Campus issue 21 by Oryx Group of Magazines

YOUSUF JASSEM AL-DARWISH

SINDHU NAIR ABIGAIL MATHIAS AYSWARYA MURTHY

VENKAT REDDY M HANAN ABU SAIAM

SANDEEP SEHGAL ALPANA ROY RAVI RAMAN

ZULFIKAR JIFFRY THOMAS JOSE

HASSAN REKKAB LYDIA YOUSSEF KANWAL BALUCH

RITIKA RAMESH ADITYA KARKERA

PRATAP CHANDRAN BIKRAM SHRESTHA ARJUN TIMILSINA BHIMAL RAI

AYUSH INDRAJITH MAHESHWAR REDDY B

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014 A NEW SEMESTER IS UPON US AND WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLORE YOU TO MAKE TIME FOR THE FUN THINGS IN LIFE. YES, ACADEMICS IS IMPORTANT BUT SO IS MUSIC, DANCE, SPORTS, DEBATE... YOU DON’T WANT TO WAKE UP ONE MORNING WHEN YOU ARE 30 AND REALIZE YOU ARE COMPLETELY ONE-DIMENSIONAL. IN OUR MUSIC SPECIAL ISSUE, WE TALK ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC SCENE IN EDUCATION CITY, SPEAK TO SEVERAL YOUNG MUSICIANS AND THE INIMITABLE DANA AL FARDAN. FITNESS, BEAUTY, FASHION – THAT’S ALL HERE TOO. FOR YOU TECH LOVERS, WE HAVE OUR REGULAR TECH AND GADGETS PAGES IN ADDITION TO A SPECIAL CRASH COURSE IN APP DEVELOPMENT. AND FINALLY, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE SECONDARY SCHOOL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE PROGRAM’S SUCCESS. WISHING YOU ALL A GREAT SEMESTER AHEAD. AND DON’T FORGET TO MAKE MEMORIES.

Address all 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 and 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 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. , P.O. Box 3272 Doha-Qatar. Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584. Fax: (+974) 44550982. Email: campus@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com

THE MUSIC BUG BITETH YOUNG

Three gifted musicians. Three unique styles. Three different perspectives.

36 PITCH PERFECTION

Songstress Dana Al Fardan opens up in a candid chat with Campus ISSUE 21 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2014

APP DEVELOPMENT 101

One of the Doha News app developers gives step-by-step instructions on how you can create your own app

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

MUSIC TO THE RESCUE Malika Omar, pianist and music composer, is endowed with a love for music and a grit to make it in a country that is not her own

At the Qatar Music Academy, music appreciation begins from an early age and is practiced with passion

CONFLUENCE

Are the children of immigrants, despite their life-long battle with their identity and values, the true citizens of tomorrow?

ENCOURAGING YOUNG SCIENTISTS Dr Abdulla Al Kamali, Special Projects Manager at the Secondary School Research Experience Program, speaks to Campus about the last edition’s success and the themes the 81 participating teams worked on

CREATE YOUR ONLINE BRAND Bayt.com’s advice on how to establish your brand identity in the online world

CAMPUS NEWS

A PROGRAM TO DRAW MORE QATARI STUDENTS HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY LAUNCHED A NEW EDITION OF THE ‘PROMISING STUDENTS PROGRAM’ TO ATTRACT MORE QATARI STUDENTS.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GET THEIR FIRST TASTE OF TECH

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY IN QATAR’S CS4QATAR FOR WOMEN PROGRAM INTRODUCED 80 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO THE WONDERS OF PROGRAMMING.

n a bid to give young girls, largely underrepresented in the technological fields, a first-hand introduction to the basics of computer science, CMUQ organized CS4Qatar for Women, where 80 high school girls participated in a series of workshops. In their tryst with robotics, students worked in teams to write a sequence of basic commands – or algorithms – to move robots forwards, backwards, left or right in order to navigate a series of paths. In the cryptology class, they used a simple encryption technique to disguise a message. Once they discovered how easy it is to break this simple code, they learned some of the tools computer scientists use to make encryption more secure. Current computer science students assisted in the workshops and answered questions on the course, prospects and admissions process.

AN INVITATION TO CARE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT BILAL SHAKIR PROMOTED A PROJECT THAT EMPOWERS YOUNGSTERS TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE.

arth Fellows, the brainchild of Bilal Shakir and five other international students is a group that seeks to empower and educate young people to become responsible, environmentally conscious citizens for a sustainable future. This global mission involves an education program carried out by student volunteers who work with pupils in schools, in youth organizations and in civic groups all over the world. At the World Innovation Summit for Education, Bilal represented Earth Fellows as he spoke about the innovative curricular development project that the group is promoting. The team’s first project focuses on energy production, consumption and innovative solutions for energy-related issues.

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he three-year program is aimed at tenth-grade students from independent schools, giving participants access to English language and testing preparation courses, as well as university counselling sessions, in an effort to help enroll the best Qatari students at the campuses in Education City. “We support hundreds of very bright and talented students from independent schools every year to build their capabilities to fit the university requirements,” says Aisha Al Meer, Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator at HBKU. “We strongly encourage high achieving students to apply to the program as we will provide lots of support for them in preparing for admission to our various partner universities.”

HOW DID YOU BRANCH OUT?

I NATIONAL DAY In the spirit of Qatar’s National Day, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s Qatari Student Association (QSA) hosted a celebration in which students and faculty participated by dressing up in traditional Qatari attire for a fashion contest, sampling traditional food, applying henna and performing cultural sword dancing.

THE SCIENCE OF SPORTS

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n this edition of TEDxEducationCity, held at the HBKU Student Center under the theme ‘Branch Out’, six accomplished professionals from across different industries were invited to speak about how they harnessed the power of, and branched from, their core basics to achieve their personal and professional goals. Speakers included journalist and publisher, Omar Chatriwala, and laywer and community educator, Memoonah Zainab.

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED JOSOOR INSTITUTE WILL DELIVER WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION AND TRAINING FACILITIES TO DEVELOP TALENTS IN HOSTING MEGA EVENTS LIKE THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2022.

nveiled at Doha Goals Forum by Hassan Al Thawadi, SecretaryGeneral of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, the Josoor Institute will train many of the people who will come to play integral roles in Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, teaching courses on a range of topics from running major events and the business of football to creating a culture of volunteering. The courses will combine classroombased theory with practical learning in a variety of ways, and the activities of the institute will involve short courses, outreach days and program pathways. More than 1,000 participants are expected to attend the Josoor Institute in the first full operational year beginning in October 2014. Georgetown University is working with the Institute to provide an academic framework and endorsement for coursework.

SPOTLIGHT

LET THERE BE

MUSIC!

It’s 7 p.m. at the Residence Halls at Education City. As everyone is unwinding from their day, snatches of music filter out through their personal cocoons. Here someone is playing a trance number that’s doing its rounds in the hottest European clubs, somewhere else a peppy Bollywood number is blasting at full volume, down the hall you can hear disconnected parts of an alternative rock band’s cover of a 90s classic and beyond that someone is soulfully strumming at their guitar, missing a few notes and going back to get it right. USBs holding gigabytes of music are exchanged, impromptu singalongs erupt in the unlikeliest time and place, and friendships begin with, “So what kind of music are you into?” Music is an indistinguishable part of everyone’s lives – starting with the lullaby and ending with the requiem – and it takes on an even more integral role during your student years – an easy and comforting refuge from the rigors of daily life, a safe place to retreat when things are going too fast or not fast enough. This time around, Campus ask students around Education City about their tastes in music, where they go to listen to interesting live music and whether their campus encourages the culture of performing music.

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Jammin’ in Doha?

If you wanted to listen to some live music in Doha, where would you go? Valerie Marinova Communications, Freshman Northwestern University

Yara

Mamig in Katara.

Aleesha

They have jazz music at MIA park every month. But I think that most places that have live music will tend to be hard to get to unless you have a car (which I don’t) or be in places where there is an age limit.

Taimur

Live music? In Doha?

Syed

Haven’t really heard much live music here.

ONE OF THE HOTELS, MAYBE?

Wahim Katara.

Bring ‘em to the stage! In your opinion, what should be done to encourage more live music in the city? Yara Academic Bridge Program

Valerie

More live performances in public areas like the Souq or Katara.

Taimur

More concerts and international performers.

Wahim

More promotion and advertising.

Syed

Maybe get some recognised artists and bands in the beginning to promote live music in public places.

Mounira

Encourage music clubs in universities.

PROMOTE THESE EVENTS BETTER ON FACEBOOK, THROUGH EMAILS OR HANDOUTS.

Aleesha Suleman Undeclared, Sophomore Georgetown University

MORE EVENTS LIKE ‘YOUTH GOT TALENT’ NEED TO HAPPEN

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Where the music never stops Which city, according to you, has a vibrant live music scene?

Valerie

Apart from Ibiza, there are many places all over Europe and America.

Taimur Rizwan Computer Science, Year 2017 Carnegie Mellon University

Yara Ibiza. Aleesha

New York or Los Angeles. A lot of artists would be attracted to such places because they hope to ‘make it’ in the industry, and so I guess one would find a lot of performances going on.

Wahim

New York!

Mounira

Many cities in Canada, where people love music and have different tastes.

NEW YORK

A space to make music Is there a space in your campus for students to get together and jam? If not, would you like one? If yes, is it being put to good use?

Jemina Legaspi Communication, Year 2017 Northwestern University

THE STUDENT CENTER

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Valerie

They use the Red Majlis in the Student Center for live performances, but I don’t think it is used wisely.

Yara

There is no such space, but I’d love there to be one. It’d be relaxing.

Aleesha

We have ample soundproof space in our university and also the Black Box Theatre in the Student Center, which various musicians use, but it doesn’t happen nearly as much as it should, most likely because students have so many other commitments.

Taimur

A small room, yes. But it’s rarely used. Usually students don’t even know it exists.

Wahim

Black Box in the Student Center.

Livewire Which is the one singer/band/group/orchestra that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to watch performing live? Mounira Tlili Computer Science, Class of 2017 Carnegie Mellon University

Valerie

Any. I love music.

Yara

Lana Del Rey.

Aleesha

I think it would have to be Linkin Park. I have always been a fan of their music, even as they have undergone drastic changes in their style. They are also my role models in terms of their commitment to humanitarian work through their organizations Music for Relief and Power the World.

Jemina

EDWARD MAYA

Maroon 5, Chris Brown.

Taimur Metallica. Syed Coldplay. Wahim Coldplay.

Constants on the playlist Some of your favorite kinds of music (or bands)?

Valerie

House, techno, alternative... I listen to a wide variety of music.

Yara

RnB, pop, hip hop and country.

Aleesha

I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorite has to be rock, all the different kinds. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been a fan of Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Green Day, One Republic, Paramore, Imagine Dragons, Lindsey Stirling, the Piano Guys, Passenger and Bastille.

Jemina

RnB, alternative rock.

Taimur

Rock (Linkin Park), Metal (Metallica, Iron Maiden, GnR) and Trance (Tiesto, Armin, Deadmau5).

Mounira

RnB, Trance.

Wahim Sahid BA, 2013 Carnegie Mellon University

COLDPLAY, NIRVANA, IRON MAIDEN

Syed Hayyan Rizvi Information Systems, Year 2015 Carnegie Mellon University

LINKIN PARK

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THE CALL OF

MUSIC! BY RYA AYSWA HY MURT

We explore the live music scene in Education City – where the students play, what they hope for and how they reconcile their love for music with the rigors of academics – and how Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Student Center, in the process of fostering a universitywide community, is making music a memorable part of the campus life experience.

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Students performing at various Education City events.

or Prince George Abraham, student intern with the Campus Life team at the HBKU Student Center, the opportunity is ripe to shape the experience he himself would love to have. “I am a musician myself. I play the guitar, keys, drums and bass and am part of both a professional and amateur band. So I was keen to incorporate my interests in the programs we do, and the Student Center lets me do that.” Thus was born events like Tea Time and Artists for Change (coordinated by his colleague and Georgetown University student Aleesha Suleman). “Tea Time is an opportunity for students from all the campuses to come together and lounge, chill and have Karak and soufflé with live acoustic music playing in the background. We had a lot of students come up and perform one to two hours of music. Often we try to introduce new themes and bring in an element of music appreciation by exposing the audience to new genres. We used to hold it every two weeks in the Majlis at the Student Centre and usually 100-200 people would attend. So there’s definitely no lack of interest,” Prince says. The changes in class timings this semester meant that they had to tone these activities down to once a month and the attendance has fallen as well. “Education is time-demanding and it’s not that easy to hold too many programs,” he says. But at the same time, there is a lot of excitement among students for these sorts of events, Campus Life Coordinator Hessa Al Mohannadi says. “What’s lacking is a platform to do these on a regular basis.” But this is where the HBKU Student Centre steps in and the potential is immense. The team there works around the clock to churn out exciting concepts that’ll unite students from across the branch campuses to give them that big university experience. Prince lists them out.

“International Fest, Movember, Big Fat Quiz, Desi night 4.0, Leadershape, Coffee Conversations...” and there is more in the works with music poised to get its due. “We are definitely planning to do more music programs next semester,” Hessa says. “We are thinking of bringing in professional teachers (guitar/piano/drums) for students who wish to learn or want to improve their skills. With the Blackbox Theater at core, we want to create a nurturing environment for the arts – music, theater and dance. “The theater, with its great acoustics and two pianos, can be reserved for use by any student from any of the campuses. “Everyday a few people go up to the piano and practice,” Prince says. The Student Center is also building connections with outside entities like Doha Players who are “very supportive of the idea of building a community at Education City”. “We worked with them to host a play here. They are keen to volunteer to perform and teach the students but that’s still in the works,”

Hessa says. But even before the Student Center was formalized and started hosting these events, individual campuses have been creating and sustaining the culture of music - albeit inconsistently. Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar’s (WCMC-Q) Coffee House, Georgetown’s and Northwestern’s Open Mic Nights, Carnegie Mellon University - Qatar’s Masquerade Ball – they all provide students with the much needed platform to showcase their talents. Few and far between as these events are, they are also often exclusive to the students and faculty of the said universities. Other campuses could be part of the audience, but they aren’t invited to participate. “Coffee House is one of Education City’s oldest traditions; I think WCM-Q has been hosting it for the last eight or nine years,” Hessa says. “When they started out, the student population was very small, so it was open to everyone at that time. And that practice continued. But some of the newer programs are exclusive. For example, Georgetown

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University Qatar’s (GU-Q) Open Mic Night is for their students only.” This is understandable as the logistics of organizing an EC-wide event is massive and besides, the Student Center has already taken on the task of “giving every student opportunities to work with everyone else from all the branch campuses”. Apart from these, many universities also have their own music clubs and, often, a dedicated space where they can practice and perform. While the student affairs offices fund and lend advice and a helping hand whenever needed, these entities are almost completely student-led, Hessa says. “Many of these clubs were initiated by students, who were musicians themselves, looking to work together. They decide on the activities, events and the structure the organization,” she says. Prince himself used to be part of CMU-Q’s music club and was even president for a year. “For the first two years, we were sponsored by Student Affairs, who gave us a small spacewith speakers, guitars and other equipment. We started representing the college in various cultural events around EC,” he remembers.

“MUSIC DEFINES US” Josia Schlögl is WCM-Q’s Music Club’s current president. The guitar player and vocalist who loves playing acoustic version sof rock songs, says he joined the club during his initial days when he chanced upon their stall at one of the college events.”It’s not the most formal one,” he says, talking about the club. “But it serves its purpose – helping people interested in music stay in touch and keeping them informed about events around EC.” Many students at Cornell were avid pianists and couldn’t practise so the club petitioned to have an electric piano installed in campus. “The student council got us one,” he says. Located at a strange little nook in the university building, their music space is not the most ideal, Josia feels. “But it’s there and we can go whenever we want to practice.” Or at least, he hopes. Because for students to take some time out for music can be difficult. “The older

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ARTISTS FOR CHANGE Conceptualized during Leadershape 2013, Artists for Change is a platform to reveal your passion to the community and to the world. “We are trying to incorporate creative expression and social change and give the HBKU community a platform to discuss the various social issues they feel strongly about. This idea is not something that is new, since artists the world over have used their specific art to communicate social messages; they draw their inspiration from the society. Whether, it be a specific cause or organization that is trying to make a difference, we try to support them while we support and encourage the various talents our fellow students possess. We hope that when people express themselves in whatever medium, it serves as a cathartic, and at the same time allows them to find other people who have similar concerns,” Aleesha says. The team has already put together two events this semester – an Open Mic Night and a Poetry Night. “On the Open Mic Night we got a number of different performers; singers, pianists, guitarists and in-between the performances, we added short speeches by leaders of organizations within EC that are doing humanitarian-based work. For example, we had Akhuwat-e-Awam, HBKU Charity Trust and HBKU Cares. Despite leaving the theme open for the Open Mic Night, the performers all focused on the theme of Change,” she smiles. And all the while, working quietly in the background, the platform is morphing into a central meeting point for various musicians, allowing them to form new bonds and support each other at different performances and work together on new projects, exactly the thing Education City had been lacking for so long.

Clockwise from left: Josia Schlögl, Adam Abou-gad and Prince Greorge Abraham

medical students are especially very busy. They have different priorities. The pre-meds are a little more regular though,” he says. Atul Menon used to be part of Georgetown’s music club as well and laments about nothing much happening there due to general lack of interest. The Carnatic trained vocalist-cum-guitarist-cum-pianist however does use the university’s studio to record music for his two-member-band Agrata; his childhood friend and TAMU-Q graduate Srikanth Srinivasan makes up the other half. Prince is excited about the new crop of students revitalizing these music clubs and, in turn, the live music scene in the campus. “A lot of Northwestern freshmen are musicians,” he says. “And they also have a really cool music club.” So we catch up with communications freshman Adam Abou-gad who has been playing the piano since he was five. This progressive rock enthusiast who learnt to play the drums and guitar in his eight grade and started recording his songs a couple of years ago, has only been in campus for a semester but has already performed at several events like NU’s Open Mic Night, International Fest and Artists for Change, and says he is looking forward to performing at the next Tea Time. And although he has signed up for NU’s Music Society, he says he isn’t very aware of what’s going on.

It is not surprising, therefore, that despite the existence of these clubs and the large number of students who have signed up for these, the band culture is conspicuous by its absence. Josia says that it’s very difficult to bring people together, even within the same campus, and have them commit to practice regularly. “It’s easier to play by yourself; there is less preparation involved,” he shrugs. Adam also notes that though the idea of collaboration is something that interests a lot of people and there is a lot of talk about it, nothing much happens in the direction. Aleesha sums it up nicely when she says “that the music clubs in some universities are more productive than others in terms of how often they will meet up and practice so that they can perform wherever needed. I think that this drive has to come from the students because we do have all the resources (“like the Blackbox Theater in the Student Center”) available to us as students if we really want to do something.”

IN A NUTSHELL So the interest is there and so are the resources, all that is required is a little push. Which is something the Student Center with its “amazing social media and PR sav”(Prince says matter-of-factly) is more than equipped to take care of. While music clubs have only

sporadically, if at all, managed to bring together students interested in music, the Student Center with its dedicated team of employees is single-minded in doing exactly that. And their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Josia admits that “the Student Center is doing a good job in trying to understand academic commitments and structure events around this.” On the larger scale, the lack of a live music culture in Doha in general (and the subsequent lack of a proper music industry) can be the reason why this is slow in percolating into student life. “Maybe if that starts happening, it’ll start becoming a bit part of the culture here too,” Josia says. He envisions people sitting around and singing a la Central Park. It’s interesting he mentions this because earlier Prince had told us this: “Last night something happened that I haven’t seen in a long time. Some 10-15 of my friends and I were sitting outside Residences Halls, someone brought a guitar and we were singing till 2 a.m. We thought we’d be asked to keep it down because of the finals but instead more and more people came and sat for a while to listen and some even joined in.” Maybe in Doha’s case, the osmosis will happen outwards, starting with Education City.

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music to the rescue BY NI NAGMA

Malika Omar, South African-born, Dubaibased pianist and music composer, is someone endowed with a love for music and a grit to make it in a country that is not her own.

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house always echoed with euphonic sounds like old contemporary jazz, classical music and Sufi songs (Qawwali) while I was growing up,” she says, touching on the interesting musical history of hers. “When my mother was pregnant with me, she would listen to Quranic recitation as well as Mozart. So I’m pretty sure I started enjoying music as a little seedling.” “My father would take us on road trips and I remember bobbing on the back seat to old Bollywood melodies; pillow against my cheek and cup of Coco Pops in my hand,” recalls Malika. Malika was nine when she began her formal piano lessons and the small girl had already known what she wished for her career. Ever since, there has been no looking back for Malika. To broaden her knowledge in music, she attended the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, and Trinity College of Music in London and UNISA. The message of her compositions is derived from “personal experiences or observations on either a topic or story I have heard. People who overcome adversities to reach their goals, such as the late Nelson Mandela, have always motivated me. It’s because of him that I grew up in a free South African and could learn music,” she says. Her charity single entitled “New Hope” was inspired by the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) and the work they do to assist children in need. On the other end of the spectrum, she sometimes delves into her own life and comes up with something evocative. “I wrote “Thoughts of You” (theme track for ZEE T V culinary show called “Served”) when I was young and thought I was in love,” she says. “I want my compositions to inspire others and I love the idea of a track making someone recall a fond memory or life experience.” The music that she brings to life in the end sounds both contemporary and vintage. “I have always been a free spirit,” says Malika. Known in the Dubai music circle as a classical/fusion pianist, Malika merges music from different genres (contemporary with Arabic or Bollywood and classical). “I do it all to make my music more unique.”

She mixes the influences of world music by interpreting them in her own style. From her album “Sand Star” the title track is Arab-inspired and a tribute to Dubai. Likewise, the track “Fuji Blossom” is a Japaneseinspired lullaby whereas “Tango with Alejandro” is her spin on a red-hot tango. There are other musicians who admire what she does. Shelley Frost, award-winning harpist and director of The Fridge Dubai, is one of them. “Malika is a unique pianist with her own take on the wonderfully diverse umbrella that encompasses ‘World Music’,” she says. “The way she weaves together the melodies of contemporary classical music with the Middle & Far Eastern sounds into a sonically pleasing tapestry is what makes her stand above her contemporaries.” Colombian singing starlet Fatiniza says, “Her music is honest, transparent and inspirational. I love listening to her creations and I feel truly flattered that I got to be part of one of her songs. She is a musician that can fit her melodies into any genre.” At one point in time, Malika was obsessed with hard rock music too. She went through a hippie phase and a rock phase (listening to Linkin Park) but now she is more into pop with her particular favorites; from Coldplay to Cheryl Cole and Selena Gomez & the Scene. She prefers listening to music that’s easy on the ear and doesn’t require much of a thought process! Everybody has their own way of doing meditation. She does too but in a whole new style. “If I am in a meditative mood, I listen to soundtracks from Turkish dramas. Turkish music is beautiful. My favorites are the love themes from Muhtesem Yuzhyil,” she says. Since she was also brought up in the shadow of Indian traditions, it’s no wonder Bollywood is her other area of interest. So what does she like the most about Bollywood? She points out, “I love Bollywood for the sense of escapism its movies and music bring. After all, I grew up watching Indian films and would imagine myself as one of the willowy, graceful heroines.” Asked what music means to her as an artist, she puts it this way, “I believe the most beautiful form of music is our heartbeat. Without it, there would be no life! You can hear a rhythm in the cacophony of construction sounds; the rustling of leaves or even in silence. Music is all around us.” Malika wants to use her musical skills for something greater; to cure people with both physiological and psychological ailments. “Even in our own lives, we always have that one piece of music that makes us feel better or a composer whose melodies can ease away our stress,” she says. According to Malika, it is extremely important that more research and funding be invested into making music therapy popular and mainstream.

I want my compositions to inspire others and I love the idea of a track making someone recall a fond memory or life experience.

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The sound of music BY L ABIGAI S MATHIA

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” - Plato 22

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you happen to be in Katara, and hear the gentle sounds of live music, you may not be too far from the Qatar Music Academy (QMA). Here music appreciation begins from an early age and is practised with passion. A variety of musical instruments from the Western and Arab world are taught and performed through the year. The QMA first opened its doors in 2011 and runs two programmes – one in academic music and another called Music for All. Setting the students off on the right key is a faculty of music teachers selected from the prestigious Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Campus gets an exclusive look into the lives of the teachers who tirelessly train their students in the art of music. Adele Samuels is an Early Years Music Specialist at QMA. A passionate music teacher who has been inspired by young performers from the Cirque Du Soleil, Adele puts in every effort to make her class fun for

the early learners. She believes that children should learn through play and that singing is vital for young children’s musical development. She has attended many workshops, conventions and courses in her field of study. She has taught in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. “I have been teaching the piano for nearly 26 years. I have been at QMA since September 2013.” As a passionate conductor of choirs and an active singer since the age of six, Adele has attended many workshops, arts festivals and competitions. She has toured extensively in South Africa, Namibia and Europe with various groups, and some of her compositions were included in the programmes. In her younger days Adele played keyboards in a rock band and accompanied instumentalists and singers on the piano. She is interested in music therapy and has volunteered as a music therapist. Her students have achieved excellent results over the years and as a result,

Adele won a Merit Award for Outstanding Teaching Practice. The benefits of learning classical music have been well documented. Adele asserts, “Classical music adds quality and depth. It benefits mathematical ability, concentration and language learning. There is so much to explore in classical music, so much to discover. There are so many different composers, styles, types of compositions and techniques to learn on the piano.” Taking up an instrument or vocal training isn’t merely all fun and games. It requires dedication. Adele has the following suggestions. “You have to be dedicated and committed. It is a long-term project. One cannot expect instant results. In order to achieve good results one must have access to an instrument of reasonable quality.” For those who have little or no means to own a large and expensive musical instrument, the teacher suggests, “Start small. You

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can buy a recorder at a music shop for a few riyals and find free lessons on Youtube. If you are interested in playing the piano, there are decent digital pianos and keyboards that are quite affordable. It must have 88 keys, pedals and weighted keys. Read reviews online to make sure you get value for money. The best known brands do not neccesarily offer the best value. Buy a beginner’s book. If you can’t afford to take lessons, you can find many free lessons online.” An important element of the music training at the QMA is the Arab Music Department headed by Issa I Boulos. He is also an international award-winning Arab classical composer, lyricist and songwriter. His vocals and instrumental works, which have been performed by various groups and orchestras around the world, are rapidly developing a loyal following. Born in Jerusalem in 1968, Boulos studied piano, oud and vocals at an early age and later pursued music composition in the U.S. where he studied with Gustavo Leone, Robert Lombardo, Athanasios Zervas

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and Ilya Levinson. Issa’s mission is to enrich the quality of contemporary Arab music and strengthen the cultural and social understanding of audiences. Through these efforts, he has gained recognition in the US, the Arab world, Europe and beyond. He acted as lecturer at the University of Chicago where he directed the Middle East Music Ensemble. He explains, “I teach oud and buzuq in the Arab Music Department at the QMA. It is a very popular department and we also teach qanun, nay, kaman, voice and percussion. All of our teachers have extensive teaching experience and they are all active musicians.” The Arab Music Department at QMA conducts workshops in various subjects relating to Arab music. “These include professional development workshops for music teachers, introduction to Arab Music for school children, music composition classes, concerts and recitals, collaboration with schools and embassies and ministries, partnerships with international organizations and the Museum of Is-

lamic Art, among others. Our outreach efforts communicate our ideas to the community while engaging them in the process of disseminating those ideas. Essentially, we encourage participants to engage and broaden their perspective on social and historical issues and articulate their role as proactive citizens in building today’s society.” It is easy to see how passionate Issa is about music. He says, “Music helps us make sense of the world and grow into what we are. It provides ways for self-realization and fulfillment and contributes to the quality of our lives.” The universal language of music unites all of us in some way or other. Issa believes, “In some form or shape, and to various extents, we all learn how to read and write languages. Music works in the same way. The process of learning how to read and write and how to play an instrument may not necessarily lead to authorship or virtuosic results but it indeed adds a great deal to the human experience.”

TALK

THE MUSIC BUG BITETH YOUNG BY RITIKA H RAMES

Three gifted musicians. Three unique styles. Three different perspectives. 2014

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In TAIF ELMOKADEM

a world of seemingly endless misery, the light at the end of the tunnel, the sound rather, happens to be the youth; the youth singing their hearts out and pouring every bit of their soul into their exquisite and eloquent sounds of music. It comes as no surprise that the young generation has more roads leading them astray than paths that will allow them to benefit from the greater good. Somewhere, somehow, a few lucky ones were struck by Cupid’s guitar string. They found music, and music found them. And it gave birth to an alliance like none other. The music scene in Qatar has always

been a unique one. For years middle-aged musicians dominated the stage. Recently, however, the country has seen a sudden surge in the opportunities presented to young hearts with a burning passion for music. With the rejuvenation of traditional festivities and introduction of community events like the Run The World’s Youth Got Talent Competition, Qatar’s emerging music scene has provided us all with a dash of spice and a breath of fresh air. I was lucky to be given the opportunity of interview a few of these young performers who have achieved so much in so little time.

First off, we have Taif Elmokadem. Taif is a passionate teenaged singer who sang her heart out at the Youth Got Talent Competition in 2012. Her voice mesmerized audiences and she eventually won the contest, beating over 15 other contestants. With a record deal in hand, she is working on her music and identifying her sound.

MUSIC AS A CAREER

PERFORMING SINCE I feel lucky to have found my sound at a young age. I’ve been performing since I was five years old.

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I have a great passion for music and I want to develop it. But alongside that, I’m also dedicated to my school work. Later on, however, I’d love to pursue it parallel to my major which I am hoping would be Art and Design.

HOPING FOR CHANGE I’d love to see more advertising and promotion done for the music produced by newcomers. I feel we don’t get the exposure we deserve and I’d love to see more youthful voices taking the center stage in the future.

Next, we have Agrata, the band that skillfully produces a blend of the traditional and the modern. Their music is a concoction that leaves behind a lasting imprint on our ears and mind, thanks to the creative genius of the band’s musician Srikanth Srinivasan and lead singer, Atul Menon, Graduates of Texas A&M and Georgetown School Of Foreign Service respectively, they are active Youtubers and frequently upload their covers on Soundcloud.

PERFORMING SINCE We have been friends for as long as we can remember and most of our memories together revolve more around music than swings and slides! We’ve been performing together for over 10 years and we realized it was time to take this shared passion, or Agrata as it is known in Sanskrit, to the next level.

MUSIC AS A CAREER Right now, music doesn’t seem like a

For my final interview, I had the pleasure to talk to Gayathri Menon, a youngster barely into her teens who has already made it big. Gayathri has constantly proven that age poses no barriers. Being only fourteen, she performed at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood, California (commonly referred to as the Olympics for performers and entertainers).

PERFORMING SINCE I recognized my passion for music at a very young age as I grew up in a family of music lovers. I have listened to a huge variety of music ever since I was a toddler, and began taking music lessons by the age of four!

With the evolution of social media and music networks, kids these days have plenty of platforms to showcase their talents. Several eminent music personalities like Tyler Ward, Boyce Avenue and Chester See have had their talents discovered online by producers and composers. The global music

serious career option since we’re not entirely done with academics, and we’re inclined to different career paths that don’t intersect. However, we hope to keep our Soundcloud profile active with lots of covers, and we definitely hope to go professional some day!

HOPING FOR CHANGE Personally, we think it would be great if artists could become completely independent from record labels because they tend to curb freedom and artistic creativity. We’re not suggesting that all record labels are restrictive, but if the relationship between the artist and the record label were more symbiotic, it would benefit the artist better, especially in countries like India where music thrives only in Bollywood. There is a lack of independent music and albums unlike in the West. There needs to be a distinction between music in movies and albums.

AGRATA

GENRE BLENDING I am trained in both Indian and western music and enjoy performing both. But I am more interested in western music and my favorite genres are Pop, R&B and Soul. Regardless of what kind of music it is, I love performing whenever and wherever!

HOPING FOR CHANGE At this age, I would like to be recognized as an Indian who becomes successful in the world of western music. I think the opportunities for us in the West are not very vast. Increasing the scope for young people would help create a web of cultures and traditions and that would produce interesting musical styles.

scene is an advancing one. There are still several undiscovered gems out there, waiting to be heard. All it takes is a little recorder and a sense of confidence to reach your zenith. So go for it because there’s always a chance that one day you’ll make the headlines!

GAYATHRI MENON

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TALK

Confluence BY ADITYA A R KARKE

Are the children of immigrants, despite their lifelong battle with their identity and values, the true citizens of tomorrow?

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a small and forgotten part of an increasingly ignored masterpiece, the Mahopanishad, ancient Sanskrit scholars once proudly declared “vasudhaiva kutumbakam” – a dictum that, despite having endured for millennia, cannot be truer today. It is a statement that defines the heart and soul of the progressively globalized world we live in. And its meaning? The world is a family. With the advent of the Internet, the creation of better employment opportunities and ease of international movement in the twilight of the 20th Century, the stage was set for the dawn of the 21st Century. It was clear that this would be an era of both personal and international growth, of big homes and great skyscrapers, of big dreams and national ambitions. Leaving everyone and everything aside, mankind decided that the best way to prosper was to pack his bags and board a plane to lands of opportunity and seemingly infinite prosperity. Immigration, in its millions, began. Today the world encompasses nearly 300 million immigrants – men and women who have forgone their national identity for the sake of securing the futures of their descendents. They have become nomads in the pursuit of better lives. And in the heat of this rapid transition, they have chosen to ignore the plight of the very individuals they seek to nurture. They have forgotten their children. Children born and raised outside their home country – third culture kids as they are known – face a calamitous fallout of the preposterous rates of immigration the world is facing.They’re the odd ones out. The ones who don’t seem to fit in anywhere.The

round pegs in the square holes. These kids are subject to something more painful than any conceivable torture. They risk losing their cultural voice. When you spend your entire life outside your home country, you tend to ask yourself “Where do I belong?” The country you reside in is not a land you can call your own, and the land you can call yours is but a name in your head, and nothing more, for you have spent your lifetime away from it. It is painful to imagine that in this vast world of 7 billion people, you are alone in your fight against this paradox. It is frightening to fathom that you are the outcast in every land you tread. Although you have a passport, you do not belong to any one of the 195 nations on this planet. An immigrant child is the victim of a surgical vivisection of one’s voice. They do not know who to stand for, what to fight for, what to feel about what country and, worst of all, which culture to respect. No amount of education or books can reverse what they succumb to over the gradual course of time. They become mere names stamped on passports that have no value but to help them travel from country to country. Their parents gamble – and these kids pay the price. I am a perfect specimen of this growing phenomenon. I was born in the bustling megalopolis of Mumbai, where my family had spent the last two generations growing out of the husk of India and extending its arms to the Middle East and beyond. But unlike my forefathers, I was the first to never learn to walk, talk or eat in the city that had sheltered my family for the past 75

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The world faces wars and destruction because man forgets that all cultures are but rivers, filled with different water, but filled with water nonetheless.

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years. I barely spent a few months of my life there before being shipped to Oman, where I spent six years adjusting to life in a desert. At the age of six, we moved to Qatar, where I have remained since. In all these 15 years, I have grown detached from the land whose national anthem rests on the tip of my tongue. And my motherland doesn’t want me either. I am the reject. The debris left behind after decades of immigration that I did not choose to be a part of. And now, I am forced to write my destiny with the ink of two nations. I believe I am not alone when I say that your brethren back home stare you down to the point of humiliation whenever you visit. They glare at you like you are the anomaly, indeed the abnormality, in their perfect society. From the customs officers in the airport to peddlers on the street – nobody is merciful in their judgment of you. “Look at that spoilt NRI!” or “Have you grown tired of your lap of luxury?” are but a few inferences one can make through those ceaselessly staring eyes.

But I believe these kids have a strength hidden in the very crucible of their pain. The Greek philosopher Plato once argued that “the world faces wars and destruction because man forgets that all cultures are but rivers, filled with different water, but filled with water nonetheless.” These children are a confluence of two rivers, the link between two cultures, and are thus the true heirs to a modern and globalized world that has learnt to ignore petty borders and silly things like “nationality” in favor of better understanding the splendor of culture. I, along with all other immigrant children scattered across the globe, are the bridges that bind the cultures of today, and the pillars that will sustain the aspirations of the connected world of tomorrow. What was never our choice will determine the choices of human civilization. And in the end, even though we are but the debris of a phenomenon that is ceaseless, we are the one true evidence, indeed the factual affirmation, of a universal truth: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

EXPERT TALK

Encouraging Young Scientists Dr Abdulla Al Kamali, Special Projects Manager at the Secondary School Research Experience Program, speaks to us about the last editionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success and the themes the 81 participating teams worked on. 32

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PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SSREP? WHEN WAS THIS STARTED AND HOW HAS IT GROWN? Qatar National Research Foundation’s mission is to advance knowledge and education by supporting original, competitively selected research in all fields of sciences by improving Qatar’s research capabilities. To be able to achieve this it is important to introduce research to youth as early as at secondary school. We partnered with Qatar’s Supreme Education Council in 2010 to launch the Secondary School Research Experience Program (SSREP), designed to engage secondary school students in research under the mentorship of their teachers. Their projects are derived from the SEC accredited curriculum as, this way, the students gain valuable research skills whilst simultaneously learning more about subjects that are within their curriculum. A recent awards ceremony marked the conclusion of our third cycle and launch of the fourth. Applications almost doubled in the third cycle – we received a total of 314 research proposals, up from 177 three years ago. Not only have the participation numbers gone up but there is also a significant improvement in the quality of research undertaken by the students. Students in Qatar are very talented, and I am happy to share that there are plans for us to launch a similar program targeting an even younger age group!

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THAT RESEARCH PROJECTS SUBMITTED BY THE STUDENTS HAD TO FULFILL? Up to two students can partake in any given project. Each student is allowed to work on only one research project per cycle. The research project has to have a subject that is relevant to the curriculum approved by the SEC. The projects should span one of these subjects – mathematics, science, Arabic language, English language, social sciences or physical education. After completing the online application form, students are given four months to complete their projects. Towards the end, students need to submit detailed documentation of their research methodology, results and analysis.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MORE POPULAR TOPICS THAT THE STUDENTS WERE EAGER TO WORK ON? The students’ imaginations are highlighted with the uniqueness of their project under each area of science. In the social sciences category we have had projects dealing with social justice topics such as violence against children in Qatar and the rights of elderly people in

society. We also had many interesting subjects in healthcare, such as projects on water poisoning and diabetes as well as projects that tackled the humanitarian aspects of how to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, which is an excellent indication of how young people are taking an interest in the rights and needs of others in society. We even had a literary study that was titled “How does “Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett, reflect the characteristic of the Theater of the Absurd?” We have noticed that studies involving energy have been particularly popular with students. It’s not surprising to see such an interest in this sector given that Qatar’s main economic industry is the energy sector. Out of the 48 winning projects of the recent cycle, six dealt with improving energy generation either through increasing the efficiency of power plants or through using renewable energy sources.

HOW WERE THE FINAL POINTS AWARDED? WHAT WERE THE ATTRIBUTES THE PANEL WAS LOOKING FOR IN JUDGING THE PROJECTS? Each project submitted is judged by a panel of three independent experts and points are allotted based on the objective of the goal (10%), references, sources, and other studies relevant to the subject (10%), research methodology (20%), presentation, clarity and organization (20%), analysis and interpreting the data (20%) and usefulness of the project for the student (20%). The winning research projects are those that achieved a mark of 80% or above. Each student receives a financial reward of up to QR5,000 depending on the actual grade.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THESE PROJECTS? At this stage, all rewarded projects are completed. It is then up to the students themselves to see how and if they want to take their research forward but we hope to see these students apply their newly learned research skills again and either expand on their subjects or take up new challenges. SSREP provides students with the initial ‘hands on’ experience in research and QNRF will be happy to support their future research efforts through its other funding programs. I am very proud to share that we have often had students approach us at the SSREP awards ceremonies and enquire about applying to our Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) to be able to further expand on their projects. We are happy to be inspiring young minds and bringing about a transformation in Qatar’s research habits.

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CAREER TRIVIA

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C R Y PER OUR OENAT E L S I B R O N NE AN AL D

FASHION

designer Miuccia Prada once said: “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” In fashion, your personal style reflects who you are, what you stand for and what you do. And just as you use fashion to build your unique personal identity in real life, the Internet is here to help you build your unique online identity, or “online personal brand”.

BELOW ARE SIX STEPS FROM THE CAREER EXPERTS AT BAYT.COM TO CREATE YOUR UNIQUE PERSONAL BRAND: STEP 1: DEFINE YOUR OVERALL ASPIRATIONS Be specific and clearly define your goals and objectives. Do you aspire for a career in journalism or creative writing? Or do you want to pursue a career in marketing or social media? Try to be as specific as possible as this will help you narrow down the online tools and avenues you can use. If you are not sure of your career path, seek an appointment with your course counselor who can help you map out your career options.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL BRAND? Until recently, branding was associated with products and services by multi-million dollar companies, but not anymore. The Digital Revolution and the growing social media scene have made online personal branding increasingly relevant for today’s professionals. Your personal brand reflects who you are. This means creating a realistic assessment of your strengths, what you love doing and the skills that you’ve mastered or are working to master to show potential employers what you’re really good at, and also detailing recommendations and endorsements by other professionals, your professors or mentors. If you understand your strengths, skills, passions, and values you can use this information to separate yourself from others and truly stand out.

STEP 2: RESEARCH Research within your area of interest, as this will help you seek out ways to help your personal branding efforts. Through research you can also seek out role models – people in your field who have been successful. Ask yourself – what can you learn from them?

STEP 3: DETERMINE YOUR BRAND ATTRIBUTES What do you want your personal brand to convey? What adjectives do you want people to associate with you? For example if you are passionate about new technology, you can start a blog and focus on sharing tech related news and reviews. You can also participate in specialized forums which is also a great platform to interact with fellow experts and get endorsed for your contributions.

STEP 4: ASSESS YOUR CURRENT STATE WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD ONLINE PERSONAL BRAND? According to the Bayt.com ‘Personal Branding in the Middle East and North Africa’ poll of September 2013, eight in 10 professionals admit Googling themselves at one point or another. Additionally, 71% of professionals admit that a candidate’s social networking activities have made them change their mind about them. Personal branding is very powerful because it sends a clear, consistent message about who you are and what you have to offer. It makes others able to say what your unique promise of value is once they see you or your name. Having a polished online presence is extremely important, especially when you know that 84% of MENA employers will take the time to research candidates online before making a final decision (Bayt.com “Hiring Management in the MENA” poll, August 2012).

How do people currently perceive you? How large is the gap between the current you and the person you want to be perceived as? What needs to change and how?

STEP 5: CREATE YOUR GAME PLAN Your game plan should include more than just branding yourself in social media – it needs to include all aspects of you. Defining your plan needs to include the tangible and intangible characteristics of personal branding including attire, hair, makeup, behavior and verbal and non-verbal communication.

STEP 6: MANAGE YOUR BRAND EFFECTIVELY Proactively manage all aspects of your online brand, ensuring that your professional and personal online profiles reinforce your brand attributes. Do an online audit at regular periods to ensure that your online personal brand is in line with how you want to be perceived.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 14,000,000 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. Bayt.com recognizes the need of professionals to be regarded as experts in their fields and build their unique professional presence online. Bayt.com has recently launched Bayt.com Specialties, a dynamic platform for professionals to interact and share their knowledge.

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A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO CREATING YOUR OWN APP BY ANAS I W HALBA

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01 KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Start by deciding which devices you want your app to support. Are you going to release it for Apple, Android and/or Windows phones? A way to go about that is by surveying your potential audience about the phones they use. Another popular way is by looking at the web analytics of your website, and checking what handsets are used to visit your website.

02 COME UP WITH A FEATURES LIST

What is your app going to do? You can start by jotting down all the ideas that come to your mind about what the app will do, and categorizing them into high, medium and low priority features. The categories will help you focus on getting the must-have features delivered. If you have a deadline to meet, you can postpone some of the low priority features to future updates. Keep in mind that an app with a few perfected features beats an app with a thousand buggy ones.

03 DESIGN YOUR APP (USER-INTERFACE & USER-EXPERIENCE)

This is what will “make or break” your app. A user’s number one judging criteria is the look and feel of the app. User interface brings the design to the app and what it looks like. Do you want to have a red background or a blue background? How big or small should the icons be, etc... User experience is about how the person feels when interacting with the app. Are they happy to use it? Do they struggle trying to figure out how to do certain things? You can improve user experience by making it simple to use, easy to navigate, and well-targeted. You don’t want the user asking questions like “How do I refresh this page?”

06 START THE DEVELOPMENT

This is where the bulky load is. It’s time to bring the app to life. Plan out the development stage, and don’t just run to the keyboard and start coding. Figure out how you want to develop the app. Sit down with the team members and decide on who’s going to take care of what. Make sure you maintain a periodic backup of your code. During development you might realize that certain features or design elements aren’t as simple as they sound to produce. It’s not the end of the world. You can always shuffle the design around or eliminate the feature if it’s not of high priority.

07 TEST AND TEST AND TEST SOME MORE

Testing is a very crucial stage during app development. It’s important that the app is tested throughout the development stage, and not wait until you’re done with the whole thing. Install the app on as many different phones you have access to, since some phones can behave differently than others. Make sure that the app behaves as desired, the design looks fine on different screen sizes, etc...

08 RELEASE TO THE STORES

As this stage you have a bunch of features and an idea of how you want to layout the app. It’s time to build that prototype. The prototype will reveal the design and features but shouldn’t be a 100% fully-functioning app. It will serve the purpose of producing a concept of the app in a short amount of time.

Once you’re done testing the app yourself, you should test it with the public. Get some people you know to install the app on their phones. Some of the app stores also allow developers to publish the app in Test mode where it can only be installed on a few devices. This could help you gather some final feedback and fix the remaining bugs encountered. Finally you’re ready to upload the app onto the app stores and start advertising it. Hold up, you’re not done yet!

BUILD A PROTOTYPE

GATHER FEEDBACK

Now that you’ve built the prototype, use it to collect feedback from potential users. Go up to friends, family or even strangers, show them the prototype and ask if they’re willing to provide some feedback. Bear in mind that you might get a lot of crazy suggestions, so it’s important to note down what’s feasible and what’s not. Once you have that done, integrate the suggestions you’ve gathered into the prototype. Now you’re ready to put things into development.

UPDATE YOUR APP

You’re probably getting a lot of feedback now, some positive and some negative. People are complaining about an issue they’re facing, some feel like there needs to be more features and some love it. You won’t be hearing the end of it, but that’s good. You will have to take those reviews into consideration and customize the app to the user’s best needs. This will mean more designing, developing and testing to release future updates.

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Pitch perfection When I first meet Dana Al Fardan, it almost feels like I know her personally. Having listened to her debut album ‘Paint’ repeatedly for more than a fortnight before we meet, it is nice to put a face to the voice in my head. “I’m so impressed with the questions you’ve put forth, because it seems as if you have really understood my music,” she says, adding , “Most often I am simply asked ‘What is your music like,’ when I wonder ‘Why don’t you listen to it and decide.’”

BY L ABIGAI S MATHIA

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IT IS

“PAINT THE WALLS INSIDE OF ME, WITH EVERYTHING I LONG TO SEE FREE YOUR MIND IN ECSTASY, ENTRANCED IN ALL BUT FANTASY.” - PAINT

clear Dana isn’t the cliché’d rockstar. Born to one of the most influential families in Qatar, she has given up her passion of jewelry design in the pursuit of music, a lifelong dream. With no formal training, Dana has been playing music and writing songs for as long as she can remember. Dana takes her inspiration from everything around her – her family, culture, friends and, most importantly, her six month old daughter Layla, to whom the debut album is dedicated. “The album came together when I was going to have a baby. It was a point in my life where I felt invincible,” says Dana. “If you can handle life growing inside of you, you can do anything. We women are a force to be reckoned with,” she adds. The album was recorded in London by Trip Tik Management and supported by top UK musicians including Seye Adelekan (Paloma Faith), Pete Cherry (Beyonce) and Izzi Dunn (Gorillaz). After completing a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the American University of Sharjah, Dana decided to pursue a degree in Gemology, mainly to follow a career in her family’s jewelry business. “I was always going to join my family business, it has always a been part of our lives, and jewelry was something I was able to relate to and was passionate about. I enjoy spending time traveling with my dad; we have met many interesting people and made lifelong friends in the industry. However my lifelong passion for music was always on my mind and it was something that I knew I wanted to pursue.” The songs come from a very personal space, says the singer. “We live in a highly competitive arena. Education and job standards have gone up and a lot of people are so busy competing that they aren’t looking inward and trying to improve on themselves. We compose ourselves in different layers, that’s why the album is called paint,” she explains. Being a musician and someone closely associated with the fashion arena, style is

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“WE ARE ATHELETES, POETS, WRITERS, BUSINESS WOMEN AND SINGERS. THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE OUR COUNTRY IS ENCOURAGING US AND GIVING US A SOLID PLATFORM ON WHICH TO STAND. HH SHEIKHA MOZA BINT NASSER AND HE SHEIKHA MAYASSA AL THANI HAVE PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN ENCOURAGING ARAB WOMEN TO JOIN THE PUBLIC SPHERE.” something that comes naturally to Dana. Acutely conscious of her roots, Dana says, “I’m a Qatari woman and I love the traditional look of the long jalabiyas with intricate embroidery work. This is part of my heritage which makes me who I am. It is a strong expression of my personality,” she says. When it comes to role models, Danasays passionatly, “Today women in Qatar have received unprecedented support to succeed in every field, because of the encouragement given by the country. We are atheletes, poets, writers, business women and singers. That is only because our country is encouraging us and giving us a solid platform on which to stand. Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani have played a huge role in encouraging Arab women to join the public sphere.” Her musical influences include bands such as Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers and pop icons such as Michael Jackson and eclectic sounds such as Bedouin Soundclash. “My objective in Qatar is to get more actively involved in building the community. I’d like to help people to compose music, perhaps set up a few workshops, working with them one-on-one. So that when I have performances, they will open for one or two songs,” says Dana who recently perfomed live in front of a Doha audience.

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BREAKING DOWN LANGUAGE BARRIERS

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY OF QATAR (CMUQ) STUDENT BALJIT SINGH SPEAKS ABOUT HIS ROLE IN DEVELOPING QATAR COMPUTING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE’S (QCRI) MOBILE APP THAT INTRODUCES ENGLISH SPEAKERS TO THE ARABIC ALPHABETS.

adar Al-Huruf, meaning “wheel of letters” in Arabic, is designed to be rotatable on two sides and user friendly, and it introduces users to the Arabic alphabet by matching English letters and sounds to their Arabic phonetic counterparts. Baljit, who is graduating this semester, had jumped at the opportunity to work on the project on the strength of the app development experience he acquired while working at QCRI the previous summer. “After my internship at QCRI, I realized that this app was form-factor independent and could become a tool to make every user’s Arabic learning experience more interactive,” he says. Additionally, it provided him with a platform to establish good ties with both QCRI and Qatar Foundation International. The lead app developer in the team, Baljit says the problem-solving skills that he learnt at CMUQ became really important to mobile development on a platform that was completely new to him. “There were issues pertaining to efficiency of various functions in the applications, image transformations, etc. that were solved by the problem-solving techniques I acquired during my time at university. Also, the various programming classes at CMUQ made me capable to adapt to new programming languages very quickly,” he says. Surprising still is that Baljit says he can’t speak or write Arabic though he did learn some required basics throughout the development of the app. “From a programmer’s perspective, the functionality of the project was very clearly defined which is why the language was not a barrier to my work. Moreover, we had specific members in the team who were designated to solve the language issues in areas like pronunciation and sounds of the Arabic words just as there was another member responsible for the app design. It was interesting to see how different members of the team contributed to the project using their unique skills, supervised by two scientists-Dr Stephan Vogel and Dr Francisco Guzman. In addition, their different outlook helped me think outside the box and guided me in developing the application.” With the app successfully launched (it can be downloaded from the Apple store) Baljit says he has already started looking for app/web development opportunities with various reputed firms. “My plan is to become a successful software/web developer in Qatar. This project provided me with the understanding of how applications are developed and this skill is something that will be useful in my career,” he concludes.

After my internship at QCRI, I realized that this app was formfactor independent and could become a tool to make every user’s Arabic learning experience more interactive

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WHAT’S COOL

Back from winter break and feeling ready to face the year ahead? We list some accessories that’ll help you keep the good feeling intact for a little while longer. Bourjois has recreated this precious light in its eyeshadow collection that illuminates the eyes with a metallic finish. A new generation cream-to-powder enriches the range of Bourjois eyeshadows. Fine and silky, this gentle cream transforms into powder when in contact with the skin, offering exceptional blending quality.

An adorable mini-fragrance that encases the addictive floral of the eau de parfum created by Michel Almairac, See by Chloe is this month’s must have.

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Sephora makes bath time out of this world with a limited edition intergalactic line. Holograms, light projections and special effects come together in a futuristic body range.

Philosophy’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath will make you fall for its delicious pumpkin and spice scent. The rich, foaming lather gently cleanses and conditions, leaving skin and hair feeling ultra soft.

The Sephora Nail Designer line welcomes a new addition to its ranks, the magnetic top coat. Apply a coat and simply place the magnet (sold separately) nearby to create a unique magnetic pattern.

Nina Ricci’s new Spring Summer Collection takes inspiration from a romantic and historic period in men’s dressing. Various elements of women’s and men’s wardrobes are disassociated and reassembled in contrasting textures.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

GET FIT WITH

CROSSFIT BY PETE COLLINS PHOTOS BY ROB ALTAMIRANO SHOT ON LOCATION AT VITALITY ZONE, RENAISSANCE HOTEL

Take one exercise from each of the groups and put them together to create a high intensity functional workout. For example: 5 Sets of 400 m Row, 15 Push Press and 10 Pull Ups as fast as possible.

Pete Collins (left) and John Wilkinson

CROSSFIT CONDITIONING We have three types of metabolic conditioning - Running, Rowing and Skipping. Carry out one of these at high intensity for a given time, distance or repetitions. For example, skip 100 times, row 400 m or run 400 m as fast as possible before moving on.

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Next we have the weightlifting exercises â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Deadlift, Front Squat or Push Press. Carry out a set number of reps and a set weight, based on your ability, before moving on. These movements need to be performed safely and efficiently at all times throughout the workout.

01 DEADLIFT Start in the standing position, feet directly under the bar. Now, keeping the back straight, lower down and take hold of the bar just outside of shoulder width. Keep the chest up and shoulders back. Now stand up extending at the knees whilst maintaining a strong lower back position before safely lowering back to the ground.

02 FRONT SQUAT Start in the standing position with the back racked and the elbows high and parallel to the ground. Now squat down until the hips are below the knee crease. Maintain a straight back with the chest up and the knees pushed out to the side. Now stand back up into the starting position.

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03 PUSH PRESS Start again in the standing position with the back racked and the elbows slightly lower, this time ready to punch up. Now dip down slightly before extending the hips fast and pressing the bar up above the head. Now return it back to the rack position to finish the movement.

Finally here are some bodyweight or gymnastic exercises. These test the body through a range of movements and the ability to operate against your own resistance through Pull Ups, Handstand Pushups and Box Jumps.

01 HANDSTAND PUSHUP Invert yourself against a wall in the handstand position, arms fully extended. Now flex the elbow lowering yourself down until your head touches the floor before extending up fast, returning to the handstand. This is obviously a difficult skill to master which takes time and strength to develop. There are variations of this you can attempt by increasing a decline push up dramatically or even using a bench and kneeling on it to invert the torso only for the press.

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02 PULL UP Start in the hanging position with hands shoulder width apart and the body rigid and under control. Now flex at the elbows and squeeze the shoulder blades until the chin is above the bar. Now extend under control back into the hanging position.

03 BOX JUMPS Start in the standing position next to the box, feet shoulder width apart. Next squat down and explode up fast landing on top of the box safely and stand up to finish the move. This exercise requires coordination and a little confidence.

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TECH BEAT

GOOGLE’S NEXT BIG STEP

AMAZON AIMS FOR ANOTHER MILESTONE IN ECOMMERCE

he online shopping giant announced plans for delivery drones that would fly in orders to certain zones within 30 minutes of making the purchase. Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon, announced Amazon Prime Air would deliver small parcels (weighing upto 2.3 kgs) in certain zones within 30 minutes or less using aerial drones. The technology, which has been in the works for a while, according to Bezos, is all but ready to be commercialized once the the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently actively working on rules for unmanned aerial vehicles, puts the necessary regulations in place. He hopes for it to be ready as early as 2015 and the service to begin in two to three years after that. “One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road today,” he said.

SOCIAL MEDIA COMES TO THE AID

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he search giant acquired the robotics company Boston Dynamics which, among other things, develops robots for the American military. Barely weeks after Google announced that it was starting its own robotics company, it bought Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics for an undisclosed sum. The company specializes in autonomous animal-like robots and has several defense contracts with the Pentagon’s Defense Advance Research Projects Agency. Some of their creations include a robot that can leap 30 feet into the air and land on a building’s rooftop, one that can run more than 29 miles per hour, and even a bipedal robot called Atlas which can navigate rocky and uneven terrain.

artly developed at the Qatar Computing and Research Institute, MicroMapper uses social media tags to coordinate relief at disaster struck areas. The huge amount of data generated on social media sites like Twitter can be collected and analyzed to assess the scale of disaster at certain locations and direct rescue and relief efforts thanks to MicroMapper co-created by Dr Patrick Meier. The tweets, which often contain geolocation information, are sifted through and grouped into categories – “request for help”, “infrastructure damage”, “not relevant”, and “not English” – by an army of Internet volunteers logged on to the site. The same can be done with photos. After a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan in September 2013, the United Nations reached out for assistance, and volunteers collected 35,000 tweets within hours. The day before Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, Dr Meier was contacted to map the impact of the storm.

QITCOM 2014 ANNOUNCED

he landmark ICT event is back this year and will, among other things, give students and aspiring entrepreneurs opportunities to learn more about the industry. From May 26 to 28 this year, Qatar will host some of the best tech committees, companies and exhibitors on the local, regional and global level at Qatar National Convention Centre. Feda Al Barghouti, Acting Market Development Manager for ICT Industry Development at ictQatar said at the a press conference: “The objective of QITCOM is to promote the growth of information and communication technology in Qatar. The many elements of QITCOM will no doubt positively impact on all sectors of the economy from large enterprises to even small and medium enterprises.” The hugely successful QITCOM Innovation Theater will be back this year, providing a platform for young entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas and develop a business plan. So if you have a killer idea, you know where you should be this May.

A DIGITAL VIEW INTO QATAR’S FLORA AND FAUNA

his new app aims to better acquaint residents and students in Qatar with the wide variety of plants, insects and birds indigenous to the country. Aptly named ‘Qatar-e-Nature’, this digital database of all things that grow, move and fly in Qatar has been launched jointly by Sasol and Friends of the Environment Center. The South African

energy and chemical company, Sasol, has been spearheading a similar project back home, and wanted to do the same in this region. The bi-lingual, interactive electronic application, aimed at increasing environmental public awareness, contains detailed information and pictures of hundreds of plants, insects and birds, as well as sounds of native and migratory birds, accessible to anyone with a

smart-phone, tablet or PC. A favorites section allows users to add a bird, insect or plant for later review. Users can even submit the images they’ve taken for the app moderators to consider as additions to the existing gallery. The app is available for free download on Apple Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, and BlackBerry App World along with a web version for desktop access.

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GIZMOS

NEVER LOSE YOUR KEYS EVER AGAIN This rounded and colorful sensor can pair with your smartphone so that you don’t have to remember where you put your keys. Chipolo is a Bluetooth virtual leash connected to your smartphone and can show you the distance to your lost item and even help you locate it by sound. Just attach the Chipolo device to the stuff you are constantly misplacing – keys, wallets, even pets – and the app will tell you where it is within 60 metres. Once the item is out of range, it will send you a notification with the last known location of the item. It also works in the reverse. Can’t find your phone? Give the Chipolo a shake and your phone will start sounding an alarm. It comes in nine bright colors, can be engraved and is expected to come on sale in January this year. The products’ kickstarter campaign has received enthusiastic response and the startup in Slovenia that’s developing this product has promised new features incorporating a social element.

BEING SOCIAL ON THE ROAD Bummed that you can’t (safely) poke and tweet your friends when you are in your car? Here’s the solution. MINI Connected, BMW’s marquee infotainment system across its seven MINI cars, now comes with a host of social media features that’ll ensure you are never alone, not even in the tiny solitary bubble that is your car. Keeping you connected on the move by taking in-car smartphone integration to new levels, MINI drivers can now tuck their iPhone and get instantly connected to their social media accounts via the cockpit display. It also allows you to update your status using a list of pre written posts, vehicle data, information on the driver’s destination and the outside temperature. To ensure that you keep your eyes on the road, posts and tweets can be read out loud using the optional voice output function.

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A SWISS ARMY KNIFE FOR THE NEW AGE Equipped with everything that you need to survive the digital era, this modern utility tool is a must-have. Modeled on the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife, this little charger comes equipped with a multi-use micro USB phone, mini USB and iPhone plugs. Just plug it into your computer’s USB drive, attach your gadgets, and charge away. It won’t help when you’re roughing it in the woods, but when it comes to the urban jungle, you’re fully equipped. Price: QR112

THE SMART TOOTHBRUSH IS HERE Makers of the world’s first Internet-connected toothbrush promise that it’ll help you brush smarter. Unveiled at Consumer Electronics Show by French startup Kolibree, the brush includes a sensor which detects how much tartar is being removed during brushing. It also records brushing activity so users can maintain consistent cleaning each time, AFP reported. The device also conveys the information wirelessly to a smartphone app. The app, which is open for developers to add on other programs, can tell users if they have missed hard-to-clean areas or are not getting a thorough brushing. The start-up is crowd-funded and orders can be placed through Kickstarter from the beginning of the third quarter of this year. Price would range from QR360 ($99) to QR740 ($200), depending on the model and will include a free mobile app.

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AROUND TOWN

CONFLUENCE OF ART AND ISLAM

THE FIFTH BIENNIAL HAMAD BIN KHALIFA SYMPOSIUM ON ISLAMIC ART, HELD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9 AND 11 IN ITALY, BROUGHT TOGETHER SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPLORE THE ROLE OF LIGHT IN ISLAMIC ART AND CULTURE. The three-day symposium, widely regarded as an exciting platform to discuss Islamic art and culture, revolved around the theme “God is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth”. The 13 speakers, leading scholars in Islamic art and architecture from around the world, spoke about how light has been used in various forms throughout the history of Islamic culture – from the metaphorical imagery of light in the Qur’an and in the literature of the Islamic lands to the practical role of light in buildings, paintings, performances, photography, and other works of art produced over the past fourteen centuries. The Hamad Bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art was organised by Sheila S Blair and Jonathan M Bloom who have shared the Hamad Bin Khalifa Endowed Chair of Islamic Art at Virginia Commonwealth University since its establishment in 2006.

RAFA’S

NEW YEAR WIN S PA N I S H T E N N I S C H AM P I O N RAFAEL NADAL BAGGED HIS FIRST QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN TITLE IN DOHA. Nadal beat Frenchman Gael Monfils in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 in front of a packed crowd at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, winning his 61st title at the very beginning of the new year.

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FOOTBALL FEVER SETS IN

THE KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM WAS BRIMMING WITH OVER 40,000 PEOPLE WHO HAD COME DOWN FROM ACROSS THE REGION TO WATCH PSG SPAR OFF WITH REAL MADRID IN A FRIENDLY. Despite the rain and crowd control problems, the whole city was excited to watch football giants Real Madrid play Qatar-owned Paris Saint Germain in an action-packed match which the former won 1-0. Spanish striker Jesé Rodríguez Ruiz scored the only goal in the 19th minute.

IN BLACK AND WHITE TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL DAY, A RARE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF QATAR WERE ON DISPLAY AT THE GATE MALL. Salam International unveiled a unique photo exhibition, titled ‘Qatar, My Country’, on December 16 at the Gate Mall, following a two-year long project of preparation, and restoration. The collection is made up of previously unseen and rare glimpses of Qatar between the 1950s and 1990s. The exhibition is also in memory of the late Abdul Salam Mohammed Abu Issa, founder of Salam International.

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FUN AND GAMES

THE THREE-DAY ‘RUN THE WORLD’ FESTIVAL BY THE YOUTH COMPANY ATTRACTED MORE THAN 120,000 VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE REGION. It was a celebration of sports, creativity and artistry. Between December 19 and 21, Katara Cultural Village took on a carnivalesque atmosphere with the line-up of fun events like sword dancing, falconry, car spray-painting and henna art, as well as performances from local musicians. The adrenaline junkies were treated to an action packed schedule of Parkour shows and extreme skateboarding. While the days went by in a flurry of impromptu sports matches, music and dance took center-stage as the evening fell, the highlight being the finals of the ‘Youth Got Talent’ contest which saw 50 finalists in vocals, instruments, rapping, beatboxing, Zumba dance and more. A cultural marketplace also offered traditional foods for the famished visitors and a great selection of local crafts and exhibits. T YC partnered with Qatar Charity to organize a donation campaign for Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines.

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2014