Shamma Al Bastaki, who is a student ambassador for Louvre Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National
Shamma Al Bastaki, who is a student ambassador for Louvre Abu Dhabi. Christopher Pike / The National

My UAE: ­Shamma Al Bastaki is a triple-threat with plenty of ambitions



Perhaps it’s because she’s a poet and an artist – as well as a scientist – that ­Shamma Al Bastaki felt an urge to explore the magic in sand.

At the age of 18, she began delving into the potential environmental benefits of the children’s toy magic sand, also known as hydrophobic sand. She has also been writing poetry since she was 7 on subjects ranging from marshmallows and hugging pillows to the wonders of modern science.

What gives this sand its name is that it has been coated with a hydrophobic substance that makes it resistant to water.

“You can pour magic sand into water and form different shapes,” explains Al Bastaki, who’s from Dubai. “But no one has yet come up with substantial uses for it.”

During her summer break between school and starting university at NYUAD, Al Bastaki and her friend Hayat Al Hassan decided to find out whether they could solve some of the world’s biggest environmental ­challenges with magic sand. They entered their ideas into the Intel Science Fair in Los Angeles, and came second in the environment category.

“The UAE has a wealth of sand, so why not put it to good use?” Al Bastaki says. “We decided this sand could be valuable in alleviating groundwater contamination, water scarcity, soil erosion and also in cleaning up oil spills. Perhaps it could be a valuable resource for the future.”

Now 20, Al Bastaki’s academic interests have moved into social research and public policy and literature, all of which she’s majoring in at NYUAD.

Al Bastaki admits that it’s unusual for a poet to also have a love for science.

“I find that the two complement each other,” she says. “This idea of narrowing and specialising has become so prevalent, but in the past, scientists were artists – Einstein was a violinist, and many writers had a love of science.”

Al Bastaki performs regularly at events such as Rooftop Rhythms and Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival. She is also an accomplished artist, who placed second in last year's Abu Dhabi Festival Visual Arts Award for a calligraphic engraving on canvas entitled Writes with a Knife. The artwork was inspired by The Old World is Dead, a 1970 poem by Nizar Qabbani, in which he reflects upon the dire state the of Arab world.

Al Bastaki is also a student ambassador for the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and is one of a select few who have visited the highly anticipated museum on ­Saadiyat Island. “I can’t wait until it opens,” she says.

Al Bastaki also has an interest in studying the UAE’s society from an anthropological perspective.

“I’d really like to study anthropology in graduate school, because I think there’s a gap in our knowledge,” she says. “I feel like anthropology is not taken as seriously as it should be in the UAE. A lot of the content that has come out of social research is through quantitative analysis, and not enough through quantitative and theoretical. We are more than mere dots on a plot.”

And what of the magic sand? Al Bastaki still hopes to pick the project up again once she graduates and has more time on her hands.

“But I’d be much more focused now on what this sand could do for society, rather than the scientific side,” she adds.

If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be and why?

I’d be an octopus, because it would allow me to multitask much more effectively. I read somewhere that octopus tentacles have brains of their own. I could camouflage if I was feeling extra introverted. And I’d still leave traces of ink everywhere, as poets normally do.

What do you think is the world’s most important scientific invention?

The lens. Without the lens we wouldn’t have telescopes, TVs or eyeglasses. I also like the symbolic idea of the lens – looking at life through a different perspective.

What’s your go-to student snack?

Oreos. There’s a really cool Oreos milkshake I have all the time at NYUAD called Double Trouble. It’s my guilty pleasure.

What's the most insightful thing you have learnt so far during your time at NYUAD?

That being sceptical is just as important as being certain. After taking so many courses that demand questioning, I’ve learnt not to accept the facts as they are presented to me.

What's the most transformational travel journey that you have taken?

Last term, I was in London for four months. The independence that I had there was a whole journey on its own. I got to know myself as a human being. I got the distance I needed, not only from where I’m from, but also from who I thought I was. When you travel to a new place, you discover a new version of yourself that you didn’t really know existed.

What items could you not live without?

My laptop and my poetry notebook. When I'm done scribbling down a poem, I store it in this notebook. Also the books The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and the children's fantasy novel Graceling by Kristin Cashore.

Where do you like to go for a winter walk?

Al Barsha Park – it’s quite simple, but really close to my home, and I normally join my dad on his jogs around there. I love walking on the beach, too.

What’s your favourite piece of artwork?

This might be a clichéd answer, but The Girl with a Pearl Earring. It's just beautiful and the book of the same name is also a favourite.

What do you think are the main differences between Arabic and English poetry?

Arabic poetry is hyper-sensory and there is so much depth of imagery. Just one word can mean so many different things, and that word can carry a lot of the poem’s weight. When you translate it to English, it can have just one or two meanings, so the complexity and depth of meaning get lost in translation.

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

ICC Awards for 2021

MEN

Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)

WOMEN

Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)

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Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Sreesanth's India bowling career

Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40

ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55

T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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