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WITH THE NATIONAL DAY AROUND THE CORNER, CAMPUS PICKED STUDENTS’ BRAINS ACROSS UNIVERSITIES ON THE ONE THING THAT MADE THEM MOST PROUD TO BE A QATARI AND SOME OF THEIR BEST MEMORIES IN QATAR. WE PUT TOGETHER SOME OFF-THE-CUFF AND TOUCHING RESPONSES IN THIS ISSUE. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER NATIONAL INSTITUTION - KARAK. WE SHED LIGHT ON SOME AMAZING PROJECTS PRESENTED AT WISE THIS YEAR AND THE WORLD ROBOTICS OLYMPIAD THAT WAS HELD IN QATAR FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE IS AN EXCITING STORY ON EVERY PAGE OF THIS YEAR-END ISSUE. HAPPY NATIONAL DAY!

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.

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ISSUE 30 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015

16THE CLASH OF METAL

AND SILICONThe World Robotics Olympiad, which

took place for the first time in Qatar, saw more than 3,000 participants from over

45 countries compete across various robotics challenges over three days.

TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN ADDRESS HUMAN

QUESTIONSFacebook’s Site Director Serkan Piantino, a CMU alumnus, was at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar recently to speak

about the future of computing.

20FOR THE STUDENTS, BY THE STUDENTSCampus caught up with the Learner’s Voice Program 2014-15 cohorts, aged 17-20, on their new projects and why they needed funding and motivation from stakeholders.

10

THE CALL OF KARAK Whether you have spent your entire life in Qatar, have just moved here or visiting, there is no question about Karak becoming a pivotal part of your everyday life, whether you like it or not.

14RUNWAY RECAP

What’s common between New York, London, Paris and Milan? Fashion, Glamour and Runways! The

Spring 2016 collection is all about F-U-N! Here are five absolutely fresh trends that you won’t be able

to part with this season!

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A STUDENT ROUNDTABLE ON SYRIAN REFUGEESThree International Affairs majors from Qatar University share their thoughts on the unfolding Syrian refugee crisis in Europe and elsewhere, the international response and their responsibility as students.

QATAR - MEMORIES AND LEGACYWith the National Day coming up,Campus spoke to residents and nationals about their best memories of Qatar and what they were most proud of about the country.

EYE ON IELTS British Council Qatar recently held its third IELTS stakeholders event providing a platform for interaction between the British council and decision makers in the field of education, learning and development in Qatar.

THE CONQUEST OF CLIFFSThe story of how New Horizons – a space probe that would go on to explore the veiled edges of the solar system – begins with a postage stamp issued in October 1991

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6 ISSUE 30 2015

CAMPUS NEWS

THE INTERACTIVE MATH AND SCIENCE EXHIBITION, MATHALIVE! OPENED ITS DOORS AT THE QATAR SCIENTIFIC CLUB (QSC) WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF VIP GUESTS AND STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS ACROSS QATAR. It is a collaboration between Qatar Foundation (QF), the QSC and Raytheon Company, and is aligned with QF’s continued efforts to strengthen a culture of education, innovation and scientific research. Covering more than 350 square meters, MathAlive! interactive modules span across building design, football, space travel, video games and more, bringing math and science to life for late primary and early secondary school students. One of the main highlights of MathAlive! is the new “Penalty Block” simulator, which has been introduced exclusively to Qatar. It gives students an exciting virtual experience to explore mathematical concepts behind one aspect of the country’s favorite sport – football. The exhibition has been extended until 10 December.

MATH COMES ALIVE

HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY LAUNCHED THIS YEAR’S EBDA LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH A SERIES OF THREE INTERACTIVE DISCUSSIONS LED BY CONTEMPORARY ISLAMIC SCHOLAR DR TARIQ RAMADAN.

The program is an initiative that is open to all HBKU students as well as those enrolled at HBKU’s partner universities across Education City. It teaches the fundamentals of leadership by placing partici-pants in challenging situations outside of the classroom that require high levels of collaborative effort as well as critical and creative thinking skills, and by encouraging them to interact directly with thought leaders such as Dr Ramadan. Reflecting on the sessions, Dr Ramadan said, “This was a great opportunity to meet the students from diverse backgrounds and to share with them the common universal values regarding leadership”. The discussion series is the first of many EBDA events that have been organized by the HBKU Student Affairs team for the 2015-2016 academic year. Other initiatives as part of the program include an outdoor leadership development trip to Oman and a week-long leadership workshop called LeaderShape.

INSPIRING FUTURE LEADERS

8 ISSUE 30 2015

EXPLORING THE SCIENCE OF FLIGHTUpcoming young aerospace engineers from BAE Systems hosted a series of skill-building workshops and career-oriented presentations for students across Qatar. Supported by Qatar University, the week-long visit was part of BAE Systems’ STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) educational outreach program, which has been actively engaging with students and educators in Qatar since 2010. “In Qatar and around the world, BAE Systems is committed to supporting and developing the skills of young people – inspiring them to drive innovation in the community and pursue fulfilling careers in the fields of science and engineering,” said Martin Bennett, Managing Director Middle East & Africa for BAE Systems.

AIMED AT TRAINING MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS, BEDAYA AND QATAR SHELL HAVE JOINTLY KICKED-OFF THE ‘ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE QATAR’ 2015 PROGRAM.

This year the annual challenge has expanded and is designed to encourage and inspire the entrepreneurial spirit among young people in Qatar and aims at reaching all universities across Qatar. More than 100 volunteer mentors, who have been trained by Bedaya and Qatar Shell, will coach the student partici-pants on ethical business, and train them on how to navigate a computer-based business simulation, ahead of the Grand Final. A recent Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Qatar Centre for Voluntary Activities to enable more volunteer mentors to join the program. The Universities’ Grand Final was held on November 28, where finalist teams competed head-to-head for the winning trophy.

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

THE ART OF THE WRITTEN WORDLEADING SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EXPLORED THE ROLE OF WRITING IN ISLAMIC ART AND CULTURE DURING THE SIXTH BIENNIAL HAMAD BIN KHALIFA SYMPOSIUM ON ISLAMIC ART. The symposium celebrated its tenth anniversary and explored the topic, “By the Pen and What They Write: Writing in Islamic Art and Culture”. Twelve speakers discussed some of the earliest Arabic scripts that have been found on rocks in the desert prior to Islam and the importance of paper to facilitate the spreading of the Qur’an’s message. The second day of the symposium commenced with “The Birth of Arabic Writing in Stone,” presented by Robert Hoyland, who reviewed the earliest Arabic script found on rocks on the desert margins of the Levant and Arabia in the centuries prior to Islam. Day Two closed with a lively panel discussion that included all speakers, and allowed the audience to actively participate and contribute. Jonathan Bloom opened the third and last day of the symposium with a discussion on: “How Paper Changed Islamic Literary and Visual Culture,” followed by Kristine Rose Beers’: “Reading with Conservators: The Language of Book Archaeology,” which analysed the modern technology used to conserve paper.

12 ISSUE 30 2015

QATAR: MEMORIES

AND LEGACY

By Suad Ashimi and Rob AltamiranoWith the National Day coming up Campus spoke to residents

and nationals about their best memories of Qatar and what they were most proud of about the country.

13 2015 ISSUE 30

SARA BADER KHALED MU ALGHARAIR

I spent last year’s national day in the Sheraton hotel, sitting by the sea with my little new baby boy in my lap, who was resting his small head against

my beating heart as we watched the fireworks together. Unforgettable view and feeling.

FATMA JABER ELAHBABYIt is so difficult to talk about only one great memory of Qatar ...

but I will try. It was the year 2006, during the Asian Games. For 15 days, everyone in Qatar, nationals or otherwise, lived like one,

supporting Qatar national teams in different games. However, the one thing that is stuck in my head is the moment when

Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad Al Thani, the son of the Emir of Qatar, rode up in his horse and climbed the bridge to light the

torch, officially starting the games. It was a breathtaking moment, nothing could be heard except for the heart beat of the

crowd, who were in shock at this unexpected move.

MESNED AL MISNED

I love how Qataris are attached to our culture and traditions, and we love to

showcase our way of life to others. We share stories about our history and how our grandparents lived with international

students here.

LALLA SAMBAThere are numerous great memories I have made in Qatar, but

according to me experiencing the food here is just the best memory I have. Even though the Qatari society is a pioneer in

preserving Qatar’s traditional food, it did not neglect the necessity of introducing a variety of food selections around the state. It is not just about foreign food, but most importantly the reinvention of Qatar’s food in an innovative form. When I travel abroad, I always miss the food and start counting the days until

my return.

14 ISSUE 30 2015

YASMINA ABDULSAMAD

The best moment of my life in Qatar was during the Asian Games 2006. I still remember those days as if it was

yesterday. All the people in Qatar were happy and excited because something different was going on, and for the

first time the world saw what Qatar was capable of. I felt really proud to belong to such an amazing country as

Qatar, even though I’m not Qatari.

ABDULLAH AL DARWISH

What I love about being Qatari is how hospitable we are. Everyone is welcome here and we treat all like our brothers and sisters. Here at Education City, we have students of

so many different nationalities in all the universities and we are all like one big family.

HIND KAMAL

One of my favorite memories of Qatar is the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. I’m a movie junkie and the DTFF gave me the chance to attend filmmaking

workshops and watch films that I won’t have access to on my own. Also meeting filmmakers and hearing their stories and how they were inspired

to make their films was an exceptional experience. I have always loved films and learned so much about other cultures from different parts of the

world. Now, looking back, if we had a film department in QU I would definitely study film. But, you know, it’s never too late to do anything you want and maybe I’ll end up doing something related to film. Being part of the DTFF Qatar was a great experience in showing the stories here that

were never told before.

ALANOUD AL KUWARI

I am very proud of our culture.

ALINA KHANThe best memories of Qatar all revolve

around the Corniche. Growing up in Qatar for the past 17 years, the

Corniche is a place that I am physically and emotionally attached to. It takes me

back to my childhood and I relive it. I love the Corniche now and forever.

15 2015 ISSUE 30

AHMED ANSARII feel Qatar is one of the leading

countries in the world today and I am both humbled and honored to witness what my brothers and sisters are doing

to help make Qatar one of the most successful countries.

MOHAMMED AL HOR

I am proud of Qatar’s accomplish-ments over the years and how much we have seen Qatar grow in the past

10 years.

MARYAM AL NAEMII can’t choose just one thing about Qatar that makes me proud. I love my culture, traditions and the country and an event

like this [Qatari Student Association meeting] is one of the few ways we can

show our admiration.

ALI AL NAAMA

I am proud of our heritage and culture, and the things Qatar has been through

which have led to its development.

NASSER AL KUBAISIIt’s amazing to think how

Qatar was built and developed in just a few

years.

16 ISSUE 30 2015

The rich, milky tea with a burst of cardamom and sweetness has always been a prominent beverage in Qatari tradition. Whether to help you get started in the mornings or to refresh you in the evening after a long day, while hanging out with friends or during family gatherings, Karak has become unquestionable as the symbol of Qatar. Drawn by the addictiveness of this national beverage let’s stop for a second and think about it; what is Karak? And where did it originate from?

Karak, Karak tea or Karak chai as it is popularly known, is a strong brown

colored tea made with cardamom, milk and sugar. Similar to the Masala Chai from India, the tea originated from Southern Asia, India and Pakistan to be exact. Known to them as Kadak chai, migrant workers who came to Qatar earlier brought some of their traditional lifestyle among which was the significance and love for Kadak chai. And along with most of their culture, the love and addiction for the chai naturally blended into the Qatari society and re-emerged as what we call Karak today.

The Karak tea is mostly available at

Tea-Time, Naimi Tea or Karak & Chapatti outlets across the country at any time of the day. Although you might want to buckle up for the queue because everyone wants a taste of it. It is worth the wait for that soothing taste of traditional tea. And as the Karak tea continues to dominate our daily experi-ence of living in Qatar, it has become a proud symbol of the way of life of the old, the young, locals and even expats living in Qatar. So take a break, relax and sip some Karak because anytime can be Karak time!

Whether you have spent your entire life in Qatar, have just moved here or visiting, there is no question about Karak becoming a pivotal part of your everyday life,

whether you like it or not.

BY SUAD

ASHIMI

THE CALL OF KARAK

18 ISSUE 30 2015

T his year’s WRO was one of the largest in the competition’s 12-year history. The Al Shaqab Indoor Stadium was teaming

with young people in various brightly colored outfits – some dressed up like astronauts to demonstrate their mining robots meant for Mars, others in military fatigues and still more as sailors. Russia, South Korea and Qatar had a large number of teams participating across the different challenges – Robot Football, Bowling, Mountaineering and more. With a theme centered around materials and mining, the teams had set up stalls to explain and demonstrate their creations – whether it be hunting for usable materials in space or under the sea.

Elementary school children were chal-lenged to build a robot that can dive and explore the seabed for pearls – a nod to Qatar’s rich pearl-diving history. Junior high school students were tasked with building a helper that can explore unknown, and often

hostile, locations; this challenge was modeled after a treasure hunt. High school students had to build a robot that could collect supplies and deliver them to outposts high in the mountains.

Some of the other guests like LEGO MINDSTORMS were able to inspire the young children with their fantastic creations assembled from nothing but LEGO pieces and over-the-counter electronics: a touch-sensitive

robot snake that greeted visitors and a bot that solved Rubik’s Cube faster than anyone could unscramble it. One of the MIND-STORMERS, a teacher from New York, was showing kids how easy it was to program the robots with the proprietary app, which made coding easier to grasp. It was definitely an exciting and inspiring event that has probably launched the careers of many future engineers and scientists.

THE CLASH OF METAL

AND SILICONThe World Robotics Olympiad, which took place for the first time in

Qatar, saw more than 3,000 participants from over 45 countries compete across various robotics challenges over three days.

20 ISSUE 30 2015

EYE ON IELTSEXPERT TALK

British Council Qatar recently held its third IELTS stakeholders event providing a platform for interaction between the council and

decision makers in the field of education, learning and development in Qatar.

BY KEERTANA KODURU

21 2015 ISSUE 30

T he new country director for British Council Qatar, Frank Fitzpatrick, opened the event by congratulating the

recipients of the 2015 IELTS Ambassador awards. IELTS is the world’s most popular English language testing system, and the British Council with its expertise and teaching resources helps students achieve language skills that are acceptable in 9,000 organizations and 135 countries.

“For Qatar wanting to move away from the carbon sector into knowledge-based services, the education work of the British Council is particularly important in contributing to the country’s vision. The language builds capacity within the society,” says Fitzpatrick. “English language is very important so people can be qualified and employable making them mobile to make a living anywhere in the world.”

“It’s about building networks on both sides. Not just about promoting the UK, but also about engaging Qatar in how they want to build their future.” Speaking about promoting art, delivering plays of Shake-speare to mark the death anniversary of this eminent poet and playwright, the British Council is currently in talks with Katara to produce Shakespeare’s plays by early next year through the campaign of ‘Shakespeare Lives’.

“Higher levels of English are taught at the centre so people can be certified and freely demonstrate their ability to speak the global language, making the examination so important. It is a passport to employability. It is spoken by nations all around the world and not by just one or two countries which is why the examinations are governed by global standards of IELTS, monitored and inspected regularly by the organization.” The University of Cambridge produces the exams in terms of academics and content whereas the British Council and IDP deliver the examination.

“Teacher training is the first step in reaching out to independent schools in Qatar and there are specific courses offered by the council. All students applying to universities here in Qatar have to take the IELTS which is one of the basic criteria for application to higher studies, be it Qatar University or other private universities.”

Dr Amanda Ingram, Director of English Services, says “There is more opportunity to train teachers and provide them the support they require for implementing best practices in classrooms. Creating the best learning environment for students to enable them to reach their full potential is my passion. Most of the work done by us in Qatar is with the Supreme Educational Council for teachers who are in primary, preparatory and secondary schools.” Two hundred teachers participated in the learning courses from SEC schools last year, confirmed Ingram.

“Online learning can sometimes be hard for people who don’t like to work on their own so we have e-moderators who set up study and support groups for students. Face-to-face modules offer expertise, and discussions keeping motivation levels high. It’s all about interaction with your students at the end of day and gives the best of both worlds.” With more than 2 million IELTS

tests taken each year around the world, this is the world’s most popular English test that is acceptable for university applications and immigration purposes.

Road to IELTS is the British Council’s popular free of charge online preparation course enhancing student experience by providing sample videos, tips from previous candidates, a ‘My Progress’ section to help you compare your performance with that of other students worldwide, timed practice tests, access to the correct answers for practice exercises, amongst other benefits.

WHY TAKE IELTS WITH THE BRITISH COUNCIL?

* Expert support

* Free resources

* Convenient dates and locations

* Easy booking

* Fast results

22 ISSUE 30 2015

For the students,

by the students

YOUNG TURKS

BY KEERTANA KODURU

23 2015 ISSUE 30

THE IMAGINE PROJECTT he project aims at transforming instructional practice through inquiry-based education in rural schools. During the site visit in Haiti, the overwhelming concern from various educational stakeholders was the lack of teacher training and skills-based learning in schools, especially in the rural areas due to a lack of funds. This presented the team with the opportunity to develop a mobile learning center on a bus to access multiple rural schools in Haiti to provide local teachers with a range of pedagogical strategies to create an engaging classroom experience and also in the process strengthen local teachers’ ability to deliver the curriculum. Schools on wheels it is! Georgetown University in Qatar’s Deena Newaz responds to questions about the project. INSPIRATION BEHIND THE CONCEPT The concept was formed and polished over the past nine months as we did further research on the social space, needs and opportunities. We started out with a team member from Haiti who was passionate about creating social change in Haiti. From there we conducted thorough research, studied lessons learned from other initiatives and incorporated different methods to create a more systemic and sustainable change.

CHALLENGES FACED ON YOUR JOURNEY TO WISEThe most challenging aspect of the program was communication and staying motivated when each of us on the team was scattered around the world and immersed in our full-time jobs or studies. Therefore, finding the time, patience and motivation to organize endless skype meetings at odd times of the day was a real challenge.

ON WORKING WITH OTHER NATIONALITIESMy team comprises of members from Mongolia, Haiti, Serbia and Somalia. That being said, they are all very diverse and bring so much knowledge and expertise to the table. It was also very interesting to learn about their everyday lives and who they are outside of the Learner’s Voice Program.

RESPONSE SO FARWe have received positive responses and offers from organizations

to collaborate and provide content for our project.

CAREER GOALS

I see myself combining my passion for gender studies and education. I would like to work in the field of girl’s education and development, and be involved in the larger humanitarian and NGO sectors. Eventually I plan on teaching. As for my team, they’re all currently working in the field of education with two members being teachers in their respective schools and another member at an education NGO in Haiti. However, we have an understanding that two of us at all times will dedicate our time to The Imagine Project when it gets funded.

PROJECT AIMThis project is a start towards transforming how we approach the challenge of education by instilling innovation and transforming familiar concepts of teacher training and quality education with new approaches and systems thinking.

PROJECT COST$120,000 (approx QR437,300)

What is WISE 2015 without young talent expressing their minds freely to discuss what can be done to improve the situation of education in the world today?

Campus caught up with the Learner’s Voice Program 2014-15 cohorts, aged 17-20, on their new projects and why they needed funding and motivation from stakeholders. The experience of meeting these young cohorts will redirect your life’s navigation

system onto a whole other road trip!

24 ISSUE 30 2015

EMPAFESTEmpafest is a do-it-yourself empathy festival with a diverse range of interactive and fun empathy-related activities for schools and organizations to implement amongst 15 to 18 year olds and it provides a unique format of an immersive and interactive festival to engage the teenage target audience, including the use of digital technology. The activities focus on three themes: self-empathy (me), empathy for others (us) and practicing empathy (transformation). Empafest is do-it-yourself, which means that the curriculum has been carefully designed for ease and effectiveness, without relying on professional facilitators. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s Nada Soudy explains the project.

INSPIRATION BEHIND THE CONCEPT Our generation is inheriting an uncertain world, with rising global inequality, discrimination and conflicts predicated on our differences and fear of each other. In the 21st century, teaching traditional subjects at schools is no longer adequate. As a team, we felt the urgency to cultivate a generation of empathetic youth to make the world a more tolerant, respectful and inclusive place.

CHALLENGES FACED ON YOUR JOURNEY TO WISEThe biggest challenge we faced as a team was trying to find a time to meet across at least five different time zones! It is extremely different to do any kind of work and to come up with a new social initiative, in weekly/bi-weekly one-hour meetings. Moreover, almost all of us were in between periods of transition: some graduated, some were between jobs or internships, some were constantly traveling or moving, etc., which meant that most of our meetings were missing at least one or two people. However, because of our deep commitment to this issue and project, we all did our best to ensure that we were up to date with meeting notes, tasks, next steps, etc.

ON WORKING WITH OTHER NATIONALITIESIt was a fantastic experience working with this highly diverse team!

But also, working with this team proved to me once again that we are really not so different after all. As a team, we shared amongst each other stories linked to the lack of empathy from within our own communities. The stories were all remarkably similar, further proving the urgency of the issue we are trying to tackle.

THE RESPONSE/PROGRESS SO FARWe conducted a small pilot in Salta, Argentina. We worked with 65 students from public, private, semi-private and rural schools. We also met with Salta’s Minister of Education, the private sector, civil society, teachers, and parents. Everyone found empathy-related activities and specifically Empafest as highly needed. The schools noted that Empafest would create a culture of understanding and collegiality to challenge negative behaviors and conflicts in a supportive environment.

CAREER GOALSI studied Foreign Service as an undergrad and had always thought that I’d pursue a career in politics. However, I didn’t feel that I’d be able to make any significant impact on the world in this field, so I decided to switch to education and development instead. Our team members are currently pursuing careers in the following fields: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, global health, human rights policy, international development, social entrepreneurship, and education.

PROJECT AIMOur mission is to empower young people with empathy to make the world a more tolerant, respectful and inclusive place. We are currently seeking partners and funders to launch our first full pilot in Salta, Argentina. Our long-term goal is to see Empafest implemented in four additional countries and in 100 schools by 2020.

PROJECT COSTS/FUNDS REQUIRED$25,000 (approx QR91,500)

25 2015 ISSUE 30

BY SUAD ASHIMI

A STUDENT ROUNDTABLE ON

SYRIAN REFUGEESThree International Affairs majors from Qatar University – Yusuf Zakareya, Fatma El Ahbaby and Aya Settawi – share their thoughts on the unfolding

Syrian refugee crisis in Europe and elsewhere, the international response and their responsibility as students.

Migrants walk down a road at the Austria - Germany border during snowfall near Wegscheid, southern Germany. Germany is expecting up to one million asylum seekers this year.

26 ISSUE 30 2015

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR AND THE REFUGEES? YUSUF: It’s a war for dignity, not all who are suffering the conse-quences chose to fight it.

FATMA: The civil war started back in 2011 when the Syrians demonstrated for some socio-political reforms within the context of the Arab Spring. However the situation turned to be a hot and complex civil war between the Syrians themselves with the interven-tion of outside powers such as Russia, Iran and other the Gulf States etc. As a result of the ongoing civil war, Syrians started leaving their country in order to escape the unrest, violence and death. Most have moved to neighboring countries like Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, while a few have chosen to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of the good humanitarian institutions and good experience with refugees there.

AYA: I know that that the Syrian civil war actually started in 2011 in the city of Deraa after the Syrian secret service arrested and tortured a few teenage boys who wrote slogans against the regime on a school wall. I believe that Assad regime fueled this war when they started to violently attack peaceful protestors which lead to the formation of rebel groups to fight the government forces for control of cities and towns in Syria. I think the only thing we need to know about Syrian refugees is that they have lost their homes, are fleeing war and trying to seek safety in other countries; governments should never turn them away.

IS THE REFUGEE SITUATION A CRISIS? WHY?

YUSUF: It most certainly is; for the apparently ‘too ideal’ of a reason that every single human being should be treated as a dignified creature.

FATMA: Well, personally, I think it is a crisis. But what I dislike about calling it a crisis is that it’s being propaganded by the western media to show how Europe is so good while the other Arab countries are so bad and don’t care about their brothers and sisters. If we look at the refugee numbers, this wave is not as big as the media shows. It is as much a crisis as one in Palestine or Iraq or anywhere else where people are forced to flee to escape death.

AYA: It is a humanitarian crisis because of the fact that these refugees had to face so much to escape from the horrors going on in Syria. It’s a crisis because so many people lost their lives and had their homes destroyed. However it’s not a crisis for the European countries who have moral obligation to offer refuge and sanctuary to the unfortunate people fleeing the war.

HAS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLAYED ANY ROLE IN TRYING TO PREVENT OR DEAL WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE SYRIAN REFUGEES?

YUSUF: Well, my humble understanding of it is that though there are good intentions, the system as a whole, needs reformation.

Migrants from Liberia, Morocco, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan sit to block the railway tracks near Gevgelija on the Greek-Macedonian border. Serbia and Macedonia, which lie on the main migrant route to northern Europe, have begun restricting the entry of refugees to just those from certain countries – the UN refugee agency.

27 2015 ISSUE 30

FATMA: No. They have never done and never will and unfortunately we have only some personal and non-governmental support, which in fact is not enough.

AYA: The international community remains unwilling to take effective action to end the war in Syria. Mainly because the interna-tional community seems to have different stances about the Syrian crisis. For example, the United States is only interested to put an end to ISIS by carrying out airstrikes against them and on the other side, Russia’s is only interested in supporting the Assad regime. In the fifth year of one of the most horrendous conflicts of our time, I am shocked that the attacks seem to happen more often and get even deadlier, and still there is no effective international response.

IS IT JUSTIFIABLE FOR SOME COUNTRIES TO CHOOSE TO CLOSE THEIR BORDERS TO REFUGEES?

YUSUF: Can I understand why would they do so? Yes. Would I agree with the very act? Not necessarily.

FATMA: I have always believed that, all the countries and particularly the borders state should keep their borders open for the refugees. However, since I am writing my capstone about the Syrian refugees and GCC, I found out that sometimes it is difficult to make such a decision especially when these countries are already burdened with their internals problem and are politically and economically unstable. Unfortunately, in a realist world each state should seek for its survival and interests. And that’s why the international community represented in the UN should interfere to reduce the risk and help the refugees.

AYA: I don’t see how any country could justify closing its borders to keep out desperate people fleeing persecution and war and are seeking a better life for themselves and their families. There is no such a thing as refusing to grant refuge to someone because of factors like religion, race, ethnicity and social standing. It’s a very basic human right that the international community, especially Europe, has agreed upon.

AS A STUDENT, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN PLAY A ROLE IN THE SITUATION OF SYRIAN REFUGEES OR FIND A SOLUTION TO IT?

YUSUF: Being naive would require me to believe in pressuring for change. I do believe in the ‘individual to individual(s)’ power.

FATMA: Yes, we can! As students we can establish clubs under the university activities. Within this clubs we can do so many things like awareness campaigns for the status of refugees because I believe there are so many people who do not know what actually is the situation of refugees. Furthermore, we can organize events and collect money for the non-governmental organizations who are responsible for supporting refugees.

AYA: I think that even though student’s options to help may be limited, there are still a couple of things we can try to do. We all know how great social media is in raising awareness and calling for action about refugees and their needs, so students all over the world should share/write/ come up with hashtags to promote that. Donating to organizations like the UNHRC or even starting a fundraiser in your university to help the refugees fleeing war is helpful.

A mother walking with her children arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey. European leaders tried to focus on joint action with Africa to tackle the migration crisis, as Slovenia became the latest EU member to act on its own by barricading its border.

Syrian refugee children play at a makeshift camp by Taybeh village, in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, where Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are offering family planning sessions.

28 ISSUE 30 2015

TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN ADDRESS

HUMAN QUESTIONS

Facebook’s Site Director Serkan Piantino, a CMU alumnus, was at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar recently to speak about the future of computing.

CAMPUS TALK

29 2015 ISSUE 30

A t the jam-packed CMU-Q atrium Serkan Piantino spoke most passionately about the Artificial Intelligence research,

which he leads back to Facebook New York, and also how the company is at the forefront of technology, always preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. “Technology will become more about augmenting life than about being an escape,” he says. “It’ll be more nuanced and integrated into our lives, especially portable technology.” ‘Mobile first’ is not a buzzword. It’s the reality, he says. “It was never a choice. We watched the charts and saw how the number of people using Facebook on their desktop grew against those using it on their mobiles. We could predict this quite a while back. It was a specific challenge for us to shift the whole workforce towards mobile development. We ran huge training sessions and had to build capability very quickly. At that time the development environment was still immature and we had to develop our own tooling, build systems, etc, and we just paved the road as we went. A lot of the code is infrastructure designed to run on servers in a data centre but a lot of interesting challenges are now codes that are designed to run on devices in people’s pockets. There are deep infrastructure problems on our mobile phones. For example, the Facebook iOS app has more lines of code than the operating system itself,” he says.

“Another great area that we have been exploring is AI. One part of this equation is developing dialogue systems so that people can use the natural language to get more information about the world. Solving this will address one of the larger AI questions, attacking one of the angles of how AI works.” And this is where, according to Serkan, some of the more exciting challenges of computing lie today. “We are seeing a lot training of huge neural networks, deep learning, machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision... Because of these we are seeing considerable advances in solving a lot of traditional problems of AI. The areas where human perception is needed and humans can outperform machines are pretty quickly diminishing. For example, my undergraduate research was on Captcha, which is very much under threat today.” Does Facebook know you better than you know yourself? Probably not, Serkan

says. But the work that his AI research team is doing might change that. “We do have a tremendous amount of data. But, to a large degree, we ferry content through our network without really understanding it in the same way our users do. That’s the challenge of the AI research group – we want to build that understanding so that we can make our products better and much more effectively help people connect with each other.”

When one of the students asked how Facebook plans to handle who its network is being used by nefarious elements like terrorist organizations, he once again pointed out how AI will eventually come to the rescue here too. “We have a whole division called Protect and Care whose entire job is to stop people who want to use the site maliciously. In the past it was about preventing spam and phishing schemes but people using to it recruit for terrorist organizations is a new one. One of the exciting things we can do with AI is to build sophisticated barriers by, for example, detecting unsettling images that violate our rules before they have even been uploaded and seen by anyone. We care very deeply about this because we have to make sure that Facebook is a safe place,” he says.

On this topic, Serkan also addressed the rising question of privacy. “I take a lot of pride in the fact that Facebook thinks a lot about privacy and it is built into our services. While we do save a lot of human moments about people on our servers, we also give them the best tools for controlling who can see and access that. You can delete photos from Facebook; that’s kind of an invention,

really, because it’s very difficult to do on the rest of the Internet. There are whole industries spun up on the idea of how the data that is continually being collected is used and I hope we continue to be part of the conversation.” He also talked about the advertising side of Facebook. “We allow users to opt out of retargeting (which is when ads kind of follow you around the Web) and never put tracking cookies on any of our properties. The Internet advertising field is pretty sophisticated and we have always been at the forefront of that by creating industry groups and defining standards to do it responsibly. Our philosophy has always been to make advertising feel like communi-cation, just like the rest of the site. Ads are supposed to be beneficial to users and a mechanism to fund the goal of connecting people and not the end goal in itself.”

Serkan also had some great advice for the young students gathered there, many of whom were computer science students from CMUQ. “In computer science, any direction you look, there is a frontier that can be pushed – autonomous bots, mesh networks, drones, Bluetooth low energy – where anyone can make a contribution just by tinkering around with it.” He says it’s not about getting a job in Facebook or any other Fortune 500 company but “having an early sense of what you want to contribute to the world. That’s more important than getting a job offer. Whether you are interested in AI or security or something else, go to work with people who are doing stuff you connect with most and not fall into the trap of accessing the ‘riskiness’ of a company. The future is not going to look like the past.”

32 ISSUE 30 2015

BYADITYA

KARKERA

THE CONQUEST OF CLIFFS

Very rarely can one say that a postage stamp led to one of humanity’s most ambitious actions without being accused of

insanity. But this is how New Horizon’s journey began.

33 2015 ISSUE 30

The story of New Horizons – a space probe that would go on to explore the veiled edges of the solar system – begins with a postage stamp issued in October 1991. The stamp was part of a series of stamps commemorating NASA’s exploration of the solar system – with one stamp for each planet and the name of an associated spacecraft included in the stamp. The exception to this rule was the stamp for Pluto.

Back then, NASA did not possess clear enough images of Pluto considering that it had never sent a spacecraft that far, so the stamp depicted a featureless looking planet and the words “Not Yet Explored” printed below.

The stamps were unveiled in a ceremony at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and two individuals – Robert Staehle and Stacy Weinstein – who were in attendance that day. They struck up a conversation and did what has so often been overlooked as the reason humanity is where it is today - they entertained a thought.

They asked themselves whether sending a probe to Pluto was feasible or not. This thought was expected to die soon consider-ing the lack of support NASA had given to proposed Pluto missions in the past – such as the Pluto 350 and Mariner Mark II programs – but lingered on. Aware of the

postage stamp, several other NASA engineers and scientists proposed ideas for a possible Pluto mission, but it wouldn’t be until nearly 15 years later that New Horizons would lift off and begin its decade-long journey through deep space.

The inspiring story of New Horizons - from rough sketches to its launch and journey - highlights a feature of humanity that poets have rhymed about and authors have obsesses about for centuries: our innate human spirit.

Humans are, and always have been, defiant creatures. When beasts migrated thousands of miles in search of food, man brought the food to himself through seed and plough. When the night dictated the limits of human action, we first lit wood, then oil, then bulbs to conquer the night’s dominion. Whenever nature tried to remind us of our weaknesses, we always returned the favor.

Humanity’s stubbornness to kneel before circumstance is what shapes us, and New Horizons represents the latest chapter in a long book of feats that can only be classified as human. This chapter is, of course, space travel.

Space is the most hostile environment known to life. A cruelly sterile vacuum, it is, by definition, incapable of supporting life. Certainly this was nature’s crowning

achievement over man. How could humanity go where no life could? As at every turn in human history, nature was unpleasantly surprised when we did. Perhaps we got lucky. After all, Sputnik – the first spacecraft, barely hovered over the Earth’s atmosphere, stuck in low orbit. Certainly we couldn’t go farther. But we did. From hovering Sputnik over the Earth to sending New Horizons to Pluto – 7.5 billion km away from the Earth, we pushed our boundaries again and again.

Indeed, what humanity specializes in is finding boundaries, challenging them, breaking through and then looking for new ones. We don’t settle for what is merely there, and we spend more time thinking on what can be than any other sentient creature. When we saw a series of postage stamps that displayed our progress in exploring the solar system, we cared more for the one stamp that read “Not Yet Explored” than the eight others that congratulated us on our achievements.

The conquest of the cosmos is like no other conquest man is familiar with. This is not a conquest of fertile plains or scenic hills but one of rugged mountains whose peaks only grow higher every time we reach the summit. The conquest of the cosmos is indeed a conquest of cliffs, with every edge thinner than the last.

34 ISSUE 30 2015

Are you preparing your university application and have now reached that part where you have to introduce

yourself? Don’t panic: writing an academic cover letter is easy, but there are several common mistakes to avoid if

you want to increase your chances of getting accepted at your favorite study program.

7 THINGS TO AVOID IN A COVER LETTER

TO UNIVERSITIES

CAMPUS TALK

BY ANDREIA TEIXEIRA, VIVA MUNDO

35 2015 ISSUE 30

010203

05060704

COPYING SOMEONE ELSE’S COVER LETTER OR SENDING THE SAME ONE FOR DIFFERENT APPLICA-TIONS

Running out of time to write different things is not an excuse to use another person’s letter as it might ruin your application. The admissions departments are used to analysing thousands of letters a day, so they’ll quickly notice your use of someone else’s letter and put aside your letter.

The same thing happens if you send the same cover letter to every school and study program you’re applying to even if you’re extremely careful and adapt the content, there’s a huge risk of being depersonalized and sloppy or of disregarding the recipient. Simply make a list with the main aspects you need to mention in all your cover letters and, then, be creative and diversify when enumerating other particular aspects.

USING SLANG OR COMMONPLACES

It’s always worth repeating: you are not applying to a position at a finance company nor joining a competition amongst friends. By writing obvious and banal expres-sions commonly used by any candidate in a cover letter, you won’t have many chances of standing out from the crowd. Everything gets worse if you use slang or excessively informal language: how can you be taken seriously if you use inappropriate language? Again, you will be seen as that sloppy student who’s not very interested in that program.

BEING TOO FORMAL

Not too little, not too much: refined language doesn’t have to be boring or forced. Write fluid sentences, applying words which actually reflect your thoughts. There is no need to use complex expressions to demonstrate your skills: just diversify, avoid repeating words and keep a conversational tone while writing, i.e., try not to switch from a formal to an informal tone, even if you are changing subjects. Imagine yourself in an ideal atmo-sphere for a face-to-face interview, where you can comfortably explain your intentions in a pleasant, relaxed tone.

FLATTERING OR BRAGGING

Going back to the previous point, overusing formal words may be seen as “showing off”. It is very important that you introduce yourself, mentioning your skills and how you can contribute to the university, but always remember to

avoid being arrogant: be objective, clearly describe your academic work and results, write down your specific skills and how you acquired them by giving concrete examples.

On the other hand, praising the institution too much is pointless: the universities already know how good they are and why. If you want to talk about the school, relate its educational and research work to the advantages you can bring to it if accepted.

WRITING TOO MUCH (JUST LIKE US HERE)

If the institution doesn’t provide a limit of length, don’t try to write a novel. Do you know what happens when the admissions officers find your cover letter, amongst so many others to be read? They will discard yours just by looking at its length. The key is to write only what’s relevant to the study program and the institution in question. You’re allowed to mention your hobbies and special interests if you consider them important to your academic path, but don’t overextend it. Remind yourself of the English rule KISS: Keep it Simple and Short (but not too short, only what’s necessary to your case).

SEND THE TEXT WITH SLOPPY OR CLUTTERED APPEARANCE

There is no way we can forgive this mistake. Today, any academic cover letter can be typed or copied directly into the application form. With the amount of software programs and editing tools available in your computer, you are free to rewrite, review the font, justify the text, edit paragraphs, highlight titles, add notes or even adopt a completely different text design.

And, if a long text is unattractive, a one-paragraph letter, without any content division will bore any admissions officer. Be organized and, if that is your area of studies or if you feel comfortable doing it, use your creative skills to build a different, yet clear, cover letter.

SEND THE TEXT WITHOUT REVIEWING IT

We understand: you’re just done writing and all you want to do is send out your application and wait for the answer. However, the reply may not be positive if you forget to revise each paragraph before sending your cover letter. Make sure your spellchecker or other proofreading tools are working and, above all, review each idea, checking its coherence and changing dubious words for clearer ones. If your cover letter was written in other than your first language and you don’t feel totally confident about the terms used, ask a native to proofread it with you.

36 ISSUE 30 2015

CAREER TRIVIA

INTERNSHIPS ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SOON-TO-BE FRESH GRADUATES COME ACROSS UPON THEIR GRADUATION. WE HAVE ALL EMBARKED ON OUR JOB SEARCH JOURNEY WITH A VISION OF WHAT THE IDEAL JOB WOULD BE FOR US, BUT HERE’S A PIECE OF NEWS FOR

YOU: A VISION IS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, FOUNDED ON AN IDEA THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED IN YOUR MIND BASED ON THE COURSES

YOU TOOK AND THE FEW HYPOTHETICAL CASE STUDIES YOU WORKED ON IN COLLEGE. YOU CAN ONLY GET CERTAINTY WHEN YOU’RE ACTUALLY ON THE JOB, LEARNING ALL THERE IS TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR TARGET INDUSTRY AND GETTING ACQUAINTED TO

OTHER INDUSTRIES AND CAREER PATHS THAT MAY EVENTUALLY BE OF EQUAL OR MORE INTEREST TO YOU. THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO

EXPLORE ALL THESE OPTIONS AND IDENTIFY YOUR PERFECT CAREER THAN VIA AN INTERNSHIP.

7 TIPS TO MAKE THE

MOST OF YOUR

37 2015 ISSUE 30

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 22,250,000 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.

1. Make an introduction. Take the time to meet and greet staff and management and exhibit a positive attitude in order for them to start enjoying your company, opening up to you, and eventually putting in a good word for you toward the end of your internship. With 79% of fresh graduates stating that getting a job is the biggest challenge of their generation (as per the Bayt.com ‘Fresh Graduates in the Middle East and North Africa’ survey, July 2014), you have to make the most of this opportunity to impress!

2. Display resourcefulness. Conduct the necessary research before you join. In other words, research all there is to know about the industry in general and the company in particular. Show your mentors/supervisors that you are knowledgeable and interested in more than day-to-day practical details. This will also help you come up with new and innovative ideas at work. In fact, 78% of respondents say that their organization encourages new ideas to be tried out, according to the Bayt.com ‘Innovation in the MENA’ poll released in January 2014. So make sure to learn and take risks, every single day.

3. Ask questions. Let the ‘intern’ title work for you and ask questions about everything you come across. Employers like proactive interns who display curiosity and intelligence. Remember, the more you ask, the more likely you are to learn about how the industry and the company work. Actually, the most unwise thing to do would be to pretend that you understand a task, when in fact you don’t!

4. Display flexibility. You might get asked to take care of filing or data entry or printouts at the very early stages of your internship. Do so with an open heart, keeping the big picture in mind. Bear in mind also that there are basic

So your research pays off, you sit for an internship interview, management likes you and you’re finally the new intern. Now, how can you turn your

one- or two-month internship into a full-time job with perks and benefits?Here are some pointers to keep in mind as described by the career experts

at Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading job site:

tasks included in all jobs, and doing your share will shed light on your collegial and teamwork spirit.

5. Develop relationships at the workplace. Make it a point to communicate with supervisors and colleagues and aim at establishing strong professional relationships with them. In fact, this should be a rule you abide by as you advance in your career. A solid professional network is a secret weapon you can always resort to when pursuing new career opportunities.

6. Learn when to say ‘no’. Interns are usually afraid to say ‘no’ to a task. You might think that saying no would create a bad impression. However, you might end up becoming unhappy with the work you are given, and this shouldn’t happen. The good news is, seven in 10 professionals in the MENA region feel comfortable to voice their opinion to their manager, according to the Bayt.com ‘Employee Engagement in the MENA’ poll published in April 2014. It’s okay to be assertive. If you don’t have enough time, or the task you have been given doesn’t add value to your career, you can simply say no. But remember to do so politely. You could say something like, “I’m sorry but I cannot do this task as I feel I have the potential to do something much more challenging. Can I be assigned to another more challenging project?”

7. Remember your company etiquette. Always dress appropriately and be on time! You are most definitely being observed. Be calm and composed, even if you have been given a lot of work. Show your manager that you can handle stressful situations and meet deadlines. Adhere to the office rules and talk to your manager about them. Don’t make silly mistakes such as clicking on ‘reply all’ to an email that shouldn’t be reaching everyone in the office! Most importantly, be confident and be real.

38 ISSUE 30 2015

A month after its debut, Google’s latest mobile operating system – Android 6.0 Marshmallow – is running on only about 0.3% of Android devices, according to newly released developer stats from Google. Its predecessor, Lollipop (versions 5.0 and 5.1), is now running on some 25.6% of Android devices. Version 4.4 KitKat, however, is dominating the Android landscape, making up 37.8% of the market, followed by Jelly Bean with 29%.

Meanwhile, 3.3% of Android users are still running Ice Cream Sandwich while 3.8% are on the even older Gingerbread. Just 0.2% were still holding steady with now-seriously vintage Froyo. Google collects this data from the Play Store app, which only supports Android 2.2 and above, so devices running older versions are not included in the stats. However, the Web giant said very few Android users are still on those now-ancient versions of Android.

TECH TALK

FILE THAT PHOTOTOO MANY PHOTOS HOGGING SPACE ON YOUR ANDROID DEVICE? STRUGGLING TO FIND MORE

SPACE FOR THE NEXT SELFIE? GOOGLE CAN HELP.

Google started rolling out some handy new features for Android users of its Google Photos service, including a tool designed to help you free

up some storage space on your device. On the Settings screen, you’ll now see an option labeled “Free Up Space,” which will let you bulk

delete copies of photos that have already been backed up from your phone or tablet. To prevent copies from being deleted by mistake,

Google Photos will ask you to double confirm your intent before wiping them from your device. Another new feature will let you

downgrade previously uploaded photos from Original quality (full resolution) to High quality (a smaller, compressed file).

THE ELUSIVE TASTE OF

MARSHMALLOWIS YOUR PHONE RUNNING ON

MARSHMALLOW? NO? WELL, DON’T WORRY, NEITHER IS

ANYONE ELSE’S.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

39 2015 ISSUE 30

FACEBOOK’S SNAPCHAT OBSESSION

AFTER FACEBOOK FAILED TO SNAP UP SNAPCHAT, THE SOCIAL NETWORK IS DOING

EPHEMERAL MESSAGING ON ITS OWN.

As reported by BuzzFeed, the social network is testing disappearing messages within Facebook Messenger, but only

in France for now. Press the hourglass icon at the top of the screen to activate “disappearing messages” mode, and watch as your speech bubbles turn from grey and blue into a blank space. Touch the hourglass again to switch back to regular

messaging. This isn’t the first time Facebook has taken a shot at Snapchat. In the summer of 2014, it introduced Slingshot for iOS and Android, which allows users to send messages

that eventually self-destruct. But the developer team added a new twist: recipients cannot view your content until they send

a message in return.

APPLE MUSIC FOR EVERYONEApple launched a beta version of its Music app for Android. New users can sign up for a three-month free trial, with access to the latest tunes, hand-picked recommendations, Beats 1 radio, and more. Beta mode means some features are missing from the new version, including music videos, which are expected to roll out soon. Also, family membership sign-ups and upgrades still require a Mac or iOS-based device. Apple Music for Android requires devices to run 4.3 Jelly Bean or higher, and marks Cupertino’s third application for Google’s mobile platform behind Beats Pill+ and “Move to iOS,” which helps users quit Android.

Local Motors unveiled the LM3D Swim, which was designed by Kevin Lo, winner of Local Motors’s Project Redacted challenge earlier this year. “In the past few months our engineers have moved from only a rendering to the car you see in front of you today,” Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers said in a statement. “We are using the power of DDM [direct digital manufacturing] to create new vehicles at a pace unparalleled in the auto industry, and we’re thrilled to begin taking orders on 3D-printed cars next year.” About 75% of the car will be 3D printed using a composite of 80% ABS plastic and 20% carbon fiber. “Our goal is to consolidate as much of the tradi-tional bill of materials into a single, 3D-printed piece as possible, eventually making about 90% of the car using 3D-printing. Nearly all of the body panels and chassis are 3D-printed on the LM3D,” Local Motors said. While pre-sales of the $53,000 automobiles will begin next spring, delivery isn’t expected until early 2017.

PRINT YOUR RIDETHE WORLD’S FIRST 3D-PRINTED CAR WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER IN THE SPRING.

40 ISSUE 30 2015

WHAT’S COOL

EXPERIENCE ITALY

Inspired by Baroque-period decadence, OPI has created a tribute to the famed “Queen of the Adriatic” with the all

new Venice Collection for Fall/Winter 2015. The collection of twelve lacquers and gels pays homage to one of the

world’s most beautiful cities.

FLAWLESS COMPLEXION

GlamGals Cosmetics introduces its high-shimmer

HD Powder and Inkliner black felt liner. The HD

Powder Foundation offers completely oil-free coverage with a soft, shimmer-stroked look and the Inkliner provides

the sharpest winged look. Available in six shades to

match every skin tone.

41 2015 ISSUE 30

SCENT OF ARABIA

Ali Al Jaberi, the perfume house’s founder, has collaborated with the

renowned Nose, Jean-Claude Astier, to develop, Black II, the second

bespoke fragrance from AJ Arabia’s Black Collection series. The perfume

adds freshness and warmth with a citrusy entrance of Mandarin and the lush scent of Plum. The combination

of Rose, Sandalwood and Musk contribute to its deeply soft woody

and floral notes, creating a mysterious ambiance. The base notes of Vanilla and Moss tie the fragrance

together with their distinct sweet and darkly sensual aromas. Black II’s bottle and packaging have been

inspired by the grandiose Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, mirroring the

meticulous attributes of its arches and domes.

POP OF COLOUR

Enhanced by an ‘it’-shade that will boost all your looks this season, Bourjois’s new Fuchsia mania collection offers four

versions of fuchsia from bluish reds to purples, from the most natural shades to the most flamboyant hues. The Bourjois +, offers a 24-hour hold matte finish with four

‘Rouge Edition Velvet’ for a smooth effect. The four Rouge Editions have a bright satin finish with an incredible melting

texture and provides a 10 hour hydration for a radiant feminine look.

42 ISSUE 30 2015

GET GADGETY

For those of you who are sick of being at the mercy of cafeteria food, here are a few gadgets that can help you whip up tasty

snacks in your dorm room (and carry them to class too).

FOOD FOR THE MODERN

AGE

MARACAS DE POPCORNQR110

Want flavored popcorn with a side of dancing? Just measure your kernels in the “king’s crown”,

pour them into the bowl, then place His Royal Highness in the microwave to cook. Once everything has popped

and pinged, the real fun begins. Scoop up a healthy portion of popcorn with one (or both!) of his sceptre-like maracas,

sprinkle your chosen toppings and let the vigorous shaking commence. Don’t worry, there’s a handy locking

mechanism so you can rattle as hysterically as you like without spraying popcorn all around the room. It’s a

healthy snack anyway, and now we’re throwing a bit of light exercise and dance into the

mix - what more could you ask for?

FOODSKIN FLEXIBLE LUNCHBOXQR110

Now that we have made all this food, how do we carry it around? Lunchboxes are passé and cling film/tin foil is messy. But this incredible slimline

container has a highly elasticated silicone skin that hugs and maintains the shape of whatever is inside, so your beloved sandwich will remain

absolutely immaculate until you’re ready to devour it. Not only this but it also keeps your food zip-lock fresh so there won’t be mayon-

naise leaking everywhere.

43 2015 ISSUE 30

ANIMAL EGG MOULDSQR30

Since we are experimenting with our eggs, here is another simple yet fun thing you can do with boiled eggs. This clever hinged device turns these regular

boring blobs into smiley edible creatures. It couldn’t be easier: Boil your egg; once boiled (and still warm), peel off the shell and place the egg in the shaper and

seal it shut. Plop the device in cold water for 10 minutes and open the lid and take out your newly

formed kitten or bunny.

MINI MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY KITSQR72

Molecular gastronomy isn’t just for the Heston Blumenthal’s of the world. These fully-featured starter kits contain all the exciting

instruments and additives you need to become a bona fide culinary master and wow your friends and dinner guests by foaming,

solidifying and liquefying any imaginable food. The Avant-Garde Spaghetti Making Kit harnesses the power of agar-agar, a natural

algae-based gelling agent, to turn any liquid into strings of delicious spaghetti. The Flavoured Pearl Making Kit reshapes any liquid into

a beautiful mound of flavorsome spheres. The Flavoured Foam Making Kit uses a mighty soybean extract to transform your chosen

liquid into a light and luxurious froth.

ROLLIE EGG-ON-A-STICK COOKERQR165

There is more than one way to cook an egg. By harnessing the untold power of vertical cooking

technology, this ingenious device produces hot, fluffy and perfectly cooked eggs every time. And in just a

matter of minutes too. Simply give the internal chamber a light spritz of cooking oil, then just crack and pour. When your egg is ready, it slowly starts to

emerge from the top of the Rollie. It’s a visual delight. And with the included recipe book

you can create pancake rollies, burrito rollies, pizza rollies – the list of

dishes is endless.

44 ISSUE 30 2015

FUNKY FRINGES

The days of simple brown fringe over denim are over. Fashion weeks all over the world showed it strung, roped and woven through garments. Color palettes ranged

from solids to pastels to multicolor. Anyway you cut it (literally), the fringe is in.

What’s common between New York, London, Paris and Milan? Fashion, glamour and runways! The Spring 2016 collection is all about F-U-N! Here are five absolutely fresh trends that you won’t

be able to part with this season!

RUNWAY RECAP

Armani

Veronique Branquinho

MSGM

BY HANEEN

HINDI

45 2015 ISSUE 30

SCALY STRIPES

With the usual floral patterns dominating spring catwalks every year, this year saw an unexpected change with stripes. Sleek and

thin stripes were all the rage among high-end designs, and ran every way – hori-

zontal, vertical and diagonal – and some-times all in the same piece. Elie Saab’s

monochromatic outfit with the subtle pop of color would be the choice.

D&GFerragamo

Elie Saab

46 ISSUE 30 2015

HAUTE HEADGEAR Big Hats for the spring season are uncalled for when

you have chic headgear from top designers completing the season’s look. This is the mantra of haute couture designers this spring. Flower crowns have replaced

flower headbands, floppy hats are no longer just for the summer, and Chanel gives the boring airport look a

makeover. Accessorize away!

Armani

Chanel

Marras

47 2015 ISSUE 30

STATEMENT SKIRTS Bring out the flare and walk with a spring

in your step with statement skirts from top designers this season. Be it solids or pastels, a line or bustle, or florals or solids, skirts are a must-have in the closet. Transform your look

with bright hues, greens and purples, and walk away with your hair let loose to complete

your spring look.

RAINBOW RUFFLES

Ruling the runway this spring 2016 are the fearless and bold colors of the rainbow

creatively used with ruffles. A refreshing color scheme for the upcoming season has been spotted; way different than the usual

pastels. Pair this look with a nude smoky eye and an understated pink lip. You might as well go all out with a bright orange lipstick as well.

Dare to think beyond!

Anderson

Emilio De La Morena

Leitmotiv

Yudashkin

48 ISSUE 30 201548 ISSUE 29 2015

FITNESS

ARMING YOURSELF

by Jonathan BoasClothes by GO SPORT

A development manager at Quanto Bello Qatar, Jonathan has always had a passion for exercise and the outdoors. An avid golfer and cyclist, he likes to mix up his own personal training with a combination of cardio and

weight training. “I try to make every workout a tough one because if it’s not challenging you, it’s not changing you.” Jonathan has put together bicep and tricep workout, that any individual at any fitness level can introduce into their

training.

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Make sure your hands are about six inches apart.

Keep a tight posture and stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart.

Curl the bar until your biceps fully contract.

Squeeze your biceps at the top of movement, pause, and then slowly lower the bar to the starting position.

The exercise program is a superset sequence based on penitentiary-style training. Varying the weight and intensity can take this from a basic arm

workout to a killer one. Start with 10 reps of A1 (or B1/C1) and decrease by one rep as you alternate with an increasing number of reps of A2 (or B2/C2).

Exchange heavy and light weights between A1 and A2 after the fifth set. There should be almost no rest during a set.

SUPERSET A

A1 THE SKULL CRUSHER / NOSE BREAKER

Using a close grip, lift the EZ-bar and hold it with your elbows in as you lie on the bench. Your arms should be perpendicu-lar to the floor. This will be your starting position.

Keeping the upper arms stationary, lower the bar by allowing the elbows to flex. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Pause once the bar is over your head.

Lift the bar back to the starting position by extending the elbow and exhaling.

A2 STANDING EZ-BAR BICEP CURLS

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Stand on the back side of an incline bench. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest it across the incline bench with a supinated (palms up) grip.

The chest should be pressed against the top part of the incline and your feet should be pressed against the floor in a wide stance. This is a good starting position.

While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell upward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second.

Slowly begin to bring the dumbbell back to starting position as you breathe in.

Switch arms and repeat.

Start with a dumbbell in one hand and your palms facing your torso. Keep your back straight with a slight bend in the knees and bend forward at the waist. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep your head up. Your upper arm should be close to your torso and parallel to the floor. Your forearms should be pointed towards the floor as you hold the weight. There should be a 90-degree angle formed between your forearm and upper arm. This is your starting position.

Now, while keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and use your triceps to lift the weight until the arm is fully extended. Focus on moving the forearm.

After a brief pause at the top contraction, inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.

Repeat the movement for the prescribed number of repetitions

SUPERSET B

B1 TRICEP DUMBBELL KICKBACK

B2 ONE-ARM DUMBBELL CURL OVER INCLINE BENCH

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Sit down on a flat bench with one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Your legs should be spread with your knees bent and feet on the floor.

Use your arm to pick up the dumbbell. Rotate the palm of your hand until it is facing forward away from your thigh.

Curl the weight forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted. Tip: At the top of the movement make sure that the little finger of your arm is higher than your thumb. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.

Slowly lower the weight back down. "I really like to lower the weight slowly with this one, focusing on the negative movement. Try count to 3 while lowering the weight,” says Jonathan.

Attach a rope attachment to a high pulley and grab with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).

Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the rope with the palms facing each other. This is your starting position.

Using the triceps, bring down each side of the rope to the side of your thighs. At the end of the movement the arms are fully extended and perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement.

After holding for a second in the contracted position, bring the rope slowly up to the starting position. Breathe in as you perform this step.

SUPERSET C

C1 Tricep Pushdowns

C2 CONCENTRAT ION BICEP CURLS

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AJYAL IS BACK THE DOHA FILM INSTITUTE ANNOUNCED THE COMPETITION LINE-UP FOR THE THIRD EDITION OF THE AJYAL YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL, COMPRISING FEATURE FILMS FROM 20 COUNTRIES AND A SERIES OF SHORT FILM PROGRAMS TO BE SCREENED FROM NOVEMBER 29 TO DECEMBER 5 AT KATARA.

The ‘Ajyal Creativity Hub’, designed to entertain, educate and inspire innovation, will offer guests an opportunity to explore an out-of-cinema experience, helping them discover the latest in technology, the media arts and world cultures, and will host specially curated workshops, performances and fun activities devised to spark the imagination and promote creativity. Key components of the Hub include the popular Sandbox digital exhibition space, Family Weekend activities, and the festival’s special 2015 initiative – Geekdom: Video Game Exhibition. It celebrates gaming and links video games to cinema with screenings and panels that discuss the impact of visual storytelling in contemporary media. The exhibition features a gaming lounge and a space for Qatari collectors and videogame lovers to share their interest with others. Participants include the Qatar Animation Centre, The Gaming Lounge, AnimeQtr, the Qatar FIFA Players, Khalasta Gaming and the Youth Hobbies Center. Some of the other fun activities at the exhibition include an Ajyal Superhero Film Hunt, an Ajyal FIFA Tournament, Ajyal Cosplay Competition and a Game Development Workshop and Ajyal Pitchathon, amongst others.

120 ATHLETES PARTICIPATE IN “ASPIRE OCA YOUTH CAMP” RUN JOINTLY WITH THE OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF ASIA (OCA), THE GOVERNING BODY OF SPORTS IN ASIA.

Aspire Academy inaugurated the two-week-long “Aspire OCA Youth Camp” which is organized for a specially selected group of the region’s rising sport stars, and will run until November 29. These stars nominated by their respective national Olympic committees, will undergo training and conditioning in sports including the high jump and table tennis at Aspire Academy’s state-of-the-art facilities and under the guidance of its expert coaches. During the camp, the Academy’s sports science team will also collect data on the athletes’ performance and share this with the athletes and their personal coaches. This will enable them to develop tailored and optimized training programs and fulfill their championship potential.

ASPIRE HOLDS YOUTH CAMP

AROUND TOWN

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BRAILLE MADE EASY FOR SMARTPHONESQCRI HAS DEVELOPED A CUSTOM KEYBOARD FOR IOS THAT ENABLES EYES-FREE, ONE-HANDED TYPING BASED ON BRAILLE AND IS SUITABLE FOR BOTH ARABIC-SPEAKING AND ENGLISH-SPEAKING USERS. The BrailleEasy keyboard, developed by the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), one of Hamad bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) three specialized national research institutes, was launched by QCRI on 12 November, alongside representatives of Qatar Social and Cultural Center for the Blind (QSCCB), Al Noor Institute for the Blind, and MADA (Qatar Assistive Technology Center), each of which played an important role in the development of the application. The app helps the visually impaired type quickly on touch-screen devices, a process that can otherwise be very cumbersome and slow. It combines the comfort of one-handed typing with the speed of two-handed Braille-like typing. Barbara Epic, the main developer of the app, added: “Since it has primarily been developed for visually impaired users, the keyboard completely discards any kind of keys and even allows hand movements while typing. The keyboard also offers error correction.” “This is such a novel idea. It’s a real accomplishment – there is no other application that allows you to use one hand to write Braille in one language, let alone two languages. I’m so proud that this has been developed in the Arab world,” commented Ikram Ahmed, from QSCCB, after demonstrating the new technology at Thursday’s launch.

In support of the Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Shell, in association with the Qatar Tourism Authority, will host the inaugural “Energy World Qatar 2015”, an interactive educational experience taking people of all ages on a journey into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The event will feature a lively mix of physical and digital exhibits, workshops and science shows encouraging everyone to explore, make and learn. Energy World Qatar aims at inspiring students to learn more and pursue STEM subjects for higher education. These four subjects are fundamental in Qatar’s educational vision to build a prosperous future for the country. The event will run for ten days at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre from November 19 to 28.

SHAPING THE FUTURE