College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter

American University of Sharjah
Issue 1 | June 2015
Issue 2 | June 2016
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
Welcome to
the second
issue of the CAS
Newsletter. This
issue highlights
many exciting
new CAS
initiatives and
achievements,
and celebrates
the successes
of our students and faculty. This
academic year we continued to
emphasize enhancing our students’
educational experience by investing in
the development of our instructional
capabilities and infrastructure, bringing
our undergraduate and general
education curriculum up-to-date, and
engaging our students in undergraduate
research. This genuinely reflects our
commitment to our mission of offering
our students the opportunity to explore
linkages across the liberal arts disciplines
through a robust and diverse curriculum
of study in a variety of academic and
experiential settings.
This year also saw the establishment of
the first CAS Student Team. Among the
team’s responsibilities are consulting
students on issues of importance and
concern, organizing student activities and
campaigns, and communicating with the
CAS Executive Council.
This is a very exciting time for CAS as
we continue to expand our academic
offerings. In its March meeting, the AUS
Board of Trustees (BOT) approved the
establishment of a new Bachelor of Arts
in Psychology program. We are also in
the process of submitting to the BOT a
proposal for establishing a new Bachelor
of Science in Physics program. Both
programs will be of very high quality and
will complement our existing programs.
Finally, I would like to thank all members
of the CAS community—faculty, staff,
students and administrators—for their
efforts. These accomplishments would
not have been possible without your
hard work and dedication. Special thanks
go to Dr. Ahmad Al-Issa, Dr. Mohammad
Ayish, Ana Gavassa and the Department
of Mass Communication—students and
faculty—for making this publication
possible.
Mahmoud Anabtawi
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Excellence Award recipients and departing
faculty honored
The College of Arts and Sciences held
its annual outdoor faculty dinner
on March 23 with the attendance
of senior university administrators
and CAS faculty members and their
spouses. Hosted by CAS Dean Dr.
Mahmoud Anabtawi and his wife
Lina Hejjawi, the event included the
presentation of a number of awards
and recognition of departing faculty
members. Dean Anabtawi opened
the event by welcoming guests and
thanking them for their outstanding
efforts in making the current academic
year a great success. He also paid
tribute to the university administration
for its continued support of CAS.
The CAS Excellence in Teaching
Award was presented to Faruk Uygul,
Assistant Professor in the Department
of Mathematics and Statistics, while
continued on p. 7
CAS holds its first Student Event
The first College of Arts and Sciences
Student Event was launched on April
25 at the Main Plaza. It brought with
it an exciting mixture of music and
entertainment. The event was planned
and carried out by CAS students,
represented by its newly established
CAS Student Team, in coordination
with the AUS Student Council and the
Dean’s Office. In his opening remarks,
Dean Mahmoud Anabtawi thanked
the students for their efforts in making
the event possible and expressed his
gratitude for their hard work. He
also applauded them for giving CAS
students the opportunity to gather and
interact outside the classroom.
including heads of the Department
of English and the Department
of Mathematics and Statistics, Dr.
Kathleen Hewett-Smith and Dr. Hana
Suleiman, and the Associate Dean of
CAS, Dr. Ahmad Al-Issa.
“This gathering is very exciting, being
the first of its kind,” Dr. Hewett-Smith
said. “It celebrates the diversity in CAS,
and the intelligence and creativity
of the departments’ students and
faculty.” continued on p. 2
Dr. Anabtawi’s sentiments were echoed
by several other CAS faculty members,
Contents
Dean’s Lecture Series
Research diversity thrives in CAS graduate programs
MCM studio opens
Applying innovative classroom methods
Little Shop of Horrors debuts at AUS
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College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
CAS holds its first Student Event
“This is very entertaining,” Dr.
Suleiman said. “And it’s great to see
students outside class.”
“The students worked very hard to
make the event a big success, and
it shows” Dr. Al-Issa said. “It brings
together the diversity we have in CAS
and strengthens students’ sense of
belonging to the college. I’m happy to
see everybody having a good time and
enjoying the evening.”
The night’s fun kicked off with a
special video made by CAS students
celebrating the college’s various
departments, and highlighting those
constant questions pertaining to the
buildings’ acronyms.
continued from p. 1
rock-and-roll covers, crooning duets,
magic tricks and stand-up comedy.
Faculty members in the audience also
had the opportunity to perform during
a brief session of “AUS Professors Got
Talent.”
It was an exciting evening for all, and
CAS was honored that Chancellor
Björn Kjerve took time from his busy
schedule to join in the festivities. CAS
plans to build on this first successful
event, and looks forward to making
next year’s event even more exciting.
This event would not have been
possible without the tireless efforts
of the newly established CAS Student
Team (CST). Members of the CST
include:
Noora Alsaeed (MTH)–President
Zarnain Abdul Samad (English)–Vice
Presdent
Taraneh Taghaddossi (BCE)–Public
Relations Manager
Rami Baghadan (BCE)–Executive
Assistant
Pooja Baburaj (INS)–Treasurer
Khalid Mahmoud (MCM)–Media
Coordinator
Naila Tariq (MCM)–Event Coordinator
Attendees were treated to a line-up
of performances by students including
Beyonce-inspired break-dancing,
Kinda Jarmakani (BCE)–Event
Coordinator
Environmental Day highlights career choices
Environmental Agency. The event
also included an environmental quiz
competition for high school students.
The Department of Biology, Chemistry
and Environmental Sciences (BCE)
held its annual Environmental Day
at the university on April 14, 2016
with the participation of 400 high
school students. Carried out under
the theme “Preserving the Future of
Gulf Ecosystems” in collaboration with
Sharakah program, the event aimed at
educating high school students about
careers in the environmental sector
in the UAE and beyond. During the
event, AUS Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve
gave a presentation on environmental
sustainability within the field of
oceanography, shedding light on
potential threats to oceans as a result
of deteriorating environmental and
2
climate conditions.
In his opening speech, Dr. Mahmoud
Anabtawi, Dean of the College of
Arts and Sciences, welcomed the high
school students to AUS, and thanked
the BCE for making this annual
event possible. Mohamed El Shahed,
Director of Student Recruitment, spoke
about AUS admission standards and
programs, while Dr. Sandra Knuteson,
Chair of the Environmental Day
Committee, provided an overview
of the BCE program. The day’s
activities also included an address on
biodiversity conservation policies by
AUS alumna Nessrine Alzahlawi, Unit
Head-Biodiversity Policy, Abu Dhabi
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
CAS students receive Research Awards
Two CAS undergraduate students were
honored at the AUS Annual Student
Research Award Ceremony on April
12 at the Main Building. Nada Al Haj
As’ad from the Department of Biology,
Chemistry and Environmental Sciences
placed first in the Sharjah Islamic
Bank Awards for the project entitled
Modified Cellulose Based Material for
the Removal of Heavy Metals from
Water. The student is advised by Dr.
Mohamed Al-Sayah. Placing third in
the SIB contest was Sonali Osin Chopra
from the Department of International
Studies for project The Role of
Monuments in the Construction of an
Indian National Identity. The student is
advised by Dr. Pernille Arenfeldt.
Organized by the AUS Office of
Research and Graduate Studies and
sponsored by Sharjah Islamic Bank and
BP UAE, the annual awards recognize
the top undergraduate student
research projects at AUS.
Physics department organizes FUNtastic FZX
The Department of Physics at
the College of Arts and Sciences
collaborated with the Sharakah Schools
program of the Office of Enrollment
Management to engage high school
students with practical physics at the
FUNtastic FZX event on February 1. The
event featured a wide range of physics
projects carried out by 23 participating
teams from eight Sharakah partner
schools.
The event included interactive lectures,
live displays, hands-on activities, and
demonstrations of physics principles
and their wide applications. It also
featured a physics project competition,
with the International Community
School winning first and third prizes,
and the International School of Arts
and Sciences placing second.
Students participating in the
event came from Al Mawakeb
School-Qarhoud Branch; Al Mawakeb
School-Al Barsha Branch; International
School of Arts and Sciences;
International Community School; Al
Shola Private School; Sharjah American
International School-Sharjah; Al
Ma’arifa International School; and
Dubai International School-Al Garhoud
Branch.
Maya Janabi, a grade 10 student from
Al Ma’arifa International School said,
“Today’s event is highly informative
and we get to learn a lot about physics.
It is a fun competition and so many
students worked hard to prepare for
it. We would like to thank AUS for this
amazing opportunity.”
As part of the university’s community
engagement strategic initiative, AUS
introduced the Sharakah program to
partner with select schools in the UAE.
of cooperation between AUS and the
partners in various academic and nonacademic areas.
This program aims at creating venues
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College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
INS students rank in top 5 at moot court
Students from the Department of
International Studies (INS) took part
in the Philip C. Jessup International
Law Moot Court Competition (Jessup)
national rounds for the seventh
time in a row, in Washington, DC,
from March 27 to April 2, 2016. The
AUS team ranked number 5 out of
the approximately 600 participating
teams worldwide and 116 teams
that competed in Washington, DC. In
addition, all three AUS oralists made
it to the Top 100 Individual Oralists
and the team’s memorial (written
pleadings) was among the Top 30,
making AUS the first institution in the
Arab world to ever hold this position,
topping prominent universities
including Kings College London and
Stanford Law School.
The INS team members were AbdulDayem, Razan Breiwish, Wajid Zakir,
Hassan Salman and Menna Al-Khalil.
The team’s advisor is Dr. Kevin Gray,
Assistant Professor in INS.
Jessup is the world’s largest moot
court competition, with participants
from law schools from all over the
world. This year’s competition theme
addressed the legality of cybersurveillance and cyber attacks with
international law parameters.
INSA holds gala for INS faculty and graduating seniors
During the International Studies
Students Association (INSA) Gala,
graduating seniors in international
studies had the chance to enroll in one
last lesson alongside faculty and other
students–a lesson on djembe drums.
Building for the January 6 event, which
employed the help of Dubai Drums.
Attendees were coaxed into trying
their luck at rhythm-matching and
chanting by event coordinator and
INSA President Ahmed Al-Nehayan.
The instruments were assembled in a
ring on the grass behind the Physics
Al-Nehayan explained that the gala’s
purpose was to bring the department’s
members together for a few hours of
laughs and fun, an opportunity many
students and staff don’t get during
the work week, and one graduating
students might not have again.
“Few people [outside INS] realize how
close-knit we are,” he explained. “With
events like this, we want to first show
people that the INSA really is an active
body, and to secondly, help bridge the
gap between our very busy students
and professors.”
Last year’s INSA Gala involved a game
of identifying faculty baby pictures, INS
minor Shaddin Al-Masri said. “Some
professors were surprisingly cute
babies.”
Assistant Professor Dr. Marwan
Hanania, who joined AUS in Fall 2015,
said that he has been impressed by
the level of commitment displayed
by faculty and students within the
Department of International Studies
(INS).
4
American University of Sharjah
“In a developing university in the
Middle East, it’s especially important
to have a strong humanities program,
particularly when the emphasis is
often times on vocational fields and
the sciences,” he said. “We have that
here.”
Several students attending the event
said they appreciated being able to
unwind before final exam week and
talk to faculty outside of class.
“It’s like starting a band with a bunch
of professors,” INS junior Amily Farraj
said.
Visiting alumni expressed similar
sentiments.
“I never played drums with my
professors while I was in AUS. A lot
sure has changed,” AUS alumnus Rini
Sardesai joked, adding, “Events like
these are amazing because they give
me an excuse to come back and see the
[faculty] that I grew so fond of during
my years here.”
Issue 2 | June 2016
Associate Professor Dr. Pernille
Arenfeldt said she was also happy to
reunite with her former students: “It’s
absolutely lovely being able to see
them again… it’s really special.”
“Events like these are
amazing because they
give me an excuse to
come back and see the
[faculty] that I grew
so fond of during
my years here.”
Towards the end of the night, a
microphone was passed around the
faculty table for a few last words to
the graduating students.
“I know you feel stressed now with
finals coming up,” said Dr. Vernon
Pedersen, Head of the Department.
“But you’ll look back on this as the
easiest and happiest time of your life
once you have a job.”
INSA awarded parting gifts to the
graduates and honored the Emirati
Club for its collaboration with the
association during the UAE National
Day celebrations.
The INSA plans a gala every
semester and holds a conference on
international cases yearly.
“If anyone, inside INS or out, ever
wants to come see us to talk or just
hang out on the second floor of the
Physics Building, they can,”Al-Nehayan
said. “We’re a family here. Everybody is
welcome.”
Before concluding the event, the
CAS initiates professional training program
In order to meet the needs of the
local community, the College of
Arts and Sciences is connecting with
government and private entities in the
UAE to offer its professional training
services. With nine departments
spanning the humanities and the
sciences, the college is well-placed
to offer training in a wide range of
disciplines so that local agencies can
invest in professional development for
their employees.
During Fall Semester 2015, CAS
independently carried out two
professional training programs. From
December 6 to 17, the Department
of English and the Department
of Arabic and Translation Studies
carried out a two-week Professional
Communications Workshop for the
UAE Ministry of Defence. The program
was delivered at the Ministry of
Defence Headquarters in Abu Dhabi
and involved a team of ten faculty
members from the two departments.
Each day, the sessions were delivered
in Arabic and in English. The
program covered a wide range of
communications training and was
tailored to the specific needs of the
Ministry of Defence employees. At the
end of the program, the participants
“By offering professional
training, the College
of Arts and Sciences is
helping to serve the local
community and is also
providing an additional
revenue stream to
the college and the
university.”
worked on a written proposal and
presented their proposals orally in
Arabic and English. Each participant
was presented with a CAS Professional
Training Program certificate.
On December 12, the College of Arts
and Sciences carried out a Teacher
Training Program for the Dubai School
of Modern Skills. The school was
seeking targeted training for their
teachers in the area of differentiating
instruction for the core subjects of
math, science and English. A total of
46 teachers in three parallel sessions
participated in the program and were
awarded CAS Professional Training
Program certificates.
“By offering professional training,
the College of Arts and Sciences is
helping to serve the local community
and is also providing an additional
revenue stream to the college and the
university. The short-term future plans
for the professional training program
revolve around growing relationships
with local high schools and the
Ministry of Defence, along with other
projects,” said Dr. James Griffin, CAS
Associate Dean.
For more information about CAS
Professional Training Programs, please
contact Dr. Griffin at jgriffin@aus.edu.
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College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
Dean’s Lecture Series speaker calls for interdisciplinary collaboration
By Danna Abrahim
Interdisciplinary collaboration can
yield many benefits for a campus
community, said Dr. David Scicchitano,
Dean of Science at NYU Abu Dhabi,
in a lecture at CAS on October 7.
Speaking at the first session of the
CAS Dean’s Lecture Series program for
2015–2016, Dr. Scicchitano highlighted
the importance of a supportive
administration in the development of
faculty-driven projects.
only time many students collaborated
with those outside their respective
majors.
After “a real team effort” has been
established between faculty and
administration, Dr. Scicchitano said
that efforts should be made to
disseminate results to the public by
“taking these ideas out of journals and
into [society].”
“It is the faculty [who] form the core
of the university, and interdisciplinary
collaboration between university
members could reap numerous
benefits on campus society, including
a curriculum where students learn by
doing [rather than] listening,” he said.
The guest speaker referenced NYU’s
own liberal arts classes as an example
of the “remarkable results” to be
yielded by an integrated community,
pointing out that the courses were the
Among professors, a productive
community of any kind would not
be possible without the aid of
administration, who, in addition to
funding approved projects, must
provide faculty with ample time and
space in the form of reduced course
loads and state-of-the-art equipment,
he said.
Dr. David Scicchitano
Through these means, Dr. Scicchitano
envisioned a research center
that provided students with the
opportunity to grow; faculty, the tools
to innovate; and administration, the
publications to herald.
CAS professor shares study Quran work with faculty
By Danna Abrahim
Dr. Joseph Lumbard
In a departure from traditional Quranic
studies, an American University of
Sharjah faculty member has teamed up
with international scholars to facilitate
Islamic scholarship by producing a firstof-its-kind study Quran.
Dr. Joseph Lumbard, Department
of Arabic and Translation Studies
Assistant Professor, spoke about his
new book, The Study Quran, which
was released in November 2015 by
HarperCollins New York, during a
lecture on December 8 as part of the
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CAS Dean’s Lecture Series.
time periods.”
Dr. Lumbard explained that there are
many study Bibles available in Western
academia, but that this is the first study
Quran. While many interpretations
of the Quran produce the teachings
of a single school, The Study Quran
provides positions from all branches
of Islam, showing readers how verses
in the text have been understood in
different ways, he added.
Dealing with differing nuances and
biases in various commentaries of
Quranic verses proved challenging, he
said, adding, “a single sentence can be
the product of hundreds of pages of
reading.”
He assured listeners that, though
numerous, the collaborators strove to
achieve a consistent level of quality
produced through the commentary for
The Study Quran, what Dr. Lumbard
referred to as the heart of the volume.
In the studying of over 40 historical
commentaries on the Holy Book, Dr.
Lumbard explained that “[We tried to]
cover a full spectrum of schools and
Dr. Lumbard said that he hopes The
Study Quran will both start a trend
in committee-led translations and
encourage a transnational approach
to Islamic studies by creating a
collaborative and constructive dialogue
between the East and West in an oftmisunderstood field.
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
Dean’s Lecture Series speakers present research on predicting
box office success
By Danna Abrahim
Those who attended the March 15
edition of the CAS Dean’s Lecture
Series were greeted by a familiar face.
Carnegie Mellon University Associate
Professor, and former AUS business
management faculty member, Dr.
Starling David Hunter III joined Mass
Communication Associate Professor
Susan Smith in a talk on predicting
box office success through textual
analysis of movie screenplays. Both
scholars have produced and published
a research article on the subject of the
presentation.
Dr. Hunter cited the inspiration behind
the research to a conversation with
one of his students who had compared
his class to the popular 2005 television
show, Prison Break.
After “binge-watching” the series,
and several others, Dr. Hunter said
he began noticing how content in
Hollywood paralleled that of his
curricula.
“It’s almost as if the people who
created [these shows] had read the
textbooks,” he said, commenting on
how teachers could effectively utilize
media to explain concepts in class.
But not all shows are created equal.
Dr. Hunter added that attention to
detail distinguished a successful series
from a mediocre one, and that, on
the big screen, this success could
actually be measured through MorphoEtymological Network Text Analysis
(MENTA), or genre-specific terms.
By compiling a list of jargon used in a
movie, Dr. Hunter said people are able
to identify the genre of the film, even
without having seen the title.
The more compound words present
in a movie’s MENTA, the more genrespecific it is, Dr. Hunter added,
explaining that specificity indicates a
well-written screenplay.
“It shows how well the writer
understands what they’re talking
about,” he said. “If I were to try
to write a script involving some
neuroscience right now, I doubt I could
fool any brain surgeon for longer than
20 seconds.”
Excellence Award recipients and
departing faculty honored
continued from p. 1
mission of CAS and AUS at large.
the Excellence in Research Award
in the social sciences was earned by
James Sater, Associate Professor in the
Department of International Studies.
Mazher Iqbal, Senior Instructor in
the Department of Physics, received
the Excellence in Teaching for Lab
Instructors Award.
CAS faculty members who are
departing at the end of Spring 2016
were honored by Dean Anabtawi for
their contributions to advancing the
Honored faculty included Laila Noman
and Sara Cotterall (English); Ralph
Berenger (Mass Communication);
Najla Al-Merabi, Anne Shine and Laila
Dahan (Writing Studies); and Sabrina
Tahboub-Schulte and Meenaz Kassam
(International Studies).
He used examples of MENTA for
movies Hurt Locker and Juno. Hurt
Locker, a war film, yielded terms like
“bullseye” and “shell-shocked”; Juno,
an unabashed teenage flick, included
words “backpack” and “weight loss.”
With MENTA, Hunter said he was able
to create textual maps of interrelated
terms and concepts in 170 Englishlanguage films through which each
opening weekend’s box office numbers
could be predicted.
Traditionally, the success of a movie’s
opening weekend was only able to be
measured through post-production
attributes, like the rating, early
reviews, genre and originality, he
explained, adding that with MENTA
maps, those results could be predicted
with the screenplay alone.
“No one else has looked at etymology
as a relationship,” he said. “With
network text analysis, we can start
predicting how much movies make,
how many awards they’ll get.”
Biology and
chemistry programs
receive CAA
reaccreditation
The bachelor of science degree
programs in biology and chemistry
of the Department of Biology,
Chemistry and Environmental
Sciences have recently been
re-accredited for five years by
the Commission for Academic
Accreditation (CAA) of the
Ministry of Education’s Higher
Education Affairs Division. The
reaccreditation of both programs
reflects their meeting of national
and international accreditation
requirements and standards.
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College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
Research diversity thrives in CAS graduate programs
By James Griffin, Director of Graduate Programs
The three graduate programs in the
College of Arts and Science provide
a wealth of research opportunities
for students. In the Master of Science
in Mathematics (MSMTH) program,
many students elect to take the 6
credit thesis option in their last two
semesters, giving them a chance to
participate in new research in any
area of mathematics represented
here at AUS. In the Master of Arts
in Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (MATESOL) program,
the thesis option gives students the
opportunity to conduct cutting-edge
classroom research or to investigate
the theories of education from a
more theoretical point of view. In the
Master of Arts in Translation (MATI)
and Interpreting program, the thesis is
a core requirement and students have
the chance to analyze and make use of
the many aspects of translating secular
and religious texts as well as studying
the cultural aspects and barriers to
translation.
We caught up with graduate students
from the three programs who have
recently completed or are soon to
complete their thesis. They shared with
us their enthusiasm for their chosen
topics.
Heba Al Kafri is an applied
mathematician from the MSMTH
program and she is studying numerical
algorithms to solve non-linear
boundary value problems that arise in
engineering, biology and chemistry.
When asked about the enthusiasm she
has for her research, she responded
that “for the first time, I observed the
beauty of mathematics reflected in
real-life situations.”
Mohammad Abdulla, a pure
mathematician from the MSMTH
program, is working on an area of
mathematics known as graph theory.
8
He is particularly enthusiastic about
his research as it connects the three
areas of graph theory, ring theory and
number theory.
“For the first time, I
observed the beauty of
mathematics reflected in
real-life situations.”
Lama Zakzak from the MATESOL
program is investigating effective
teaching in the context of English as
a foreign language (EFL). In terms of
pedagogical practices and teaching
methodologies, there is already
a wealth of research on effective
teaching in this and any other context.
Instead, Zakzak is focusing on the
students’ and the teachers’ beliefs
about what makes an effective teacher
EFL teacher.
Zakzak said that her research is of
particular importance in the UAE.
“Comparing students’ and teachers’
beliefs about teaching of EFL academic
writing provides valuable and practical
insights into the field, especially in a
context, like the UAE, where many
students face challenges in their
academic writing skills,” she said.
“Translation involves
exploring cultural elements
that are interesting to
research and examines
them.”
Arwa Abdelhamid, also from the
MATESOL program, has a wealth of
experience as an English instructor
in the UAE. Currently working at the
Sharjah Women’s College HCT, she
is well placed to carry out research
on various aspects of instruction and
assessment. In her thesis she chose to
focus on the role of technology in the
classroom, in particular on the use of
iPads as an assessment tool.
“Although iPads are relatively new to
the field of education, there is already
an abundance of research on their
effectiveness as learning/teaching
tools. However, very little has been
written about their effectiveness as
testing tools, which led me to my own
research,” Abdelhamid said.
Zeina Chams from the MATI program
recently finished her thesis on the
topic of “Arabs From a Japanese
Perspective: Cultural Representation
and Translation.” Chams said she
is interested in the cultural aspects
of translation. “Besides the aspects
of translating texts and carrying
over meanings and ideas from one
language to another, translation
involves exploring cultural elements
that are interesting to research
and examines them. These cultural
elements are used to present and
represent certain cultures in texts,”
she said. She explained how the role
of translation and the translator
is “crucial in bridging cultures and
overcoming differences.”
Ibrahim Elaissawi, also from the MATI
program, is conducting a thesis titled
“Translation of the Imperative Forms in
the Holy Qu’ran.” He studies selected
verses of the Qu’ran in three wellknown translations: Interpretation
of the Meanings of the Noble Qur’an
in the English Language; The Qur’an:
A New Translation; and The Study
Quran. Commenting on his own work,
Elaissawi stated that “the assessment
of the translations of the selected
verses is to see to what extent these
translations managed to transfer the
meanings of these verses, with their
multilayered shades.”
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
New Mass Communication studio opens
A new state-of-the-art audiovisual studio that enables mass
communication students to do their
video assignments according to higher
professional standards opened in the
Department of Mass Communication
(MCM) during the fall semester. AUS
Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve opened
the AED 1 million facility in a ceremony
attended by AUS Interim Provost Kevin
Mitchell, CAS Dean Dr. Mahmoud
Anabtawi and other senior university
staff, MCM faculty and students.
“This will be an excellent facility for
educating our students in the years to
come and for recruiting new students,”
said Dr. Kjerfve.
MCM student Reem Ibrahim gave a
tour of the studio, which houses a
control room, an audio production
room, a studio floor, a video editing
space and a student discussion lounge.
The control room is equipped with a
vision mixer, an audio mixer, a lighting
control system, two display screens,
an audio editing system, three camera
control units and an intercom system.
The audio room has an interview table
and microphones while the editing
space has three video editing suites.
The student lounge includes seating
space for students’ brainstorming
sessions and creative planning. The
studio floor, around 50 square meters
in area, contains a blue screen, three
studio cameras, 10 lighting units and
an anchoring desk. The facility has
acoustic panels to ensure the best
sound quality for production.
Interim Provost Mitchell encouraged
current students to make the best use
of the new facility. He also thanked
Dr. Mahmoud Anabtawi, Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences, for
successfully undertaking and executing
this project, along with the alumni
who supported the initiative.
The facility is expected to bolster
students’ engagement with audiovideo production and to enhance
production standards in video-based
courses.
A call for creativity across the curriculum
By Danna Abrahim
To help students realize their full
potential, faculty should do away with
traditional teaching methods and
introduce newer and more engaging
ones, said Department of Writing
Studies Instructor Zofia Reid in her
October 13 seminar “Creativity Across
the Curriculum: Why It Matters.”
“Something as simple as a water bottle
can be transformed completely with
just a little bit of creativity,” Reid
said, sharing pictures of empty bottles
transformed into useful objects like
coin-purses and bird-feeders. She
explained that the kind of creativity
harnessed in the examples—one that
involves problem-solving and critical
thinking—is absent in most schools.
Change one or two things at a time.”
This gap, she added, is responsible
for a drastic drop in creative capacity
between infancy and adulthood.
She suggested that teachers adopt
a formative style in the classroom,
a method in which each unit of
the curriculum builds on the last to
reinforce memory and critical thinking
skills. Incorporating group-oriented
seating arrangements, modern
technology and collaborative tools are
also important in getting students to
actively participate, she added.
She warned faculty against lectureintensive teaching, explaining that
the memorization and regurgitation
of information associated with the
age-old method of schooling are not
important skills to employers of future
graduates.
“You’re not going to wake up in the
morning [and say], ‘I’m going to be
creative [today],’” Reid said. “[You
won’t] change the way you teach in
one clean swoop. Do it in small doses.
Though small, Reid said that the
changes in the classroom are worth
making so teachers can unlock the
hidden potential in not only their
students, but also themselves.
9
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
CAS faculty apply innovative classroom methods
By Danna Abrahim
As part of the AUS Instructional
Technology Incentive Initiative
launched last year, four CAS professors
have successfully implemented
new methods of teaching in their
classrooms.
While the initiative is not a full
research project, Dr. Cindy Gunn,
Professor and Director of the Faculty
Development Center, expressed hope
that the results would prove beneficial
to other faculty members once made
public.
“The goal isn’t to use advanced
technology for technology’s sake,” Dr.
Gunn, who is one of those in charge of
the initiative, said, but to “mesh it with
the pedagogy.”
For her role in the project, Susan
Smith, Associate Professor of Mass
Communication, made classroom use
of WhatsApp, a texting phone app that
allows users to create individual and
group chats.
She said the idea came to her after
first using the app with the students in
her AUS-based research group, Speak
Trauma.
Smith explained that students were
much quicker to respond to WhatsApp
texts, which were immediately
accessible through their phones, rather
than to messages sent through the
university’s learning management
system iLearn.
Being able to walk students through
material step-by-step, with photos to
share progress, helped tremendously
in projects where difficult software
programs were required, she added.
The app’s advantages have not just
been convenient, but educational,
Smith said. “One big advantage I didn’t
expect was that when someone has a
question in the group, other students
will inform them. They’ll jump in and
help when I can’t reply.”
She said she could also assess individual
work habits by observing how some
students would require help from
others in the group around deadlines.
Smith said she envisioned classes with
loanable smart phones for students
10
once more faculty began to shift
towards app-based connectivity.
to come home, have work to do and
not have anyone to help you do it.”
Dr. Mohammed Ibahrine, Associate
Professor of Mass Communication,
has a passion for digital platforms,
particularly Google tools and apps.
Dr. Gouia said students can either email
her or bring their questions to class
before they go over problems together,
helping them retain information better
than they would by learning passively
in a class lecture before attempting
problems at home, alone.
In his classes, Dr. Ibahrine said he relies
on video-based lectures from websites
including Lynda.com, Adobe TV and
YouTube. Google tools like Drive and
Hangout have also provided faster
ways of sharing documents and getting
in touch with students, especially
while working with advertising and
marketing professionals in Dubai, he
explained.
He said he blends academic resources
like case studies, professional
workshops and lectures with
“edutainment” ones such as videos,
film case studies and, occasionally,
funny commercials—the last of which
he added “is the best way to engage
students.”
Dr. Ibahrine styles his teaching after
the concept of “the creative class,”
the idea that the industries of the
real world should collaborate closely
with and be reflected in academia.
He added that his main incentive has
been to keep himself and his students
current with the industry, believing
firmly that “a university should lead
innovation, not lag behind it.”
Dr. Ibahrine was not the only
participant in the initiative to utilize
online video-sharing. Assistant
Professor Dr. Rim Gouia of the
Department of Mathematics and
Statistics also incorporated a similar
method in her classes—using her own
videos.
Dr. Gouia said she records 15- to
30-minute videos of herself teaching
and then assigns them for homework
as part of a “flipped classroom
experience” where lecturing is done at
home, and homework is done in class.
Her inspiration was the Khan Academy,
a popular academic video-based
website, she added.
“Students like it [this way],” she said.
“Especially with Calculus I, learning is
sometimes a struggle. It’s discouraging
She added that with increasing
technological changes, teachers no
longer have to adhere to a single
method of teaching anymore,
particularly when subjects students
commonly struggle with, like math
and physics, can be made easier:
“Sometimes we’re so into teaching
we don’t really think, ‘How can
we improve? How can we enhance
learning? Attract students?’”
Dr. Randa Asa’d, Assistant Professor of
Physics, asked herself the same thing
before coming up with the idea of
introducing Kahoot to her students.
Kahoot is an app that turns students’
phones into clickers for a game
of Question and Answer. Like Dr.
Gouia, Dr. Asa’d said she also found
her students struggling to complete
assignments at home, and thought
that a style resembling the former’s
flipped classroom experience would
help.
“Math and physics are like sports,” she
said. “They need practice.”
Dr. Asa’d explained that the Q&A
gave students the push to focus more
on their homework problems so they
would perform better in the game,
which would have similar questions,
in class. To motivate them further, she
grades the students’ performances in
Kahoot but drops half of their answers,
the lowest scores.
“Students really like it,” she said,
pointing out that in a survey given in
her classes, the students verified that
they understood and appreciated the
purpose of the game.
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
MA TESOL program launches innovative teaching workshops
The MA TESOL program in
the Department of English, in
collaboration with the Office of
Enrollment Management, held a series
of workshops entitled Innovative
Strategies in Teaching English on
March 5, 2016 at AUS. The event
offered professional development
activities for English teachers of Grades
10, 11 and 12 in the Sharakah Schools
network.
Dr. Ahmed Al Issa, CAS Associate Dean
and Professor, gave the first workshop,
“Making the Most from Classroom
Observations.” The workshop
views classroom observation as an
exercise of professional development
and a reflection of educational
quality. Participants gained handson experience in developing and
practicing several observational
instruments/tools while observing
videotapes of English language
teachers in action.
Dr. Firas Al-Jabouri, Assistant Professor,
delivered the workshop “Teaching
English Language Through Literature.”
It explored the use of literature as a
standard technique for teaching both
basic language skills (reading, writing,
listening and speaking) and language
areas (vocabulary, grammar and
pronunciation) to ESL, EFL and ESOL/
TESOL learners.
The workshop “Unveiling Learners’
Spelling Mistakes” by Dr. Maher
Bahloul, Associate Professor, raised
participants’ awareness of learners’
spelling mistakes, and provided them
with pedagogical tools to better
address such issues. Teachers were
asked to bring samples of students’
writings with spelling mistakes they
considered “outrageous.”
Dr. Peter Crompton, Associate
Professor, gave the workshop
“Developing Oral Presentation Skills”
to help learners develop their skills
and confidence, to assess performance,
and to provide optimal feedback.
Participants carried out a series of
tasks of increasing complexity, which
illustrate how an instructor can
develop a collaborative atmosphere
in which learners learn from each
other; draw out from learners a mass
of tacit knowledge about formal and
informal communication, which they
already possess; and help learners
build up confidence and proficiency
incrementally.
Dr. Víctor Parra-Guinaldo, Instructor,
contributed to the training program
by giving a workshop on teaching
vocabulary to engage teachers in the
creation of activities that generate
useful vocabulary for their students.
Workshop participants were made
aware of how words are formed in
English (roots or main part of the
word, and affixes or additions to the
word) and how words are related
to each other, not only by meaning
(same semantic field) but also by form
(etymologically related or sharing a
common origin).
As part of the university’s community
engagement strategic initiative, AUS
introduced the Sharakah program to
partner with select schools in the UAE
to create a platform for cooperation
between the university and the
partner schools in various academic
and non-academic areas. These recent
workshops highlight the expertise AUS
has in the field of TESOL and shows
CAS’s dedication to provide community
service to improve the teaching of
English in secondary schools.
AMS professor discusses research ethics
The Department of Mathematics
and Statistics hosted a presentation
on research ethics by Dr. Graeme
Fairweather from the American
Mathematical Society, Ann Arbor,
Michigan, USA, on October 5.
In his presentation, Dr. Fairweather
noted that research ethic involves
the application of moral rules and
professional codes of conduct to a
variety of topics involving scientific
research. He highlighted to his
audience the importance of adherence
to ethical norms with emphasis on
the key issues of scientific misconduct,
publishing practices and responsible
authorship. He gave numerous
examples of plagiarism, self-plagiarism
and questionable publishing practices
from the current mathematics
literature.
New faculty academic mentoring program initiated
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has launched a mentoring program designed to provide its newly arrived faculty
members with guidance and support in the areas of teaching, research and service. The overall goal of this program is to
support new faculty members in their academic and professional life at AUS.
As part of the mentoring program plan for 2015–16, CAS heads of departments nominated faculty members who are
familiar with AUS academic policies and guidelines to mentor newly arrived faculty members and help them engage with
the new university environment.
A special event was held on May 17 to recognize the efforts of the mentors and the cooperation of mentees in making the
program a success.
11
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
MCM organizes first AUS Google Day
By Vanisha Rajesh
The Department of Mass
Communication (MCM) organized
the first Google Day at American
University of Sharjah on March 23,
2016. Google representatives talked
about technological innovations, local
case studies and internship and job
opportunities. Among the presenters
were Alex Brunori, Head of Creative
Agencies MENA; Christina El Hayek,
Senior Arabic Language Specialist;
Najeeb Jarrar, Head of Consumer
Marketing MENA; and Zain Kamal
Masri, Associate Product Marketing
Manager MENA (MCM alumna).
The presenters spoke on topics such
as Google “moonshots,” localization
and translation of Arabic content, and
various product launches meant to
help make users’ lives simpler.
“Moonshots”
Alex Brunori, Head of Creative
Agencies MENA, said the company
has adopted the term “moonshot”
for its most innovative projects, many
of which come out of Google X, the
company’s semi-secret lab. Google
moonshots include projects like Google
Glass, the driverless car, augmented
reality glasses, and a drone delivery
program called Project Wing, Brunori
noted.
He called “moonshot thinking” a
simple and meaningful intersection
of finding radical solutions with
breakthrough technology for any
problem, which is also is the blueprint
for all projects Google undertakes.
Brunori said that the company has
come a long way since it first started
with the vision to organize world’s
information and to make it universally
available and useful. He noted, “We
never think something cannot be done.
However, we do it while figuring out
how in the process.”
Localization
Senior Arabic Language Specialist
Christina Hayek explained localization,
Google products in Arabic, and tools
used for translation.
The mission of the company is to make
information globally reachable and
this cannot be accomplished without
providing Google products in all
languages of the world, Hayek said.
Hayek noted the localization team
works to make all of its products
available in over 75 languages. Hayek
further explained that localization
is the process of adapting a product
that has been previously translated
into multiple languages to a specific
country or region. It is the second
phase of a larger process known as
internalization that involves product
translation and cultural adaptation
to account for differences in local
requirements such as writing systems,
address and date and time formats.
Hayek stated a Language Quality
Evaluation (LQE) tool is used to check
every translation processed. Arabic text
goes through a review phase where
translation is audited and changes are
made if there are any errors related to
terminology, punctuation, grammar,
meaning, spelling and readability of
text, she added.
Marketing and Navigating
Head of Consumer Marketing for
MENA Najeeb Jarrar said marketing at
Google is a process that “starts with
the product and its technology and
ends with the user.”
Jarrar stated that a lot of critical
and analytical thinking goes into
innovations that can solve user’s “real
issues” and help with their everyday
small and big tasks.
Joining him on the stage, Associate
Product Marketing Manager MENA
Zain Kamal Masri added that Google
also helps consumers navigate through
daily life with products like The
Ramadan Companion.
The site provides useful information
about fast-breaking times, recipes,
local restaurant listings, YouTube
content and other useful items in a
card-based format for easy browsing,
Masri noted.
“Google’s mission is to
organize all the world’s
information.”
Since Google’s mission is to organize
all the world’s information, the most
important challenge—far larger than
indexing the web and launching
12
American University of Sharjah
products that will make users’ life
easier—is to take the world’s physical
information and make it accessible and
useful, she said.
Jarrar said Google Street View
recently has charted the ancient city
of Petra and 30 other historical sites,
providing travellers with a video tour
Issue 2 | June 2016
of historic sights. He added that it
took several days for the trekker—
the person tasked with carrying a
backpack-mounted set of cameras—to
painstakingly walk around the site,
capturing it from all angles.
This one-day event also included a
workshop on digital content in Arabic
by Christina Hayek. MCM students
had the opportunity to learn more
about Google tools for translation,
copywriting and content creation. The
workshop also introduced students to
Google’s creativity ecosystem where
multiple formats are used to generate
digital content.
MCM students win Masar Awards at Dubai Lynx 2016
Two Department of Mass
Communication (MCM) students were
honored in this year’s Masar Student
Creative Award for Print as part of the
Dubai Lynx 2016 event. Noor Garatli
and Lynn Bizreh were recognized
for their creative works relating to
child abuse on behalf of the Dubai
Foundation for Women and Children.
Garatli’s entry, which won third place
in the competition, was a poster with
the title “Child Abuse Is Not Just
Physical.” Bizreh’s entry, which won
fifth place, is entitled “Touch Them
Only To Raise Their Chin Up.”
It is part of the Dubai Lynx
International Festival of Creativity, a
leading event in the Middle East and
North Africa region that honors the
region’s best work in advertising.
The Masar Student Creative Award
provides an opportunity for talented
students to have their work noticed
by some of the creative industry’s
key decision-makers and for talented
students to experience the region’s
leading event for the creative
community.
DOE professor discusses interactions between book titles and visuals
By Futoon Khamis
Dr. Tharwat El-Sakran, Professor in the
Department of English (DOE), gave a
DOE Seminar on December 13, 2015
on his research findings about the
relationship between book titles and
visuals.
“I was inspired to write this entire
research from one book cover image
I saw that had nothing to do with
the title of the book” said Dr. ElSakran at the seminar. The book cover
image that inspired him was of an
athlete’s legs ready to run, and the
book was called Accounting Principles.
Dr. El-Sakran said the content may
show huge departures from the
message conveyed by the cover.
behind the title of the book when you
combine two things together in the
context to yield more information or to
enhance already existing information,”
he said. Furthermore, he explained
that some book covers can let us know
which field the book talks about but
it will not necessary tell us what is the
focus of the book.
“Never judge a book by its cover—read
further beyond the book,” he said.
“Images can help convey the meaning
13
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
DOE professor gives talk on anaphoric devices
By Danna Abrahim
Among some teachers is a list of words
whose reputation as enemies of the
student essay has succeeded in keeping
perfectly good vocabulary in the
dark for years. One such word is the
pronoun this.
But professors are guilty of using
the pronoun this in their academic
publications almost as frequently as
undergraduate students do in their
papers, said Dr. Peter Crompton,
Associate Professor in the Department
of English (DOE), in a seminar on
complex anaphora at AUS on October
4, 2015.
Dr. Crompton reassured his audience
of AUS faculty members and students,
however, explaining that the
significance of the pronoun this as an
anaphor is greater and more complex
than commonly believed.
Simply put, the anaphor is a reference
to an aforementioned idea or thing.
It often appears as the pronoun this
and also as the determiner this, as in
phrases like this plan or this person.
Dr. Crompton described the purpose
of complex anaphora, which refers to
abstractions such as ideas, as “dragging
[clauses] back from the past and saying
something new about [them].”
He stressed the importance of
“macro-” linguistics, or the study of
words in context in large amounts of
text rather than in individual texts.
“Certain kinds of things that go on in
language [wouldn’t] be obvious unless
we look at large amounts of texts,”
Dr. Crompton said, referring in part to
the information gleaned from his own
research on the frequency of anaphora
in undergraduate, academic and
editorial texts.
Dr. Crompton said anaphoric devices
like the pronoun this are often
wrongly dismissed as ambiguous
pronouns when they are viewed as
isolated words. Using it does not make
a bad writer, he said, pointing out
that, in terms of anaphora, student
papers at AUS were not very different
from professionally written academic
research articles or newspaper
editorials.
He said that anaphora with this usually
appears at the very beginning of
sentences in undergraduate work, as
opposed to the middle or the end.
This position is also common in
academic but not in editorial texts, he
added.
Dr. Crompton added that some
students still misuse or overuse
anaphora in their papers, an
observation resounded by several
in the audience. One professor
speculated that the trouble lay in
“second language acquisition” and
that problems arise when native Arabic
speakers write papers in their first
language and then translate them into
their second language.
Dr. Crompton added that another
common issue in student writing,
which a greater use of anaphora could
help with, is the overuse of connectors
like therefore and however.
While it is difficult to guide students
stylistically, progress could be made
by introducing more academic texts
in the classroom to “raise language
awareness,” he said, noting that the
multiple forms of anaphora allow for
an infinite number of sentence-starters
and, ultimately, a honed writing style.
Speak Trauma presents poet Zeina Hashem Beck
Prize-winning
poet Zeina
Hashem Beck read
from her new
book To Live in
Autumn at AUS
on December
14. The poetry
reading was part
of the Speak
Trauma series project supervised by
Susan Smith, Associate Professor in the
Department of Mass Communication.
The book is dedicated to “To my
Beirut.” Beck said, “It’s called To Live
in Autumn because autumn is not
this harsh cold winter, it’s not this
hot summer nor flowery spring, it is
14
in-betweeness. Just like Beirut. It’s the
same with Lebanon; we don’t know
what on earth we are, and I think a lot
of Arab cities are like that.”
Beck started with a poem called “I
Call It Home” that talks about Beirut.
Then she read “The Old Building” that
talks about the civil war in Lebanon.
She also read a poem that talks
about refugees, called “Ghazal: Back
Home. In addition, she read “Spring,”
“Ali” and “Dance.” She ended with
“Correcting My Mum Essay” which is a
dark-comedy poem.
Beck is a Lebanese poet with a Master
of Arts in English Literature from
the American University of Beirut.
She lives in Dubai with her husband
and two daughters. Her poems have
been published or are forthcoming
in journals like Copper Nickel,
Crosstimbers, Mizna, Nimrod and Folio,
among others. Her work has been
nominated for a 2014 Pushcart Prize.
Speak Trauma is a foundation that
plans to support and enable individuals
encountering trauma to talk. Speak
Trauma perceives that trauma destroys
lives and that a wide range of
violence—a major source of trauma—
must arrive at an end. It looks to
instruct individuals about the impact of
injury on the individual, the family and
the community.
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
Books by CAS Faculty
Higher Education Revolutions in the Gulf: Globalization and Institutional
Viability
Routledge Advances in Middle East and Islamic Studies, 2015
Co-authored by Dr. Fatima Badry (Department of English) and Dr. John
Willoughby (American University), this book examines the issue of higher
education in the Gulf. The reader is provided first with a comprehensive
description of the significant and rapid structural transformations in
universities and colleges that have taken place, over the past two decades,
within the GCC states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United
Arab Emirates. The authors then assess the educational, institutional,
economic and socio-cultural viability of these changes.
The Implicit in Arab Women’s Epistolary Writing
Beirut: Arab Institute for Research and Publishing, 2015
This new book by Dr. Boutheina Khaldi (Department of Arabic and
Translation Studies) studies a unique collection of letters written by Arab
women litterateurs and activists in the 20th century. It explores the often
ignored social, political and cultural role Arab women played through
letter exchange with prominent male and female figures from the Arab
world, Europe and the United States such as the British consultant to
the Egyptian Ministry of Education Douglas Dunlop, the political leader
Sa‘d Zaghlul, the former Egyptian president Husni Mubarak, the German
American philosopher and political theorist Herbert Marcuse, the writer
and critic ‘Isa al-Na’uri, and the American socialite, philanthropist and
champion of women’s rights Bertha Palmer, to mention but a few.
MLC supports students’ math learning needs
The Mathematics Learning Center
(MLC) located in the Department of
Mathematics and Statistics, room
NAB239A, provides students with a
supportive atmosphere where they
have access to assistance and resources
outside the classroom. Free tutoring
services are provided to all students,
without an appointment.
The center offers the following
services:
•
individualized tutoring
sessions for students enrolled in
the remedial and freshman-level
mathematics courses
•
access to computers and nontextbook math titles for students’ use
•
pre-exam review sessions
for some selected courses. The most
qualified tutors at the center conduct
these sessions.
The center starts its operations during
the fourth week of each semester.
15
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
CAS conducts training for IKM students
Three Department of Mass
Communication (MCM) faculty
members contributed to an AUS
training program for visiting
graduate students from the Institute
of Communication and Marketing
(IKM) at the Lucerne University of
Applied Sciences in Switzerland on
October 25 and 29. Dr. Mohammad
Ayish presented to the guest students
about the unique features of the GCC
communication environment in which
he discussed the development of media
and their role in national development.
Dr. John King also presented about
integrated marketing communications
in the GCC countries with a focus on
the major players in this sector and the
opportunities embedded in the region
for development. Dr. Sohail Dahdal
gave a workshop in video production
at the MCM studio.
Music and dance concerts showcase student talent
By Dima Kusaibati and Ahmad Al Falasi
dances.
The concert Face the Music held on
December 8-10 at the Performing Arts
Rotunda featured performances by
solo voice and piano students as well
as appearances by the AUS Choir, the
AUS Chamber Choir, the AUS Women’s
Choir, and members of the AUS Arabic
Ensemble.
The concert kicked off with Dr. Cari
Earnhart’s voice studio students
performing a selection of Broadway
songs. Between the breaks and in
order for dancers to take some rest,
Liccione did some stand-up comedy to
keep the crowd alive and entertained.
The Performing Arts Program’s
semi-annual dance concert was held
December 16-17 with the participation
of students from all programs. Most
of the dances were choreographed by
adjunct faculty member Mina Liccione,
but some of the dances, such as the
Ethiopian dance, Lavani and Garba,
Bhangra, and the Palestinian Dabke—
were choreographed by the students
for their midterms. The performances
ranged from traditional folkloric
dances to contemporary and jazz style
16
“We wanted to spice up the
environment by taking the audience
from one mood to another,” stated
Ahmed Al Falasi, the teaching assistant
of the dance styles course here at AUS.
The show also engaged students from
numerous nationalities who danced to
different styles they are not familiar
with. “I loved the diversity of the
dances,” said Hayat Tabsh, one of the
dancers.
“I loved dancing because it allowed us
to portray and decipher the mystery
of the brain through the beauty of
the human body and what it can do,”
stated Tasneem Tamimi, one of the
dancers.
The concert also featured special guest
artist Beatbox Ray, popularly known
to his parents and workmates as Uday
Jagd, who makes music using his
mouth.
American University of Sharjah
Issue 2 | June 2016
Little Shop of Horrors debuts at AUS
By Jinan Aldameary
The Performing Arts Program’s version
of Little Shop of Horrors ran to soldout houses April 12–20, marking what
some called an unprecedented turnout
for a student-run production at the
American University of Sharjah.
Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of
Seymour, an out-of-luck boy who runs
a flower shop in the slums of New York
City. Seymour, who was played by AUS
student Majid Ridwan, comes across an
odd plant that needs blood to survive.
After displaying it in his shop, the plant
attracts public attention. As business
begins to thrive, Seymour realizes that
the plant requires a continuous stream
of human sacrifices to stay alive.
Interviewed after opening night, those
involved with the production said their
efforts had been worth it.
“All the students that were involved
in today’s performance, from those
backstage to the actors you saw on
stage, have been rehearsing for three
hours daily since the very first day of
the Spring 2016 semester,” Ridwan
noted.
Ridwan shared the stage with Vivi
Semaan, who was cast as the female
lead. Both performed numerous
vocal solos in a performance that also
employed enough humor to make the
audience frequently laugh out loud.
way in dictating whether or not a show
is deemed successful, and how it is
received by an audience,” she added.
A script can be well written, Hafez
explained, but it depends on the way
those on stage carry it out to reach its
potential. Thankfully, she said, Little
Shop of Horrors did not suffer from
this problem.
Getting laughs isn’t necessarily easy, a
member of the backstage crew noted.
“One of the most important aspects
of a musical comedy is to ensure that
actors deliver lines in a manner that
prevents jokes and punch lines from
falling flat,” said Ayah Hafez, part of
the “run crew,” who spent much of the
opening night assisting faculty member
Ted Rhyner, Assistant Professor in
Performing Arts.
“The method of delivery goes a long
Adding to the success of the play, she
said, was the interactive stage, built
by Rhyner’s Stagecraft class students. It
rotated to display different backdrops
for each segment of the play.
In a follow-up interview prior to
the play’s closing, Hafez stated that
the turnout of the musical was so
large that additional seats had to be
provided for extra audience members
by the seventh night. This was
unprecedented in AUS production
history, she said.
Professor and Coordinator of the
Performing Arts Program Anthony
Tassa said that AUS’s adaptation of
the play was presented with special
arrangement with Music Theatre
International (MTI).
Mars project team member presents at AUS
By Danna Abrahim
Emirates Mars Mission team member
and University of Colorado professor
Dr. David Brain began his October 21
AUS Physics Seminar Series lecture on
Mars by professing his love for the
planet.
“Science, even though it’s supposed to
be dispassionate, is done by humans,”
he said, calling the picture of Mars
projected on the screen one of his
favorites.
Dr. Brain described the planet as
being four-and-a-half billion years
old with the spots to prove it: polar
caps, canyons, volcanoes, river beds,
craters and sand dunes—but little
liquid water. Dr. Brain said evidence
shows although water once flowed
abundantly throughout Mars, it has
since dwindled inexplicably.
Mars’s current atmosphere is another
anomaly, its thickness being a fraction
of Earth’s own, Dr. Brain said, adding
that a significant amount of it has
similarly disappeared over time.
Even though the planet has been
studied for decades, Dr. Brain
confessed that the changes in its water
levels and atmospheric conditions
largely remain a mystery to scientists.
Dr. Brain was a co-investigator in
the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile
Evolution Mission, which attempted
to uncover the secret of the planet’s
gradual loss of water and atmosphere.
The new Emirates Mars Mission, of
which he is a part, hopes to pick up
where MAVEN left off by discovering
further clues behind the disappearing
elements. A number of AUS alumni
are part of the Emirates Mars Mission,
including Sarah Al Amiri, who is the
Emirates Mars Mission Science Team
Leader.
17
College of Arts and Sciences Newsletter
37 CAS students recognized at Honors Convocation
Thirty seven students from College of
Arts and Sciences were among 339 AUS
students who were honored for their
academic achievements in Fall 2014
and Spring 2015 at the Annual Honors
Convocation on November 19, 2015 in
the Main Auditorium on campus.
Speaking on the occasion, AUS
Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve
congratulated the students on their
achievements and said the occasion
celebrated the academic success of
the university’s most accomplished
students.
To qualify for this list, a student must
have met the following requirements
in the past consecutive semesters:
named to the Dean’s List; maintained
a cumulative GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0 or
above; registered in a minimum of 15
credit hours; had no incomplete or
failing grades in any courses; and had
no disciplinary action against him/her.
Scholarship who were recognized at
the Honors Convocation.
“I feel it is very important to
mention the incredible support and
encouragement that you have received
from your families, who have played a
significant part in your success,” added
Dr. Kjerfve. “I would like to extend my
sincere congratulations to you on your
remarkable achievements. You should
be very proud of your success.”
Sakeena Khatri from CAS was one of
four recipients of the Sheikh Khalifa
MathFest promotes critical thinking
In collaboration with AUS Office
of Enrollment Management, the
Department of Mathematics and
Statistics held the third annual
MathFest on April 28. The one-day
event aims at promoting the field of
mathematics in UAE and engages the
department with the local community.
MathFest involves individual and team
competitions for high school students
and math teachers.
“We aim to inspire and promote
mathematics in this part of the
world, and we would like to produce
critical thinkers and people who can
18
solve complex problems as well as
to engage with the community. The
math department at AUS is one of
the best departments in the region
in terms of the quality of faculty and
education we provide for students,”
said Dr. Mahmoud Anabtawi, Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences, as he
welcomed participants to the event.
Eight schools from around UAE
participated in the event, including
76 students and 15 teachers. The
participants had to solve a challenging
75-minute test covering high-school
level mathematics in algebra, logic,
geometry and probability. The test
was designed by a group of faculty
members in the Department of
Mathematics and Statistics.