News
For the 9th consecutive year, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) is participating as a sponsor and exhibitor in EDUCAREER 2013. This year, AUK is the sole platinum sponsor of the education section of the exhibition, marking the event as an important one each year in the growth of AUK as an integral part of Kuwait's private education sector. The annual education and career development exhibition will be held at the Mishref Kuwait International Fair (KIF) fairgrounds from April 8-11, 2013.
The AUK booth at EDUCAREER 2013 has historically drawn a wide range of visitors including recent school graduates, parents, young professionals, and local media. AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, the Vice President for Administrative and Student Affairs, Dr. Carol Ross-Scott, and Vice President for Admissions and Public Affairs, Amal Al-Binali, will be present at the event to welcome the patron Mr. Mohammed Hamad Al Roumi, Undersecretary of the Civil Service Commission, who will inaugurate the exhibition.
The AUK Admissions team will be present to meet with prospective students and visitors and respond to inquiries about the admissions process, campus life, and the different academic programs available at the University. In addition, representatives from the Center for Continuing Education (CCE) at AUK will be on hand to speak with visitors about the extensive catalog of courses and programs the university offers. Staff from the Intensive English Program (IEP), which prepares non-native English speakers for the academic tasks required of them in their first and successive years of university education, will also be available to discuss their department and its offerings.
The exhibition will be held in hall number (6) and is open to visitors at the following hours:
Morning hours: 9:30am to 1:00pm
Evening hours: 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd April 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The faculty recital entitled "My Favorite Things," held at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) on March 20th featured critically acclaimed AUK Assistant Professor of Music Stephanie Shih-yu Cheng on the newly acquired Yamaha C7XPE grand piano.
The concert was Dr. Cheng's debut performance in Kuwait after she joined the AUK music faculty in the fall of 2012. Dr. Cheng commenced the recital for the faculty with Bach's Prelude in B minor, and subsequently played Mozart's Twelve Variations on "Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman," before moving to Chopin's iconic Nocturne, Op.9 No. 2, Debussy's famous Claire de Lune, Liszt's Liebestraume, No. 3, Rodgers' "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music, and finally Moszkowski's Caprice Espagnol, Op. 37.
This semester's recital was met with particular success; the auditorium was near capacity, the musical selection was popular with the audience, and Dr. Cheng's talent on the piano was recognized and appreciated. Previously, Dr. Cheng has performed around the world in renowned locales including but not limited to Carnegie Hall in New York City, the National Concert Hall of Taipei, and the Opera City Hall of Tokyo. Her critics have referred to her performances as "memorable and sumptuous affairs" (New York Concert Review) and "fearless, with a graceful ease" (Courier-Post).
Before arriving at AUK, Dr. Cheng was on the faculty of City University of New York, and Manhattan School of Music. Her most recent CD, a collaborative effort entitled License to Thrill, was released by Summit on March 12, 2013. More information about Dr. Cheng and her musical offerings are available at www.stephanie-cheng.com.
The Department of Music and Drama at AUK offers a wide range of opportunities for both beginning and advanced students within the context of a liberal arts education. The Music and Drama faculty of talented professionals work closely with students to prepare them for campus concerts and plays, and to academically challenge them in performing arts courses. The department fosters artistic proficiency, cultural appreciation, a sense of community, and a lifelong commitment to the arts.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 1st April 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Office of Admissions at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its 3rd Annual High school Football Tournament (HSFT). This year, nine schools participated with their boys and girls teams. The four finalists were The English Academy, The American School of Kuwait, Gulf English School (GES), and Lycée Français de Koweït (LFK).
For the second consecutive year, the GES boys team was crowned the champion of the 3rd Annual Football Tournament. Also winning the tournament for the second year in a row was the ASK girls team.
Sponsored by the AUK Office of Admissions, the Football Tournament is held annually to engage High school students in different activities, and to provide a venue to promote healthy competition among students. According to Maher Dabbouseh, Director of Admissions at AUK, the purpose of such activities is to encourage youngsters to compete against one another in friendly matches while touching base with the "lively, active, and diverse environment of AUK."
The final award ceremony was held on March 19th, whereby the champions of the tournament and the title winners were recognized. AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, was present in the awards ceremony to hand trophies and medals to the winning teams.
This year, the boys title winners included; Rabiea Al-Jerbi, from ASK, as the "Golden Boot" awardee after scoring 10 Goals in the tournament; Sulaiman Al-Attar, from GES, as the "Most Valuable Player"; and Haydar Dashti, from GES, as the "Best Goal Keeper" by conceding 3 goals only through-out the whole tournament. From the girl teams; Emily Halal, from ASK, came as the "Golden Boot" awardee; "Racil Hammine", from LFK, as the "Most Valuable Player"; and Deemah Al-Selmi, from ASK, as the "Best Goalkeeper" by conceding only one goal throughout the whole tournament.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 28th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Arabic Literature Club at the American University of Kuwait hosted "The 2013 Arabic Poetry Competition" as part of Kuwait's national celebrations. The competition featured a variety of Formal Arabic and 'Nabati' (colloquial) poetry and prose recited by student contestants.
Keynote speakers of the event were poets Waleed Al Qallaf, Bedour Al-Bannai and Mariam Fazil, who recited their poetry, in love of Kuwait, before the audience. The event was concluded by an awards ceremony, recognizing the top 3 winners of the contest. Abdulaziz Al Bloushi came in first place, Saleh Al-Hajri came second, and Yousef Nayef came third. The young poets received their award from the President of the Arab Literature Club, Enjood Al-Hasawi. The three distinguished poets were also acknowledged for their dedicated and valuable participation.
The Arabic Literature Club at the American University of Kuwait, currently led by Enjood Al-Hasawi, is a student organization interested in different aspects of the Arabic language and culture such as Arabic poetry and literature. The main purpose of the Club is to reveal the Arab identity and practice Arabic language at AUK. Most of the club events currently focus on Arabic literature and poetry. The Arabic Club aims to host more cultural events that would include Arabic music and hosting of famous experts in the Arabic language to share their experience and thoughts with the students. All events hosted by the Arabic Club are being done in association with the Arabic Department at AUK.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 25th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
A panel discussion on addiction has been organized at AUK as a collaborative effort between the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences and the Department Math & Natural Sciences. The multidisciplinary discussion included AUK faculty panelists in the fields of psychology, Anthropology, and Biology to talk about the causes, consequences, and treatment of drug abuse.
Moderated by Dr. Pellegrino Luciano, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, the panel was composed of Dr. Ali Charara, Associate professor of Biology; Dr. James Rose, Assistant professor of Psychology; Dr. Nicholas Scull, Assistant professor of Psychology; and Dr. Juliet Dinkha, Associate Professor of Psychology.
The discussion started by an explanation of the neurobiology of addiction and potential implications for its treatment. According to Dr. Charara, there are a variety of drugs and addiction comes in all shapes and forms. Dr. Charara distinguished between natural rewards such as food and sex; experiences we have evolved to find rewarding as they contribute to our wellbeing and survival, and artificial rewards such as drugs that have a negative effect on one's health.
Furthermore, Dr. Charara explained that a pathway in the brain is responsible for rewarding behaviors, known as the "reward pathway". Drugs alter the brain's pathway through which pleasurable feelings are activated, indicating that this increases the cravings associated with an addiction. Akin to any rewarding experience, the rewarding feeling of drugs triggers the release of euphoric brain chemicals, informing the brain to repeat the satisfying behavior. This gradually leads to loss of control in limiting intake of the addictive substance.
Thanks to new and advanced imaging technology, neuroscientists are able to study the effects of addiction on the brain. Through brain scans, Dr. Charara demonstrated that there is a reduction in brain activity after drug use. He showed that drugs cause fundamental alterations in brain function, and that the activity of the brain never returns to its normal state even after 10 years of abstinence. Based on the brain scans, it is evident that the brain of an addict is distinctly different from that of a non-addict. He further stressed that drug addiction is a long-lasting disease, and concluded that understanding the mechanisms of the brain will help in developing treatment for addiction.
Dr. Rose, highlighted the causes of addiction through insights from animal research. He emphasized that animal models such as rodents and monkeys help to elucidate the causes of addiction in humans. Dr. Rose discussed at length an experiment in which rats were permitted to self-inject cocaine or heroin. Researchers found that these animals will self-administer drugs much like human addicts. Moreover, the animals demonstrated a variety of health problems similar to human addicts.
Dr. Rose added that certain factors influence drug self-administration in animals. In particular, he discussed the influence of genetics and the effects of stressful environments early in life. Likewise, Dr. Rose discussed the causes of addiction in humans, including the influence of genetics and a variety of early environmental factors, including parental criminality, domestic violence, childhood physical and sexual abuse, and childhood neglect.
Turning to substance use disorders in the Middle East, Dr. Scull looked at the rates of substance usage worldwide. He reviewed research on the use of alcohol among college students in Egypt and Jordan. Dr. Scull also discussed research done with a clinical sample in Saudi Arabia that found that heroin was the most frequently used drug. A limitation in the current body of research in the Middle East, he stated, is that studies are mostly based on clinical samples rather than community sample.
As for Kuwait, there is a need for more research as exact rates are unclear, but some research indicates that rates of substance use disorders are increasing. Dr. Scull also added that there is an absence of preventative programs and public health education, which are likely related to the apparent increase in prevalence. However, adherence to Islam appears to be related to decreased alcohol and drug use. Dr. Scull further identified the reasons for substance abuse in Kuwait. Curiosity, experimentation, international travel, personal problems at home, and excessive unsupervised free time are among the main identifiable reasons that may drive one to substance abuse.
In order to solve addiction problems in Kuwait, there is a need to acknowledge that a problem exists according to Dr. Scull. He also emphasized the need for research based on community samples in order to accurately measure the use of substance abuse in Kuwait. Furthermore, educating the public about the dangers of substance use through public health campaigns is an important step toward minimizing addiction problems. Among other recommendations, Dr. Scull stressed the importance of improving mental health care in Kuwait, especially for the treatment of substance abuse. Along with this, efforts should be made to "destigmatize" drug and alcohol treatment. Without significant changes in these areas, Dr. Scull warned that rates of substance use in Kuwait may continue to rise.
Lastly, Dr. Dinkha pointed to several treatments in the process of rehabilitation. She stated that addiction leads to not only serious physical damage but psychological harm as well. According to Dr. Dinkha, there a number of treatment options, medications, and drug deterrents that can be taken to reduce drug cravings and ultimately recover from substance dependence. Beside Detox treatment, Dr. Dinkha talked about the importance of outpatient treatment which includes Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) support groups, individual therapy, and family therapy. She emphasized that drug abuse patients need a lot of emotional support from friends and family in order to avoid relapsing. Better yet, abstinence should be the goal for anyone with substance addiction. Dr. Dinkha concluded that addiction is hard to battle, as it is a long-recovery process that requires time and a lot of support.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 24th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society Club at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) won its fourth consecutive Regent's Common Reader Award for its reading event held on campus earlier this month.
This year's event focused on the book Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman. The theme of the event was an Arabian picnic style where readers lounged on the grassy area by the Library to read while enjoying snacks and refreshments. Approximately 100 faculty, staff, and students joined the event to enjoy the reading activity.
Every year, the honor society at AUK strives to create a reading for pleasure activity within a traditional Arabian atmosphere. Last year, the club staged a mock poetry competition based on Natasha Trethway's book of poetry titled Bellocq's Ophelia. In 2011, readers engaged in literary translation surrounding the book Black Ice by Lorene Carey. A recording was made of the reading and presented to Carey at the 2011 Honor Society convention in Pittsburgh. In 2010, participants read Chris Abani's Song for Night while gathering under an Arabian tent.
In conferring this year's Regent's Common Reader award on the AUK chapter, Sigma Tau Delta Eastern Regent Dr. Glen Brewster, recognized the group as one of the "most creative and involved chapters."
The Common Reader is an event held annually by Sigma Tau Delta. The organization asks all of the members of its nearly 900 chapters to read a specific book each year and then stage an on-campus event that promotes reading.
Over the years the Common Reader has included a number of genres - poetry, fiction, memoirs, and essays. All have proved to be popular with the AUK readers.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 21st March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
Under the sponsorship of The Student Government Association (SGA) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), a group of Syrian students and volunteers organized an event titled "Scratches of Syria". The aim of the event was to provide support and raise awareness about Syria's current humanitarian situation through various types of arts including painting, writing, poetry and drama.
The evening featured a variety of events including stage shows and an art gallery representing the Syrian humanitarian distress. Seeing a full-house audience, the stage show started with a documentary film about Syria. A flash mob performance then broke the silence, surprising the audience with the youth production "Explosion". The short play "Hopeful Homeland" was the finale of the event. The play is a student production depicting the painful survival struggles of Syrians, who, despite all the bloodshed and tragedy, still hold a strand of hope.
AUK student Enas Halawani, who conceived the idea of "Scratches of Syria" said, "This event wouldn't have been a success without the restless efforts of the dedicated Syrian youth, who forgot their differences and gathered to show love to their homeland. Syria, our beloved home, really deserves that effort".
Director and coordinator of the event, Mohammed Radwan Naji, expressed gratitude for AUK and for Kuwait for supporting the event. He also extended his appreciation to the crowd and to the "Scratches of Syria" team for contributing to "this great event".
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 19th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The American University of Kuwait held a forum entitled "Christians and Muslims in Dialogue". The forum being the first of its kind was jointly sponsored by the Department of International Relations at AUK and the Islamic Christian Relations Council.
The two-hour event was divided into two panels, each lasting for one hour. Following opening remarks by AUK President, Dr. Win Thompson, the first session entertained a discussion about the perceptions of God in Christianity and Islam. The panelists were Archbishop Petar Rajic, the Vatican Ambassador to Kuwait; and Dr. Khaled Faraj, Imam and Professor at Al Hawza Al Ilmiya in Kuwait. The panel was chaired by Dr.Nizar Hamzeh, Provost and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of AUK.
Archbishop Rajic initiated the forum by explaining the theological tenants which the Christian religion was established upon; such as the Holy Trinity and the miracles of Jesus. He asked the audience to perceive God spiritually, rather than mathematically. From his side, Dr. Faraj began his talk by confirming the existence of God. He said that the different perceptions of God in religions are not a reason to question God's existence.
The second session's tackled the subject of mercy and forgiveness in Christianity and Islam. The panelists were Reverend Harrison Chinnakumar, Pastor of St Paul's Anglican Church in Kuwait and Sheikh Hussein Al Azhari, Al Muzaini Mosque. The panel was chaired by Dr. Andrei Zavally Associate Professor of philosophy at AUK.
Reverend Chinnakumar and Sheikh Al Azhari provided an explanation of mercy in their respective faiths, both of which encouraged men and women to be merciful towards one another just as God is merciful towards us. Reverend Chinnakumar stressed that God's mercy and justice are not contradictory, rather they complement one another. Sheikh Al Azhari reiterated this by stating that mercy and forgiveness exist in every aspect of Islam, including the most sinful of actions. The theologians both agreed that God's mercy is a sign of his love and concern towards us.
Each panel ended with a significant number of questions from the audience to the panelists. The audience included a large number of students, staff and faculty members as well as the Dutch ambassador and the ambassador from Belgium. The forum is part of an ongoing project--the Christian-Muslim Conversation Group-- conducted and facilitated by Dr George E. Irani, Associate Professor of International Relations at AUK.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 19th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
April The American University of Kuwait (AUK) participated in Abu Dhabi International Sports League (ADISL) in men's & women's football and men's & women's basketball on. A total of 39 student-athletes represented AUK while competing against New York University Abu Dhabi, Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, and Masdar Institute Abu Dhabi. Matches were held between March 7th and 9th all over Abu Dhabi, from the state of the art facilities on the Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi campus, to the beautiful football pitches in Zayed Sports City, and even playing games on Manchester United's practice pitch at Emirates Palace. This was the first time AUK played against higher-education institutions in Abu Dhabi.
AUK men's basketball started the tournament off strong with a double digit win over Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi. They took the lead from the very beginning and easily held it the entire game. Fawaz Al Dakheel was on fire, with every shot being highlight reel worthy and blocks that made others scared to drive-in. Their second game against New York University Abu Dhabi was a nail biter. AUK ended the 1st quarter down by 10 points, but managed to cut the lead to 5 points going into halftime. In the second half, AUK came out ready to play and quickly took the lead. Ahmed Butaiban was a general on the court, calling plays, taking advantage of even the smallest of openings, and having a hand in almost every basket. As the 2nd half progressed, the teams kept exchanging the lead. But with a push in the last few minutes of the 4th quarter, AUK managed to take the lead and keep in this time, winning 67 - 64. The comeback would not have been possible without Uros Lukic dominating under the rim and Saad Abu Al Haj making some clutch outside shots. The last game for AUK men's basketball was against Masdar Institution. Fuelled by their previous two wins, they dominated the game. At the end of the 4th quarter, AUK had another big win and an undefeated record for ADISL.
AUK women's basketball began by playing a top notch team from Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi. Unable to contain Paris-Sorbonne's star player, AUK fought hard but couldn't pull off the win. AUK's next game was against New York University Abu Dhabi. The game was close, but despite amazing efforts from Njoud Aweis on offense and strong rebounding from Dalal Abulaziz, AUK fell short of the win. In the last game against Masdar Institute, the AUK team finally came together. The entire team stepped up and played beautifully. AUK finished the tournament with a huge win, the final score being 27-2.
AUK men's football team played near-flawless football throughout both their matches. Playing 11 v 11 for this tournament, AUK's opening match was against Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi. AUK made use of the entire pitch, moving the ball around beautifully. After rattling a few shots off the cross bar and the posts, AUK started their scoring frenzy in the second half with a spectacular shot by Abdullah Mustafa. Mr. Mustafa wasn't done there; he added two more goals by the end of the game, earning a hat-trick and contributing to 3-0 victory for AUK. As great as AUK's first game was, their second game was even better. Playing New York University Abu Dhabi, AUK decided to do all the scoring in the first half. Abdullah Mustafa again started off the scoring for AUK. Then Ali Al-Ali managed to stop hitting the posts and finally found the back of the net to score AUK's 2nd goal. The 3rd and final goal was scored by Yacoub Mohammed on a nice assist from Mohammed Al-Obaid. At the final whistle, AUK had another 3-0 victory and an undefeated record for ADISL.
AUK women's soccer was plagued with injuries from the very beginning. In their first 7 v 7 match against Université Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, the teams were equally matched. Unfortunately, AUK's star striker, Dina Al-Ibrahim, was taken out half through the first half with a bad tackle which severely injured her ankle. Shortly after Paris-Sorbonne scored and AUK wasn't able to score back. AUK's second match was against New York University Abu Dhabi. AUK started strong, but when a key mid-fielder was taken out with an extremely dangerous head-first tackle to the face, AUK lost another strong player and soon after gave up two quick goals. Unable to score back, AUK accepted another loss.
Later this month, AUK will be sending its futsal, volleyball, tennis, and table tennis teams to represent AUK in the Beirut Unisports Festival 2013 in Lebanon. AUK is currently in the middle of its athletic calendar in Kuwait. Student-athletes will be competing in the finals of the University Championship Cup with the men's and women's basketball finals on March 18th and the men's soccer final on March 19th. AUK's Spring sports will begin 7th.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 19th March 2013
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) library hosted its first photography exhibition on Wednesday, March 13th under the theme "Kuwait Through My Eyes".
The 2-day photography gallery held a total of 24 artworks exhibited by six Kuwaiti renowned photographers; AbdulAziz Al-Asousi, Eman Jamal, Ibrahim Al-Farhan, Ali Al-Zaidi, Shaimaa Al-Arada, and Yaqoub Al-Kandari.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to inaugurate the event, during which AUK Provost Nizar Hamzeh and Asmaa Al Kanaan, the AUK Library Director congratulated the library staff and welcomed the public attendees.
The displayed photographs showcased various representations of Kuwait featuring tradition, people, buildings, celebrations, and Kuwait's major moments such as the fireworks on Kuwait's 50th constitution anniversary. The shots encompassed inspiration, passion, timing, perception and emotion.
Other creative works included a shot of wisps of smoke rising from a light bulb carrying the colors of the Kuwaiti flag. The photo was meant to show "the light of Kuwait" as photographer Eman Jamal expressed. Another image showed vibrant splashes of paint carrying the colors of the Kuwaiti flag, dancing to sound vibrations through a speaker creating a stunning formation of colored sound waves.
Students and faculty appreciated the artworks, and the photographers were glad to share their vision of Kuwait with them.
"I am very glad to have the first art exhibition in the library. We want to appeal to art and design faculty and students, as we would like to build relationships with various departments," said Al-Kanan. She also hopes to plan bigger exhibitions in the future.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 18th March 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
