Chancellor's Column

When we think of “facilities” at the American University of Sharjah, it is usually our beautiful campus, with its stately buildings and tree-lined streets, that comes first to mind. This is entirely appropriate, and I frequently think of the student from Saudi Arabia whom I met as he arrived on campus last August. He looked up at the dome of the Main Building, then turned to me and pronounced, “Wow, it's colossal.” Those who appreciate architecture as an art form would like to see it not only reflecting but also influencing our aspirations; surely the monumental design of the AUS campus accomplishes that goal.

At another level, however, our facilities include the more mundane elements of our campus that enable faculty, students and staff to work in a comfortable and well-equipped academic environment. Accreditors visiting our campus have confirmed that in this sense, also, our facilities are outstanding. For this two-fold excellence, we are indebted to our founder His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, who underwrote the cost of constructing University City.

At the same time, we must be cognizant that even buildings as sturdily built as ours do not last forever. Academic equipment, computers, technological infrastructures, laboratories and the like depreciate and become outdated much more rapidly than buildings do.

Acknowledging this, the Board of Trustees has approved a technology fee that will be imposed for the first time next fall. In addition, the board has authorized a replacement fund to enable us to replenish our stock of depreciable assets. Stated in this fashion, it may seem as though this is a costly and tedious bookkeeping issue, but it is not. Rather, both these steps are important elements of maintaining the financial health of the institution, which assures that students in future years will have the benefit of up-to-date equipment and technology.

A new library rises from the earth only rarely. Books, laboratory equipment and technological innovations must be added and replenished every day. All are equally necessary components of our success, and all must be updated periodically to maintain our competitiveness in a rapidly changing academic environment.

Winfred Thompson

Board approves budget, additional faculty

The AUS Board of Trustees gave preliminary approval for the balanced budget submitted for the fiscal year 2004-2005 and approved the appointment of 25 new faculty positions for the academic year 2004-05 at its meeting on February 15.

The meeting was chaired by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of the American University of Sharjah (AUS).

AUS Chancellor Winfred Thompson said His Highness was pleased with the progress of the accreditation steps taken by the university.

The board approved the new faculty positions to meet increasing enrolment and to cover areas of particular educational needs. The board also approved contract extensions for present faculty members and considered the need for additional housing facilities for these new positions, Chancellor Thompson said.

Additionally, the Board of Trustees set the level of tuition fees and dorm rates for 2004-2005. The board members also reviewed the construction progress of the Dhs. 26 million library building.

Chaired by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, the AUS Board of Trustees comprises Sir Alec Broers, President, Royal Academy of Engineering, UK; Ms. Leslie E. Bains, Senior Executive Vice President (Retired) HSBC Bank, USA; Mr. Arthur T. Downey, Attorney at Law, Maryland, USA; Mr. Thomas J. Foley, International Management Consultant, Middle Eastern Specialty, Michigan, USA; Dr. Roderick S. French, Director, American University of Sharjah Washington Office, USA; Mr. Hamid D. Jafar, Chairman and CEO, Crescent Petroleum Company, UAE; Dr. Benjamin Ladner, President, American University in Washington, D.C., USA; Mr. Richard L. Morrison, Texas, USA; the Honorable John R. Petty, Chairman, TECSEC, Inc., USA; and Chancellor Thompson

 
US accreditation team visits AUS

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) was visited recently by an evaluation team from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education for the purpose of making recommendations to the Commission on full accreditation for the institution. The team, which included administrators and faculty from the United States, reviewed the self-study completed by the university, visited the campus and met with faculty, staff, students and administrators as well as alumni and employers of AUS graduates.

At the exit meeting, the team chairman Dr. Richard Kneedler commended AUS for its achievements during its very short life. He explained no final decision on accreditation is made by the team but that the team will send a report as well as a recommendation on accreditation to the Commission. The report will be deliberated by the Commission in its June meeting when a final decision on AUS accreditation will be made.

AUS is seeking accreditation as an independent institution from the Middle States Association, one of nine regional USA accrediting agencies. AUS became a candidate for accreditation in June 2002 and immediately began an in-depth self-study as part of its application for full accreditation.

Chancellor Winfred Thompson thanked all faculty, staff and students who had worked on the self-study and the visit of the Middle States evaluation team

AUS, Oxford co-host international conference on popular culture

The Third International Conference on Middle Eastern and North African Popular Culture was held at AUS January 25-27 in collaboration with Oxford University, UK.

A prominent panel of scholars from universities and institutes in the United States, United Kingdom, Oman, Morocco, Germany, Italy, the UAE and other countries discussed topics ranging from popular music and theater to Gulf Arab headdress.

Prior to the conference, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, met with all of the delegates.

Professor Clive Holes from the Oriental Institute, Oxford University, delivered the keynote address on dialect and national identity. After, Chancellor Thompson inaugurated an exhibition of paintings by Canadian artist Toni Onley, which was held in the Main Building.

Conference co-organizers were Professor Holes and AUS Associate Professor of Arabic Dr. Kamal Abdel-Malek.

IMS Scores a UAE first with conference

The Institute of Materials Systems (IMS) in the School of Engineering hosted the first International Conference on Application of Traditional and High Performance Materials in Harsh Environments on campus January 20-22.

Describing the purpose of the conference, IMS Director and conference chair Dr. Adil Al-Tamimi, stated, “Since materials are used in almost all aspect of our life, from buildings and roads to cars and furniture, they significantly affect the cost of final product. In this part of the world, harsh environments can reduce the quality and expected service life of products. Therefore, maintenance and repairs will increase the cost, and if we are lucky, that failure will not claim human life.”

This conference addressed these important issues for the first time in UAE by bringing together experts from the United States, South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, China, Iran as well as the UAE and other Gulf countries.

Engineering receives support from Petrofac

AUS engineering research projects have received a boost from Petrofac International, one of the largest engineering and construction companies serving the hydrocarbon industry in the Gulf. Mr. Maroun A. Semaan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Petrofac, presented AUS with a contribution of AED 150,000 to support research by the School of Engineering.

“The university's programs are greatly improved through partnerships such as this with Petrofac. They help AUS achieve its objective of becoming a leading research university in the region. The opportunity to cooperate with a firm that has the range of operations and depth of industry experience of Petrofac is invaluable to our engineering school,” said Dr. Leland Blank, PE, Dean of the School of Engineering,

The contribution was presented during a February 14 campus visit by a delegation of senior Petrofac executives. The visit was aimed at exploring collaboration between the company and the School of Engineering on research projects of mutual interest, said AUS Chancellor Winfred Thompson.

The meeting was attended by Dean Blank, Mr. Sami Kyriakos, Petrofac Vice President for Operations, and Mr. Paul Leaver, Petrofac Director of Engineering.

Mathematicians from around the world attend second UAE Math Day

Scores of mathematicians and scientists from around the world attended the Second UAE Math Day Conference held in March at AUS.

The main aim of the event was to provide a forum for mathematicians to exchange ideas in the many different branches of mathematics. Participants in this annual celebration of mathematics came from more than 20 countries, including the United States, Austria, Finland, Pakistan, Algeria, Jordan, Russia, as well as the GCC among others.

The conference consisted of a host of activities including plenary lectures given by Dr. Bernhard A. Kutzler, Professor and Vice Chairman of the Austrian Centre for Didactics of Computer Algebra (ACDCA), and Dr. Saber Elyadi, Professor at Trinity University, USA. Parallel sessions of more than 65 contributed talks in Pure and Applied Mathematics, Statistics, and Mathematical Education were also held. Refereed conference proceedings will be published by Nova Science, New York, USA.

A day prior to the event, there were two lectures held on Mathematical Education by Bernhard Kutzler and Vlasta Kokol-Voljc. The lectures were held in the Main Building on the AUS campus.

AUS teams win top honors at National Programming Contest 2004

Two AUS teams of Computer Engineering and Computer Science students won first and second place positions in the Fourth UAE National Programming Contest held on campus on March 25. Sixteen teams from seven universities around the Emirates competed to solve 10 programming problems in five hours.

Four teams from AUS participated. AUS Team Abacus, with members Forum Parmar, Wasseim Zouabi and AbdulRahman Samhouri, solved six problems and placed first. AUS Team Odds, with members Ali Kashani, Hamed Seifoddini and Mohammad Hussein Afrasiabi, placed second.

Teams from the University of Sharjah, the American University in Dubai, Emirates Center for Management and Information Technology, Dubai University College and the University of Wollongong also participated in the event.

The winning teams received valuable prizes for their commendable performance, with laptops, cameras and smart phones awarded to the teams placed first, second and third respectively. The contest was sponsored by leading IT companies and organizations such as the Dubai Internet City, Oracle, Microsoft and Emirates Computers among others.

The AUS teams will compete in the ACM Africa and Arab Programming Contest 2004, which will be held in Kuwait in November. Winners of each of the ACM regional contests advance to the world finals, which will take place in March.

AUS holds conference on Universal Civilization

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the conference “International Congress on Cultural Contacts in Building a Universal Civilization: The Role of Islamic Contributions” held January 17-19 at AUS.

A multinational panel of scholars and experts discussed a spectrum of topics including Islamic contributions to the arts, humanities and sciences through history. Prominent international scholars such as Professor Ziauddin Sardar (UK), Gunsel Renda (Turkey), William Shea (Italy), Paul Kunitzsch (Germany), and Majid Fakhry (USA), among others were featured speakers.

“This was an extremely important and significant event as leading intellectuals from around the world assembled at AUS to discuss and debate the history, contribution and effect of Islamic thought and philosophy on world civilizations.

It was especially pertinent in the current global climate. We, at AUS, feel it is vital to organize such conferences and contribute positively toward a dialogue between civilizations, which is so necessary today,” said Mr. Salem Al Qaseer, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Public Affairs.

The conference was organized by AUS in conjunction with the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) of Istanbul, Turkey, a subsidiary of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Organizing committee members from AUS were Chancellor Winfred Thompson, Mr. Al Qaseer, and Dr. Nadia Alhasani, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Maksoud lectures at AUS

Despite a shared culture, consciousness and identity, the Arab world has been unable to stake a claim commensurate with its size and significance on the global stage, said renowned Arab diplomat, scholar, writer and journalist Dr. Clovis Maksoud in a lecture given at AUS on March 10.

“We are not taken as seriously as we should be, internationally. This is due to many factors, including petty internal conflicts, lack of representative institutions, deficit of knowledge, impoverishment, as well as a general lack of empowerment among the populace,” he said. These factors, he added, rendered the Arab world vulnerable.

Dr. Maksoud said that while Arabs have over a trillion dollars invested in the West, the West only has 12 billion dollars invested in the Arab world. This enormous imbalance reflects the political and economic difference between the two worlds. “The Arab world shares a common identity but we don’t even have a common market!” he added. Social, economic, and political issues must be carefully reviewed and addressed in order for the region as a whole to achieve its potential.

His lecture, delivered to students of the American Foreign Policy course as well as members of the faculty, also focused on new Middle East initiatives as well as aspects of the Arab Human Development Report.

Presently the Director of the Center for the Global South at American University in Washington, D.C., and Professor of International Relations, Dr. Maksoud is a well-known name in the world of Arab diplomacy. He was the Chief Representative of the League of Arab States in India from 1961 to 1966. From September 1979 to August 1990, he served as the league’s chief representative to the United States and the United Nations.

His distinguished career also includes stints as the Senior Editor of Al-Ahram and then Chief Editor of Al-Nahar Weekly, from 1967 to 1979.

A lawyer, journalist and diplomat, Dr. Maksoud is the author of several articles and books on the Middle East and the global South, among them: The Meaning of Non-Alignment, The Crisis of the Arab Left, Reflections on Afro-Asianism, and The Arab Image.

Adonis enthralls audience at lecture

Renowned Arab poet, critic and scholar Dr. Ali Ahmed Said, better known as Adonis, gave a lecture entitled “Toward a New Arab Culture,” on February 28 in the AUS Main Building.

In his lecture, Adonis stressed the need for new critical thinking and language to develop a progressive and innovative new Arab culture. “The creation of a new Arabic culture should be based on a new vision that would develop our creative critical approaches to read and explain the culture,” he said.

Adonis, who was recently awarded the Sultan Al Owais Award for Cultural and Scientific Achievement, is a household name throughout the Arab world. His doctoral thesis on Al Thabit wa-al-mutahawwil in 1972 is considered a breakthrough in Arab studies.

Adonis was educated at Damascus University and St. Joseph University in Beirut, where he obtained his Doctorat d'Etat in 1973. He has taught at a number of universities, including Damascus University, Lebanese University and the Sorbonne (Paris III) among others.

Civil Engineering hosts earthquake seminar

The Department of Civil Engineering (CVE) held a workshop entitled “Earthquake Risk Mitigation: Recent Developments and Prospects of Applications in the UAE and GCC Region” April 20-21 in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Public Works and Housing and the US Geological Survey.

“This workshop helped educate the concerned parties about the fundamentals of earthquake effects and mitigation measures,” said Dr. Azm Al-Homoud, Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Earthquake Observatory, who co-chaired the conference with CVE Chair Dr. Jamal Abdalla.

The CVE Department has been working with the UAE Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPWH) to establish national codes that will make UAE buildings and infrastructure more earthquake resistant.

According to Dr. Al-Homoud, the UAE's proximity to the Zagros Fault and its location near the edge of the Arabian Plate adjacent to the Iranian plateau make it vulnerable, with various degrees, to earthquakes occurring at and around the fault.

AUS has been involved with earthquake research since 1998 upon development of the soil dynamics laboratory and the establishment of the earthquake observatory and four remote monitoring stations in the UAE. Following the March 2002 magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Masafi, Fujairah, a joint AUS-MPWH committee on earthquake hazard mitigation was formed.

SBM Students Volunteer

Students from the School of Business and Management networked with members of the business community by volunteering at the American Business Council's annual President Day's Picnic on February 20 in Dubai. Ten student volunteers worked the ticket counter and prize redemption centers, organized tables, and assisted with VIP parking. “The students had an excellent opportunity to network with executives from many multinational companies such as KLM, FedEx, HP and Compaq,” said Business Student Council member Amena Al-Mannai.

SOE provides engineering training for Dubai Police

The School of Engineering's (SOE) Electrical Engineering Department has conducted a series of training programs to help technicians and engineers from the Dubai Police Department staff sharpen their engineering skills.

From December 7-January 27, 14 Dubai Police staffers attended 17 electronics and telecommunications sessions on campus. These sessions included faculty presentations followed by hands-on work in the labs. Participants learned to use electronic test instruments, understand the function and applications of electronic devices, construct and test electronic circuits, understand the essentials of analog communications systems and various modulation techniques, conduct troubleshooting and fault finding in electronic and communication systems, and use computer software to analyze electronic and communication systems.

“The participants gained important knowledge and skills that they can utilize in the workplace,” said Dr. Hasan Al-Nashash, chair of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department. These newly acquired skills can be used in the police department's telecommunications operations, working with the communications systems in police cars or with surveillance systems, he added.

Dr. Al-Nashash said the department seeks to identify further areas of collaboration with Dubai Police, including conducting joint research and giving short courses to their engineers and technicians. This spring, faculty members conducted a series seminars for Dubai Police. “This will gave our faculty an opportunity to meet with police engineers and be in direct contact with the police work environment,” said Dr. Al-Nashash.

Workshop instructors included Dr. Al-Nashash, Dr. Mohamed El-Tarhuni, Mr. M. Narayanan and Mr. Ahmad Abdul Salam. Seminar instructors include Dr. Al-Nashash, Dr. El-Tarhuni, Dr. Yousef Al-Assaf, Dr. Khaled Assaleh, Dr. Nasser Qaddoumi, Dr. Aly Elrefaie, Dr. Rached Dhaouadi and Dr. Abdul Khaliq Khan.

Elrefaie named IEEE Fellow

Associate Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Dr. Aly Elrefaie has been named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for his contributions to optical and wireless communication systems.

This prestigious honor is awarded to individuals from academia or industry with extraordinary records of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number of Fellows selected in any one year does not exceed one-tenth percent of the total voting Institute membership.

“The students and faculty of the School of Engineering are very honored to have Dr. Elrefaie here. For him to be recognized by the IEEE at the most senior level of Fellow is a real distinction for all of us at AUS. This is a strong testimony to the quality of educators AUS attracts to the country and the region, thus insuring the very best in engineering higher education and research,” said School of Engineering Dean Leland Blank, PE, who is a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Dr. Elrefaie was honored at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference on February 24 in Los Angeles.

The IEEE is a non-profit, technical professional association of more than 360,000 individual members in approximately 175 countries.

SA&D faculty show work at Sharjah Art Museum

The work of 19 faculty members from the School of Architecture and Design (SA&D) was exhibited at the Sharjah Art Museum January 20-February 10.

Entitled Opus2, the exhibition featured works in a variety of media by faculty members from diverse areas of expertise including architecture, graphic design, illustration, interior design, multimedia, painting, photography and printmaking. This is the second SA&D faculty show at the museum.

“The intent of this exhibition is to demonstrate the diversity of work in which the faculty engage. It provides evidence of studio investigations and practice, both to the students and to the community in which we reside,” said Assistant Professor Matthew Egan, who co-organized the exhibition along with Assistant Professor John Bottoff.

Faculty members with work in the exhibition were: Tarek Al-Ghoussein, Nadia Alhasani, Paul Bantey, Matthew Egan, Martin Giesen, Eirik Heintz, David Hewitt, George Katodrytis, Muqeem Khan, Chris Kienke, Dinah Lazor, Kevin Mitchell, Shoaib Nabi, David Parker, Mark Pilkington, Mehdi Sabet, Phil Sheil, Jack Swanstrom and Dirk van Wyk.

 

Faculty Achievements

Dr. Muhsin Al–Musawi (Arabic Studies) is currently a Fellow of Columbia University. In November, he gave the Wadie Jwaideh Memorial Lecture in Arabic and Islamic Studies on “Culture and Power: The Case of Iraq” at Indiana University. The lecture will be published in a monograph series by the University of Indiana Press. Dr. al-Musawi is also the editor of the Journal of Arabic Literature. His forthcoming book is entitled Arabic Poetry: Trajectories of Modernity and Tradition (Routledge).

Dr. Nadia M. Alhasani, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, was invited to speak at the University of California at Berkeley's Center for Middle Eastern Studies, as part of their Interdisciplinary Lecture Series. Her talk focused on “The Cultural Paradoxes and Physical Manifestations in the Arabian Gulf.” She has also been appointed to the editorial board of the Dubai-based journal Architecture+. She is editor for the section “Aspiring Architects,” which is dedicated to architecture education and promoting student projects primarily from non-Western schools of architecture.

Dr. William Gallois (History) is a research fellow at the University of London's School of African and Oriental Studies this semester.

Dr. Nawar Golley (CAS) was invited to give a talk about her book “Reading Arab Women's Autobiographies: Shahrazad Tells Her Story” at the Dubai Women's College in celebration of International Women's Day.

Mr. Eirik Heintz (Foundations and Architecture) presented the paper “Arabian Sand Castles: Reinventing Dubai for the Tourist” at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture National Conference held March 18-21in Miami, Florida.

Mr. Kevin Mitchell's (Architecture & Foundations) approach to studio teaching was recognized with an award in the prestigious 2004 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Education Honor Awards Program recently. This semester, he also lectured on design education at two conferences: Tasmeem Doha, an international conference sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University and the Qatar Foundation, and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture National Conference in Miami. He also presented a paper on diversity in beginning design education at the 20th Annual Conference on the Beginning Design Student. A paper examining how notions of boundaries relate to cultural values and spatial practices will be published in the Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Working Paper Series. He also authored five entries in the Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Architecture (Fitzroy Dearborn/Routledge, 2004).

Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, (Arab and International Studies), was invited by the Government of Kuwait/National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature to take part in the conference on “The New Arab Era: Realities and Challenges” in Kuwait as part of the Al Qurain 10th Annual Festival (January 3-22), where AUS President Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi was honored. She has also been invited to be a visiting professor during summer term 2004 at the University of Paris, where she was a visiting professor in summer 2003.

Dr. Bassel Salloukh (Political Studies) has recently co-authored the textbook Mapping the Political Landscape: An Introduction to Political Science (Nelson Canada).

Dr. Lawrence Woods (Arab & International Studies) presented the findings of a research he and Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah conducted on public opinion polls, international affairs and foreign policy issues in the UAE at the 45th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association held in Montreal March 17-20. The paper was entitled “Bridging Part of the Gulf: Public Opinion in the United Arab Emirates Towards International Affairs.” Dr. Woods and Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah also presented this research on campus earlier this semester. Dr. Woods also presented the paper “Al-Andalus and Contemporary Globalization” at the Globalization for the Common Good Conference held in Dubai March 26-31. His presentation was given jointly with Hazar Ibdha, a senior Engineering student.

Dr. Joe Wallis (Economics and Public Administration) has co-authored the new book The Political Economy of the Voluntary Sector: A Reappraisal of the Comparative Institutional Advantage of Voluntary Organizations (Edward Elgar Publishing). The book outlines how policymakers in advanced countries have moved away from exclusive reliance on the public sector in social service delivery toward an approach that seeks to combine the strengths of public agencies, private firms and voluntary organizations.

Dr. Mohamed Zayani (English) who just published a new book entitled Arab Satellite Television and Politics in the Middle East, gave a lecture at the University of Cambridge on Arab and Western TV coverage of the war against Iraq on March 21, 2004. He has also been invited by the University of Chicago to participate in an upcoming conference entitled “Theorizing Media in a New Millennium.” He also gave a talk on media and the Arab public opinion during an Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI) symposium in Paris on January 30.

Three Architecture faculty members participated in the first Conference on Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development held by Cairo University February 24-26. Dr. Nadia Alhasani presented the paper “Is Sustainability a Sustainable Option?” Dr. Ahmed Mokhtar delivered the paper “Appreciating Sustainability through Building Science Education.” Mr. Florian Techel presented the paper “Aesthetical Aspects of Sustainability.”

Architecture & Design students honored

Work from the first interdisciplinary projects of final year architecture, interior design and multimedia design students was recently honored in two awards ceremonies.

The projects were completed for the “Design Competition for Saudi Houses: Affordability and Sustainability” sponsored by the Arriyadh Development Authority. The architecture students created estate plans and designed the houses, the interior design students developed the houses' interiors, and the multimedia students created a web page to promote the housing development.

According to Assistant Professor of Architecture Dr. Gisela Loehlein, although the students were initially skeptical about working with students in other disciplines, “They came to love the project and produced some excellent work.”

Arriyadh Competition

Five AUS students won prizes in the anonymous Arriyadh competition. Second prize winners were Ahmed Al Harty (multimedia design), Abdulla Al-Shamsi (architecture) and Hiba Trabulsi (interior design). Third prize winners were and Salem Al Qassimi (multimedia design) and Loubna Al Zalek (architecture). Special mention went to Farah Najeeb Al-Humaidhi (interior design), Mariam Al Nakhi (multimedia design), Amin Al Saden (architecture), Dareen Al Sarraj (multimedia design), Aisha Hassan (multimedia design), Banah Mustafa (architecture) and Azadeh Zaferani (architecture). Approximately 1,000 students from 50 countries participated in the competition.

IFEX 2004 Design Awards

At the recent IFEX 2004 Design Awards in Abu Dhabi, Al Zalek placed first in the architecture category and Al-Humaidhi, placed second in the interior design category for their work on the Arriyadh Housing Project.

Two other students received IFEX recognition for worked unrelated to the Arriyadh competition. Fifth-year architecture students Banah Mazin Mustafa and Amin Al-Saden received two nominations each for architecture and furniture design concepts. More than 100 students from four universities in the UAE took part in the IFEX competition.

Ibda'a Awards

Visual communications major Lamya Gargash placed first in the photography category in Dubai Media City's Ibda'a 2003 Awards, which drew more than 1,800 entries from 98 universities, representing more than 20 countries. Of the nine category winners, Ms. Gargash was the only one from the UAE. Visual communications senior Linda El Shami and architecture senior Azadeh Asgharzadeh were also finalists in the photography category.

Murcutt Master Class

Architecture senior Induja Lakshmi has been selected as one of only 30 participants for the prestigious Glenn Murcutt International Architecture Master Class to be held in Australia July 11-25 in association with the University of Sydney School of Architecture. Led by international award-winning architect Glenn Murcutt, the workshop is open to select senior students, graduate students, academics and practicing architects from around the world. The intensive two-week design studio program involves group design projects, which are presented by the participants and critiqued by Mr. Murcutt and other tutors.

SBM students meet int’l business leaders

Students from the School of Business and Management (SBM) saw the business world in action during a January study trip to some of the world's most well-known multinational companies.

Organized by Carol Houser, SBM Director of Community Relations, the trip to Miami and Orlando, Florida, included seminars at IBM, Motorola, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, FedEx, Deloitte and Touche, Disney Headquarters, Caterpillar Latin America Headquarters and General Motors Latin America Middle East Headquarters.

During the visit, the 26 students learned about the systematic procedures exercised by these companies to ensure professionalism in the global market. Officials from General Motors told students about the company's precise system for executing future projects. At Motorola, students learned about the company's product development cycle. At EPCOT Disney, students participated in a leadership workshop on management and multicultural communication skills. At IBM, students met with Mr. Adel Al-Saleh, IBM Vice President Communications Sectors-Americas, a UAE citizen originally from Abu Dhabi.

“What a great opportunity! This trip gave us the chance to apply theories we learned in the classroom to real life situations” said Mohammed El-Deeb, a finance student.

Besides the serious aspects of the trip, the students enjoyed a visit to the Ringling Brothers Circus, Miami's South Beach, Universal Studios and Disney World.

This eighth international study tour offered by the School of Business and Management offered unique learning opportunities for the students. “ I came back to the UAE with a lot of knowledge and memories, and I got to know the people I traveled with” said senior student La'aleh Al-Aali.

Computer Science student wins top int’l honor

Haitham Kaddoura, a Computer Science major at AUS, won second place in the Lance Stafford Larson Student Scholarship Best Student Paper Competition organized by the Computer Society of the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the United States.

The Larson Scholarship recognizes and honors the best computer-related papers written independently by students. Designed to encourage communication skills among future computer science professionals, the scholarship awards papers with outstanding technical content, demonstrated writing talent and exceptional overall presentation.

Mr. Kaddoura, a member of IEEE and the Linux Group, said that he was extremely pleased that his hard work and commitment had been recognized at the competition. “Students should always aim high and set the highest goals for themselves. For no matter how difficult the path might seem initially, perseverance and hard work always pays off in the end,” he added.

Staff Achievements

Ms. Christine Furno (Library) has been accepted to the highly selective teaching track of the American College and Research Library's Institute for Information Literacy Immersion Program, which will be held July 30-August 4 in Seattle, Washington.

Mr. Matthew Ismail (Library) recently co-published the article “American University of Sharjah Library: A Collection Development Project” in the journal Collection Building (vol. 22 no. 4, 2003).

Ms. Lorin Ritchie (Library) delivered the presentation “The Changing Role of Libraries in e-Learning” at the Second Annual Symposium on Learning & Technology in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 2-4.

 

Professor addresses forum

Dr. Zeinab Karake Shalhoub, Associate Dean of the School of Business and Management, was an invited speaker at the U.S. Arab Economic Forum, which took place in Detroit late last year. The forum, which took two years to plan, was a historic event with approximately 1,000 participants. No such event has ever taken place in the United States. Keynote addresses were given by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell; Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League; Carly Fiorina, CEO of HP; Philip Condit, chairman and chief executive officer of Boeing Co.; Abdul Rahman bin Hamad al-Attiyah, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council; Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia; and the Crown Prince of Bahrain. Dr. Shalhoub presented the UAE's experience with electronic government.

SA&D students display work at international conference

Select student work entitled “Architecture in Heritage Sites” from the School of Architecture and Design (SA&D) was exhibited in conjunction with the First International Architectural Conservation held in Dubai recently.

The conference, entitled “Between Theory and Practice,” was organized by Dubai Municipality with the support of UNESCO, the Arab Urban Development Institute, and the Department Of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

Crown Prince opens Sixth Annual AUS Global Day Festival

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) celebrated its sixth annual Global Day Festival from April 14 to 15, on the campus grounds of the university.

His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the prestigious event.

As the biggest event of the year on the AUS calendar, the Global Day Festival is a campus-wide affair in which virtually all members of the university community participate, from students and parents to staff and faculty. This year the festival drew thousands of visitors on campus. Numerous government officials, foreign dignitaries, media representatives and members of the public attended this major event.

The theme for this year's Global Day was “Peace throughout the world,” which reflects the harmony and peace prevalent in the multicultural environment of AUS. There were four main attractions at this year's event: World Bazaar, Children's Corner, Food Fair and Cultural Performances.

More than 26 clubs and organizations representing some of the many nationalities present on campus displayed samples of their cultures and traditions during this event. The Emarati Cultural Club, for example, celebrated the UAE's rich culture and heritage with traditional bands playing Emarati folk songs, among other cultural exhibits, displays and shows.

Cultural exhibits, skits, dances, tableaux and traditional fashion show as well as a host of other attractions for children such as face painting, puppets and live entertainment, provided plenty of entertainment and leisure to visitors over the two days of the festival. A wide variety of cuisines were on offer with various multicultural restaurants serving their delicious fare at the event.

The event was hosted by the AUS Office of Student Affairs together with the student clubs and organizations on campus.

SBM students conduct real-world research

On March 20, a group of School of Business and Management (SBM) students presented findings from their market research project to general managers and vice presidents of the Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Investments Group. Eighty students administered 3,000 surveys during this year's Dubai Shopping Festival at all three City Centers in the UAE. The SBM team also provided recommendations that would further improve services at the malls. This is the fourth year of the project.

Student project managers were Muniba Siddiqui and Fadi Al Masri, and student team leaders were Hessa Murad, Asitha Mohideen, Natasha Mushfiq and Akram Jazem. The project was led by Carol Houser, SBM Director of Community Relations.

Mr. Jim Badour, Vice President of the MAF Investments Group, praised the students work and stated, “As I have mentioned many times before, the findings of the research data mirrors the findings of many professional research companies we have used in the past.”

As a token of their appreciation, MAF Investments awarded a scholarship to Emad Siddiqui, the supervisor of the City Centre Project in Deira, for the May 26-June 7 study tour to Switzerland and Germany. The award was presented at the recent SBM-Business Student Council reception for companies and parents who have supported the school.

JHU students visit AUS

A student delegation from Johns Hopkins University (JHU), US, met with Chancellor Winfred Thompson on March 21.

The eight-member delegation comprised students studying International Relations, Strategic Studies, American Foreign Policy and International Economic Development at JHU. Diane Whaley and Kassem Wahba, the English Language Program Director and the Arabic Language Program Director respectively, accompanied the students on their visit.

Welcoming the students on campus, Dr. Thompson briefed them on the UAE's history, and the progress and development of higher education in the country. He informed them of the university's undergraduate and graduate programs as well as the on-campus facilities, including the state-of-the-art teaching aids and laboratories. Dr. Thompson also briefed the visitors on the tremendous success achieved by of the university since its inception and updated them on its current and future plans.

Along with Dr. Thompson, other senior officials from AUS also met with the delegation including Mr. Salem Al Qaseer, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Public Affairs, and Mr. Ali Shuhaimy, Dean of Admissions. The students also met with Dr. Wadiah Atiyah, Dean of the School of Business and Management, and Dr. Robert Cook, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, during their visits to the respective schools.

The students appreciated the quality of education and campus facilities provided by AUS as well as the reputation it had acquired throughout the region in a relatively short span of time.

Leading GCC schools attend Principals and Counselors Day

Principals and senior representatives from over 40 schools from around the UAE and the GCC attended the day-long Principals and Counselors Day held at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) on March 17.

The event, which attracted officials from some of the best schools in the region, was organized to familiarize these institutions with the academic standards and admission procedures at AUS.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Winfred Thompson, Chancellor of AUS, said, “All of us here today share a common commitment to academic excellence, which renders us mutually dependent upon one another. The purpose of this event is two-fold: first, to introduce you to our academic environment, and second, to learn more about your students' needs. We want this meeting to be the beginning of a partnership that will help students make wise decisions about their university careers.”

Mr. Ali Shuhaimy, AUS Dean of Admissions, welcomed the delegates and apprised them of the university's programs and development.

Senior AUS officials, including Dr. Sallie Sheppard, Assistant to the Chancellor for Planning and Evaluation, Dr. Robert Cook, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Zeinab Shalhoub, Associate Dean of the School of Business and Management, also spoke at the event on various topics of interest to the delegates such as ʻEducational Programs and Career Opportunities,' and ʻOverview of AUS's Accreditation.'

The delegates were also given a tour of campus as well as of the School of Engineering (SOE) and the School of Architecture and Design (SA&D).

German university students co-operate with SA&D on design project

Thirty students from two German universities worked with AUS architecture students recently on a design to develop Sharjah's Al Khan peninsula.

The largest student delegation from a foreign university to ever visit AUS, the group comprised students and accompanying faculty members from the architecture schools of the Technical University in Berlin and the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus.

Seven teams, each including students from all three schools, participated in a design charette in which students proposed their development strategies for the peninsula. During their stay at AUS, the German students also travelled extensively throughout the UAE.

Organized by Assistant Professor of Architecture Florian Techel, this visit was the latest step toward developing academic ties between AUS and prominent German universities. Previous collaborative activities have included an exhibition of contemporary German architecture, lectures, field trips and research projects.

Officials promote AUS in Lebanon

A team of senior officials from AUS recently attended Academia Lebanon-Middle East Education and Training Markets held in Beirut, Lebanon.

Held under the patronage of His Excellency Emile Lahoud, the President of Lebanon, the event attracted more than 90 universities, colleges and training institutes from around the region, with AUS being the only UAE university to participate.

“Our participation was aimed at introducing AUS to prospective students and parents in the region and to highlight the opportunities it offers as a leading institution of quality higher education,” said Mr. Salem Al Qaseer, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Public Affairs. “AUS is also an excellent reflection of the progress and development in higher education in the entire Gulf,” he added.

The two-day fair was inaugurated by His Excellency Karim Bakradouni, the Lebanese Minister for Administrative Reform.

Students, parents and members of the higher education community in Lebanon showed keen interest in the academic and extracurricular opportunities offered at AUS. “One of our goals was to attract and recruit prospective students from Lebanon and the region,” said Mr. Ali Shuhaimy, AUS Dean of Admissions.

IMS launches durability initiative

A new initiative to establish the first UAE National Forum for Concrete Durability Specifications began at a parallel meeting during the International Conference on Applications of Traditional and High Performance Materials in Harsh Environments held on campus recently.

The forum comprises leading members of regional universities, government organizations and corporate entities. The meeting's agenda was to define and study the lack of quality control and standard test specifications for concrete durability in construction, and subsequently to provide technical specifications for concrete durability in hot climates and harsh environments.

The goal of the national forum is to persuade the decision making authorities to establish and enforce concrete durability specifications in construction practice.

Career Fair connects students with employers

Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, AUS held its third annual Career Fair at the Sports Complex on March 16.

The event elicited tremendous response from local, regional and international companies, with over 60 private, semi-government and government agencies recruiting AUS students as full-time employees and/or interns during the fair.

“The Career Fair is dedicated to promoting interaction between our students and potential employers. It serves as an important link, not only for our graduating students but also for those who are seeking internships with reputable national and international firms,” said Mr. Salem Al Qaseer, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Public Affairs.

For the first time ever, the event was being sponsored by five companies. These were ADNOC, Darwish Engineering, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Petrofac and IQ Graduates.

“This event provides an important forum for employers from around the region to come to our campus and interact with our talented, ambitious and impressive student body, which comprises over 70 nationalities,” said Maysun Nimr, manager of the university's Career Advising and Placement Services (CAPS).

Valued ID Program launched

The AUS Valued ID Program was launched on April 19 and 20 in the Rotunda of the Main Building. More than a dozen outlets, including Paris Gallery, Damas, Patchi, Gillette, L'Oreal and others, exhibited their latest wares and gave away special discount vouchers and gift packs to all visitors.

The AUS Valued ID Program, organized by the Public Relations Department, entitles all AUS students, faculty members, staff, dependents and alumni to price discounts at a wide variety of fashion outlets, restaurants, cafes, beauty salons, shoe stores and more at major shopping malls around the Emirates. The discounts offered at the various outlets will be announced on a regular basis by the Public Relations Department.

Student clubs recruit members through fair

 

The Office of Student Affairs held a well-attended Club Fair in the university Student Center February 9-10. Inaugurated by Chancellor Winfred Thompson, the fair featured more than 30 on-campus clubs and organizations.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Thompson said that he was very pleased to see the number and variety of clubs represented at this year's fair. “Joining an on-campus club is one of the best extracurricular activities in which a student can participate. I hope that our students take advantage of the many organizations we have represented here today.”

Dr. Thompson was accompanied by Mr. Salem Al Qaseer, Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Public Affairs; Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Student Affairs; Dr. Martin Giesen, Dean of the School of Architecture and Design; Dr. Robert Cook, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and other senior university officials.

The fair is one of the biggest events of its kind held on campus. Colorful stalls with national flags, posters, multimedia displays, and music livened up the Student Center. Many students wore their national dresses, reflecting the vibrant, multicultural environment prevalent on campus.

Among the many organizations participating in the fair were the Emirati Cultural Club, Pakistani Cultural Club, American Cultural Club, Turkish Cultural Club, Saudi Cultural Club, the Islamic Club, Power Hit Radio, Astronomy Club, and the Leopard Club (student newspaper). Also present were representatives from the AUS Community Services and the Learning and Counseling Center.

Congratulations!

Senior finance major Alaa Alazem, was declared the winner of the AUS Women's Association Spring 2004 scholarship. She received AED 500 for this semester's textbook purchases.

Athletes travel to Egypt for Friendship Tournament

More than 40 AUS student-athletes participated in the first International Friendship Tournament for Universities February 8-16 in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. The women's volleyball and basketball teams and the men's basketball, soccer and table tennis teams were among 1,000 students from five universities competing in the tournament, which was hosted by the Arab Academy for Science Technology and Marine Transport.

“The main objective of the event was friendship, so there were no declared winners. Everybody won in the sense that all of the athletes had a very rich experience during their stay in Egypt,” said Munketh Taha, Assistant to the Dean of Students.

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