Volume 5, Issue 8 The Student Newspaper of the American University of Kuwait May 2009 CSIS Students Imagine Their Way to Victory By Dina El-Zohairy The AUK team consists of The team of five willingly are using and being offered the 2009, the learning experience “what a software developer group of five CSIS studd Computer Science and/or Ind took on the challenge when potential of earning points, indd gained from the regional comd ever wants”; and “equivalent to A dents and their faculty formation Systems majors Dr. Amir proposed the idea of dividual consumers would be petition alone was, according what [they] learned in the past mentor proudly returned with Abdullah AldShaikh, Salman partaking in the competition motivated to reduce their elecd to the students, “worth a lot”; two years.” a trophy from the Gulf Imagine AldSaffar, Ahmad Ashour, Abdd to his CSIS 490 capstone class tricity consumption. In the long Cup Regional Finals competid delwahab AldAtiqi, and Ali last semester. Their aim was run, this is expected to lead to tion, which was held in Dubai Dashti. Dr. Amir Zeid, Program to develop a mobile phone apd a reduction in carbon dioxide on 19th April. Their innovative Lead of Computer Science, plication that would somehow emissions into the atmosphere. creation, ElectReduce, had served as their mentor and contribute to longdterm end The deliverables for this won them first place in the Mod coach. Five other Gulf univerd vironmental sustainability in competition included submitd bile Development category that sities participated in this catd the region. Ensuring environd ting a written paper describing was specifically introduced by egory, including Kuwait Unid mental sustainability is one of the technical aspects of the apd Microsoft for teams in the Gulf versity. The AUK team found the United Nation’s eight Mild plication in addition to develd region in association with du, a BitsdPilani (Dubai) and UAE lennium Development Goals oping a prototype of the softd UAE telecommunications serd University to be their strongest (MGDs) for world developd ware and testing it. The project vice provider. competitors. ment and a major area of focus was finally presented to a panel for Microsoft. of judges. Some of the main The basic idea behind Elecd challenges they faced involved tReduce is to keep track of the interfacing software and hardd electricity consumption level ware, finding the correct gauge, of individual users via live and using a new programming feeds. If it is below the nationd language. Nevertheless, the al average, the person would combination of excellent teamd earn points which he/she could work skills, individual talent, then redeem for some reward. creativity and dedication, and Another feature of the applid guidance provided by Dr. Amir cation would make it possible led them to success. to control household lighting Even though the Mobile Ded remotely, thus saving electricd velopment category winners ity. The students believe that may not be invited to take part by constantly being reminded in the Imagine Cup Worldd of how much electricity they wide Finals in Egypt in July MC Hosts Women in Busines Forum What’s Next for Departing President? By Farah Al-Shamali while back, Sheikha Dana A AldSabah, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Amerid can University of Kuwait, and nounced that President Marina Tolmacheva would be resignd ing by the end of this year. There is much about President Tolmacheva that we know: her selflessness, drive, passion for learning and the academic esd tablishment, professionalism, poise; the list can never be exd hausted. However, what is the story behind this dynamic womd an who has been able to steer AUK in a direction of continual progress? What are her motivad By Dina El-Zohairy and Nada fied the odds by reaching onced esteem, and strike a balance bed tions and takes on certain isd When asked of the importance her fellow Russian academics Bedir unperceivable goals in a maled tween multiple duties and tasks. sues at AUK and in the Kuwaiti of these respective topics, she what makes American educad fter the Municipality raided dominated society, such as Dr. Even more successful women community? To answer these stated that it “called upon one to tion important. In the United Athe Marketing Club’s secd Ma’souma AldMubarak, who were invited to the closing cerd questions and much more, the be intellectually disciplinary” States, “only 20% of institutions ond Car Boot Sale last month, was appointed as Kuwait’s first emony, which comprised of a Voice conducted an interview seeing that one deals with “hud qualify themselves as belongd its members were keen to make female Cabinet Minister in 2005. panel discussion and a lecture with President Tolmacheva on man society and expressions of ing to the liberal arts.” An imd it up to their target customers. Other exemplary female figures by Dr. Salwa AldJassar, Chief of Tuesday 5th May. culture.” It also “brings the red portant feature to keep in mind Following weeks of advertisd and entrepreneurs who particid the Center for Women Empowd It takes a chronological apd alizations of what distinguishes is that “most research is done at ing, the muchdawaited Women pated in the opening ceremony erment. proach by going back to the civilizations.” universities while it has always in Business Conference finally of the conference included the The discussion topic was the interviewee’s very humble bed President Tolmacheva praised been done at the academies of took place on 30th April and 2nd founder of Optimal Solutions, a “glass ceiling,” which can be ded ginnings and then delving into the Russian model of higher edd sciences in Europe.” “This is May, featuring a series of workd Kuwaitdbased human resources fined as an imaginary barrier to her educational/occupational ucation when asked about her why,” President Tolmacheva shops—all but one presented by consulting and development further promotion or progression careers and how she ended up educational career. “In the Sod continued, “80% of institutions women—and prominent female firm and PR Manager at KNPC for members of specific groups at AUK. viet Union, the Russian Federad are not deemed as belonging to guest speakers at the opening who also owns a legal arbitrad of people. The speakers were Dr. President Tolmacheva stated tion being the largest republic in the liberal arts.” and closing ceremonies. tion consultancy firm. Salwa AldSharqawi, Dr. Mohsen that she is a historian and “you it, higher education was great.” Moving into more local terrid According to the Marketing A variety of practical topics Bagnied, Ms. Fatma AldHamad, grow into the profession.” She It included “very rigorous, thord tory, the Voice asked President Club, which prides itself on ord were presented at the workd and Mahdi AldOwn, President of began to find fault with historid ough, and disciplinary training” Tolmacheva what attracted her ganizing the first studentdrun shops, teaching primarily female the Marketing Club. cal fiction and her perspectives which she also considers to be to AUK, and she smiled as she conference, the purpose behind students how to manage stress Dr. Salwa firmly believes that changed as she developed her the hallmark of AUK. When recollected that particular story. this conference was to celebrate through art, deal with cultural no one can control your amd own method of teaching. In she was an American consuld Around the time she was lookd women’s success by bringing to challenges facing female leadd the classroom, she taught culd tant teaching Russian, President light Kuwaiti women who ded ers, build confidence and selfd Continued on page ture and civilization courses. Tolmacheva was able to inform Continued on page The Voice of AUK NEWS Volume 5, Issue 8 2 Al-Awadhi: Use Time Productively Oil and Political Mobilization By Walah Al-Sabah n 22nd April, 2009, O in a lecture hosted by the Gulf Studies Cend ter, visiting Fulbright scholar Gregory Gause spoke about “Oil price and political mobilization in Kuwait.” Moderated by Professor Hesham Ald Awadhi, the lecture comd menced when Dr. Marina Tolmacheva introduced professor Gause to the audd dience. Professor Gause, a sed nior Fulbright scholar and fan of liberal arts, is an expert on the politics of the Gulf and the Middle East in general. He is curd rently an associate prod By Dina El-Zohairy dhi to give a lecture next to nanorods that can bind to fessor of political science hile driving around the soccer field after sunset cancer cells. Once the cells at the University of Verd WKuwait, you may prayer on Wednesday, 6th are bound to the gold, they mont, and is the director have noticed the billboards May. This marked the club’s light up like bulbs, making of the university’s Middle showing a faceless young final event of their first year them easy to detect. Using East Studies program. He man clinging to a clock. in operation, and in recogd a laser, they can selectived has published two books This is none but the mard nition of their hard work ly destroy the cancer cells by the titles of Oil Monaa keting symbol for Rekaaz’s and contribution, the club’s without harming the healthy archies: Domestic and Sea tenth regional campaign (fāz founders and members were cells. curity Challenges in the man hayātah injāz), which presented with certificates. As outlined in the Fāz Arab Gulf States and Saua stresses the importance of AldAwadhi was also awardd guide, which was being disd diaYemeni Relations: Doa living a life full of accomd ed a plaque. tributed in addition to other mestic Structures and Fora plishments. The campaign A person’s accomplishd promotional materials, some eign Influence.