Students at the Zayed University Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National
Students at the Zayed University Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National
Students at the Zayed University Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National
Students at the Zayed University Campus, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Antonie Robertson/The National

Why we need to encourage young Emirati women to take up Stem subjects


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Disruptive technologies are changing the way we plan for the future. As the UAE becomes a knowledge-based economy, jobs will soon be linked to an even greater extent to careers focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the so-called Stem subjects. The 2020 Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum highlights that in the next five years, new jobs will be reserved for data analysts and scientists and software and applications developers.

The UAE government foresaw the importance of focusing its efforts on innovation and providing young people with opportunities to explore this and contribute to diversifying the economy. I also have my family to thank for encouraging me to pursue my passion. My father is an engineer and my mother studied IT, so I have always been surrounded by these conversations.

However, despite great efforts by families, the government, education providers and major employers, we need to do more to encourage our young people to remain engaged in science and technology. Children below the age of five can show signs of analytical thinking, and we need to nurture this skill early on.

The question is, how do we ensure that young people do not lose interest? How can we encourage them to continue embracing innovative thinking? I believe the key is to show them the fruits of their labours.

Children can show signs of analytical thinking, and we need to nurture this skill early on

I learnt to invent with a purpose. For example, I visited Tawam Hospital in Abu Dhabi and noticed that children with cancer were unable to attend school. This inspired me to invent the “smart teleporter”, a robot that attends school on behalf of students and records classes for them – similar to remote learning.

The government, as well as entities such as the Mubadala Investment Company, have continued to nurture Emirati talent and prepare us to pursue careers in Stem subjects, which essentially are the building blocks for economic diversification.

The Abu Dhabi government has been instilling the importance of innovation in our youth through initiatives such as Hub71, a platform to attract foreign talent, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s junior caregiver programme, which helps drive interest in healthcare careers. Companies such as Emirates Global Aluminium, meanwhile, have been funding student research. By leveraging these resources, emerging national talents are being equipped to lead across innovative sectors in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Economic Vision.

Fatima Al Kaabi poses with a robot as part of a project she worked on at an event organised by Expo 2020. Handout
Fatima Al Kaabi poses with a robot as part of a project she worked on at an event organised by Expo 2020. Handout

In addition to increasing its efforts on preparing youth for tomorrow's world, the UAE is increasingly focusing on how innovation is changing the way we live and operate. This is one of the touchpoints of Mubadala's investigative documentary, Investing in innovation: the future is here, which I had the pleasure of hosting alongside prominent speakers such as Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Mubadala's deputy group chief executive.

The documentary elaborates on Mubadala’s efforts, in parallel with our nation’s leadership and global partners, to help position the UAE as a hub for enhancing the global innovation ecosystem.

Throughout this experience, I sought to bring to light the challenges we face in these industries and how we are navigating them. I did this by interviewing some of Mubadala’s partners, including Kirsty Lloyd-Jukes, the investor relations principal at Waymo, an American autonomous driving technology development company. Ms Lloyd-Jukes described the machine-learning applications being utilised in building Waymo’s autonomous vehicles. I also spoke to Mark Gillett, the managing director of Silver Lake, about large-scale technology investing, how the firm identifies companies and technologies, and how disruption and technologies such as AI and cloud computing continue to change the way we work.

Clearly, inventing with purpose leads the younger generation to dream big. The UAE, for instance, is preparing to send the first female Arab astronaut to space. This is a perfect example of how moving the needle isn’t simply about reaching historical milestones but opening the doors for anyone to achieve their dreams.

Reem Al Marzouqi saw a video of an armless pilot in the US Air force in 2008. After finding out that this pilot could fly but not drive, she decided to make a car that would only require the use of one's feet. It is seen here along with its "innovator", in Al Ain, UAE, October 31, 2013. Lee Hoagland / The National
Reem Al Marzouqi saw a video of an armless pilot in the US Air force in 2008. After finding out that this pilot could fly but not drive, she decided to make a car that would only require the use of one's feet. It is seen here along with its "innovator", in Al Ain, UAE, October 31, 2013. Lee Hoagland / The National

There are many young Emirati women leading the way. Reem Al Marzouqi is an inventor and engineer who created a car that can be driven with one’s feet, and an interactive robot for children on the Autism spectrum. Roudha bin Baher is an engineer who was the only female to participate in the World Skills competition, in the refrigeration and air conditioning category. She also started a mentoring programme with Danfoss Engineering to promote female representation in the field.

These are only some of the role models to have guided me through some of the obstacles women typically encounter.

With all these remarkable achievements, there are still global challenges that must and can be overcome.

Whether international leaders introduce initiatives across schools, or tech companies establish programmes to provide school children with the tools to discover these fields, the global community must do more.

By continuing to invest in innovation and providing the younger generations with these resources, we will pave the way for young Emiratis to become the technology stars of the future.

The documentary will be live on the Mubadala website on June 23. For details, visit mubadala.com

Fatima Al Kaabi is an award-winning student who was recognised in 2015 as the youngest Emirati inventor. She is currently studying computer engineering at Virginia Tech University

While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

 

 

World Cup warm up matches

May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff

May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval

May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff

May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval

May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff

FIXTURES

All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)

Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (7.15pm)
Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)

Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
Las Palmas v Espanyol (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)

Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

The specs

Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic

Power: 375bhp

Torque: 520Nm

Price: Dh332,800

On sale: now

The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House 

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)