A group of eight Zayed University students to present research projects at the University of Winchester
April 16, 2015
As part of Zayed University’s efforts to enhance the research culture amongst students, a group of eight students enrolled in the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP), will soon be presenting their research findings at an international conference in UK.
The URSP provides Zayed University students with the research training, scholarly opportunities and experiences to be successful in research careers and future graduate education.
Students will have the opportunity to submit their creative research findings to the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) at the University of Winchester, which will be held on April 20 and 21.
“Zayed University believes that education abroad experiences provide immense value to students. Such global engagements help them to develop capabilities, become persistent and self-reliant decision makers besides activities and practical experiences held within the traditional classroom environment,” Professor Reyadh AlMehaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, said.
“We focus on creating programs and opportunities tailored to the interests of students, supporting new ideas and helping students from several cultures and diverse backgrounds to learn from each other. The program came in efforts to build the capacity for Emirati citizens to conduct research on issues and topics that are directly related to the UAE,” he added.
The URSP program was established in 2010 and is organized by the Office of Research at Zayed University.
Shaikha Mohamed Al Humairi, a Zayed University psychology and human services student at the College of Sustainability and Humanities, will participate in (BCUR) with her research paper that focuses on students’ attitudes towards the mentally ill in the UAE and ways to improve public sentiment towards them.
Additionally, the conference will raise the research capacity of Zayed University students, so they may contribute effectively to current and future research endeavors, and ultimately conduct their own independent research.
Mariam Abdulaziz AlZaabi, who majors in international studies at the College of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities, will submit her paper entitled “Polygamy in the Emirati Society.”
“As polygamy has been suggested as a solution to the rising of spinsters and it was also blamed to be a cause of divorce, my research aimed to explore attitudes towards polygamy, and the effect of polygamous marriages on people’s lives in the UAE,” Mariam said.
The two-day conference will also focus on several economic debates such as preparation of biodiesel from vegetable oil and comparing its fuel properties with the petroleum diesel.
“The growing economic risk of relying mainly on fossil fuels with limited reserves and increasing their costs has increased the stake in going towards alternative energy sources. Biodiesel is an alternative and renewable fuel for diesel engines that is receiving considerable attention worldwide because it is renewable and reduces some exhaust pollutants,” Fatima Ahmed Hassan, a Zayed University student who majors in environmental health, said.
Zayed University undergraduate students have attended a series of research training workshops to further develop their skills and were mentored by experienced faculty in order to conduct meaningful research projects.
A research project that assesses and investigates the determinants of eating, trichotillomania and post traumatic stress disorders among Emirati youngsters will also be discussed during the two-day conference in addition to another research paper, which will discuss statistics anxiety experienced in the UAE in comparison with other western and eastern countries.
Due to the rapid socio-economic development that have been witnessed in the Emirati society, a research project will investigate the impacts of high exposure to liberal dress on Emirati’s attitudes towards their conservative dress code.
Dr. Munawwar Khan, Associate Professor in the College of Sustainability and Humanities will be the trip leader, while Dr. Man Chung, Professor at the College of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities, and Hessa Murooshid, Administrative Assistant at the College of Sustainability Sciences and Humanities will be their chaperons.
“Zayed University students will be awarded certificates at the end of BCUR conference and they will work closely with their mentors to publish their research projects in several academic journals,” Shurooq Al Hashimi, Graduate Development Program Associate, at the Office of Research in Zayed University, said.
It is worth mentioning that around eight Zayed University female and male students participated in the 2014 BCUR, which was held in UK and US.
