News
The Scratches of Syria initiative, in cooperation with Syria Club at AUK held a short movie evening where they played movies reflecting the humanitarian situation in Syria. The movies shown were by Syrians directors, including Nader Makki (Death Time Story), Wessam Khwaji (Assi Alhawan), Kotaiba Al-Khoos (Love in a Hurry), Bassel Chehadeh (Saturday Morning), Taeem Henawe (Where are they?) and Abdulrahman Nahlawi (Darwash).
The movies carried different messages reflecting the life of Syrian children during the war, the new street language and war terminologies, and the life of refugees away from home. The evening ended with a movie rating by the audience.
For the second consecutive year, Scratches of Syria maintained its unbiased political stance, a practice it always emphasized since the launch of its first event last March. Supporting this position, Enas Al-Halawani, Scratches of Syria Coordinator stressed that "the Most Important matter right now is that Syrians get along together and forget about their political views because the existing fragmentation among Syrians is the main reason behind their weakness". Mohammad Naji, Scratches of Syria Coordinator, also agrees with the same argument confirming that "focusing on the armed solution makes us forget who are fighting and why we are fighting". Naji also added that "Scratches of Syria started and will keep following this trend of focusing entirely on the Syrian humanitarian situation". The event ended by announcing the upcoming Scratches of Syria event next March 2014.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th January 2014
Excerpts and Sayings by Mahatma Gandhi, is newly published book by Ms. Ghaidaa Mohamad, Instructor for the Department of Arabic and Foreign Languages, that translates Gandhi's most famous sayings to Arabic. The book, which is published by Masaa Publishing, Bahrain, covers a variety of topics the assassinated leader came across during his intellectual and philosophical journey.
Excerpts and Sayings by Mahatma Gandhi summarizes many of Gandhi's ideas, whether related to education, economy, peaceful resistance, ethics, education, and industries, in addition to his views on relationships between cities and villages.
The 130 page book has excerpts selected by the author that reflect Gandhi's life philosophy in general, and contains images of Gandhi taken throughout his life. One chapter discusses his ideas on proper nutrition, while another chapter discusses his belief in God. "By reading this book we can live the deep Indian philosophy that believes in a different relationship with beings and things," says the author.
In one of the excerpts Gandhi says:
I am a part and parcel of the whole and I cannot find Him apart from the rest of humanity. My countrymen are my nearest neighbours. They have become so helpless, so resourceless, so inert that I must concentrate myself on serving them. If I could persuade myself that I could find Him in a Himalayan cave I would proceed there immediately. But I know that I cannot find Him apart from humanity.
Excerpts and Sayings by Mahatma Gandhi was released and sold by Masaa Publishing in the annual Book Fair in the Kuwait International Fair Grounds in Mishref earlier in November 2013.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th January 2014
The Department of Arabic and Foreign Languages at AUK is releasing a new Arabic course in Creative Writing. The new course, which will be offered starting Spring 2014, introduces students to the skills of writing the genre of the short story and novel. The objective of the course is to help students develop critical appreciation of the social role of literature, as well as a comparative knowledge of outstanding examples of short story and novelistic writing from Kuwait, the Arab world, and the world at large.
For the first time, the course will be taught by the distinguished Kuwaiti author Taleb Al-Refai, whose novels and stories are known for their with contemporary analysis of social issues in Kuwait and the Gulf region, such as the situation of foreign laborers ("Shadow of the Sun," 1998), the independence of the writer and the necessity for artistic freedom ("The Garment," 2009), the rise of consumerism ("Minor Thefts," 2010), and the situation of women ("Kawthar," forthcoming 2014).
'We are very excited to offer this Arabic Creative Writing course to our students. The course will emphasize the process of creative writing. It will start with a review of the main elements of stories and novels, and then lead into a series of workshops, which will give the students the opportunity to write short stories and chapters of novels on their own. After receiving feedback from Mr. Al-Refai, students will be encouraged to seek publication for their writing. This is a unique opportunity for our students to learn about writing Arabic fiction from a master of the craft," said Dr. Raymond Farrin, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Arabic & Foreign Languages at AUK.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th January 2014
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2014
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its 10th annual Homecoming - an American collegiate tradition dating back to the mid-1800's, where the university is celebrated and the alumni are welcomed back on campus. This tradition aims to bring members of the AUK community - past and present - together to engage in an array of activities, such as barbecues, sports, and receptions, to reinforce the values that AUK stands for. This year's Homecoming was as special one, as it coincides with AUK's 10th Anniversary.
The 3-day event commenced with the traditional Senior Launch and Roll Call, marking the official countdown to the June 2014 graduation. This was followed by the annual staff/faculty versus students football match, where the staff/faculty team broke the tied score during the penalties.
Photos from the Seniors Launch
The second day was all about the students; past and present. In a fun-filled evening, alumni and undergraduates attended the AUK Under the Stars event where they were serenaded by the musical performances of Ghaneema Qudmani, Yousef Al Muzairai, and Hadi Al Bouni.
Not far from AUK, in Bayt Lothan, AUK alumni enjoyed an evening of music and comedy at the Annual Alumni Reception. AUK alumni gathered to reminisce with faculty , staff and friends while listening to musical performances by Fatemah Busakhr, Ghaneema Qudmani, and Fatemah Al Ali, after which they laughed the evening away to the comic talents of Shaikha Al Khaldi.
Ending the week's activities was the annual Paint-Ball competition, followed by a celebration of the Wolf's (AUK's Mascot) 10th birthday, which included signed cards from faculty, staff and students, birthday gifts and cupcakes. AUK community members celebrated a decade of joy and AUK accomplishments.
Photos from the Mascot's 10th Birthday
AUK's Homecoming celebration activities are coordinated and sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, Alumni Affairs and Student Life departments.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 23rd December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Egyptian Cultural Union (ECU) at AUK held its first event aiming to introduce the newly established student club to the AUK and public community. The event included booths representing three of the Egyptian subcultures of Nubia, costal Alexandria and Cairo. Each booth informed the visitors about traditional customs, foods, and attractions related to each subculture. The Nubia booth a Henna (tattoo) lady, the Alexandria booth had local food from the costal cuisine and the Cairo booth had some ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Not far away from the cultural booths, a photo stand was setup for visitors to take photos with friends against a backdrop of the Giza Pyramids and Sultan Hasan's famous mosque in Cairo. Complementing the Egyptian experience, the Egyptian folk band (Sharaf) performed the Egyptian famous folk show "Al Tanoora" in a festive atmosphere. The day ended by an Egyptian comic play (El Eyal Kebret) performed by the students in open air in a home cinema setting.
The club's President, Mark Riad, expressed his delight for "seeing the ECU's members' effort and time pay off with such a warm and engaging event."
Dr. Mohsen Bagnied, professor of Marketing and Economics at AUK and the club's Faculty Advisor, said "The event was a great success. I really look forward to further ECU accomplishments during the coming years."
The Egyptian Cultural Union is a student club that aspires to raise awareness about the Egyptian culture among the community in a fun and engaging manner. Through a variety of educational and cultural events, the union aims to instil knowledge about the Egyptian civilization, heritage, cultural diversity, and intellectual contributions to the Arab world.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 23rd December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) participated in the 30th Conference of the National Union of Kuwaiti Students - USA Branch (NUKS-USA), which was held in San Diego, California earlier this month. For the first time, AUK was present as part of the KIPCO Group, who was sponsoring the event for the third consecutive year, offering new opportunities for studying in Kuwait during summer vacations and earning transferrable credits.
Hala Al-Abdulrazzaq, AUK Assistant Director for Academic Advising, was present at the conference to explain the different advantages students have access to by enrolling for summer courses at AUK. Al-Abdulrazzaq advised the students interested in studying in Kuwait on the application process and the procedure of transferring the course credits back to their home institution.
This was the first time the Assistant Director for Academic Advising attending such as conference, where more than 3500 students participated in lectures, attended musical performances and other social activities.
"The students were excited to learn that AUK's summer course credits are transferable once approved by their home institutions", Al-Abdulrazzaq noted. "Most of the students seemed eager to spend their summers with their families while taking courses at AUK, especially now that the Holy month of Ramadan occurs during the summer months."
AUK represents the educational arm of the KIPCO group striving to support the community through various educational projects and initiatives. KIPCO invited AUK to be part of NUKS conference this year and encouraged students studying in the US to take advantage of attending AUK's summer courses while visiting their families.
This initiative comes as part of AUK's strategies to expand its international visibility while supporting young Kuwaitis studying abroad to establish connections with their homeland. Earlier this year, AUK has taken part in similar educational exchange programs aiming to produce well-rounded global citizens who possess the skills to function and communicate in diverse regions of the world. These included signing agreements with US universities to offer AUK students semester-long study abroad opportunities, as well as supporting youth training and development programs , like The Protégés, also powered by KIPCO.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 22nd December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
To commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the American University of Kuwait (AUK), the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at the University held the Electrical & Computer Engineering Exhibition 2013 (ECEE'13), in which alumni and students presented projects to compete for the Best Project Award, as well as the Students' Choice Award. The panel of judges for the Best Project Award was composed of instructors and experts in the field of Electrical & Computer Engineering, while students across the University were able to cast their votes via email to nominate the winner of the Students Choice Award. Interim President Dr. Nizar Hamzeh and Interim Dean Dr. Rawda Awwad presented the awards to the participants and winners in each of the categories.
Dr Issam Damaj, Chair of AUK's Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, headed the committee that organized this initiative. "The ECEE'13 was an opportunity to exhibit the projects of the first Computer Engineering graduates. It was good to see our alumni back on campus to meet with the rapidly growing body of engineering students. More than forty current capstone students had the opportunity to learn from the experiences of their peers. The exhibited projects well demonstrated the abilities of our students and the capabilities of AUK's first-class laboratories," he said. The organization committee included Dr. Mohammed El Abd, Mr. Hani Samadi, and Ms. Marie El Neaman.
Four projects were presented in the Exhibition:
GPU Implementation of Computational Algorithms:
- Khaled Al-Ajmi
- Supervisor: Dr. Mohammed El Abd
Khaled Al-Ajmi investigated the implementation of two computational algorithms on graphic processing units (GPUs) to accelerate their computation speed. The algorithms implemented are the population-based harmony search and artificial bee colony algorithms. Two GPU-based implementations were presented for each algorithm, one that uses the GPU to speed up the evaluation part of the algorithm and another version that uses the GPU to speed up the algorithm as a whole. Each of these versions was compared against their sequential and CPU-parallel counterparts. The experiments carried out clearly illustrated the increase of the computation speed of the implemented algorithms when executed on GPUs.
Smart Cart:
- Nardeen Al-Alawy
- Rudaina Al-Khalawi
- Reem Al-Luqman
- Supervisor: Dr. Issam Damaj
The Smart Cart team has developed a system that facilitates the supermarket experience for the shoppers. By simply connecting to the supermarket's web server wirelessly, the shoppers can easily navigate through the supermarket to find the items they seek without having to waste any time trying to locate them. This is done by using Radio-Frequency (RF) technology, whereby an RF reader attached to the shopping cart locates the desired item-section and guides the shopper to it in a time-efficient manner. Additionally, couples shopping together will never have to worry about losing each other in the supermarket, as there is a shopping cart locator facility as well.
"Be Safe" Smart System:
- Maryam Al-Omar
- Dana Al-Muttar
- Jarrah Jarrah
- Supervisor: D. Mohammed El Abd
In addition to regulating light/electricity consumption within the household, this system's main features are to ensure the safety of the house and its inhabitants. Be Safe can save time for search and rescue operations in case of emergencies when the house needs to be evacuated, such as if a fire breaks out; it automatically counts how many individuals are in the house and determine their locations.
It also has the ability to detect air pollutants, such as gas leaks or dust, and take the necessary measures to ventilate the house accordingly. Once pollutants have been detected in a room, the door to that room closes to stop the pollutants from spreading, and the windows open - in case ventilation was required - or close in case of stopping the pollutants such as dust from entering.
Additionally, the home's lighting system is programed to be solar-sensitive and automatically switch on/off when needed.
Homeowners receive notifications via email whenever the Be Safe system has been activated.
HOBOT: A Customizable HOme Management System with a Surveillance RoBOT with a Surveillance RoBOT
- Mohammad El-Shafei
- Maher Rehayel
- Adel Shalati
- Supervisor: Dr. Issam Damaj
The Home Management System with a Surveillance Robot, or HOBOT as it is named by its' creators, turns regular, traditional homes into robots - sort of! HOBOT is a system that automates the control over home's maintenance and surveillance that is customized to the personal needs of the homeowner. Some of its functions include monitoring temperature and home ventilation, managing environmentally economic usage of lighting (indoor and outdoor), as well as a security system that documents unexpected activities around the house - these functions are especially useful when the homeowners are away from their homes. When the homeowners are away, HOBOT immediately notifies them via email of any disturbances to the pre-programed settings. HOBOT is ubiquitous; users can use smart phones, tablets, laptops and other computing devices. The system provides a true pervasive computing experience. HOBOT Software is web-enabled and supports several modes of use including the administration of customization and calibration.
After viewing each of the projects, Dr. Hamzeh, supported by the panel of judges, which consisted of Dr. Ashraf Zaher, Associate Professor of Computer Engineering, Dr. Mounib Khanafer, Assistant Professor of Computer and Electrical Engineering, and Dr. Seyed Esmaeili, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, presented the certificates to all the participants and congratulated them on their dedication to their projects.
After some consideration, and the tallying of the student votes that were submitted for the Student Choice Award, the winner of both categories was the HOBOT team. Congratulations to them and all their fellow participators for a job well-done!
Group photo for Engineering faculty, staff, and students with the AUK Interim President and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Upper row (from left): Dr. Jabran Yousafzai, Dr. Mounib Khanafer, Dr. Seyed Esmaeili, Dr. Ashraf Zaher, Dr. Detlef Hummes, Dr. Nizar Hamzeh, Dr. Rawda Awwad, Dr. Mohammed Al Abd, Dr. Issam Damaj, Mr. Hani El Samadi, Maymoonah I Toubeh
Lower Row - AUK Students (from left): Khaled Al-Ajmi, Maher Rehayel, Mohammad El-Shafei, Adel Shalati, Maryam Al-Omar, Rudaina Al-Khalawi, Reem Al-Luqman
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 22nd December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Academic Advising Learning Support Services (AALSS) is a newly formed unit at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) comprised of three centers; the Academic Advising Center, the Tutoring Center, and the Writing Center. AALSS was created to combine the academic support services at AUK. The Tutoring and Writing Centers work together to help students improve their study skills, comprehension of the courses' content, further develop their literacy and writing skills, enhance self-confidence, and encourage positive attitudes towards learning, while the Academic Advising Center supports existing students who have not yet declared their majors.
The AALSS team helps the students select and pursue majors that adhere to each student's specific interests and competencies. The unit also maximizes student retention by addressing key factors that contribute to their academic performances, thus ensuring student success.
AALSS held their first event last November at AUK to inaugurate the unit. The event was held to create awareness among the students around the academic administrative unit and its student support services.
During the event, the Writing Center's Diwaniya Club held the annual Book and Bake Sale. Entertainment for the day was provided by Hashtags, a musical band made up of members from the AUK student body, while participating vendors supplied the catering for the event.
Dr. Mary Queen has been working at AUK since 2005, where she began as Assistant Professor in the English Department. In the past, Dr. Queen served as the English Writing Program Coordinator and the Director of the Writing Center. As the new Director of AALSS and the Interim Director for the Registrar, Dr. Queen brings significant experience to all three Centers. Dr. Queen and the AALSS team are dedicated to delivering the highest standards of services to students at the American University of Kuwait.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 15th December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The Arabic Literature Club at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted a poetry recital evening entitled "When Poetry Breathes..." by the Saudi Arabian poet Abdulatif Bin Yousef. Faisal Al-Raheil, a Kuwaiti writer, introduced and interviewed the poet, who then proceeded to recite some of his poems.
The evening commenced with an ambience-setting performance by Salman Behbehani, playing the oud, accompanied by a cello played by Abdulla Essa. Following the recital, the poet and the author, engaged in an open discussion with the audience members, among whom were the writers Saadiya Mofarah, Abdulwahab Al Hamadi and Huda Al Shawa.
Fatma Al-Adwani, President of the Arabic Literature Club, thanked the guests and audience members for their participation in the poetry night. She also thanked The Sultan Center for providing copies of Al-Raheil's first poetry collection to the attendees, which the poet signed during the closing of the event.
The Arabic Literature Club 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 the Arabic language at AUK. Most of the club events currently focus on Arabic literature and poetry. The Arabic Club aims to hold more cultural events that will include Arabic music and the 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 15th December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its semi-annual President's Honor Roll and Dean's Honor List ceremony in recognition of the top academic achievers for Spring 2013 Semester. The ceremony was held in the AUK Auditorium, where fellow students, parents, AUK faculty members and staff, as well as members of the AUK Board Trustees attended the ceremony to support the students being recognized. AUK Interim President Dr. Nizar Hamzeh and the colleges' interim deans were present to honor the students and celebrate their achievements.
The ceremony commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Hamzeh, in which he expressed his pride in the students and welcomed the guests to join him in celebrating their academic achievements.
A total of 24 students were awarded a place on the President's Honor Roll, a high distinction exclusively awarded to those who maintained a 4.0 GPA for the term, by Interim President Hamzeh. Meanwhile 108 students were recognized for achieving the Dean's Honor List, a distinction awarded by the College Deans to students who maintained a minimum GPA of 3.7. Dr. Rawda Awwad, Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences; and Dr. John Russel, Interim Dean of the College of Business & Economics presented the awards to the recipients.
Congratulations to the following achievers:
Spring 2013 President's Honor Roll
| Aya Abdulhamid | Clemens Chay |
| Mhd Amer Abul Burghul | Fatma Ebrahimi |
| Farah AL-Ajeel | Adnan Eidan |
| Alaa Al-Barakat | Helene El Neaman |
| Ayat AlBuloushi | Nada El-Badry |
| Alaa Eddin Al-Chalabi | Mohammed El-Shafei |
| Afnan Al Daqqaq | Rana El-Zoheiry |
| Aisha Al-Hunaidi | Anwar Esmaeel |
| Hind Al-Khatrash | Carol Ghali |
| Fatima Al-langawy | Ahmed Himmow |
| Faiyez Al-Mousharji | Jihan Kablaoui |
| Maisaa Al-Musalam | Yasser Khalil |
| Dina Al-Qassar | Sara Lubbad |
| Nasser Al-Roshoud | Fatma Mansour |
| Farah Al-Toum | Vincent Puyat |
| Alia Assaf | Ali Rady |
| Farah Bossakhar | Batul Sadliwala |
| Marina Boulos | Ayatallah Sharawi |
| Emannoel Cabildo |
Spring 2013 Dean's Honor List
College of Arts & Sciences
| Aya Abdulhamid | Emannoel Cabildo |
| Hossam Abdulrahman | Clemens Chay |
| Mhd Amer Abul Burghul | Helene El Neaman |
| Matrah Al Dooseri | Ayah El-Hashash |
| Jumanah Al Refaei | Mohammed El-Shafei |
| Khaled Al-Abdulqader | Rana El-Zoheiry |
| Sarah Al-Ahmad | Anwar Esmaeel |
| Farah AL-Ajeel | Dana Hani |
| Jenan Al-Alban | Ahmed Hassanein |
| Jassem Al-Ansari | Ahmed Himmow |
| Ayat AlBuloushi | Mahmoud Imdoukh |
| Alaa Eddin Al-Chalabi | Sara Kamali |
| Sara Al-Enezi | Noor Kassem |
| Sara Al-Faraj | Salli Khaddag |
| Munira Al-Farsi | Stephanie Khalil |
| Aisha Al-Fuwaires | Yasser Khalil |
| Dalal Ali | Noureldin Khalil |
| Maitha Al-Jassmi | Sara Lubbad |
| Dalal AlJenaei | Zunaira Majeed |
| Hind Al-Khatrash | Majd Makdessi |
| Fatima Al-langawy | Manar Mashal |
| Dana AlMansouri | Mariam Mdaid |
| Rawan Al-Mukhled | Ali Rady |
| Lamis Al-Nazer | Dania Ragab |
| Khaled Al-Qahtani | Sandra Saad |
| Dina Al-Qassar | Batul Sadliwala |
| Latifah Al-Saad | Neda Shirazi |
| Abdulrahman AlShaheen | Sarah Thakur |
| Sayed Hashim Al-Tabtabaei | Maymoonah Toubeh |
| Farah Bossakhar | Jessie Trago |
College of Business & Economics
| Noha Abou Omar | Fares Al-Tawheed |
| Mohammed Akbar | Farah Al-Toum |
| Dalal Al Suwaidan | Alia Assaf |
| Sarah Al-Ajmi | Kirsten Bartholome |
| Fajer Alali | Marina Boulos |
| Alaa Al-Barakat | Alaa Buqammaz |
| Bibi Al-Behbehani | Zeinab Chebli |
| Afnan Al-Daqqaq | Fatma Ebrahimi |
| Ahmed Al-Dhukair | Adnan Eidan |
| Nora AL-Ghanim | Nada El-Badry |
| Rataj Al-Hasawi | Carol Ghali |
| Aisha Al-Hunaidi | Jihan Kablaoui |
| Jenan Ali | Manit Kaur |
| Bader Al-Mailem | Fatma Mansour |
| Talal Al-Mnaies | Sophia Massouh |
| Faiyez Al-Mousharji | Fahad Mesalem |
| Maisaa Al-Musalam | Ahmed Mohamed Tawfik |
| Maryam Al-Nassar | May Omran |
| Humoud Al-Olaimi | Vincent Puyat |
| Lolwa Al-Omar | Nathalie Saab |
| Nasser Al-Roshoud | Ayatallah Sharawi |
| Basma Al-Sayed | Shaima Thekerallah |
| Shehab Al-Shehab | Sally Zaghloul |
| Mohammed Al-Tanani | Abdulrahman Zaghloul |
Click here to view the President's Honor Roll Photo Gallery
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 12th December 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
