Theme: Changing Frontiers | Evolving Journeys رؤى وآفاق

What happens when you reach frontiers? How do our journeys of life, the mind, the spirit and the world evolve? TEDxZayedUniversity 2019 (videos link above) explored these ideas and more. It was held in Dubai, a global city in the UAE, a nation that strives not just to reach frontiers, but rather to go beyond known limits.

Language helps us expand frontiers, and TEDxZayedUniversity for the second time featured more than one language. Selected by a committee comprising many of the university's top students, as well as faculty and staff, all talks were either in local Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic (Fos'ha), or English; live translation was provided. The Emirati-Japanese drummers, Kharsha, with ZU’s own Harmony Club, provided entertainment.

Staged in campus auditoriums in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a capacity for 1,000 attendees, and with another 700 viewing on Instagram Live, this was the largest and most technologically innovative TEDx in Zayed University's history.

Zayed University
Box 19282
Dubai, Dubayy, 19282
United Arab Emirates

Abdulla Buali

Information Security Analyst, UAE Computer Emergency Response Team; ZU Cyber Security graduate student

Where his day job revolves around serving and protecting the UAE in the Cyber Security realm, in 2019, Abdulla Saleh Buali was awarded the Prime Minister’s Medal as a distinguished new employee. Outside of work, Abdulla’s interests diverge from cybersecurity to being an art enthusiast. He enjoys photography and spoken word poetry, where he uses poetry as his art medium with his focus on self-reflection and advocating for mental health.

Ayesha Ahmed Alhajeri

Integrated Strategic Communications student at ZU, Abu Dhabi

I am a Zayed University student majoring in Integrated Strategic Communications with a minor in Arabic for Media. Apart from being a student, I undertake several activities. I love sports, which I believe play a significant part in an individual’s life. They help enforce the virtues of tolerance, honesty, and kindness. I have also been involved in several voluntary works since I believe that giving is one of the ways of expressing gratitude for living a healthy and fulfilled life. Teamwork is also part of my strategic approach towards success and at the end I believe that together we can be in a position to achieve more and resolve issues around us.

Aysha Al Awadhi

Event MC & planner; Ajman Dept. of Economic Development; ZU Dubai graduate

I am an Integrated Strategic Communications graduate from Zayed University in Dubai. I work as a partnership and development coordinator at the Department of Economic Development in Ajman. I was certified as International Trainer from the American Academy and hold a Diploma from the University of Rome. My passion for working and communicating with the outside world made me build my event planning company. My company works on creating spectacular exhibitions and events with a number of partners that share with me the same passion. My passion and love of media drove me to start my own program on social media. The love of volunteering has made me participate in many voluntary teams, prepare volunteering initiatives, and give lectures voluntarily.

Aysha Saif Al Hemrani

Self-taught artist; ZU Dubai graduate

An Integrated Strategic Communications graduate from Zayed University, Dubai, Aysha grew up drawing her favorite characters on paper. Now widely renowned on the World Wide Web as "Mnawrah," Aysha shares her artistic work with the world through social networking websites. Based in Ajman, Aysha likes to capture the Emirati spirit around her, and then translate it into drawings and characters. She is passionate about converting her art talent into a valuable contribution towards her society and an inspiration to others.

Dr. Brigitte Howarth

Associate Professor, Ecologist; ZU, Dubai

Dr. Brigitte Howarth is an ecologist with extensive experience in desert ecology. Her first degree was in Applied Ecology (BSc (Hons)), and her PhD in ecological entomology. Over the past few years at Zayed University she has shared her time between the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) and her home unit which is within the College of Natural and Health Sciences, Department of Life and Environmental Science. In that department, she is an Associate Professor, delivering courses that give students an understanding of biology and ecology. She has a passion for bringing the classroom alive with interactive teaching methods, and as such is a keen advocate of facilitated learning and skills sets that build habits of mind, developing life-long learning. As part of her portfolio with the CEI she joined a team that developed a faculty development certificate, accredited by the Higher Education Academy of the UK, now re-named to Advance HE.

Dr. Hanada Taha Thomure

Endowed Chair Professor of Arabic Language at ZU, Dubai

Dr. Hanada Taha is the Endowed Chair Professor of Arabic Language and chair of the Arabic department at Zayed University. She was previously the associate and acting dean of Bahrain Teachers College. She has worked on the concept of modernizing Arabic language teaching and learning for the past 27 years and published the Hanada Taha Arabic language arts standards, in addition to the Arabic text leveling standards. She is the senior author of Pearson's first Arabic language curriculum for native and non-native learners.

Dr. Mirey Karavetian

Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics at ZU, Dubai

Dr. Mirey Karavetian earned her PhD in Health Promotion from Maastricht University, Netherlands; and her dietetics degree from American University of Beirut, Lebanon. She has extensive experience in nutrition management of the chronically and critically ill patients; she shares her experience in conferences and workshops locally and regionally. She also is trained and specialized in health care quality. Her research is focused on finding effective strategies to change dietary behavior in chronically ill patients. Her publications focus on dietary management of hemodialysis patients and finding the optimal dietitian-to-patient ratio needed in the hemodialysis unit in the Arab world for optimal clinical outcomes.

Lynnette Eleanor Harper

Learning Commons Supervisor at ZU, Dubai

Lynnette Harper is an academic researcher with two masters degrees, and a Certificate in Documentary Studies from The Salt Institute of Documentary Writing. She usually writes other people's stories, but this time she will tell her story of spending two years at the bottom of the world: South Pole, Antarctica.

Maha Harqoos

Committee Expert, Permanent Mission of the UAE to the UN

Ms. Maha Harqoos holds a master’s degree (Honours) in Diplomacy and International Affairs from Zayed University and obtained her postgraduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and International Relations from Emirates Diplomatic Academy. Ms. Harqoos is also studying Mandarin Chinese.

Maryam Fuad Bukhash

Psychology student at ZU, Dubai

As an aspiring psychologist in a rapidly developing society, 20-year-old Maryam Bukhash is very passionate about understanding the true meaning of being an open-minded individual. Through sharing her personal experiences, she hopes to clear out the misconceptions and misunderstandings that people have towards open-mindedness and close-mindedness.

Nouf Mohammed Al Katheeri

Ambassador to the International University Sports Federation in Russia; Accounting major, ZU Abu Dhabi

"Adhering to a tolerant identity" (Arabic) الهوية بنكهة التسامح Nouf is the first Emirati to be an International University Sports Federation Ambassador for year 2018-2019 (FISU Ambassador) in Kazan, Russia. She is an active volunteer on international levels for such events as Expo Sciences 2013, World Skills 2017, FIFA World Cup 2018.

Salem Khaled Bin Beshr

Tour Guide at Qasr Al Hosn; Media Production and Storytelling Major, ZU, Abu Dhabi; Holds 1000+ volunteering hours

Salem has been a volunteer since 2014. He has participated in major events such as Expo2020, Mother of the Nation, World FIFA, AFC, and UAE National Day. He has acted in roles such as leader, coordinator, and presenter. He participated in establishing several voluntary foundations along with presenting all their workshops and dialogue sessions.

Sara Al Awadhi

International Corporate and Islamic Finance Lawyer, Dubai

Sara Al Awadhi is a UAE national, born and raised in Dubai, UAE. She obtained her law degree in the UK, and works as a corporate and project and Islamic finance lawyer at the international law firm of Winston & Strawn LLP. She has worked in London, New York, and throughout the UAE. Sara speaks Arabic and English, and is learning German.

Sharifa Yateem

Behavioral & Autism Consultant; Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Abu Dhabi

I am the first and only Emirati who is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I work with children on the Autism spectrum disorder to help them to be included in our Emirati environment. I am a huge advocate for social attitude change towards people with special needs. I empower mothers and families to ensure they are emotionally stronger and empowered with scientifically-based knowledge. I am the creator of an app called “Tokenat” and have been invited to speak internationally such as Berlin, Paris, USA and Morocco.

Zainab Ali Dawood

Psychology and Human Services student at ZU, Dubai

Zainab is a student at Zayed University majoring in Psychology and Human Services. Her interest in psychology stems from her love to understand people across a variety of races and cultures, as well as to appreciate the differences between human beliefs and behaviors. She is interested in research, specifically on mental health, as she believes it is a way for people to connect and relate to one another. Zainab joined the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at her university, and conducted a research study titled ‘Mental Health Stigma in the U.A.E: Female University Students’ Awareness and Opinions’. She is an advocate of mental health, and her goal is to spread awareness in the UAE on the importance of mental health to encourage people to talk about it more openly and without the fear of being subjected to stigma. After all, she firmly believes that it is okay not to be okay at times.