AUK Holds its 12th Annual Academic Showcase

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its 12th Annual Academic Showcase on April 26, 2017. This event highlights the achievements of AUK students across varying disciplines through presentations, performances and displays. The ultimate goal of the showcase is to provide an opportunity for students to further their education and careers, and to expose the public and the entire student body to the various disciplines at AUK.

The showcase covered a variety of presentations, ranging from educational presentations, visual artwork, and academic field trips, in addition to different music and drama performances, including a faculty duet performance. The all-day Art and Graphic Design Student Exhibition was displayed under the supervision of Professors William Andersen, Claire Giddings, Maryam Hosseinnia, Joo Won Lee, Clark Stoeckley, and Jasmine Singh. Under the Academic Project Displays, students Batoul Al-Salman and Laila Al-Haddad displayed their Computer Engineering project, Solving Ordinary Differential Equations Using Digital Hardware under the supervision of Professor Issam Damaj. Students Rawan Al-Fouzan and Loulwah Al-Qattan displayed their Computer Engineering project, Bellman-Ford Algorithm in Hardware under the supervision of Professor Issam Damaj. Students Ali Kelkawi and Rouaa Diab displayed their Computer Engineering project, A Color-Based Sorting Machine under the supervision of Professor Mohammed El-Abd. Students Bader Al-Kandari, Mohammed Hayat, Nasser Al-Hammadi, Waleed Madi, Ghazi Al-Sharaf and Hend Al-Sulaili displayed their Intensive English Program project, Reading Strategies under the supervision of Professor Sherrie Smith.

The Academic Showcase Program included presentations from English students Laila Al-Aradi, Dina Al-Hajased, Abdulateef Al-Amir, Jassim Al-Gharaballi for their work, Volunteering with LOYAC under the supervision of Professor Inas Mahfouz. English students Danah Al-Alawi, Mariam Kotb, Yassmin Al-Torgoman and Lulwa Al-Sharrah presented their project, Borrowed Culinary Words in Arabic under the supervision of Professor Inas Mahfouz. Social and Behavioral Sciences student Sarah Sadeq presented her project, The Link Between Obesity and Cancer under the supervision of Professor Pellegrino Luciano. The Music Department also contributed to the showcase with performances from students including, Ahmed Fahs singing "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" with staff member, Monica Matta playing the cello. Students Shaima Ali and Mishari Al-Khalifa played the violin and piano respectively, while students Areeg Ahmed, Mofeeda Al-Aradi and Salwa Al-Abdulsalam sang while Professor Masternak played the piano. Student Abdulrahman Al-Ben Ali sang the piece "Amarilli" while Professor Masternak played the piano. Students Mai Hamouda and Rawan Bnayyan performed "Stars" on the piano and cello respectively. Student Yasser Zaroa sang while Professor Masternak played the piano. "Castle on the Cloud" was performed by student Tasneem Krar on the piano, and Hadeel Al-Hubail, Fajer Al-Fadalah, and Noura Bounassef on guitars. Students Sherifa Al-Khulaifi, Rayane Bouhali, Salwa Al-Abdulsalam sang while Professor Masternak played the piano. "Memory" was sung by student Catherine El-Neaman while Professor Masternak played the piano. Student Nada Shehada sang "I Don't Know How to Love Him" while Professor Masternak played the piano. Student Noura Al-Mutawah performed a piece on the drums, and Professor Agnieska Fajga's xylophone class concluded the music showcase with a group performance.

A project entitled, The Mask Project was displayed by Professor Jasmine Singh for an art class. Communication students Jassim Gharaballi, Nada Al-Kharafi, Zaid Al-Orafian, Pearla Haidar, Shaikha Tamimi and Alaa Al-Dosari presented their project, Still Ads and Video under the supervision of Professor Mohammed Akbar. Translation students Nada Abdou, Dina Zabin, Shoug Haidar, Noora BinShmilan and Georges Massoud presented their project, Media Translation- Dubbing under the supervision of Professor Mohammed Akbar. Communications students Nadeen Al-Ebrahim, Bibi Al-Ghanim, Farah Al-Khaldi and Sumayia Al-Rumaidhi presented their project, Documentary Production under the supervision of Professor Mohammed Akbar. Finance student Masswo Issi presented his project, U.S Housing Bubbles under the supervision of Professor Wafaa Sbeiti. Graphic Design students Zara Aslam and Sara Tayeh presented their project, Islamic Influence in Contemporary Typographic Patterns under the supervision of Professor Claire Giddings. Art students Maryam Al-Kandary, Nour Al-Ramy, Hala Al-Ghadban and Nastaran Mohammadi presented their project, Academic Field Trip to Italy under the supervision of Professors Antonia Stamos and William Andersen.

The Intensive English Program concluded the event with a dramatic rendition of "Scenes from Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll", which is part of the "Act the Novel" project that encourages IEP students to read a novel and personally reenact the story using their own costume designs, props and stage layout. Students Abdelaziz Redha, Pouriya Paidar, Mohammed Dakik, Mohammed Atash, Alia Elshanaey, Fatma Al-Aqash, Fatma Al-Mariri, Jomanah Saif, AlHanouf Al-Mutairi, Fawaz Al-Mouli, Amal Redwan, Ghezlan Alazmi were among the performers.

"Our student's educational journey is one of collaboration: the academic showcase celebrates the individual and collective efforts of our students and faculty, fostering critical thinking, creating, and in turn making the world a better place. It has been our tradition over the past 12 years and will continue to be one that that provides an opportunity for students to share their accomplishments, and allows the campus community to experience learning, teaching, and scholarly activity at its best," said AUK Provost, Dr. Rawda Awwad.

The Academic Showcase is held annually as a celebration of AUK's mission to "foster an environment encouraging critical thinking, effective communication, personal growth, service, and leadership."