Campus issue 34 by Oryx Group of Magazines

YOUSUF JASSEM AL DARWISH

SINDHU NAIR AYSWARYA MURTHY AARTHI MOHAN KEERTANA KODURU

VENKAT REDDY M HANAN ABU SAIAM

JASSIM BIN YOUSUF AL DARWISH

SAKALA A DEBRASS SONY VELLATT MATHEWS CHERIAN DENZITA SEQUIRA

ANIS MANSOURI GHAZALA MOHAMMED NISHAD NASAR

DR. FAISAL FOUAD

PRATAP CHANDRAN ESLAM ELMAHALAWY BIKRAM SHRESTHA ARJUN TIMILSINA BHIMAL RAI, BASANTHA

AYUSH INDRAJITH MAHESHWAR REDDY B

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2016 THE MESSAGE OF THE PERFORMING ARTS IS TO BE MOVED BY CREATIVITY, TO FEEL THE LOVE OF THE ART FORM, TO HOPE TO TRANSFORM LIVES, TO TREMBLE WITH THE SHEER REALITY OF WHAT IT WILL RESULT IN AND TO LIVE A FULL LIFE. IN THIS ISSUE, CAMPUS TELLS THE STORIES OF ARTISTS WHO BELIEVE IN THEIR DREAMS AND HAVE CHOSEN TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF GREATNESS THROUGH THEIR WORK. FROM SINGING AND DANCING TO COOKING AND PAINTING, THESE ARTISTS HAVE TRAVELED THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE WORLD, IN HOPES OF INSPIRING A CONSTANTLY CHANGING GENERATION TO BELIEVE IN THEIR TALENT. BROWSE THE PAGES OF THIS ISSUE OF CAMPUS TO FEEL THE JOY!

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Published by Oryx Publishing & Advertising Co. W.L.L., P.O. Box 3272 Doha-Qatar. Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584. Fax: (+974) 44550982. Email: campus@oryxpublishing.com website: www.oryxpublishing.com

BEYOND THE NORM

Campus puts the spotlight on young artists in Doha who have broken down barriers to transform their lives.

18 A BRAVE NEW WORLD OF EDUCATION ISSUE 34 OCT - NOV 2016

Ram Vaidyanathan speaks about a broad range of digital tools that enable students to learn visually.

23 WITH LOVE, FROM NEPAL Campus talks to wrestler, politician and ex-army man Bharat Bishural about his journey.

THE JOURNEY OF MUSIC Julian Scharffenberg and Audrey Bresser, members of the visiting youth choir from Germany, speak about their love for Doha and the DYC.

WISE WORDS Dr CĂŠsar O. MalavĂŠ, Dean of Texas A & M University at Qatar, speaks to Campus about his own journey and the intricacies of the admissions process at the university level.

DANCE TILL YOU DROP Campus talks to Serah Sampath of D4Dance, a dance group that believes that their talent has transformed their lives.

THE CODING EXPERTS Four CMU-Q sophomores set about tackling a list of arduous coding problems designed by scholars at Harvard, Yale and MIT.

CAMPUS NEWS

NEW LEADERSHIP HE SHEIKHA HIND BINT HAMAD AL THANI WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY. H.E. Sheikha Hind will assume the new position in addition to her role as Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF). Commenting on her new role and responsibilities, HE Sheikha Hind said: “The Board will also play a leading role as the University endeavors to create new and innovative learning opportunities that help build human capacity and further support Qatar as it moves towards building a diverse and sustainable economy.”

INTERNSHIP SUCCESS FIRST INTERNSHIP SHOWCASE FEATURES STUDENTS FROM CMU-Q INTERNING IN VARIOUS FIELDS OF TECH, BUSINESS, MEDICAL AND CONSULTING.

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This summer, 46 students from Carnegie Mellon University – Qatar used practical skills to gain experience in the workplace through internships. Nine students shared their experiences with fellow students at the CMU-Q Internship Showcase, the first held at

me most with Sabal is that we could give him a task and he was able to work on it alone. He came when he needed help, but you didn’t have to guide him every step of the way.” Mounir Sheikh, who interned for a Google team tasked with business development in sub-Saharan Africa, said: “My experience at Google allowed me to affect the next billion people coming online, and studying at CMU-Q is also a reflection of how big my impact can be. No matter where I go, I know that I will make sure I am positively benefitting my community.” Alya

CMU-Q. Several employers attended the event to provide their perspective. Christoph Weber, Managing Director of HOCHT IEF ViCon Qatar, supervised Sabal Subedi’s internship: “One of the things that impressed

Al-Kurbi, who interned with Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), said: “One of the most beneficial things is that we had the chance to meet leading researchers and senior scientists in Qatar.”

LET’S ENGAGE HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY (HBKU) ORGANISED SOUQNA, AN HBKU BAZAAR, IN OCTOBER TO SHOWCASE LOCAL, ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES AND SMALL-SCALE BUSINESSES TO THE EDUCATION CITY COMMUNITY.

HBKU created the bazaar to be a platform to enhance social engagement between the community within Education City and the general public, allowing students to learn more about entrepreneurship from local business owners. Students also had the chance to learn more about local start-ups and flex their entrepreneurial thinking skills as they browsed the products and services on display and heard success stories from members of the community. Maryam Hamad Al Mannai, Vice President of Student Affairs at HBKU, said: “We are fortunate to have a diverse group of vendors and start-ups signed up to showcase their goods and services at Souqna, and visitors to the various stalls will get an interesting glimpse into what is currently being created by talented entrepreneurs in Qatar.”

HONORING TEACHERS Students across Qatar Foundation (QF) schools honored local teachers for their commitment and dedication to educating young students in a series of celebrations marking International Teachers’ Day by putting on a party atmosphere. QF extended its thanks to teachers for the increasingly important role they play in fulfilling its mission to help Qatar on its journey.

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BEYOND

Greek mythology places heroes and gods at the top of the pyramid; in the real world they are called artists, daydreamers, believers, inspirers. This is what people become in the field of arts. Hard work, practice and sweat. Above all this, passion is what that these artists believe in. Campus puts the spotlight on five artists who love what they do and will go to any lengths to see their talent knock down barriers.

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SPOTLIGHT

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STEVE PARIS DISC JOCKEY

Steve started playing music at the age of 16 and got his first break at the Praxe Café in Portugal. He instantly knew this is what he wanted to do. He believes that research is the first step in choosing a career.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION BEHIND CREATING MUSIC? I’ve always been fascinated by music, and started as a DJ. Naturally it was a major drive to create my own style while doing some edits on the originals, and it is always good to pass my own edits live in front of the crowd.

WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR MOST FAVORITE PLACE TO PLAY AT? I have a lot of special moments! But one of my memorable ones was in Algarve (Portugal) playing alongside DJ Jamie Lewis (Purple Music) for 2,000 people. The crowd was really amazing crowd and it was truly an unforgettable night.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS TO FOCUS ON WHILE PLAYING A SET? I never prepare a set before a gig. Why? You always find a different crowd, even at the same lounge or club, and for that you have to follow and find out the mood of the crowd and what they’re feeling. I always try to give them some new sounds and, not being a mainstream/commercial DJ, it gets tough here in the Middle East. But you do find more and more followers interested in hearing some good deep, Afro-soul sounds.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES YOU SEE TODAY FROM BACK WHEN YOU STARTED? Nowadays there’s more of an access for DJs in terms of the latest technology and music, but one of the most important things that I really advise while pursuing this field is to listen to all kinds of music and research the history and back-

ground of music – how it began, the origins of dj’ing and music. Only then can you really understand the importance and responsibility of providing enjoyment to the crowd.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR ROLE MODEL AND INSPIRATION? Louie Vega is by far my master in all aspects; his music, talent for new sounds and energy have made him my inspiration!

WHAT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT FOR YOU IN DOHA? People are used to listening to mainstream and commercial music. But I hope to provide an alternative for the crowd with something different and fill the gap here in Doha, maybe even make it the place to be at for deep, Afro-soul sounds.

AFTER CONQUERING THE MIDDLE EASTERN WORLD WITH YOUR TALENT, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? I am now at WAHM lounge at the W Hotel, Doha. That is my special place, that I wouldn’t change for anything. I also have some gigs outside Qatar this year and the next step is a production project that I have with some musicians.

ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS OR BUDDING ARTISTS WHO WANT TO ENTER THIS FIELD? Passion is essential! Knowing the culture of all types of music genres. Also practice, listen and practice again and again! It’s a day-to-day job, as every day you find something new to add to your collection or skills. If you are willing to do this every day, then go for it!

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ESLIMAH BLOGGER

A blogger by profession, a traveler by passion and a fashionista by instinct, Eslimah (online alias) believes that her style depicts a great deal of simplicity. What defines her as a person is her clarity of thought even if that means going against everything and everyone.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE BLOGGING? It is a great way to make your voice heard and connect with the world. Just like fashion is a great way to express yourself and your identity, I find that blogging is a fantastic platform, where you can share so much of your passion. I initially started my account ‘Eslimah’ (meaning: Estonian Muslimah) mainly to express my thoughts and newly found beliefs. The whole fashion side found its way to my account as sort of an added bonus. I began experimenting and discovering my way around ‘modest fashion’ and I have got to say, it was not easy at first! Day-by-day I shared my story and my life, and girls from all around could relate and my account began growing.

Buns and Oversized Jumpers – literally anything to get closer to what is masculine – then I have nothing but respect for the women here who take such good care of themselves without feeling the need to imitate the opposite sex.

HOW DOES TO FEEL TO HAVE MORE THAN 146,000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM WHO LOOK UP TO YOUR STYLE? A: It is a great deal of responsibility and I am very much aware of it. I get very personal with my followers, and I do communicate with them on a daily basis. It is amazing to have a positive impact on people’s lives. Grateful and being modest are my key words!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS? DOES YOUR FAITH HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON YOUR FASHION STYLE? I was raised as an atheist, which means I believed in nothing. I converted to Islam in 2011, when I was 19. Somewhere along the road, the more I traveled, the more I educated myself, and the more I met different people from different backgrounds – I went on a quest to find out what that ‘more’ is. I do not think modest fashion is only for Muslim women, definitely not. It is not necessary to emphasise on the religion. However, in order to appreciate who I am and what I do, I believe it is important. It is the whole reason I began my account, and if you do take a look at it, you will find it divided between fashion and faith. I do not think they contradict each other whatsoever, but that is what defines my account per se.”

WHAT IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE YOU SEE WITH REGARDS TO FASHION IN QATAR AND AROUND THE WORLD? If the rest of the world is all about Boyfriend Jeans, Messy

I appreciate beauty wherever I see it, and – don’t get me wrong – I love Dior just as much as the next girl, but keeping it real, 99% of my wardrobe is made up of Inayah and Riva. Hijabs definitely from Voile Chic.

ANY ADVICE TO YOUNGSTERS WHO WANT TO ENTER THE FIELD OF FASHION? Don’t let anyone dictate to you what you can and cannot wear. I started out by saying that I strongly believe fashion is simply self-expression. Find confidence within yourself. You do you, and the rest will follow.

ANY LESSONS LEARNT ALONG THE WAY, TRAVELING AND BEING A FASHIONISTA? The world is a magnificent canvas. Study it. Learn from it. Educate yourself. Be brave. Trust. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Stay humble. Life is what you make of it. And the big one: Don’t let social media get in your head.

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JUDI JACKSON VOCALIST

Singing blues and jazz, this young lady has everyone up on their feet swaying to her silky smooth and sensual voice. She speaks her mind with her big beautiful eyes that express her heart’s emotions.

WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION BEHIND PURSUING YOUR TALENT? Love is the motivation. Always has to be the motivation.

music the following Christmas which marked a turning point for me that became the seed of inspiration for my development as a jazz vocalist.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY. I started singing at church in the choir that my mother directed. I always loved to sing but my formal training started at the Jefferson Center’s Music Lab. I also started to gain more experience as a performer by opening for a wide range of acts including Mavis Staples. Shortly after that I released my debut album, Crashing down, with myself and the Giants on the Music Lab’s label. From there it has all really snowballed and I have also been lucky enough to have shared the stage with Snarky Puppy as well as recorded my original piece, Only Love, last spring with the Grammy award winning group. I have been truly blessed to have sung all over the world including the US, London, and now in Doha as one of the leading vocalists at The Club at The St. Regis Doha.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS TO FOCUS ON WHILE DOING A SET?

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THIS AS A CAREER?

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?

I have always been drawn to music. I grew up listening to jazz, funk, soul, but also a lot of folk. I then went off to study Musical Theatre Performance and Acting at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. There I was introduced to a plethora of beautiful people and mentors including Gregg Stull who really helped nurture my love for performing and discipline for the art.

Hope, faith, love, trust, the feeling of peace when I can go to sleep at night knowing I did some good that day for someone else that was a byproduct of music.

WHAT MAKES UP YOUR INSPIRATION BOX? My musical inspirations have been artists like Blossom Dearie, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn, Solange Knowles, Joni Mitchell and Sade. An inspiring life-changing moment for me was definitely at the age of 14. I was fortunate enough to meet revered trumpeter, composer, music educator and the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, Wynton Marsalis, who sent me a box of

Maintaining a healthy body and mind is my top priority. It’s also important to be focused and in that moment. If there is energy and consistency, the vibe will be right.

WHO ARE YOU MOST COMFORTABLE WITH WHILE PERFORMING? Tivon Pennicot is an amazing musician who I have really enjoyed sharing the stage with. Pianist Mike King and pianist Reuben James are also phenomenal artists. Vocalist Tasha Denae is an absolutely amazing person and singer who has inspired me in so many ways these last few weeks.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ARTIST IN YOU? I am in Qatar until Oct 29 performing at The Club at The St. Regis Doha. I’m off to London to finish writing my first EP; taking some time to focus on spirituality, meditating into higher vibrations, creating work that makes me feel a sense of peace. I also have some West End auditions lined up as well.

ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS AND BUDDING ARTISTS? There is no end game, just the work. Fall in love with the work. Meditate. Find peace within. Be patient with yourself.

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TOM SPENCER CHEF

People say cooking releases stress, but what if you could do it for a living and also create gastronomical experiences while you’re at it? Chef Spencer believes learning, experimenting and making connections all around the world takes his expertise to a whole new level.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?

TO FOCUS ON?

Passion and belief. My passion lies in cooking. It’s the satisfaction and pure bliss of preparing beautiful memorable dishes that keep the patrons constantly coming through the doors. For me, it’s also very important to have faith and belief, to always trust my instincts and consistently communicate it.

When you’re around extraordinary chefs, firstly you take the opportunity to learn from their wealth of experience and also not to be afraid to share what you know with them. Each chef has his/her own strengths and the combined effort of equally passionate chefs can create truly amazing culinary experiences.

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE COOKING AS A CAREER?

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO COOK FOR CUSTOMERS WITH SUCH VARIED TASTES?

Initially I did not make it as a Taekwondo player, but then my father encouraged me to join a culinary college as cooking has always been something I enjoyed and loved.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT FOOD THAT INSPIRES YOU EVERY DAY? To experiment and be creative with ingredients resulting in a beautiful dish with the help of our talented team

It’s challenging in a fun way. You tend to focus a lot more on details. You’re trained to be prepared and flexible to cater to varied tastes and, more importantly, you appreciate diversity more and are pushed to experiment further.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY After completing my degree in cooking and internships in South Korea, I had the opportunity to work under chefs from around the world, including Miami and Peru, who are an inspiration in the culinary world, and I just know that this is where I want to be. A specifically memorable instance was when I had the opportunity to work under Chef Didier from the Alain Duccase restaurant and then he visited Qatar and I got to reconnect with him.

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL IN THE CULINARY FIELD? Chef Pierre Gagnaire as well Nobu Matsuhisa who helped me realize my culinary dream.

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT

New restaurant concepts in international hotel brands, but I’m happy where I am now at the W Doha. I have a team who inspires me every single day.

WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO WORK? Every kitchen I’ve worked in holds a special place and has contributed to where I am right now. Overall it has been memorable.

ANY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS WHO WISH TO PURSUE THIS AS A CAREER? You need to have a burning passion and drive to be a chef and an open mind towards learning. We are constantly learning in life, so always look to gain experiences and keep an open mind toward learning.

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ALI AL MULLA ARTIST

Last but not least, Qatar’s very own Ali Ali Mulla who, through his works, aims at expressing the concept of modern realistic expressionism, as this method is combined with chromatic momentum. He uses different tools and techniques such as knives, brushes and rolls for his art. Al Mulla’s portraits are composed of a pronounced outline of the subject (mostly celebrities) and a riotous mélange of fiery colors such as intense and various shades of blue, red, green, yellow and orange.

HOW DID YOUR JOURNEY BEGIN?

WHAT IS THE IDEA BEHIND CHOOSING SUCH VIBRANT COLORS?

I started working on my art in 2000 and exhibited my first works at the Cultural Committee Exhibition at Al Sadd Sports Club in 2002 and later moved to the Youth Art Centre in 2010. It all started coming together through trial and error and many workshops I attended.

Of course the power of the colours and what they represents when they are put together on influential figures. They give energy and force to the subject.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST MOTIVATING FACTOR BEHIND YOUR ART?

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE UP THIS ART FORM?

The mental side of calmness behind this type of art and also the message behind it.

I was inspired by the Austrian artist Voka, who is known for his interesting portraits of world celebrities and his spontaneous realism! He is my mentor.

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS TO FOCUS ON WHILE PAINTING?

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE THIS AS A CAREER AND HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH COMPARED TO YOUR FIRST TIME EXHIBITING YOUR WORK?

The most important factor is the change from small size to big and who I’m representing on the canvas.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE?

Everything started more than five years ago with multiple exhibitions in Qatar. Finally I had my first solo exhibition in Katara last year called ‘Faces’, it was the first time I have painted portraits of influential figures of the world. This year I joined Carré d’artistes Doha. With them I have been able to explore different sizes and modify my technique, adding to the knife and acrylic technique calligraphy touches.

There’s not enough time to paint everything I want.

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA OF USING VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS TO PAINT OTHER THAN THE TYPICAL BRUSH?

ANY MESSAGE FOR NEW AND UPCOMING ARTISTS?

I like the feeling of the knife as it flows better. After a lot of practice and workshops I have more confidence.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE ARTIST IN YOU? I want to and I believe that I can reach a global level to make a place for my country through this style of art. I want to continue transmitting my passion to the audience with my work.

Experience and research will produce and develop you as an artist and when you do anything you should do it for your country to be special.

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EXPERT TALK

A BRAVE NEW WORLD OF EDUCATION It is seven in the morning on a Tuesday, and 23-year-old Mohammed Rashid is on the metro train for his eight oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock class on financial accounting. Because 4G is the new standard, network availability is not a problem for him.

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HE CAN easily read the articles on accounting malpractices that his professor sent him. He can also watch the assigned video about Enron and be prepared for class discussions. Welcome to the brave new world of technological change. Students and professors were never going to be spared. Sure enough, new technologies, including collaborative tools, mLearning, visualization tools, vir tual learning environments, and flipped classrooms, have given a completely different dimension to learning. In many ways, they allow students to push their creative boundaries, and teachers to go beyond the textbook. Collaborative learning is defined by the involvement of two or more students working together to do things such as solve an engineering problem, create a marketing presentation, or construct an econometrics model. Such collaboration can be facilitated with tools such as concept mapping, screen sharing, and virtual meetings. Gone are the days of meeting at the library. These tools help students ideate, create, and edit together, from anywhere. And the end result is usually a superior product, faster turnaround, and richer learning experience. Of all the different groups in the Middle East, mobile Internet penetration is highest among students, according to a recent study. High mobile penetration levels give professors new ways to engage with students, outside the lecture hall. For example, handouts and articles can be read at any time and from anywhere. This is the true mobility of learning that John Traxlerspoke of back in 2007. In the coming years, universities may also use augmented reality and wearables to engage with students and enable them to get more out of their courses. The traditional chalkboard was the earliest visualization tool for students, making its

architecture, or even chemistry in a very interesting manner. For example, students in a chemistry class can simulate chemical reactions between different elements and visually see how bonds are formed. Another example is the CURVE (Collaborative

University Research and Visualization Environment) at the Georgia State University. It consists of a 24-foot wide visualization wall,

Blackboard, to complement their teaching for years. Apart from timely distribution of course content, these tools enable effective dialogues, assessments, and grading transactions. They also allow students to debate and learn from each other in a highly inclusive setting, which enables participation by those who might not speak up during class time. Some educators, including those at the Middle East College in Oman, are experimenting with the flipped classroom, a method that reverses the traditional lecture model. In this model, students’ initial exposure to content occurs before the lecture, and outside the lecture hall through online readings, instructional videos, collaborative activities, and learning apps. Thus, class time is spent on discussions, team-based learning, and application exercises. One major benefit of the flipped classroom is that it promotes critical thinking. In addition, this method often turns students into adaptive learners; a necessary attribute in today’s world. The technological opportunities are truly endless—a day may soon come when medical students will be able to 3D print a kidney for actual transplant. Close to 75% of students in the US prefer classes with at least a moderate level of technology, and this will be reflective of the Middle East student population as well. When technology is readily available to students, they are better able to access information and learn actively. Research also shows that technology increases a student’s self-esteem and motivation to learn. Technology truly paves a path to educational excellence. And in the next few years, it will become ver y critical for educational institutions to manage these advances effectively. As more and more assignments are submitted on the cloud for real-time feedback from professors, it is no surprise that,

debut way back in 1801. Today, there is a broad range of digital tools that enable students to learn visually. T hese tools equally equip students to learn subjects such as geography,

which promotes innovative inquiry by giving access to spatial data analysis. Professors have used virtual learning e n v i r o n m e n t s , s u c h a s Web C T a n d

according to American educator Alan November, teachers need to stop saying, “Hand it in,” and start saying, “Publish it,” instead.

The traditional chalkboard was the earliest visualization tool for students, making its debut way back in 1801. Today, there are a broad range of digital tools that enable students to learn visually.

Ram Vaidyanathan

Regional Manager, ManageEngine

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EXPERT TALK

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WISE WORDS BY NA KEERTARU KODU Understanding a student’s mind can never be an easy task for parents, teachers or students themselves. A creative mind needs to be nurtured, watered and fed with imagination in order to become something greater, says Dr César O. Malavé, Dean of Texas A & M University at Qatar, while speaking to Campus.

With an extensive background in chemical engineering, Dr Malavé advises students not to choose a career based on the money they might earn in the future. “At the crossroads of high school and college, do not make the mistake of looking at which engineering discipline makes the most money. I chose chemical engineering because of my high school chem professor who got me interested in this line. I then later did my masters in industrial engineering to shift into the line of operations research. It only became clear to me that I was meant to be a professor after my PhD and joined the TAMU bandwagon, relocating to College Station to continue for the next 30 years.” What goes into the application process to become a dean at TAMU? “I was a department head of chemical engineering at the time. The opportunity was posted by the provost who, at the first stage, creates a search committee. An international search for the right candidate begins as the ad is placed all over the world. Anybody can apply. Being an internal candidate does give me a slight advantage but it isn’t that easy as you really don’t know how many candidates are selected.” Dr Malavé was also chair of a search committee to find the department head for electrical engineering at the main campus in College Station, Texas, which took almost two years. “We usually put ads in the magazines and also check within our own connections. You might end up with 10 or 20 applicants who qualify for this job.

because that’s where the interviews are conducted. “We as a committee don’t want people to find out that we are looking, as we haven’t compiled a finalists list. For the candidates, they don’t want others to know that they are looking for a change. Whatever may be the reason, we keep it confidential till the end.” In a similar case, for the dean’s position at the main campus, the candidates and the committee were flown to the Houston airport for interviews. “After this stage, the number of candidates is reduced from 8 to, say, 4. These profiles are then given to the provost for him/her to further scrutinize these candidates.” For the dean’s position in TAMU - Qatar, Dr Malavé was flown over to Hamad International Airport for the interview in January. “There was an awkward moment when I met one of my colleagues on the same flight who was competing for the same position. By February, I came to know that I was a finalist for the position. The interview process was extremely rough with the provost, the head of HBKU who was representing QF, and the entire search committee who have very specific questions for all candidates.” The questions are the same for every candidate; otherwise people can influence the process. Once a finalist interview is conducted, references are contacted and the final decision is made by the provost based on the recommendations given by the search committee. There is also the faculty vote that comes into consideration at TAMU. “I am in academia because I love teaching. I was teaching for a

The screening process begins with the committee discussing the candidates’ profiles and the number is reduced to half depending on the number of strong applicants.” The second stage is the initial interview. If a university has the resources, the candidates and the committee are flown to a central location for an interview. These are usually called airport interviews

long time but being a department head took up a lot of my time so I stopped. The most rewarding position in all these years of teaching has been that of department head. It’s a very important job being the leader representing the faculty and working for the dean at the same time.” Speaking about he various learning techniques in different

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countries, he says: “I have seen students from all over the world including Asia and Europe and don’t see that much of a difference in the culture of learning. A Chinese professor once told me that a tremendous emphasis is placed on the teacher-student relationship where the teacher is in charge and the students follow orders, whereas in the US, students and teachers are challenged every day. We need students to ask more questions and disagree with what is being taught, in turn challenging the teachers. I wish to have students who have healthy arguments with their teachers, coming out of their shells to gain confidence. This is why we need students to join communities and governance organisations to feel a part of the learning process.” The academic year today is shifting its focus from being purely academics-oriented to nurturing a student to have an all-round development. “One of the unique things is the emphasis on a holistic development. Values of loyalty, integrity, teamwork and selfless service are placed on a high pedestal.” “We have industry advisory boards telling us what they require from their employees. The latest skill is entrepreneurship which is being added to the curriculum. Capturing the attention span of a student is extremely important and to help with this process, they follow the elevator test competition regularly. Each student has 90

that someone believes you, requires writing, presenting and speaking skills.” If the executive summary of a report is not exciting, no one is going to read a 50-page report. Entrepreneurship doesn’t only mean start-ups of new business but also involves within the line and within the unit itself. Students are put through the pressure tests of admissions, examinations and certifications throughout school and university. When is the right time to choose a discipline for college level education? Dr Malavé says, “I have parents in my office constantly asking the same questions. What we need to do is to reach out to students early on in their school life to engage them in a thought process. We have programs to reach out to students from the sixth grade. We should also reach out to teachers. It’s simple – if I reach out to 10 students, it’ll be among those 10 students but if I reach out to a teacher, he/she will be able to reach hundreds of students. It’s too late when you’re a high school senior applying for college. I tell parents to bring their children early on into the campus to provide them with options and open an engaging dialogue platform. We as an educational institute have to be proactive and reach out with various programs to indulge parents, teachers, administrators and students.” The admission process isn’t easy and is a lengthy one as well. “I was in charge of the admissions process at TAMU and while doing it for my own kids for their college, the only thought that came to my mind was that this process isn’t simple at all.” As a college administrator, he says a lot of universities in the United States are looking for service which is a top priority in the application process. “For example, a student who has worked for the elderly in his community has a higher chance of being admitted than a student who hasn’t. One, it makes your application look good that you had a company who looked after the elderly, showing your entrepreneurial side and two, you’ve done something good for your community. These are things that a lot of schools look for. We need to share this message with the parents early on. If I set this as a criterion, then students will only do it as a checklist and not for themselves. Parents also have to be aware that the SATs can be taken multiple times through high school.” Choosing engineering on a broader spectrum suits students but choosing the right specialty to focus on is also important. “I’ve never met a student who said, I made a wrong choice after graduating. When a student enters TAMU, they enter the general field of engineering. We have thousands of students changing their disciplines mid-term. We have advisors who help students through this process. We talk to students by conducting seminars and showing professionally-made videos that describe ‘a day in the life of’ all these branches. My message to students: don’t lose sleep over this choice. We are here to help you. Pick one to join us at first and come to us to know more.” Concluding our talk on a lighter note, Dr Malavé says, “My

seconds to convince the faculty with their thought process about an assignment.” Engineering is not just a bachelors’ degree but a profession. “For a profession to play out the right way we don’t compromise on any of the values or the knowledge derived from books. It is not just enough to have bright ideas in your head but also to present them in a way

generation saw parents who kicked their children out of the cars and said, ‘go to college’. It has, however, changed today. Parents are more engaged; children demand high-quality education; we have a society that is holding us more accountable for our actions and making us feel responsible towards our resources, which is why we have to step up.”

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2016

OUTSIDE THE BOX

WITH LOVE , FROM NEPAL

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Campus talks to wrestler, politician and ex-army man Bharat Bishural, who was in Doha earlier this year in an attempt to organize a wrestling show along the lines of WWF.

BY G NA UDAYAN

would be harsh to say that Bharat Bishural has outdone himself. Born in a poor, peasant family in a remote village of Nepal, he has moved on very quickly in life, gathering experience as well as expertise across a wide range of métiers. The detailed descriptions of his military days nearly 30 years ago could perhaps fool one into believing that he has come straight out of a war zone. Bishural, popularly known as Himalayan Tiger in the wrestling community, came to this country with a clear objective in mind. What was it? “I came to organize an international wrestling show in Qatar. I want to show the Qatari authorities that Nepalese people are not only laborers,” says Bishural. “The Nepalese community here considers Qatar as its homeland and wants to organize a Qatar-Nepal friendship wrestling show.” Bishural, however, laments the lack of leadership among the Nepalese living in Qatar and his efforts have not had the desired effect. “I met all kinds of people but could not find a person who could arrange a sponsor. We also talked to QPW Chairman Ali Marafi, among others.” Bishural’s disappointment is heightened by the fact that the plan is not a very

effect, that too for an event which requires only QR400,000. It’s just a question of one organizer coming up with 3-5 partners. The show will give a lot of mileage to the sponsors. We will be working for two months for this one-day event. We are planning for posters, flags, video promotions, etc. We are also looking at printing T-shirts with the company name and logo, along with pictures of the wrestlers.” Bishural further says that he has already contacted former Indian WWE star Dalip Singh Rana, better known as The Great Khali. He along with other ex-WWF and WWE fighters would be the central figures around which the event would be structured. “We want one main event match and are looking at six matches like the Royal Rumble. Everybody will fight against each other and the last man standing will be crowned champion. It will be an actionpacked two-and-a-half hours. The opening and closing ceremonies will make the entire event three hours long.” Unfortunately, though, the absence of a sponsor continues to put a spanner in the works.

The early years of Bishural’s life had no

Bishural was given a medal by his supporters in Nakura (the place in Israel where he was shot), who represented the Lebanese government. He was back in Nepal in March 1986. But not for long. He had a five-year US visa which he decided to

ambitious one. He feels that, despite the economic turmoil in the region because of low oil prices, there is no reason why the show cannot be organized. “Low oil prices can’t have such a drastic

connection whatsoever with wrestling. It was more about being caught in the crossfire, literally. “After finishing school I joined the Royal Nepal Army in 1976. Meanwhile, I used to

make use of. “I went to America for one-and-half years where I tried lots of things to earn a living. I worked at a newspaper stand for most of the time. After that I went back to Nepal, which

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BAPTISM BY FIRE

study at night for my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. I was sent to Lebanon in ’78 during the civil war in that country, and served as sergeant in the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL). I was also part of the UN forces to Israel and Lebanon in 1985-86.” It was during the second stint that Bishural got shot in the right leg and had to have a 38 cm iron rod inserted. The incident effectively ended his military career. Could he have avoided the bullet injury? “I got a pistol from the Ghanaian sergeant on the Israel border. One is not allowed to carry weapons to Israel. I was a military police officer, that’s why I received his pistol for which I had to give a receipt. We were caught in a situation where the guerrillas came to take away our weapons and whatever else there was inside the military jeep. I was afraid of being court-martialed if I did not return the pistol. I turned to run, that was when the guerrillas opened fire and a bullet pierced my right leg.”

POLITICAL CAREER

“I went to the arena with the Nepalese flag. I wanted to show that even though I am in America, I love my country. People always love their motherland. I wanted to drive home that message. The other reason for carrying the flag was that many people don’t know much about Nepal. Some think it’s a part of India, while others think it’s inside Tibet.”

was in the midst of a revolution in 1990.” It was around this time that Bishural started his political career. He joined the Nepali Congress party, but was irked by the fact that its speeches were against the monarchy and were made merely to impress the audience. Bishural founded the Nepal Conservative Party soon after. However, things did not go according to plan. “We finished seventh in the elections and I lost from four places. Since then the party has not been active even though it continues to exist. After that I met King Birendra (who was killed in the Nepalese royal massacre in 2001). He wanted to give me an opportunity in the upper house of the parliament. But I was 34 and the cut-off age was 35, so things did not work out.”

WWF In January 1992 Bishural took a decision which in many ways defines his current identity. He was back in the US and the journey was far more fruitful this time around. “In March I joined professional wrestling with Johnny Rodz (Rodriquez) Wrestling School. Rodriquez was part of WWF for 24 years. He is in the Hall of Fame of WWF. I was chosen to fight Black Panther. I was trained on how to work with the cameraman, referee, opponents and spectators. If you wrestle in the ring and the crowd is sleeping, talking to each other, eating, etc., then you risk losing

your job. Then they put me on the WWF show in September 1992 in Las Vegas. There were 35,000 people in the arena, and millions were watching all over the world. The show was being telecast live by USA Network.” It was a deeply entrenched feeling of nationalism which drew Bishural to WWF. He wanted to prove a point. “I went to the arena with the Nepalese flag. I wanted to show that even though I am in America, I love my country. People always love their motherland. I wanted to drive home that message. The other reason for carrying the flag was that many people don’t know much about Nepal. Some think it’s a part of India, while others think it’s inside Tibet.” Bishural was taunted by one of the commentators during the show and told to go back to Nepal. He faced similar gibes from Lisa Thomson, the woman he married and has two children with. Bishural’s second innings in America lasted 12 years. During this time he practiced with WWF (now WWE) superstars Undertaker, Triple H (Paul Michael Levesque), Eddie Guerrero, Ric Flair, Diesel (Kevin Nash), Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels.

RETURN TO NEPAL

“I used to organize shows in Nepal with the help of my American, Japanese and European wrestling friends. The gathering of spectators touched 20,000 at times. I held many wrestling shows in Nepal to promote the country and showcase it as a tourist destination. The Nepal government endorsed me to the Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Tourism Association as Honorary Tourism Goodwill Ambassador. I was appointed to the post just prior to my Qatar visit.” Bishural still remains the only WWE wrestler to come out of Nepal. According to him, there is interest but people don’t want to go through pain and hardship. He also points out that, unlike the wrestlers in the US, fear of death looms large in his part of the world because other priorities like family life take precedence. “American wrestlers take painkillers/ drugs to sleep peacefully. Sometimes they never wake up. Umaga, Mr Perfect (Curt Hennig), Eddie Guerrero and British Bulldog are all gone because of heart attacks or drug overdose. Owen Hart died because of a stunt which went wrong. His wife filed a lawsuit against WWF (she got about $18 million),” he adds. And Bishural’s closing remarks pretty much sums it all up. “I have a neurologist and a prostate cancer specialist whom I

Bishural went back to his country in 2004. He founded the Nepal Pro Wrestling Entertainment Championship Association and Himalayan Tiger Pro Wrestling Association a year later.

have kept on standby. I pay them regularly. I even have a doctor for my heart and another one for my bones. I am very careful. That’s one of the reasons why I am not a superstar.”

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YOUNG TURKS

<THE> <CODING EXPERTS> During the height of summer, when most students were enjoying their vacation, four CMU-Q sophomores set about tackling a list of arduous coding problems designed by scholars at Harvard, Yale and MIT.

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he four computer science students not only completed the 10 problems, but ranked first in the inaugural Harvard CS50X Coding Contest out of a field of 659 teams. CMU-Q’s Mohammed Abdullah Khan, Julian Sam, Mohammed Hashim Qusai and Abubaker Omer took top honors for their achievement and, as one of only 12 teams to successfully complete the challenge, received a small prize from Harvard and congratulations from the Dean of Computer Science at CMU in Pittsburgh. Described as “An Epic Weekend of Code”, the grueling CS50X event took place over 72-hours, on the weekend of July 28 to August 1. The four were eligible to compete after team member Omer had passed one of Harvard’s CS50 hacker challenges. “I saw the competition advertised and thought, ‘yes, we can do this’. I contacted the guys with just a few days to go, and thankfully they were all really up for it,” said Omer. “We didn’t have much time to prep, and I don’t think any of us ever expected to finish first.” All four members had met during their first semester at CMU-Q in 2015. They bonded over common interests and, in their own words, “were constantly solving problems and discussing ideas”. Each of the four agrees that their assignments at CMU-Q gave them both the knowledge and the confidence necessary to tackle the Harvard challenge. “The problems were really tough, I’d say they were up there with the toughest problems we’d seen at CMU-Q,” said Sam.

tirelessly as a tight-knit team throughout the 72-hour competition, they never actually shared the same whiteboard when tackling the problems. “I was in India and the other guys were in Qatar. We never met up; we discussed the problems over WhatsApp and communicated visually by Skype,” said Sam. “It was just something that came along, and it was 72 hours that we gladly dedicated our lives to.”

With the clock ticking, the team knew they were up against some of the finest CS minds from across the globe. The 10 problems were distributed in such a way that teams were unaware which problem was going to be the hardest or how long

members would sleep while the others kept going. As the competition progressed the team received regular updates on their ranking. “At one stage we dropped from seventh place to somewhere in the 60s,” said Khan. “Each problem matters, so when you solve one and it passes all the checks, you can jump from a really low rank to a high rank.” “Yeah, like when we finished the 10th problem, we suddenly jumped from second to first place, that was a great feeling,” said Qusai. While ranking first in a major international coding competition is obviously a great boost for all involved, the CMU-Q teammates prefer to consider the process of problem solving, coding and solution testing as their main motivator. “With us it’s not about winning; it’s about the fun we have tackling these really difficult problems,” said Qusai. Teammate Omer agrees: “It definitely needs to be fun, and it needs to relate to your passion for solving problems.” The team received broad acclaim on their return to the Education City campus last month, with notes of congratulations from many of their CS heroes, including Harvard CS50 tutor Professor David Malan and Bhiksha Raj, computer science professor at CMU in Pittsburgh. As the four settle back into college life, they are all keen to apply their coding skills to real-life applications and to develop something new for a global audience. “I think we’d all like to get involved in something bigger now. It would be great to work on a long-term project,” said Sam. “We’re looking at maybe building

“I was definitely going back through my CMU-Q class notes before the competition because I really needed to remember some stuff,” he said. While the four CS majors worked

any one problem would take. “We tried to solve several problems at the same time so we wouldn’t get stuck on any single item,” said Khan. The team worked to a “loose roster” where one of the

something from scratch; we have a couple of product ideas in mind but nothing concrete yet. It’s early days; we’re thinking maybe over the winter break we’ll have more time to experiment and build.”

“We tried to solve several problems at the same time so we wouldn’t get stuck on any single item,” said Khan

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AFTER SCHOOL

DANCE DROP! U O Y L TIL

BY NA KEERTARU KODU

“It would be such a shame not to exploit a talent that one possesses, till you possibly could,” says Serah Sampath of D4Dance, a dance group that believes that their talents have transformed their lives.

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aking Bollywood music by the horns, steering ahead onto stages performing live shows and making music videos for others to learn from is the current trend in the virtual world. ‘Come on come on, turn the radio on’ is not just an anthem around the world but also the feeling when members from D4Dance group get together. ‘Baby, I don’t need the dollar bills to have fun tonight’ is not just a line from the popular song ‘Cheap Thrills’, but also a virtue they strongly believe in. Serah, one of the creative leads, who also works in a PR firm for a living, spoke to Campus this issue on her passion for this art form, journey and future aspirations. “Sometimes, it’s your passion that keeps you connected to/with everything that you are living towards; whether it rewards you enough financially or not, is not always the biggest priority one should hold on to,” says Serah who is a gulf child (a funny term for Indian expats who’ve lived in the Middle East for most of their life); Qatar will always be home to this young lady who aspires to inspire. If anyone met this talented group of dancers, one would instantly feel the positive vibes that they send across the room and into the world with their passion. Performing has been an exhilarating experience for these youngsters. D4Dance represents a great mix of passionate and enthusiastic dancers ranging from the age of 16 to 42. “We have dancers who go to school and those of us who have day jobs as well. We currently have about 12 regular members. ” Apart from the school kids, they are all employed in the various fields of media, IT, finance, procu rement, manpower and project management. The choreographers, Aman and Serah, are the creative heads behind the success of this group whose journey started about four years ago when they moved to Doha. She says, “Aman and I were dance partners in India for about four years. I was trying my best to create a team here and start dancing after getting back from Bangalore. But nobody here was technically

trained and it was difficult to find someone with the same level of understanding for professional dancing. When Aman moved to Doha after securing a job with Hamad Medical Corporation, everything else panned out on its own.” They draw inspiration from things and moments that happen around them in everyday life. Learning an art form from childhood is as important as mainstream education, believed her parents. “My parents have always instilled music and the performing arts in our lives. They are both extremely talented singers and my dad plays a number of musical instruments. We would all take music classes. This is where my motivation comes from and there is always so much to learn from every form. One of my dreams is to see the performing arts here, the way I have seen them in Bangalore. The sudden leap from just doing cinematic dancing in my school to this whole new world in India was phenomenal,” says Serah. “I started dancing at

“We have dancers who go to school and those of us who have day jobs as well. We currently have about 12 regular members.”

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Aman

Pramod

Serah

a very young age in school and have been very passionate about it. But it was Bangalore that made me a dancer! I fell in love with the appreciation people have for the performing arts. It always made me reach out for something better within myself and I find a lot of freedom in it. Dance is something that has made me find some of the closest friends I have today,” says Aman. Starting off in India as D4DanceIndia, the team expanded itself when one of the members shifted to Germany and started D4DanceGermany. “The aim was always to expand and spread the love for dancing wherever we went. We thought it was best to represent our love with the place we are from; that’s why D4Dance Doha.” T he large st crowd that they’ve performed for was 14,000 people at a corporate event for the Ministry of Interior. For a long time, Arabs have had an everlasting love connection with Bollywood for its drama and glamor incorporating it into their daily lives by watching movies, dancing to the tunes, etc. “They are in love with the cinematic world and also have Bollywood themes for their henna and wedding ceremonies. The arrangement for the hall and the effort taken is spectacular; you feel like you’re in a big fat Indian wedding.” What goes into performing on stage? “A lot of practice. We usually

it and lots of fun with an amazing team,” says Serah. Some of their mentionable performances would be the Qatar Foundation events, WorleyParsons Annual Day and the Mannai Annual ICT get-together. They’ve had about 205 shows so far and have a lot more events lined up for this year. The pure love for dance and wanting to do something new here in Qatar is what keeps them going. “There is a lot more to this art form than cinematic dancing and we want parents to open their mindsets and views a little more to accept and acknowledge dance. Yes, we do use Bollywood as our base but there are so many more styles and forms that are incorporated into our choreographies based on client requirements.” What does the future have in store for the group? “We hope to keep going strong and undeterred for as long as we can. A school or institution of sorts is on the cards. We also hope to convey the message that all of us are unique in our own way. We are constantly on the lookout for talented dancers, singers and performers. We hope to inspire a few souls out there who would like to join us on this journey, says Serah. Talking about the lessons learnt along the way, she says: “We have had more failures than success in our journey but it makes us who we are and we would do it all over again in a heartbeat! We are glad that we never gave up on dancing and

have 8-10 shows every month during season time, so we take time out during the week after work and school and on weekends to rehearse. A majority of the costumes and accessories have been sourced by our friends back in India or by my sister from Bombay. We make our members do about 10 push-ups for every mistake but it’s totally worth

performing arts and I can’t imagine life here without it. We have been able to meet some wonderful people on our journey so far and, most importantly, give back to social causes back home in India with our earnings here. These are the things that matter to us, that someone somewhere smiled or had a good day.”

“We make our members do about 10 push-ups for every mistake but it’s totally worth it and lots of fun with an amazing team”

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CAREER TRIVIA

QUESTIONS YOU MUST ANSWER ON YOUR CAREER PROFILE For most millennials and recent graduates, having an online profile on various social media and networking platforms is nearly a no-brainer. After all, the abundance of social media sites and tech-savvy users makes creating and maintaining an online profile an effortless experience.

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But many recent graduates may stumble when it comes to creating a professional, employable, and networking-friendly profile. There are more tricks that must be studied and more information that needs to be provided when attempting to create this type of career tool. Bayt.com offers jobseekers of all ages and experience levels the ease of building an online profile with an exposure to more than 40,000 employers. The profile can be easily populated based on the candidate’s CV. Indeed, Bayt.com offers a wide range of services that complement the candidates profile including customized CV evaluation and writing, cover letter assistance, and premium profile options. That being said, your professional profile functions as the vanguard of your application; it serves as the brand that you use to promote yourself, and the main message that you send across the platform.

In order to ensure that your profile is complete and is generating as much exposure and career opportunities as possible, take a look at the three most important questions that your professional profile must answer:

What is your target job?

What do you know about the industry?

You already know how critical it is to provide information on your previous positions, experiences, education, and training. Yet, hiring companies aren’t able to see the full picture solely based on that information. You need to explain to your potential employer what is it that you aspire to do, where you want to do it, and what type of position will allow you to do it. This is truly important for recent graduates as well as those seeking an entry-level position, where the lack of specific targeted jobs may cause a potential employer to dismiss your profile as irrelevant. Bayt.com profiles allow you to include information about your targeted job including industry, location, career level, and employment type. Additionally, listing your targeted industries, locations, and positions will make your profile more search-friendly. Employers searching for specific keywords based on the requirements and responsibilities of the vacant position will easily locate and access your profile if those keywords are present on it.

Even though you may not have an extensive experience in the career you are attempting to pursue, employers still need to know why your profile is relevant and how you are well-qualified for a particular position. Bayt.com conducted a survey to find what employers look for the most in a candidate’s public profile. The top-cited reason (24% of respondents) was industry knowledge and expertise. Do not be discouraged because you have not built an encyclopedia for your desired industry. Make sure that you display the information that reflects your general familiarity with the relevant industry and your awareness of the latest trends and changes. For example, a Bayt.com profile allows you to navigate industry-relevant topics, participate in online discussions, and share your thoughts and opinions where appropriate. Beyond that, you need to familiarize yourself with the general technological, structural, and economic changes of the industry and be prepared for industry-specific questions.

Though you will not outright measure your commitment level and display

How it on your profile, you need to prove to hiring companies that you are committed serious about a specific career prospect. Saying that you are interested in field is not sufficient. Young graduates have the most flexibility in are you to achoosing and changing a career path. Employers need to know that you the job? are invested in the position you are applying for. Talk about your previous positions where you had to deal with different challenges. Discuss how you struggled in a new industry but quickly managed to learn the new skills and did not retreat. Present the initiatives that you launched and carried to the finish line. Refer to your extracurricular activities and hobbies that complement your career passion. Overall, show the potential employer that you always give 100%.

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 26,000,000 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.

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YOUTH CONNECT

The Journey of

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2016

When a group of talented choir singers came all the way from Germany to perform in Doha, they fell in love with the desert country and the musicians of Doha Youth Choir who hosted them. As written by Julian Scharffenberg and Audrey Bresser, The Junges Consortium Berlin.

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“Wir sind hier!”

(“We are here!”) was the title of our choir concert at the German International School Doha on October 1, with our host, the Doha Youth and Junior Choir. Months before, in Berlin, we saw this poster for the first time. Although it was just a poster, it meant a lot more to us since it was the symbol of what we had achieved as a choir in our first year of existence and what we aimed for since our first rehearsal. The Junges Consortium Berlin is a youth choir from Berlin, founded in September 2015 by Vinzenz Weissenburger. Many of us have been singing together for many years in the Berlin State Opera Children’s Chorus where we have won many choir prizes and awards and thereby learned and grown out of the age-limits in the children’s choir together. However, the choir rapidly built its own identity by performing in nearly ten concerts during the first year, working together with other choirs and orchestras and rehearsing intensely for three weekends in addition to the weekly rehearsals. So we prepared well this time around too to perform for a concert tour in Doha. Musically we can prepare a lot, but for the rest, the culture, our hosts, even the weather, we could only anticipate. But there

advisable!). On September 28, we finally left for Doha, eager to present our voices to an international audience. Even the seven-hour flight to Doha will be forever imprinted on our memory, as after discovering that a choir was traveling among them, the stewards asked us to sing for them and we performed Locus iste by Anton Bruckner on the airplane. We all were deeply moved by the heart-warming welcome the Doha Youth Choir gave us right at the beginning of our journey at Hamad International Airport in Qatar. Since the parents of the members of the DYC hosted us, we had the unique chance not only to make music together but also to get to know the members of the DYC. During the following days, we had wonderful encounters with the Middle School Choir of the American School Doha (ASD), with students of the Qatar-Finland International (QFI) School Doha and, of course, with the Doha Youth and Junior Choir with whom we spent most of our time. Beside these fantastic artistic experiences, we had the opportunity to discover Doha´s most fascinating tourist attractions, for example the Museum of Islamic Art which left us completely

wonderfully organized by the event team of the DYC. As tourists, the most memorable day was when we stayed overnight in the desert: the feeling of being this close to paradise was indescribable. Luckily, we weren’t just tourists in Doha but mainly choir singers and so we spent the other days singing and performing in concerts, making every day as memorable as possible. The ultimate highlight of our visit to Doha was undoubtedly our concert with the Doha Youth and Junior Choir at the German International School Doha. Already knowing some of the kids and their families as our lovely hosts and having a shared warm-up the day before, we were nevertheless overwhelmed by the power of music in the right place at the right time. We couldn’t have dreamed of a more enthusiastic and considerate audience which appreciated our traditional German folk songs as much as a popular arrangement of Beethoven´s Ode to Joy and followed us on our musical journey around the world. Performing along with great new voices, we managed to unite our choirs in singing three pieces together, conducted respectively by Alena Pyne, conductor of the DYC, and Vinzenz

was nothing to worry about – the communication via email with our host families started even before we actually met them (which is unusual as many of us learned on other trips, but highly

stunned, not only because of the architecture of the building, but also the collections which were beyond compare. Visiting Souq Waqif was another highlight in our daily schedule, which was

Weissenburger, our conductor. We want to thank the Doha Youth Choir and Alena Pyne for the cultural and artistic exchange and partnership which emerged from this beautiful journey.

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TECH TALK

MAKING TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBLE BRAILLEEASY, A CUSTOM ONE-HANDED BRAILLE KEYBOARD DEVELOPED IN QATAR, HAS NOW BEEN LAUNCHED ON THE iOS APP STORE. The app combines the comfort of one-handed typing with the speed of two-handed Braille-like typing, and can be used by both Arabic and English-speaking users. It comes with an extensive tutorial that walks the user through step by step, the set of gestures is easy to learn and execute, and being self-voicing makes it possible for those who do not depend on screen readers to use it fully. It also paves the way for those with limited hand movement to type in Braille on

HANDHELD HAJJ THE MINISTRY OF AWQAF AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS HAS LAUNCHED AN UPDATED VERSION OF A MOBILE APPLICATION FOR PILGRIMS FROM QATAR WHICH HELPS THEM REMAIN CONNECTED WITH QATAR’S HAJ MISSION IN MAKKAH DURING THE PILGRIMAGE.

‘Hajj Guide’ is available on Android and Apple app stores and will help pilgrims send their location to the mission in case they lose their way, according to Qatar News Agency. “The app will enable the pilgrims to directly contact the help desk at the mission and send their location if

and 8003040444 from Saudi Arabia,” he added. The app includes several services like details related to the Hajj including rituals, fatwas, prayers, information about Hajj tour operators and important telephone numbers for hospitals operating in Arafat and

they need any help,” said Abdul Hadi Obaid Al Marri, Head of IT Unit at the mission. “The help desk can be contacted through the app on 132 from Qatar

Mina. To track the movements of buses ferrying pilgrims from Qatar to Saudi Arabia a GPS system is being installed and connected with the IT unit at the mission.

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their touch screen. The application was developed by researchers at the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI). Stephan Vogel, the research director of QCRI’s Arabic Research Technologies, said the app was released for free of charge and its code has been released as open source. “The idea is to send BrailleEasy out into the community so that other developers, both local and worldwide, can add to it, improve it and adapt it to other languages,” said Dr Vogel.

“WE APPLAUD UNICODE FOR THE DIVERSIFICATION OF EMOJIS IN RECENT YEARS. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN IT SHOULD STOP NOW. WITH THE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY IN THIS WORLD, WE MUST BE REPRESENTED.” – 15-year-old Rayouf Alhumedhi who drafted a proposal submitted to the Unicode Technical Committee to request the addition of new emojis like “woman in headscarf/hijab” to better represent the roughly 550 million Muslim women who wear the hijab.

A HOME ON MARS SPACEX AND TESLA CEO ELON MUSK LAID OUT HIS PLAN FOR MAKING HUMANS A “MULTIPLANETARY SPECIES” AND CREATING A SELF-SUSTAINING CIVILIZATION ON MARS. Musk has a plan for creating a millionperson-strong civilization on Mars, complete with pizza joints. If everything goes smoothly, it would take around ‘40 to 100 years’ to achieve a fully selfsustaining civilization of around 1 million people on Mars, following the first flight there, he said. Musk envisions loading these interplanetary spaceships with around 100 people, plus cargo, and the entire fleet, with over 1,000 spaceships, would be launched from orbit en masse. The trip would take around 80 days, but that time frame

could drop to as little as 30 days in the more distant future. Musk added that the trip would be fun—you’d be able to float around in the spaceship, just like in the movies, and there would even be a restaurant inside. Plus, once you got to Mars, the composition of the planet’s atmosphere would allow you to lift really heavy things with ease and “bound around.” The length of days would be remarkably close to that on Earth, and jobs would obviously be plentiful.”It would be really fun to go,” Musk teased. “You’re gonna have a great time.”

TAKING ON THE TROLLS TWITTER MIGHT STILL BE STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO COMBAT TROLLS, BUT IN THE UK, AUTHORITIES HAVE ADDED NEW OFFENSES TO THE LIST OF ONLINE BEHAVIORS THAT COULD LAND YOU IN HOT WATER WITH THE CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE (CPS). Released during Hate Crime Awareness Week in the UK, the rules help attorneys effectively bring legal action against social media harassers. Crimes like “virtual mobbing,” or encouraging others to participate in online

prosecutions in England and Wales, also included sections on violence against women and girls, hate crimes, and vulnerable victims. Also on the list of offenses is “baiting”— the act of humiliating a person online by

harassment campaigns (ahem), and creating derogatory hashtags meant to humiliate people will be prosecuted just as if the offenses occurred offline. CPS, the public agency for criminal

labelling them as sexually promiscuous or posting edited images of people on social networks; and it covers sexting as it pertains to images taken of children under 18.

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FITNESS

TRX BASICS Personal trainer, Ahmed Samir from Anytime Fitness, demonstrates a simple and effective workout for your core muscles.

Invented by a former US Navy SEAL, TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) turns every workout into a challenge for the core by using two very accessible resources: gravity and your own bodyweight. All you have to do is anchor the TRX straps to a secure spot (think a weight machine, a door frame, or even monkey bars or a basketball hoop pole if you’re getting creative) and use either your feet or hands—depending on the exercise—to hold onto the straps.

01.

TRX CHEST PRESS TO STANDING ROLLOUT Start with a handle in each hand, facing away from the pivot point. Move your feet back so that you’re in push-up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Keep your midsection pulled in tight as you slowly lower yourself into a push-up. Press yourself back to the starting position. Then, keeping your arms straight as possible, reach straight overhead to elongate your body and force more of the work on your core. Pull your hands back to push-up position and repeat.

02.

TRX SUSPENDED LUNGE Facing away from the anchor point, place your left foot in both TRX straps, and plant your right foot firmly on the ground. Lower down into a lunge, extending the left leg behind you, without losing the bend in your knee. Return to starting position and repeat on the other leg.

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03.

TRX LOW ROW Grab the handles with your palms facing one another. Lean all the way back until the weight is on your heels and your arms are extended out in front of you, with the body forming a diagonal. Squeeze shoulder blades together and keep your core tight as you bend your elbows and pull torso up to meet your hands. Lower to return to start.

04.

TRX SQUAT WITH JUMP Start off by holding both handles in front of your waist, elbows bent by sides. Lower down into a squat, extending arms in front of you at eye level. Push yourself back up to start with a jump.

05.

TRX ATOMIC PUSH-UP WITH BOSU BALL Slip your feet into the cradles so that the tops of feet face the floor. Put both hands on the edges of the bosu ball. Lower body down into a push-up. As you press your body back up into plank position, bring knees in toward elbows, allowing legs to draw apart. Hold for a few seconds and then return to start.

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01 02 03 BREW UP A SCARE!

This Smoking Cauldronshaped mister will turn that boring tap water into creepy mist to set the ambiance. The mister cycles between red, blue, and orange and then all three at once for four different color options.

GET GADGETY

DON’T BE A HALLO-WEENY!

Are you throwing a Halloween party? Whether it’s at your dorm, the student center or at your best friend’s place when the parents aren’t around, make your shindig the talk of the campus with these fun Halloween-themed party essentials.

ZOMBIE-FLAVORED MONOPOLY

Entertain your guests with this Walking Dead Monopoly where players vie for, and fortify, the prime real estate and resources that will sustain their lives. This completely customized game features six collectible tokens, optional speed play, and a fight to the finish! Includes: Game Board, 6 Metal Playing Pieces, 28 Title Deeds, 16 Scavenge (Chance) cards, 16 Supply Chest (Community Chest) cards, Supply Bills (money), 32 Houses (renamed Walls), 12 Hotels (renamed Guard Towers), 2 Dice, and Rules/Instructions.

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TRICK OR TREE-T

Despite what you have learnt in science class, on a dark, spooky night, trees are NOT your friends. Build your own anthropomorphic creation with this Spooky Living Tree set which comes with a plastic face and two arms that you can attach to any tree in the vicinity. Buy multiples to create your own Dark Forest.

04 SUMMON THE DARK ONE

What a wonderful time to gather the kids around and worship Cthulhu. Fans of the world of H. P. Lovecraft will go mad over this Cthulhu Tribute Box, featuring a hefty hand-painted figurine of The Ancient One himself, perfect for displaying during cult meetings. Also included is an altarpiece stand and a 48-page booklet containing sketches, illustrations, and references to the Great Old One in Lovecraft’s works.

06 07 GIVE YOUR FOOD SOME PERSONALITY

Everyone knows you can’t serve regular food at Halloween parties. Stick on these eyes to your hamburger buns, vegetables or cupcakes and watch the populace freak out. They are fully edible and 100% fun and each sheet of Edible Eyes comes with ten expressions.

05 SPIDERS NOT INCLUDED

There are two ways to get the spider-infested, dusty, spooky haunted house look. Some people may choose not to clean their houses for months and have cobwebs galore, but those of you who keep a clean house need a dependable way to create realistic webs. The Webcaster Gun hooks up to the blower port of any shop vac with a 1.25” hose and sprays creepy crawly cobwebs all over your haunted house. BYOS (Bring your own spiders)

CEREBRAL COASTERS

Give your party the mad scientist vibe while protecting the surfaces from rings. Each set of Brain Specimen Coasters comes with ten glass coasters with a slice of brain printed on it. If you stack your Brain Specimen Coasters in the proper order and look from the proper angle, you’ll see a full brain.

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WHAT’S COOL

BOLD AND BEAUT IFUL

SMOOTH AS SILK

Extremely fine and meltingly smooth, the pink gold of Global Youth Silky Sheer Cream from Givenchy’s signature collection,L’Intemporel, permeates the skin for a comfortable feeling that’s irresistibly light, yet intense.

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Rock the ultimate flawless complexion this Fall with Kat Von D Beauty’s new high performance Lock-It Concealer Crème, the first formula that brings together everything you wanted in a concealer. Paired with a groundbreaking precision-crafted makeup brush, these high-performance formulas are 100% vegan and 100% cruelty-free and will help you create the perfect complexion canvas.

04 O M GEL!

ORIENTAL RICHNESS

Deep Euphoria from Calvin Klein opens with notes of cascalone and black magic rose that intertwine to create an aura of humidity throughout the entire fragrance, imparting a sultry wetness that enhances the signature sensuality. The top and mid’s mix of white pepper, mandarin leaves, black magic rose, geranium and jasmine sambac brings a modern femininity and a pure quality of richness to the fragrance, and the drydown of enveloping sensual musk brings a smooth, sensual texture that is rich and undeniably sensual, immersing you deep within the fragrance, evoking warmth and pleasure.

Sally Hansen has done it again, developing six new shades of Miracle Gel and adding to the award-winning Sally Hansen Miracle Gel collection: the most buzzed about at-home nail system and the closest thing to a salon gel manicure at home. When partnered with the Miracle Gel shades, Miracle Gel Top Coat volumizes as it protects. The Top Coat formula delivers twice the volume to your manicure, creating dramatically fuller-looking nails with a high-gloss, mirror-shine finish.

BYE-BYE PANDA EYES Rimmel London reveals new Scandal’Eyes Reloaded Mascara for dangerously bold, lethally full lashes that delivers sweat-proof, smudge-proof, humidityproof, up to 24-hour wear that can handle every aspect of your non-stop life, from the gym to clubbing. And yet it’s ultra-easy to remove with just warm water. In addition to a lash-plumping formula with collagen and keratin, this mascara contains wax-modified polymer for a deep black lacquer effect.

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AROUND TOWN

JUST KEEP SWIMMING

RIO 2016 OLYMPIC MEDALISTS GO HEAD TO HEAD IN THE FINA AIRWEAVE SWIMMING WORLD CUP AT HAMAD AQUATIC CENTRE. Hungary’s Iron lady Katinka Hosszu, Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson and Brazil’s Felipe Lima were among the star performers with 18 fast and furious finals featuring a number of Olympic medallists, world-record holders and world champions. The event enabled Qatar to enhance its reputation further as a leading host and force within international sport, especially in swimming. The swimming spectacle also saw Japan’s Daiya Seto snag two gold medals in the 200 m butterfly and 400 m individual medley while Ukraine’s Daryna Zevina won one gold in the 200 m backstroke and 1 silver medal in the 50 m backstroke. Crowd favorite Jeanette Ottesen from Denmark and Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson won one gold each in the 100 m butterfly and 100 m breaststroke respectively. Qatar’s 15-year-old Abdelrahman Mohamed performed admirably in front of home fans, while 11-year old Alzain Tareq of Bahrain made a remarkable debut as she starts out on a journey in a quest for an Olympic medal in Tokyo. The experienced Hosszu recorded four victories across the 200 m freestyle, 50 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley and 800 m freestyle.

VICTORY FOR EDUCATION

THE WORLD INNOVATION SUMMIT FOR EDUCATION (WISE), A LEADING INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE DRIVING INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION IN EDUCATION, ANNOUNCED THE SIX WINNING PROJECTS OF THE 2016 WISE AWARDS. Every year recipients of the WISE Awards join a network of successful and pioneering projects through which they gain global visibility and are given an opportunity to collaborate through various platforms, such as WISE Communications, WISE Publications and

experts then evaluates 15 shortlisted projects that aim at building a network of change-makers and inspiring others around the world. Stavros N. Yiannouka, CEO, WISE, said: “These projects reflect the values of WISE in supporting a range of education priorities, and meeting

the WISE Summit. Projects also receive $20,000 and are celebrated at the WISE Summit and other WISE events. Independent education consultants from Parthenon-EY assess the applicants and a jury comprising international education

important needs in diverse communities. We are confident that they are strong models that will inspire others to help build a more secure and prosperous future for individuals and societies everywhere through education.”

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CELEBRATING CHAMPIONS

QATAR OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT SHEIKH JOAAN BIN HAMAD AL THANI MET WITH RIO 2016 OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST, MUTAZ BARSHIM, AND PARALYMPIC SILVER MEDALISTS, ABDELRAHMAN ABDELQADER AND SARA MASOUD TO CELEBRATE THEIR HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS. Star high jumper Barshim made history at Rio 2016 by becoming the first-ever Qatari Olympic silver medalist, improving on his bronze medal from the London 2012 Olympic Games. The 25-yearold cleared 2.36 m in the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, second only to Canada’s Derek Drouin who jumped a season-best 2.38 m. Paralympian Abdelqader, ranked 3rd worldwide, meanwhile took Qatar’s first-ever silver medal in the shot put F34 event with a throw of 11.15 m. Sara Masoud, 30, won the silver medal in the F33 class, thus becoming Qatar’s first-ever female Paralympic medallist entering the history books with an impressive 5.09 m throw.

READ ALONG

MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART PARK HOSTED THE NATIONAL READING CAMPAIGN WHERE QATAR FOUNDATION INSPIRED LOCAL CHILDREN WITH A LEARN-THROUGH-PLAY APPROACH. With a range of ‘edutainment’ activities on offer, children took part in themed storytelling sessions, hands-on oversized games, and intriguing book swaps. Additionally, its innovative Reading Truck, a dedicated vehicle operating as a mobile library, was stationed alongside the interactive pop-up booth. The event was a part of the campaign’s ongoing community outreach initiative, which aims at inspiring a book-loving culture and demonstrated to parents and children alike the importance of combining reading, entertainment and quality family time. The National Reading Campaign also hosted activities at Hyatt Plaza recently.

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