe because I was studying in a private international school. This documentary helped me get a better perspective of what goes on in this part of the community,” she says.

“Through this documentary, we hope to raise contemporary social issues facing the Qatari community without being critical or confrontational.”

Apart from her course work, Sara says she had the best time serving as president of NUQ’s student government for two years. She was also awarded the NUQ Student Leadership Award by NUQ’s President Morton

Schapiro for her work, which included helping to establish and run the school’s Media Awards and “Go Wild” spirit week.

“It was a lot of fun planning the different community events, and to act as a liaison between students and the administration.” One of the issues that students raised, she says, was the lack of courses being offered at the University. “But we were a small community at the beginning. Over the years, the University has grown and so has the number of courses being offered.”

“But it helps that we are a small community because we get to know our professors well, and they are very involved with the projects that we do inside and outside class. They encourage us to do more.”

The four years at NUQ has changed Sara for the better. “From leadership skills, to public speaking and writing, I feel I have changed a lot in every aspect,” she says.

The next move Now that University life is over, Sara is keeping her self busy with TEDxYouth@Doha that is to be held on November 17, 2012. As the head of the copyright department, she has to ensure all information and brochures are updated.

Sara also plans to complement her Bachelor of Science in Communications with a Master’s degree in law, for which she has already begun preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Her interest in law was triggered at Harvard University in the US – where she studied government, logic and Islamic law.

“With degrees in both media and law, I think

I can make a greater contribution to Qatar in helping to mediate some of the current barriers to practicing media here and to continue developing the country’s media industry in general.”

While she’s still finalizing on the Universities to apply, she would love to get into a law school in the US. “Studying at Harvard was an amazing experience. Since it’s a much bigger campus as compared to the ones in Qatar, you tend to meet a lot of students from a wide variety of backgrounds with varied interests.” It was daunting at the beginning – new city, new people; adjustments had to be made. “But it was easy to make friends,” she says. “The people were friendly and helpful. A lot of the stereotypes that you hear about the West are not true.

“Studying abroad is a wonderful experience in itself. It makes you more independent and responsible,” she says. “Living in Doha with your parents, you don’t get to do much; they take care of even the smallest of responsibilities. But when you are abroad, you are forced to take care of your own self,” she laughs.

However, Sara ultimately intends to return to her roots to pursue her professional work.

“Qatar is home!” she beams. “I want to give back to my country that has given me so much.

I think there is a strong need in Qatar for young people with knowledge in media to help our country navigate the changes we’re experiencing as Qatar’s profile rises on the regional and international stage.

“I think if you love the work you are doing, you will be successful in it, and I hope that will be the case with me.”

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Y0UNG TURKS

: h c t a W One to

By ornoaut ball

Mona Al-Ansari

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Mona’s fave piece

Q

atari fashion designer Mona AlAnsari is set to become one of the country’s creative stars. Winner of the second W Doha and VCUQ Fashion Award, the upcoming talent talked to Campus behind the scenes of her stunning show featuring unique, unusual designs in the surroundings of W Doha.

The Collection “My first collection ‘Edifice’ is based on the shape of building, volume and unusual cuts.

The name ‘Edifice’ is a merge of my background studies in both interior and fashion design.”

Fave piece “I like the grey dress with long sleeves. The

neck is created using wire and can be reshaped and worn in many different styles.”

cause I needed to work on the mannequin and all the equipment was in the university.”

Unique Designs

Challenges

“The shapes of my pieces are quite unusual and I think this will differentiate my designs.”

“As the winner of the W Doha and VCUQ Fashion Award, I can’t present anything lower than my first collection. I have to always think about what the public will think of me, and keep challenging myself to do something better.”

Personal Style “My style is exactly like my collection. When I enter a place, I like to be the focal point. I like to wear classic things that are also unusual.”

Support System “My husband is such a huge support, during my studies, most of my time was spent at the university and it was very difficult to manage my time between home and university. Especially when I was in the senior year of fashion, be-

Future Plans “I’m going to create a second collection based on W Doha. For this, I need to go around the hotel and see what catches my attention and will give me inspiration, in things such as the lights, furniture and colors. And of course it’s my dream to have my own store in the future.”

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career buzz When you entered university you thought you knew exactly what you wanted to do. But ‘it is the best-laid plans of mice and men that often go awry’ and so you find yourself in your third year contemplating on majoring in English instead of Psychology, as you had planned initially.

The burning question for you is to know if it’s too late to change your major with just a few months left until your graduate.

Yes, changing your major half-way through your course is not uncommon and a lot of students do that, so it is perfectly ok. Think about it this way: What you major in will not only be the final culmination of the time, effort and finances you invested in your bachelors, but will also define your future career options.

Once you have given your choice a good thought and decided to make the move, the following advice will be handy:

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Tally your credits Before you make any changes, check how many credits you still have to complete before graduation. If you’re ahead of your requirements, a change in major is not entirely out of the question.

Visit your career advisor An impartial point of view from a professional advisor is necessary. Speak to your university career counselor and, if need be, they can also help you with specialized psychometric testing such as an interest and aptitude test. Interest in a subject should not be confused with aptitude in that subject. For example, you may be very interested in biochemistry, but excelling in it also requires you to have good numeric aptitude skills. Also speak to your department instructor who will offer you the most reasonable advice. Tell them why you chose to change your major and how you think it will benefit you. They can help you draw up a graduation plan.

Search for relevant majors You might have attended a physics class as part of your general electives, suddenly felt drawn to the subject and are giving a serious thought to shift your majors to Planetary Physics from English. Now that is a wide move and should be considered well before acting out. Most people who change majors at a late stage of their college career tend to shift to a closely related field.

The reason for this is they might have already taken most of the required courses for their new major.

Check your funds Changing your major at the last minute means you will have to take more subjects and perhaps will have to stay longer in university.

So check if it is financially feasible for you to pay the tuitions and living expenses on campus. Many career counselors can also help students plan their finances. Student loans might be an option too.

Consult your family You should discuss your decision to change majors with your family, especially if they’re paying for your college tuition. Speak to them about your interests, your ideal career and where you see yourself five years down the line. They have a wide experience in life and speaking to them will help you see more clearly how you can marry together your passion and future career.

Make a commitment Give your decision a lot of thought and once you have decided, stay committed to your decision.

You may face tiring times as you get further in your chosen major but don’t let doubt creep in. Be confident of why you made that decision and this will go a long way in helping you stay committed to it regardless of what comes next.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East, with more than 40,000 employers and over 8,130,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

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career buzz

Pen down those thoughts...

How to write a story

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Effective literature must be from a human angle. Don’t reduce your writing to clichis, statistics, politics, dogma, or preaching.

You must be willing to say things that are hard or embarrassing, or painful to tell. But these are the things that connect us to each other.

Never tell the reader what to think or how to judge a particular character or situation. Don’t use a lot of adjectives.

Let the reader rely on their own judgement.

Your first loyalty should be to the characters – to telling their story with humanity and honesty.

If you’re writing a blogpost, sometimes intriguing opening lines are helpful.

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6.

7.

Look for inspiration, things that move you and stir your heart – like an image, a story, a scent.

Which was the last book you read?

Have you ever wondered what goes through an author’s mind when filling those heaps of pages with a gripping plot?

When Palestinian-American author Susan Abulhawa was in Doha for the book launch of her internationally acclaimed and bestselling debut novel Mornings in Jenin at the Education city, hosted

by Al Fakhoora and Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, followed by an online writing workshop with Al Fakhoora students from Gaza and the US, Campus sat down to learn a few tricks of the trade.

Here are Susan’s top tips for aspiring writers...

10 11 12

. Don’t pay heed to people who are critical in a very negative way.

The first draft of a book will rarely come out beautifully. You should expect to rewrite and rewrite some more. There is a saying that “writers don’t write. They rewrite”.

. When you’re writing about a personal and emotional subject, sometimes it’s good to let time pass before you finalize what you’ve written.

8.

9.

. For me, I don’t plan or outline a story. I start with an inkling, an idea of sorts and let it take me where it may. This doesn’t work for everyone, but even if you are the kind of person who must have an outline, be open to deviate from the initial plan as you write.

Be patient. Give your story time.

Revisit it after time has passed and you can read it with fresh eyes.

It’s good to receive constructive feedback from people you trust. Let them read your drafts from their perspective and listen to their suggestions.

Don’t be disheartened by constructive criticism. You have to decide what suggestions have merit and which don’t.

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. When you write about your own story, or your own communities, environment, etc – remember that it’s your story. You own it, and you can narrate it with an authenticity no one else can.

experience

Journey into the history of

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By donnades ferna

egyptian cinema issue 13

2012

There are many reasons why you would register for a course when you are at university. Most of the time, you want to fulfill your academic requirements in order to get your degree, sometimes a course catches your interest because the subject seems overpowering, it fits into your schedule perfectly, or allows you to research on a subject that you’ve always wanted to. This is an account of how my decision of taking a four-week Egyptian cinema class this summer has opened a world of ideas and opportunities for me.

I

sat at my academic advisor’s office for longer than my allotted time. My advisor wanted me to choose the right course, regardless of whether we were to meet again.

Some classes conflicted with several of my scheduled appointments for the summer, and I continued to read the different course descriptions of the various classes available. I must have tried so hard in finding a class concerning my minor degree, Middle Eastern studies, that I overlooked the description for a class named “MIT 351 – National Cinema.”

“Ahhhh,” said Michelle Ann Telafici, the advisor at my university, with her eyes bright and full of life. “I know something you might like, but we will have to confirm with the dean that it will fit in for your concentration course.” After reading through the course descriptions, I finally decided to take the Egyptian cinema class for a number of reasons. I had never taken a cinema class before, I had no idea of Egyptian cinema, it could help me with my minors in Middle Eastern studies and because the class timing was just great for me. After consulting the dean and the syllabus, Michelle wrote back to me: “Good news. If you want to take the Egyptian cinema class you can, and it will count toward one of your concentration courses.”

So started my journey into the world of Egyptian cinema and I sat for the first day of my class with a chocolate bar in my jeans pocket and an iced Lipton tea in hand, both which I had hurriedly got from the vending machine, 10 minutes before class. “It fits into my concentration studies,” I said, when it was my turn to say the reasons for taking the class. Professor Timothy Wilkerson handed the syllabus to us, and we discussed what we would be doing for the next four weeks.

Shortly afterwards, the lights were dimmed and we watched the films of Mohamed Bayoumy and the Lumiere brothers and other silent Egyptian films. The screening of Women Who Loved Cinema Part 1 (2002) was shown to us on the first day.

Other movies that followed through the week were Salaama Fi Khir (1937), directed by Niazi Mustafa, and staring Naguib Al Rihani and Fatima (1947), directed by Ahmed Badrakhan and staring the singer Um Kalthum and Anwar Wagdi. In our second week, we moved to the post-1952 revolution era, the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, and discussed the active involvement of women in the country’s freedom against the foreign rule and the role of religious and racial minorities in Egyptian cinema. We were shown Bab El Hadid (1958), directed by Yusef Shahine, Dua El Karawan (1959) and El Bab El

Maftua (1963) directed by Henry Barakat.

Bab El Hadi flourished upon fundamentalist and socialist ideas during President Nasser’s reign with ideas such as women’s rights and labor conditions. Menawhile Du’a El Karawan and El Bab El Maftua showed us examples of women who struggle against the limitations placed on them by their society after realizing the culture that they adhere to so dearly would only give them grief, which would not be shared by anyone else but themselves.

In our third week, we were shown movies related to the era of the presidency of Anwar Sadat and Mubarak such as El Momea (1969), Embriatorate Meem (1972), Kit Kat (1991) and Microphone (2010). We were overjoyed when we heard that the Director, Ahmad Abdalla was going to be present at the screening of Microphone that took place on June 6, organized by Northwestern University in Qatar and supported by the Doha Film Institute. The screening of Microphone was followed by a Q&A session with Ahmad. “This was a low-budget movie,” he said.

“Anyone in this room can afford to make a movie with the budget that I used.” Ahmad told us that he did not have a script while making the movie. Instead, he wanted people to depict their own scenes in the movie and wanted to capture actual incidents as they happened while the camera rolled. Moreover, this movie gave place for many underground bands and graffiti artists in Egypt who were denied a stage in Egypt.

Director Ahmad’s words sunk deep into me. I could become a filmmaker too, had I the ideas and a will! By the end of the third week, we had submitted two reflection papers based on the screening of the movies and answered the specific question asked of us for the paper.

During the beginning of the fourth week, as a girl who had started out with absolutely no idea of Egyptian cinema, I had now begun to research on the history of the Egypt, and also started downloading other videos and movies on Egypt. While each of these movies drew the lines of different periods in history, certain elements of culture continue to revolutionize the society, while the blood and bones of the Egyptian nationalistic image remain established and unshakable.

I have always wanted to bring my ideas into writing or make an artistic production. Inspired by the streets of Egypt and the vigor of the people depicted in each of these movies that I saw within the period of four weeks, I have now decided to finish my graduation and visit Egypt to walk the streets, as did the people of the films, and also to find a place of inspiration to do my writings. Four weeks had given me a lesson too short, yet an unforgettable one at that.

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experience

Annual Global Classrooms Model United Nations Atrayee Mukherjee, a student of DPS-Modern Indian School, has been participating in the Model United Nations conferences, which are basically meant to instill a sense of diplomacy in young students, for the past three years. She shares her memories with CAMPUS...

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

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A

s young students we are always in search of ourselves and our purpose. For me, this search is boundless and endless. This search led me to take up various activities such as debating, public speaking and writing.

My quest for knowledge was furthered in May 2012 when I went to New York City to attend the 13th Annual Global Classrooms International Model United Nations (GCIMUN). We were accompanied by people from all corners of the globe, including Spain, China and Jamaica. The conference, which was held at the Grand Hyatt in New York, discussed issues such as the criminal accountability of UN officials on missions, external debt and xenophobia.

The opening ceremony was held at the United Nations Headquarters and was graced by the presence of its esteemed Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, who addressed the delegates and advisors.

Sitting in the General Assembly, being addressed by the Secretary General gave me a surreal feeling. I considered myself extremely fortunate to be present at such a prestigious conference.

Atrayee giving a speech at a committee session

The DPS-MIS team outside the United Nations Headquarters

With the delegates of Mali from Spain

What is Global Classrooms?

Global Classrooms is an innovative educational programme that engages middle school and high school students in an exploration of current world issues through interactive simulations and curricular materials. At the core of the program is Model United Nations, wherein students act as UN Ambassadors and debate a range of issues on the UN agenda. Global Classrooms cultivates literacy, life skills and the attitudes necessary for active citizenship.

(l-r) Atrayee with delegates SaurabhKadam, Kamalika Rai & Sabari Ram, outside the UN Headquarters

To know more about Global Classrooms MUN, visit: http://unausa.org/global-classrooms-model-un

The conference lasted three days. Being in the Legal Committee gave me an opportunity to understand the complex legal and judicial facets surrounding various issues discussed at the UN. I met students like myself, from all around the world, gained cognizance of their psyche and thought process. At first, I was a little apprehensive of how they would react to me, given that some of them looked a little intimidating (and extremely tall!). However, I was received with all the warmth and given all the respect possible. The conference was conducted in a professional manner by the moderators. The delegates were candid, diplomatic and genial.

The experience was interlaced with many, many memorable moments. For instance, as myself and my partner, Saurabh finished our speech, the Secretary General of the GCIMUN, Chuck Roberts entered the room. He walked up to the podium and said: “That was an excellent

speech. I really appreciate them coming up and making such a wonderful speech. Honestly, delegates, you all should really listen more.� And after bestowing us with a brilliant smile, he announced the lunch break. Yep, that was definitely a defining moment.

Additionally, during the trip, we also visited places such as the Rockefeller Centre, Times Square, the 9/11 memorial and Six Flags Amusement Park in New Jersey. The MUN social, which was a boat cruise around the Hudson River, showed us a magnificent view of the Statue of Liberty.

It was truly a wonderful experience which amalgamated learning and enjoyment. It was really wonderful being able to go to such a vibrant city with my friends and being able to live such a spectacular and prestigious event. Yes, New York truly is a concrete jungle where dreams are made.

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experience

The Act of Volunteering Sarah Suleiman, a ROTA volunteer, talks us into doing some good deeds this Ramadan.

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Prophet Mohammad said: “On every Muslim there is enjoined (a compulsory) sadaqa (alms).” They asked: “If one has nothing?” He replied: “He should work with his hands so that he may benefit himself and give in charity.” They said: “If he cannot work or does not work?” He said: “Then he should help the oppressed, unhappy person (by word or action or both).” They said: “If he does not do it?” He said: “Then he should enjoin what is good (or said what is reasonable).” They said: “If he does not do that?” He said: “Then he should refrain from doing evil, for that will be considered for Him as a Sadaqa (charity)” (Sahih al Bukhari).

So

let’s take it one step at a time. You want to do something good, but you don’t know how to start. Why not start with your neighborhood? Take a look around you, think of something you and your friends can do to make it a better place. Maybe it needs a clean-up, or perhaps a few houses can use a good paint job. Got elderly people in the neighborhood? Perfect. Sit with them, spend some time talking, laughing and of course enjoying some of Ramadan’s heavenly desserts! You’ll be surprised by the great stories that our elders have to tell, and you’ll be even more surprised by how much they enjoy telling us stories.

Once you got your neighborhood covered, take it on a bigger scale.

Reach out to the community and let them know that there are people who want to make a difference. Contact the community organizations and pay them a visit. Sit with the officials and see how you can help.

Be a part of their social programs that aim to break the barrier between the community and the members of these institutes.

Take some time out of your day to learn about braille at Al Noor Institute; visit The Qatari Social Cultural Center for the Deaf and learn some sign language; stop by Al Shafallah and spend some time with the wonderful people there. If you want to hear more stories from the elderly, The Elderly Institute is the place to go. The list only gets longer, there’s Dhreima Orphanage, Hamad Hospital and others.

Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) has played a great role in organizing regular activities with these institutes through their annual ‘Ramadan Project’. It has brought together people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds who all share the same interest in volunteering and making a difference, so if you don’t know how to start, now you know where to go.

With every visit you make to these institutes, you get to know people better. It’s amazing to see how some might not have their sight, their hearing or their other normal bodily functions, yet, Allah has graced them with amazing talents and skills that some of us might take years to learn, and with the biggest hearts and smiles that welcome us every time we walk in.

Go ahead and bring the best out of yourself this Ramadan!

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Get healthy HEALTH & FITNESS

skin this Ramadan The bulk and type of food you eat every day can have a lasting effect on the quality of your skin. Here’s what you need to do for fresh, glowing skin.

It

is important to have a healthy balance of essential fats, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins for our skin to be luminous. This requires food to be fresh and eaten when prepared. This will also assist in keeping your energy levels up, feeling brighter and more alert especially while fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Taking the required amount of water, fresh juices and soups; avoiding salty, spicy and fried food, coffee and sugary drinks; focusing on vegetables and fruit, eating smaller portions of food could be a beginning to a healthier life style which in turn assists you to have glowing flawless skin.

Skin care from the outside is as important as its care from inside.

Cleansing and moisturizing every day and night regardless of your skin type whilst doing a weekly or biweekly treatment of exfoliation if you have sensitive skin will help with your skin cell renewal and in minimize the ageing process. Exercise and fresh air has to be part of your skin care routine too. It is not easy living in the desert heat, but a walk by the sea or in the park each day will be sure to have a major positive effect.

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Tips to achieve luminous skin: Eat more vegetables and fruit to improve your vitamin and fiber intake.

Drink fresh juices, water and freshly made soups to stay hydrated and to help flush out toxins.

Avoid fatty, spicy, salty, fried food, coffee and sugary drinks-they are more difficult for the body to deal with and can make the lymphatic system sluggish causing stress on this system which is vital for efficient waste removal.

Reduce daily intake of sweets and replace it with dried fruits. Eat dates, almonds or walnuts with some yoghurt for a delicious snack any time during the day.

Increase water intake sipping frequently prior to fasting “fajer time”.

Clean your skin morning and evening with a good professional skin care cleanser.

Try a cooling facial toner after cleansing and during your wakening hours to give you a bright and refreshed feeling on the skin. Avoid toners with alcohol as this will be drying for the skin.

Always use a moisturizer after cleansing and toning.

Summer make-up trends

This summer, make-up trends are dominated by two words: sophisticated and attractive. Let’s go step-by-step through some trends that you can try out this Eid.

Makeup by Walaa Kadi: Walaa gave her model her own interpretation of the ‘60s era’ makeup look with a soft smoky effect for the eyes, with an extended eyeliner.

The model’s eyebrows were kept thick and full. She did some contouring to give her cheeks a dramatic look.

Neon Eyes: Using neon eye shadow to make your eyes stand out is a great way to look beautiful without outlining eyes in black color. Try out neon colors like yellow, golden, pink, purple, lilac and aqua blue as eye shadow or eyeliner.

Brows: Brows this summer remains bold and thick. Use a brown eyebrow pencil to fill your brows with and keep the inner not pointy to give a natural beauty.

Let your foundation shine, not shimmer: Use some tinted glow primer before applying and blending well the foundation, so that you can finish with a dewy, glow or shine look. Everybody wants to be bronzed, so you can use a bronzer around your temples, forehead, jaw line and cheeks to give a dramatic look.

Lips: Pop out your lips with some flashy neon colors like pink, orange, glossy nude and red lipstick that are so in trend this season.

Makeup by Rebecca Parker: Rebecca applied the glowing foundation look on her model. For a more dramatic and trendy look, she did the cat eye-liner effect on the eyes and finished off the look with a fashionably dramatic neon lip stick color.

The Qatar International Beauty Academy (QIBA) was established in Qatar in 2009, as a branch of the Social Development Centre with the prime objective to deliver consistently high quality training services within the beauty, spa and hair industry and to increase public awareness of the need for professional training and qualifications within the industry.

Please contact Qatar International Beauty Academy Tajmeel for a professional consultation on skin and hair care. Visit: www.qiba.com.qa

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Let History Not Repeat Itself safety

We want an understanding of what actually went wrong and how to ensure it never happens again Parents of New Zealand triplets killed in the Villaggio Mall fire.

The tragedy on May 28, 2012

By donnades ferna

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Nineteen people, including 13 children and four teachers of Gympanzee nursery, and two fire fighters died after a fire broke out at the Villaggio mall of a Monday morning.

For those residents who believe that health and safety is taken seriously in malls and other public places in Qatar, and for the parents who trusted the safety procedures in the mall before admitting their children to the nursery, it was a shock that some of the reasons for not being able to quickly extinguish the fire was, a faulty sprinkler system and lack of maps showing emergency exits. Following this tragedy, City Centre, the biggest mall in Qatar was also closed for some time after it failed fire safety checks. the Ministry of Interior has been conducting inspection drives to ensure fire

How to keep a building safe from fires?

Different organizations use their own method of protection against a fire hazard.

Some of the major methods that can ensure automatic protection in case of an incident are the following:

Fire Extinguishers Fire extinguishers that are on the walls of your home or building, might have been there for many years and collecting dust.

But they come in handy while saving a life.

Residents and general public should be given training on how to use fire extinguishers in case of a hazard.

safety requirements in buildings are fully implemented.

Although we cannot control everything around us, we can take precautions to avoid being a danger to others and ourselves. Most of the causes of fires around us are not premeditated. Accidents happen due to carelessness on somebody’s part. Some major causes are:

Electrical Wiring, Electrical Outlets and Faulty Wiring Surprisingly, a considerable fraction of ignitions and fires in huge buildings are due to electrical faults associated with wiring or with wiring devices, short circuits, overloaded systems, fuses, loose connections, frayed cords and improper use of extension cords.

Electricians have to keep checking the electrical wiring on a regular basis in order to ensure public safety.

Sprinkler Protection Fire sprinklers are most effective during the fire’s initial flame growth stage. A properly selected sprinkler will detect the fire’s heat, initiate alarm and begin suppression within moments after flames appear.

Fire Alarm Devices Many a times we hear the fire alarm ringing in the organizations that we visit and we let the fear of a fire hazard slide away by thinking that it could be a regular fire-drill and we do not take it seriously. Fire drills should be taken seriously as a religious passion.

Wear and Tear of Appliances No matter how many steps one takes to ensure safety in a public place, if the wear and tear of equipments is not taken seriously, it can jeopardize the safety of the public. The wear and tear caused due to overuse of equipments compromises the safe operation of the appliances, endangering the building and general public or worker. Such equipment must not be used and should be removed.

Heating Heating equipment is also the leading cause of home fires. Heaters used for warming the room should not be used with an extension cord as the high amount of current they require could melt the cord and start a fire.

Moreover, heating equipments should be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn.

Unattended Stoves

Children amongst you Children must be warned about playing with fire. Keep all matches, lighters and candles out of their reach.

Older children must be trained in certain aspects of fire safety: how to extinguish fires with simple techniques and how to protect other young children in case of a fire ignition.

If you have babysitters at home, teach them the survival techniques and make sure they know all exits and emergency telephone numbers.

Cooking is the leading cause of apartment fires and the second most frequent cause of singlefamily residential fires. When cooking, never leave your stove unattended. Also, what you are cooking can increase your chances of having a fire. Check that electric cords, curtains, tea towels and oven cloths are at a safe distance from the stovetop. Long flowing sleeves contacting gas flames can catch fire, so it is advised to pull up your sleeves and keep your distance. These fires often result from unattended cooking and human error, rather than from mechanical failures of stoves or ovens.

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Lime never looked this hot with black. Citizen’s new prestige chronograph comes in an all-black case, with separate sections at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, elaborately finished and available in five different color variations – black, white, red, blue and lime; but we love lime.

Campus Cool Quotient fashion

We round up the coolest items for the summer...

Its summer, so you would probably be hitting the beaches or lazing by the pool. These summer essentials from Gap are bursting with color and freshness to cool you off.

Red alert! This new Admiral’s Cup Challenger 44 Chrono Rubber chronograph from Corum has us spellbound thanks to the velvet-finish matt sheen of its super cool red vulcanized rubber strap that lends it a bold sporty appeal.

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Now when Repetto promises a ‘riot of colors’ this summer, they actually mean it. These rainbow pixel shoes – zizi for boys and ballerina for girls – are super cute!

Salsa has introduced its latest creation – the ER-Go jeans for men – that have a relaxed fit and are extremely comfortable. The twisted seams create a 3D effect and allow for high mobility. You can never go wrong with denims!

Give your lips a hydrating boost with this sugar frosting ColourBurst lipbutter from Revlon. The exotic combination of mango, shea and coconut butter helps to naturally soothe and soften lips, and most importantly, offers the perfect pink color.

We don’t know which handbag from Marc by Marc Jacobs we like better – the hot coral classic flap bag or the funky parrot green hobo bag. No, we want both!

We dare you to wear this shocking yellow 60 Seconds nail polish from Rimmel.

Go on, be the traffic stopper!

Kenzo offers the perfect accessories that add oodles of charm to a cool casual look.

Boys can try out this funky dual color tie against a crisp white shirt; team it up with sneakers and don’t forget the classic sunglasses.

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Textbooks collected by MES indian School

ECOPAL

GPS launches Textbook Collection Drive An initiative to promote waste minimization in schools

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sheireb Properties, in partnership with Qatar’s Supreme Education Council and Qatar Today magazine, launched the Textbook Collection Drive in the next phase of the Green Programme for Schools (GPS). The project aims to encourage students to share their textbooks while reducing waste which has a negative impact on the environment.

As part of the campaign, students will be encouraged to donate old school books after each semester. These books will be deposited at special donation centres in the participating schools.

They will be cleaned and branded with the GPS sticker and handed over to the next batch for reuse. GPS coordinators from Mission 20 will oversee the collection, segregation and branding of the textbooks, and brand school campuses with creative posters to further encourage the drive.

“The success of the GPS campaign has inspired a new chapter in our ongoing efforts to encourage conservation and care for the environment,” said Jawaher Al-Khuzaei, Communications Manager, Msheireb Properties. “The Textbook Collection Drive encourages the concept of sharing and shows students and parents that small lifestyle changes can have a big impact on the environment.”

“Launch of the textbooks campaign is an important step for GPS. Handing down textbooks not only saves trees, but also instils the important habit of sharing. We think parents too will play a great role in the success of this initiative by resisting the urge to buy everything brand new for their children. Even a refurbished textbook serves the same purpose of educating the child, so we hope parents will actually opt for a recycled one,” said Ravi Raman, Vice President, Oryx Advertising.

Since launching on World Environment Day last year, GPS has seen the participation of around 25,000 students. GPS is the first schoolsbased environmental awareness campaign in Qatar that aims to reach, inspire and reward students and schools by meaningfully engaging the youth and inculcating in their minds the importance of building green equity.

“Being a GPS volunteer helped me gain experience during my summer holidays. The program has taught me the importance of water and energy conservation and I have been given the responsibility of communicating the same to schools. The benefits of being a volunteer are that you get to meet new people and makes you a more responsible person.”

Green st eps: I take shorter showers to save water and also switch off lights before leaving a room.

Irfan Zulfauzi, 17, Doha Academy

“Being a GPS volunteer was a whole new experience for me because this was the first time I coordinated with schools. I especially enjoyed visiting the schools to get the electricity and water meter readings done. There were many ups and downs while working, but am grateful to the people who motivated us to work. GPS is an innovative program that creates awareness about using natural resources carefully.”

Green steps: I always turn off the taps when not needed.

Umm Ruman Abdulhaq, 19, College of North Atlantic-Qatar

“GPS has a great vision for the society, and I chose to become a GPS volunteer to be a part of this vision and make the environment better. I found the idea of making schools more eco-conscious very innovative. As a volunteer, I have not just gained experience working with different schools, but I also feel proud to help the program achieve its goal.”

Green steps: I make sure I use electricity and water judiciously.

Talha Nasrullah Undre , 22, College of north Atlantic of Qatar

“Apart from my commitment to support eco-friendly programs, I felt it was the right moment to support and be part of a huge awareness campaign such as GPS in Qatar.

As most of the volunteers working in the campaign were young people, it was nice to see a lot of devotion from young volunteers in raising awareness and their cooperation in dealing with other members. Volunteering reminds us of our social responsibility and develops our personality. Being a GPS volunteer has helped me gain a lot of experience by sharing ideas with other volunteers and students.”

Green st eps: I have always participated in eco-friendly activities, like raising environmental awareness since my childhood, and I consider it as a duty as an individual of this planet.

Suhaim Ahmed Mohammed Al-Haroon, 19, CNAQ

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around town

Shell

Eco-marathon Asia Qatari teams showcase innovation

T

his year’s Shell Ecomarathon (SEM) Asia had three teams from Qatar, two from Qatar University (QU) and one from Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ), participate for the first time in one of the world’s most innovative and challenging student competitions that was held at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur from July 4 to 7, 2012.

The competition challenged 119 student teams from 18 countries across Asia and Middle East to design, build and compete with energy-efficient vehicles that go the farthest distance using the least amount of energy. Though the Thailand team came first in the Prototype category, Team Gernas 2 from QU did Qatar proud by coming second.

All three Qatari teams passed the rigorous mandatory technical inspection before getting on track and did not record any safety incidents during the competition.

In 2010, Shell partnered with Qatar Science and Technology Park (QST P) to enable university students in Qatar participate in

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this event. This year Qatar Airways supported the teams by providing air freight for the three ultra energy efficient vehicles from Qatar to Kuala Lumpur and back.

QST P, Executive Chairman and Science and Technology Advisor, Dr Tidu Maini said, “We extend our most sincere congratulations to the Qatar SEM teams. QST P has been a proud partner of the SEM initiative from its very beginning in Qatar and we are thrilled that the teams are already achieving significant results faced with strong international competition. We are confident that these excellent results will influence younger generations to think about the challenges of a sustainable energy future. Our hope is that we will have even more teams representing Qatar next year and that they will continue achieving remarkable results.”

“We are very pleased with the performance of our teams this year. They have proven that students from Qatar can compete with the best university teams across Asia.

The level of competition was intense and we hope the experience gained from this competition will spur them to greater heights in their future careers,” said Wael Sawan, Executive Vice President, Qatar Shell.

Marathon winners

In the Prototype category, students from Thailand emerged winners with their vehicle running on Ethanol E100 with a mileage of 2,903 km/l – the equivalent of driving two trips from Doha to Dubai and back on a single liter of fuel.

In the Urban Concept category, Team Cikal Cakrasvarna from Indonesia achieved the highest mileage of 196.3 km/l, running on gasoline.

T eam Gernas 2 from QU came in second in the prototype alternative diesel fuel category running on Shell Gas-to-Liquids (GT L) and recording a mileage of 118.3 (km/l).

“The experience has been very exciting and challenging. To believe in yourself, your work and your team is necessary to win.

Also, never do things at the last minute.

“Our car is made of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material – a light material with a huge carrying capacity. The car was powered by GTL fuel which is very clean. The only challenge was the gear ratio that we had to fix at a workshop outside the competition area.

“Every single person is responsible for making the environment cleaner for future generations. If every driver chose to drive the most efficient car, there would not be the problem of pollution that we face from cars today.”

T eam Gernas 1 from QU came in tenth in the prototype plug-in electric category, recording a mileage of 136 (km/kwh).

“It was a great experience, we learnt many new things from putting the theoretical concepts we studied in the university to practice to improving and developing our soft and hard skills, meeting new people and learning new ways of thinking from them. We also learnt the meaning of team work, and how a small fault may affect all the team members.

“Our car is a simple electric car that works on a 48 Volt battery with 12 Ampere hour current having a 1,000 watt brushless DC motor. The biggest challenge we faced was to finish developing our vehicle in less than 10 months. We also faced problems contacting companies and finalizing certain agreements with them. But we thank our sponsors (Qatar University, Shell, Qatar Airways, QSTP and digital printing) for their support in helping us achieve our goals.”

T eam Aggielanders from TAMUQ experienced last minute malfunctions, but successfully completed a run on the track with a time of 32 minutes becoming the first GT L-powered urban concept car to compete in the competition with fuel consumption averaging more than 80 (km/l).

“We’ve managed to pick up many new skills building this vehicle and it’s been really challenging managing time between our hectic academic schedule and this demanding project, but we are glad we pulled through and made it to the event,” said Dr Mansour Karkoub, Faculty Lead, TAMUQ. “We would like to thank QST P, Shell and Qatar Airways for their support.”

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Participants perform an experiemnt Prof. Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, President of (QU)

M Teachers

Participants of the Teachers Academy along with officials from ExxonMobil and QU.

around town

Academy Bringing fun into learning

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ore than 40 primary school teachers from Qatar’s independent school system turned into students for a week as they participated in the inaugural Qatar University (QU) ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, an intensive professional development program designed to help teachers develop innovative math and science teaching skills.

The program is modeled on the successful Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, which has trained more than 3,200 teachers across the United States since 2006.

The educators, who teach grades 3, 4 and 5, were selected

by QU based on their qualifications, dedication to inspiring students, proficiency in English and overall commitment to enhancing the education experience for both teachers

and students.

“The idea of focusing on math and science came with the fact that there are certain weaknesses that can be found in how teachers teach at elementary school because of which students don’t find these subjects attractive enough to pursue a career in these fields,” says Saleh S AlMana, Vice President and Director of P u b l i c a n d Gov e r n m e n t A f f a i r s , ExxonMobil.

Being a technology-oriented organization that employs 18,000 scientists and engineers, ExxonMobil understands the importance of training and replenishing this workforce, “The foundation of any advanced society is math and science.

However, we don’t have enough teachers in terms of quantity and quality who are willing to teach math and science to students and train them to be active members of society,” he adds.

With an aim to retain more students in this field, ExxonMobil launched the Teachers Academy in collaboration with QU, training teachers in math and science, and equipping them with interactive teaching tools to help ignite their students’ passion for these subjects.

Participating teachers spent the week enhancing their understanding of math and science content, building on their expertise in facilitating student learning through problem-solving and inquiry, and

Participants’ feedback “We have been using technology at our school in the form of video clips or data shows, but we haven’t brought iPads into the classroom yet. If given a chance, I would definitely have my students start using an iPad as it makes my teaching very clear to the students. We need to use technology to facilitate the learning process to bring out the best in students. Emphasis needs to be given to practical information and application to ensure that the students’ level of knowledge moves higher day by day. As the saying goes, new skills, new understandings.”

Vijitha Matthews, science teacher at Al Bayan Independent Schools for Girls “I was amazed by how the instructors combined math and science in their way of teaching.

Some of the science experiments were shown to us at the beach. I think we should also start taking students out of the classrooms to make learning exciting.”

Amani Abdelmajid, science and math teacher at Al Wakra Independent School “It was not only the experiments that were demonstrated to us, but also the teaching process that will be helpful to keep our students engaged in these subjects. Students will memorize lessons better when they do things by themselves. Also, it’s necessary to reduce the time we spend on each topic to make it more interesting for students as well as complete the curriculum on time.”

Mariam M, Omar, math teacher at Zubaida Independent School for Girls “I learnt that you don’t need a specialized laboratory to show experiments to students. The simple things that we use everyday can be used as instruments to explain to students about different concepts.”

Lamia Abdel-Fattah, math teacher at Al Bayan Independent Schools for Girls “From my experience at the Teachers Academy, I’ve learnt new ways to bring science to life for my students. If we can get our young people excited about these subjects at an early age, a whole world of possibilities will open to them.”

Hissa Abdulaziz, a fifth-grade teacher at Al-Wakrah School

Trainer Tips: “The teachers in Qatar are very much like the teachers that I work with back home,” says Joe Gaston, one of the trainers and a professor at Spring Hill College and Dawes Intermediate School. “We share the same kind of challenges and curiosity, and the approach to teaching.

Through this Academy, we aim to show them a way to take science and math and put them together and to teach a procedure of how to lead the children in their learning to a particular type of process. The challenge is that some of the teachers teach just science, while some just math. We have to figure out how to integrate the two so as to match the standards of how each subject is taught.”

According to Joe, teachers need to focus on t wo things: * Hands-on: Children need concrete examples to be able to go to the abstract. They have to be able to visualize and have an experience with it. * Engage them: Children are paying attention to something all the time. We just have to ensure that it’s what we want them to pay attention to. For this, their learning experience has to be engaging enough that makes them think and ask questions.

using links between math and science to support their students’ learning.

“As Qatar continues to grow in international stature, so too does the emphasis we place on quality education,” said Prof. Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, President of (QU).

“Primary school teaching practices are critical to ignite students’ passion for science and math. T hrough interactive teaching methods and hands-on learning experiences, children can learn to not only understand, but to love these subjects. In turn, a firm and early grasp of math and science concepts will lay the foundation for a lifetime of curiosity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The Teachers Academy is a reflection of Qatar’s dedication to providing a strong knowledge base for all of its residents, especially in the areas of math and science – the foundations of innovation.”

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Magical

Extravaganza Saltimbanco wows Doha The grand debut of Cirque Du Soleil’s longest-running, signature production Saltimbanco in Doha had us spell bound with breathtaking acrobatics and unbelievable athleticism. T he six spectacular performances across four days at the Aspire Dome attracted nearly 18,000 visitors from Qatar and across the GCC. Saltimbanco, whose name comes from the Italian “saltare in banco” which literally means “to jump on a bench”, is a vivid portrayal of the diversity that defines a metropolis. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show’s eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope.

With an intoxicating mix of technical expertise, spectacular costumes, amazing lighting, humor and enchanting music – Saltimbanco is magic unleashed.

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Behind the Scenes

CAMPUS was invited backstage a few hours before Saltimbanco’s premiere show, to get a glimpse of what goes behind the making of this spectacular show.

Two Boeing 747 cargo aircraft filled with more than 80 tonnes of equipment was flown to Qatar from Amman in Jordan.

The group would be flying to Hong Kong after the performance here.

The production team found the Aspire Dome a ‘complicated’ venue because it was the first time that the show was to be staged on a football pitch. One of the challenges was the daylight coming in from the windows as the show requires the venue to be pitch black. “In other venues it takes nearly 8-11 hours to set up the stage, but here we needed two days because the Aspire Dome is not designed specifically to host such stage

Most artists have three to five costumes each which can include up to 12 individual pieces. Over 2,500 costume items travel from city to city in more than 50 road cases. There are more than 250 pairs of custom-made shoes, and the shoes for the Chinese pole act are repainted before each performance. The tour travels with its own washing machines, using biodegradable detergent, and dryers.

shows,” says Maxime Charbonneau, the publicist for Cirque du Soleil.

Cirque has 5,000 employees, 21 different productions and 1,400 artists. Saltimbanco alone has around 90 employees, many hired locally, and 50 artists.

The artists come from different countries and are usually acrobats, gymnasts, athletes, as well as from traditional circus schools who have successfully passed the show’s rigorous auditions. The age group ranges from 20-50 years. “Age has never been a problem. We have an acrobat aged 50 who has been in the show for the past 15 years and still does the huge jumps. As long as you maintain your body, you are fine,” says Maxime.

The beautiful headpieces of the show are designed specifically for every single artist in the show at the headquarters in Montreal.

“There is a room reserved for the mold of every single artist’s head.

It’s kind of creepy when you walk around and recognize people’s faces,” jokes Maxime.

All artists are trained to apply their own make-up. They are handed a book that contains a detailed step-by-step procedure along with pictures to help them complete their make-up. “It takes 30 minutes to an hour and a half for each artist to apply their make-up depending on the character that the artist plays.

The show is famous for its attention to details,” says Maxime.

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London 2012 Olympic games The world’s biggest sporting event

A 12-member Qatari contingent joined athletes and officials from 205 countries and territories at the Olympic Stadium for the London Olympic 2012, held from July 27 to August 12, 2012. This year’s Olympic Games saw the participation of female athletes from Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar for the first time.

CAMPUS wishes all the athletes good luck!

Qatar’s first female flagbearer Bahya Mansour Al-Hamad (R) leads the Qatari delegation at the opening ceremony.

AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS

Qatar’s wins first bronze Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah won a bronze medal in the Skeet. The event, colloquially known as “clay pigeon shoot”, involves shooting a moving target with a shotgun.

Al-Attiyah secured the medal in a tense play-off after hitting 144 of the 150 targets in regular competition. Gold medalist, Vincent Hancock posted a score of 148, which was an Olympic record.

This is only Qatar’s third ever Olympic medal, having previously won bronze at the 1992 and 2000 Games in Athletics and Weight-lifting . Al Attiyah – a true Olympian, having finished 4th and 6th in this event in 2004 and 2000 – became the first Arab to win a medal at the Games this year.

Qatari athletes at the Games Ahmed Ghithe G Atari Swimming (Men’s 400m Individual Medley)

Aia Mohamed Table Tennis (Women’s Singles)

Bahya Mansour Al-Hamad

Shooting (Women’s 10m Air Rifle and Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions)

Hamza Driouch

Athletics (Men’s 1500m)

Mohamad Al-Garni Athletics (Men’s 1500m)

Mohammed Abduh Bakhet Athletics (Men’s Marathon)

Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla Athletics (Men’s 800m)

Mutaz Essa Barshim Athletics (Men’s High Jump)

Nada Mohammed W S Arakji Swimming (Women’s 50m Freestyle)

Nasser Al-Attiyah Shooting (Men’s Skeet)

Noor Hussain Al-Malki Athletics (Women’s 100m)

Rashid Al-Athba

AFP PHOTO/MARWAN NAAMANI

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Shooting (Men’s Double Trap and Men’s Trap)