News

The American University of Kuwait held an environmental forum at the AUK Salmiya campus on April 30th. The forum started with an opening speech by HE the Dutch Ambassador, Ton Boon von Ochsee; followed by a lecture by the cetacean expert, Mr. Joan Gonzalvo, from the Tethys Research Institute in Greece. The event was co-sponsored by the AUK Office of Student Life, and the Environmental Club (Al-Akhdar Club), in collaboration with the AUK Humanities Division, and Arabic Program. The forum was followed by registration booth for the Ionian Dolphin Project (IDP) volunteer program.

During his opening speech, the Dutch Ambassador outlined the interlacing nature of economical, social, and ecological factors that are vital to consider when governmental policies are developed to protect the environment. His Excellency highlighted some issues that contribute to environmental degradation including overpopulation that contributes to the loss of biological diversity. At the end of his lecture, the Dutch Ambassador was handed an honorary plaque by AUK president, Dr Winfred Thomson.

In his lecture, Gonzalvo talked about the twenty-year project on Ionian Dolphins in Greece. According to Gonzalvo, IDP has been operating since 1991 to ensure the long-term viability of dolphin species living in the coastal waters of the eastern Ionian Sea. Gonzalvo highlighted some of the pressures humans are placing on dolphin habitats in Greece. These include over-fishing of the sardines that the dolphins feed on, and the noise and disturbance from increasing boat traffic in the area. In order to instigate a local life style that is pro-conservation, Gonzalvo outlined the local program that they have developed in order to sustain the local interest in the conservation of dolphin habitats. This includes dolphin-related events, public presentations, and production of multimedia.

The Tethys Research Institute, which is hosting the IDP, is an Italian non-profit organization specializing in cetacean research. Founded in 1986, the institute regularly participates in research contributing to conservation efforts. The institute collaborates with many volunteer organizations around the world to assist in their research. Ms. Ghaidaa Mohamad, AUK Instructor of Arabic, is one of those volunteers who joined IDP through Earthwatch (a volunteer organization). As an environmental activist and volunteer, Mohamad initiated the idea of hosting the IDP lecture in Kuwait to raise environmental awareness.

For more Information about the Ionian Dolphins Project, please visit www.ioniandolphinproject.org

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 9th May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The Office of Student Life organized the 7th Annual Art Exhibition from the 15th to the 19th of April at the AUK Auditorium. Over 40 students participated in 7 different categories of the exhibition - Painting, Drawing, Photography, Graphic Design, 3D, Poetry and Video.

The exhibition began with an opening ceremony that was attended by AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson; Vice President of Administrative and Student Affairs President, Dr. Carol Ross-Scott, as well as AUK staff and faculty members. The event included video screenings, poetry recitation, and a winner award ceremony. Certificates were handed out to winners by Ms. Liane Al-Ghusain, Education Coordinator at Contemporary Art Platform Kuwait, who was also one the judges.

The exhibition was open to the public throughout the week. The Art Factory club, a student organization at AUK, also created a decorative mural at the entrance of the exhibit. This mural not only used regular painting and drawing techniques and ideas, but also involved a few students who covered themselves in paint to create part of the mural.

The week concluded with a Creative Calligraphy workshop by Fareed Abdal. Over 17 people attended the two hour workshop and learnt techniques of "Meditative Calligraphy" employing different body and mind relaxation methods like breathing, adjusting body posture, and mind clearing experimentation.

The Art Exhibition is an event that is open to all registered AUK students. Participants are not required to have taken classes in art or graphic design to participate. It is a platform for students to showcase their artistic talents and interests. This is the second year that Student Life has collaborated with a member of the art faculty Professor William Andersen to organize and plan the exhibition. The Office of Student Life would like to thank all participants, judges, club members, volunteers for making this event a successful one.

The winners in the different categories are:

Painting

Drawing

Photography

Graphic Design

3D

Poetry

Video

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

In alignment with its mission to provide students with intensive hands-on experience, the AUK recently introduced Computer Engineering Program has added the first student contribution to the world of undergraduate research. Fatma Qatan, an AUK Computer Engineering Junior student, presented her project "Performance Analysis of Lightweight Block Ciphers" at the Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research on Applied Computing (URC'12), in Dubai, UAE. Under the supervision of Dr. Issam Damaj, Program Lead of Computer Engineering, Qatan's research focused on providing a performance profile for several ciphers running within different computing environments. The proposed performance analysis classifies the investigated algorithms according to a combination of several heterogeneous characteristics. The developed benchmark compares the profile findings with respect to reference implementations by producing performance ratios for each measurement. Accordingly, an overall Indicator is determined by the statistical combination of all the calculated ratios. The overall Indicator provides a quantitative classification criterion and an effective tool for benchmarking. Lightweight ciphers are employed for security in environments where resources are limited.

The URC conference, hosted annually by the College of Information Technology at Zayed University, aims to promote undergraduate research activity at educational institutions in the MENA region. The conference provides a forum for students to present their work and interact with other young researchers, faculty, and industrial leaders. AUK was the only representative of Kuwait in the conference this year. Other participants came from different countries including Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Iraq, Palestine, Bahrain, and Jordan.

Dr. Damaj commented on his student's achievement saying, "I'm delighted with Fatma's achievement. Fatma started her research under my supervision in the summer of her Junior year; which is two years ahead of her major's capstone. She has shown exemplary dedication and determination to complete the presented project. In addition, Fatma has put great effort in her development, measurements, and facts checking. I'm very pleased to see one of our students demonstrating lifelong learning and critical thinking skills, besides, showing a good understanding of contemporary scientific issues. I will not be surprised to see Fatma presenting an extension of her work in an international event. We will remember for a long time that Fatma was the first Computer Engineering student that made such a contribution."

The Computer Engineering (CE) program at AUK formally started in Fall 2008, with a focus on providing students with intensive high-quality hands-on experiences. Through this program, AUK aims to fulfill the requirement in Kuwait for a superior quality, technologically advanced and well-rounded educational program that can compete with high quality North American universities. The Computer Engineering program is centered on the key principles of liberal arts and science while providing students with exposure and access to contemporary technology and applications.

AUK is the only private university in Kuwait that offers an independent Computer Engineering undergraduate degree, modeled on unique pillars providing a well-rounded and wholesome approach to education.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd May 2012

The American University of Kuwait announced the winners of the student competition for The President's Exhibition, Spring 2012. The winning art work was selected from the "best of the best" student class work from the previous semester. All entries were submitted to the competition by the AUK ART and Graphic Design (GDES) professors. The Exhibition includes painting, drawing, graphic design, cut paper, and photography work juried for creativity, originality, and technique. The 21 winners of the competition are:

Sarah Ahmad
Nasser A. Al-Sager
Arwa S. Al-Enezi
Zahraa J. Hamadi
Hayat T. Al Zafiri
Shahad Al-Terkait
Fatima Al-Tamimi
Rawan Al-Omani
Hassan Shah
Jumana Al-Refai
Matrah Aldooseri
Hiam Al-Ali
Sarah Al Ajmi
Sundes Al Blushi
Sarah Khalid Al-Bloshi
Bashayer Al-Hussinan
Roaa Al Majed
Arwa Mulla Ali
Sarah Al-Haddad
Maha Ali
Khadijah Al-Najadah

Students with winning artwork received a certificate signed by AUK President Dr. Winfred Thompson; they and their parents were honored at a reception inaugurating the exhibition. They will also enjoy having their work displayed in the President's Office for the coming six months, ensuring that their work will be viewed by dignitaries and other honored visitors to the University.

The AUK President's Exhibition is an excellent opportunity for students, as it works to increase student pride in execution, rewards excellent work, and provides a valuable accomplishment on their resumes as they graduate and go out from AUK to graduate school or the workplace.

Professor Sharon Orleans Lawrence, Assistant Professor of Art History and Studio Arts, is Chair of the AUK President's Exhibition; Professor Marcella Kulchitsky, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, is Co-Chair.


Win and Graphic Design student winner Sarah Ahmad


Co-Chair Marcella Kulchitsky, President Thompson, Chair Sharon Orleans Lawrence


President Thompson presents a certificate to senior graphic design student Maha Ali


Selections from drawing, graphic design, and capstone artwork


Selections from drawing classes


President Thompson presents a certificate to Bashayer Al-Hussinan


President Thompson presents a certificate to Matra Al-Doos


Sundes Al-Bloshi explains the concept between her artwork to the President and Professor Lawrence


A selection of artwork from the exhibition, work from Drawing II, Drawing 1, and Modern Art History


Winning student Hassan Shah views his artwork with his father


Wining student Rawan Al-Omani with Art History and Studio Arts Professor Sharon Orleans Lawrence

With an opening word by the AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, the 8th Annual Career Fair at AUK was launched on April 10th at the AUK Auditorium. During his speech, Dr. Thompson emphasized the importance of providing guidance and consultation to graduating students about the employment market and the different opportunities awaiting them. The President also highlighted the University's keen approach of continuing to support students until they step into their career lives.

The two platinum sponsors of the fair this year, Zain and Gulf Bank, joined the AUK President in announcing the official opening of the Career Fair. Mrs. Nawal Bou-Risli, the Human Resources Executive Director of Zain talked about her company's policy in supporting Kuwaiti youth through granting them employment priorities, especially in Zain's network, customer services, and marketing departments. She also stressed that supporting and sponsoring the AUK Career Fair come as part of her company's corporate social responsibility policy.

The Annual Career Fair is a yearly event organized by the AUK Career Services and Wellness Center exclusively for AUK students and Alumni. Over 400 students visit the fair every year to meet the participating companies and explore possible job and internship opportunities.

Approximately 20 local and international companies were present at AUK's 8th Career Fair. The participating companies included Gulf Bank and Zain as Platinum sponsors, ABYAT and KAMCO as Gold sponsors, AlYasra Foods and Impact and Echo as Silver sponsors. Also present, were Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), Ernst & Young, Hewlett Packard (HP), Wataniya Telecom, Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), M. H. Al Shaya, Ali Abdulwahab & Sons, LoYAC, Burgan Bank, AUK, and Kout Food Group (KOG).

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 22nd April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The American University of Kuwait chapter of the Sigma Tau Delta International English Society won the organization's Service Award for 2012 in recognition of a book drive held on behalf of The Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH).

"The project was deemed both well-organized and extremely valuable as a social outreach that would benefit many persons who, in a particularly vulnerable time of their lives, would find some relief through reading," said William C. Johnson, Sigma Tau Delta's Executive Director.

Sigma Tau Delta promotes literacy in ways that exhibit service to society. Each year the organization recognizes one or more chapters whose service projects exemplify what it means to serve society by fostering literacy. "This year the Sigma Tau Delta judges were pleased to recognize the Alpha Rho Eta Chapter at AUK for exemplary service to KACCH," Johnson said.

Chapter members accepted the award at the annual convention which was held in New Orleans, LA, USA in March. As part of this honor, the chapter received a plaque and $200 to buy children's books for KACCH while in the United States. The chapter presented those books to the organization on April 1.

This gift follows the donation of roughly 676 books (duplicate titles were not counted) from a three-day book drive at AUK which concluded March 28. With this gift, the AUK students have donated over 1,000 books to KACCH since the first book drive in the spring of 2011.

"This project has always been dear to me because of my love of reading. As a child the book was the ultimate source of not only escape but of imagination as well as creativity. I believe all children should be given the gift of a book because it was one of the most precious gifts I have ever had the pleasure of receiving. We as an English honor society understand the importance of literacy and being in an age where the book and reading is close to extinction, we really felt that the book drive would spark people's interest in books again," said Alia Mustafa Aref, the chapter President and principal organizer of the award winning book drive.

AUK's Alpha Rho Eta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta was chartered in fall of 2009 becoming the first and only chapter of this organization in the Middle East. Since that time, members have presented at three international conferences, won all of the major chapter awards offered by the organization and had a student whose poetry was published in a Sigma Tau Delta journal.

"We are honored by the recognition of Sigma Tau Delta and the support we receive from the AUK administration. Our students have formed a strong, hard-working chapter. We hope to benefit the community and our University for many years," said Dr. Kathy Nixon, the group's faculty sponsor who was recognized by the honor society at the convention with the 2012 Elaine W. Hughes Faculty Sponsor Award. "Our members are committed to the study of English literature at the University level and to promoting literacy in their country and abroad. I am very proud of them."

In addition to its work with KACCH, the AUK group donated the proceeds from its 2011 Regents Common Reader Award to Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in the United States.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 19th April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The Office of Student Life at The American University of Kuwait (AUK) organized its 7th Annual International Week from March 25th - 27th. The International Week was a collaborative undertaking which contained numerous and diverse events, such as cultural luncheons and student-led discussions by various students at AUK. Cultural foods, traditional arts and clothing, and diverse films were components of the week. These events support the mission of the Office of Student Life by celebrating cultural diversity to reflect current issues in the world and by providing more personal development opportunities for students.

The week featured a variety of events including, a sidewalk art contest organized by the Office of Student Life. At the entrance of the Liberal Arts buildings, students competed to show their artwork featuring designs and phrases of peace and love. A drawing that quoted one of the Beatles most famous song, "All You Need Is Love" was the most attractive to the student crowd.

Student-led discussions, which took place throughout the 3 days of the event, were a good opportunity for students to gather and discuss the current issues in the world. "International Community and the Bedoon" was one of those discussions that tackled the issues of Bedoons in Kuwait. The discussion was moderated by the Fulbright Scholar Madeline Murphy Hall, focused on the life of unemployed Bedoons, and the difficulty of getting into friendship/relationships with the national citizens. Other student-led discussions included, "The Unfinished Arab Spring" and "UNDP Youth Program = Your Program".

The highlight of the 3-day event was the Global Village Day, where students were encouraged to celebrate and represent their individual cultural diversity. Students represented their culture through works of traditional products, food, music, and art. The countries represented were, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, France and Iran. During the Global Village Fair, representatives from each country had the opportunity to provide information about their country and culture to the diverse body of the AUK Community. The students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to ask the representatives questions about their countries including, history, tourism, and educational opportunities.

Representatives also offered informational presentations. The day also featured a country competition, where judges visited each country's booth to judge them based on chosen country themes, content and representation, as well as knowledge about the country's culture and history. The first place winners were Egypt and Palestine.

The 7th Annual International Week provided opportunities for students to interact and engage in meaningful experiential learning activities. This allowed them to deepen their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences. The week highlighted the important role these differences play in the human experience. It also cultivated a sense of social responsibility to others, fostered cultural collaboration, and communication, as well as offered civic, personal, and organizational leadership.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 18th April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

In a historical evening, AUK broke the records of the region and advanced to the Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals for the 3rd year in a row. This year, AUK was the sole champion of the event as its teams dominated by winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize as well as "The People's Choice" award. The cup winner will be representing Kuwait in the worldwide finals in Sydney, Australia in July 2012.

Over the years, AUK has established its competence within the world's most prestigious technology competition that proposes solutions to serve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. This year, the AUK team "Code Breakers" won the Software Design Competition with their project "Universal Sign System" (USS). The young AUK computer scientists - Khaled Al-Qahtani, Khaled Al-Jassar, Mohammed Al-Shati, and Abdullah Al-Shaya -came up with a software solution capable of turning sign language into a human voice, bridging the communication gap between the deaf world and the society that encompasses them. Their USS is a Kinect-based application that recognizes sign language and synthesizes them into a human voice in different languages, proposing a solution to a worldwide healthcare challenge. In addition to winning the Software Design competition, the "Code Breakers" also won the Mobile Development Award on their groundbreaking USS.

In second place, came the "Home Rehabilitation System" project proposed by team "1337". The team which is composed of AUK Senior students Khaled Al- Hazeem, Mubarak Al- Enezi, and Dalaa W. Al- Qahtani, created an application that allows paralysis patients to do guided physiotherapy remotely in the comfort of their homes. The system creates a link between the patient and the medical professional, who in turn can monitor the progress of each patient remotely.

The third place winner "Team GG", composed of AUK Senior students Ali Taqi, Talal Alyaseen, Omar Elkhatib, and Thamer Al-Mayyan, proposed an interactive learning platform "KINED" that enables school children to learn the different school subjects using Microsoft's Kinect motion activate system. Their idea was based on the kinesthetic learning theory which states that children learn better while engaging in physical activity. The project was seen as unique among other projects as it developed an application programming interface (API) capable of limitless expansion according to the market needs. Beside winning the 3rd place, "Team GG" also won "The People's Choice" award of the competition.

This year, the audience was also allowed to vote for the teams through twitter. The winners were awarded trophies, certificates, and gifts sponsored by Zain Telecom, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS), and Burgan Bank.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Amir Zeid, Program Lead of Computer Science & Information Systems (CSIS), AUK teams have been gaining local and regional titles in the Annual Imagine Cup Competition since 2009, winning 1st Place Mobile regional award in 2009; 1st Place Software Design regional award in 2010, 1st Place Software Design local award in 2011, and 2nd Place Software Design regional award in 2011. In addition, two AUK teams have qualified to the World Finals in Poland 2010 and New York 2011.

Dr. Zeid commented on this year's victory saying, "All four AUK teams have put tremendous effort and sleepless nights to prepare for this moment. Their achievement as cup winners is very remarkable. But, the backstage scene I experienced with them is even more impressive. Those teams have developed the power to control stressful situations and work collaboratively to solve technical problems within seconds. In the world of technology, this is a lifesaving skill." He added that "The challenge is not over yet, we have months of preparations ahead for Sydney. The world finals will be a great learning experience and an opportunity to convey that AUK was not there for the past two years by coincidence."

The Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world's premier student technology competition. With the 2012 theme Imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems, the competition encourages students to use their imagination to create technology solutions that addresses real-world problems. Since 2003, over 1.4 million students have participated in the Imagine Cup.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 17th April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012