I S S U E 2 S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 A P E R I O D I C A L M A G A Z I N E A T T H E B R I T I S H U N I V E R S I T Y I N D U B A I C O N N E C T I N G M I N D S UAE YEAR THE MEDICAL TOURISM CAPITAL OF THE WORLD 2071 19 by Bianca Badando A HUNDRED YEARS OF UAE 29 by Rama Rayes MIND-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY 38 by Abdul Munem Nerabie FOREWORD T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n c o m e s a t a v e r y s p e c i a l t i m e a s w e c e l e b r a t e t h e 5 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f t h e U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s . O n t h i s o c c a s i o n , w e r e m e m b e r a n d a c k n o w l e d g e t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s o f o u r f o u n d i n g l e a d e r s H i s H i g h n e s s t h e l a t e S h e i k h Z a y e d b i n S u l t a n A l N a h y a n a n d H i s H i g h n e s s t h e l a t e S h e i k h R a s h i d b i n S a e e d A l M a k t o u m , a l o n g w i t h t h e r u l e r s o f a l l t h e E m i r a t e s w h o m a d e t h e d r e a m o f a u n i o n a r e a l i t y . P e r s o n a l l y I a m f o r t u n a t e t o h a v e w i t n e s s e d t h e r e m a r k a b l e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n t h e U A E h a s u n d e r g o n e i n t h e p a s t 5 0 y e a r s a n d I l o o k f o r w a r d t o w h a t i s t o c o m e . A s I r e f l e c t o n m y o w n e x p e r i e n c e , i t i s w i t h o u t d o u b t t h a t t h e U A E w i l l c o n t i n u e t o m a k e g r e a t s t r i d e s f o r w a r d i n m a n y o f t h e a r e a s d i s c u s s e d b y o u r p a r t i c i p a n t w r i t e r s . W h e n I r e a d a r t i c l e s t h a t v i s u a l i s e t r a v e l l i n g f r o m D u b a i t o A b u D h a b i v i a a h y p e r l o o p i n e i g h t m i n u t e s I a m i n a w e a s I r e m e m b e r w h e n I w a s a y o u n g s t e r i t t o o k h a l f a d a y i n h a t c h b a c k L a n d R o v e r s . W e a r e r e a l l y l i v i n g i n t h e b e s t o f t i m e s w i t h m u c h a n t i c i p a t i o n i n t e r m s o f w h a t i s t o c o m e . T h i s e d i t i o n o f B U i D ’ s C o n n e c t i o n s m a g a z i n e i s a t r i b u t e t o t h e f u t u r e o f t h e U A E , b u t m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y i t i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e c r e a t i v i t y a n d f u t u r e t h i n k i n g o f t h e y o u t h , w h o w i l l u n d o u b t e d l y c r e a t e a n d s h a p e t h e n e x t 5 0 y e a r s . I t i s w i t h i m m e n s e p r i d e a n d i n t h e s p i r i t o f c o m m u n i t y a n d c e l e b r a t i o n t h a t T h e B r i t i s h U n i v e r s i t y i n D u b a i p r e s e n t s t h e s e c o n d e d i t i o n o f C o n n e c t i o n s . Prof Abdullah Alshamsi Vice-Chancellor at The British University in Dubai C R E D II T S Dr Khalid Almarri Editor-in-Cheif Dr Ghassan Dabbour Content Development Rawy Thabet Content Development Dr Farzana Mir Content Development Danielle Wilson-Gulston Review and Proofing Dr Joe Hazzam Production and Marketing Tanisha Simon Production and Marketing Nour Boustanji Production and Marketing Nada Altaher Design and Layout Nadine Markiz Author Relations C O N T E N T C O N T E N T C O N T E N T 0 1 I M A G I N E T H E U A E I N 2 0 7 1 D R K HAL I D AL MAR R I 0 3 S I X P E O P L E , S I X E X P E R I E N C E S M I L E K AN I L K U MAR 0 5 A U A E M O R N I N G I N 2 0 7 1 Z I NA ABO HA IA 0 8 1 8 D E C E M B E R 2 0 7 1 M O HAM M E D ALAM E E N 1 2 T H E G R E E N E C O N O M Y AS H I S H ZACHAR IAH 1 4 A M I D A S I N T H E D E S E R T CY R I L SA J U 1 7 F R O M ' H O O , Y A M A L ' T O ' S A L A M A ' MAHA AL I AL - S H E H H I 1 9 T H E M E D I C A L T O U R I S M C A P I T A L O F T H E W O R L D B IANCA BADAN D O 2 2 T H E O N L Y C E R T A I N T Y T O W A R D S 2 0 7 1 I S C H A N G E DABE E R HAS SAN 2 4 U A E A N D T H E T E C H N O L O G I C A L A D V A N C E M E N T S O F T O M O R R O W H IBA HAS SAN 2 6 W E L C O M E T O D U B A I 2 0 7 1 L EAH U N N I K R I S H NAN 2 9 A H U N D R E D Y E A R S O F U A E RAMA RAY E S 3 1 F O O D S E C U R I T Y I N T H E U A E O F 2 0 7 1 SALA E S SAM 3 2 T H E V I S I O N : U A E C E N T E N N I A L 2 0 7 1 U MAMAH AL I 3 5 T O P O F T H E W O R L D TAS N E E M SALAHAL D E E N 3 8 M I N D - F R I E N D L Y T E C H N O L O G Y ABD U L M U N E M N E RAB I E 3 9 T H E T O P F O U R T E C H C O M P A N I E S O F 2 0 7 1 K HAD Y JA I MAD 4 0 U A E 2 0 7 1 I N B I T E S LARA IB S Y E D 4 1 T H E E M I R A T I M E T A V E R S E M O HAM E D Y E H IA C O N T E N T C O N T E N T C O N T E N T IMAGINE THE UAE IN 2071 It is my sincere pleasure to once again welcome you to Connections, BUiD’s online magazine that showcases the exemplary writing and work of BUiD students and our wider community. This is our second edition of the magazine, whose inaugural edition was published in Spring 2021. Echoing the sentiments of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdullah Alshamsi, the 2nd edition of BUiD Connections magazine comes at a time when the UAE heralds half a century since the founding of the Emirates, an occasion that holds significance for UAE nationals and expatriates alike. As such, to commemorate this occasion the Editorial Committee found it fit to pay tribute by having an essay competition titled ‘Imagine the UAE in 2071’. We chose to focus on the future as we live in both exciting and perilous times. This edition of the magazine is not only a reflection of the thoughts and imagination of our students but also our wider community as we foster meaningful interactions with our external stakeholders. The judging panel looked for essays that reflected the futuristic and visionary nature of the subject matter. In the wake of UAE’s mission to Mars in 2021 we saw entries that explored space tourism, alternative and sustainable energy, augmented reality, regenerative medicine, reimagined education and pertinent topics in climate change. Much like of first edition that challenge was to choose the best from the many excellent entries we received. It was a difficult job but in the end the best choice was made based on the criteria of: Research and knowledge, originality, applicability to the UAE context, insight and critical thought, quality of writing, organisation and ability to follow the general conventions of the English language. Finally, we want to once again thank our editorial team who spent many hours compiling and refining the magazine for publication – which is no easy task. Our gratitude also goes to the individuals who chose to submit their thoughts and ideas for consideration. Special congratulations to the winners of the competition, they can be justifiably proud of having their work celebrated and chosen for publication and we at BUiD are happy to acknowledge their achievement. We now invite you to read these essays in the Connections Spring 2022 edition, we hope very much you enjoy this edition and we will meet again next time. Dr Khalid Almarri Editor-in-Chief MILEK ANILKUMAR 1ST PLACE ARTICLE WINNER ZINA ABOHAIA 2ND PLACE ARTICLE WINNER MOHAMMED ALAMEEN 3RD PLACE ARTICLE WINNER ASHISH ZACHARIAH 4TH PLACE ARTICLE WINNER CYRIL SAJU 5TH PLACE ARTICLE WINNER CONGRATULATIONS ! CONGRATULATIONS ! CONGRATULATIONS ! SIIX PEOPLE,, SIIX EXPERIIENCES by Milek Anilkumar It is 2071, UAE has evolved so much since the Farid is tending to his sustainable farm on Mars. techno boom that happened 50 years ago. It Every person that goes there is required to grow changed everything. Our surroundings are evolving their own food. Scientists have developed a new faster than we could ever imagine. Everything we type of plant which allowed humans to colonise use is interconnected to everything else. We are Mars. It takes in iron particles from the atmosphere advancing faster than we could possibly keep up. and turns it into oxygen and best of all, the plant is But we made the necessary adaptations and it has high in nutritional value, can be stored in normal made everyone’s life better. conditions for long periods of time and does not require water. This allowed humans to finally set up Fatima wakes up in the morning, brushes her teeth a civilization and be able to sustain themselves and sits down to eat her nutrient blend which has without regular replenishment. Colonising Mars been tracked and prepared with the exact number provided mankind with a plethora of newfound of calories, proteins and carbohydrates needed for resources in ample amounts as well as planetary the day. She leaves her house through her gate mining which with the innovation of the SkyHook, which scans her face and verifies her identity as she allowed us to launch mined minerals and metals leaves. She takes an automated taxi to the back to Earth at high speeds. The colonisation of hyperloop station and uses a chip implanted in her Mars also allowed humans to work on combating hand to pay for her hyperloop ticket. She hops in the effects of climate change on Earth and bringing and arrives at her school in 3 minutes. All her balance back to the planet. This much needed pause friends are waiting in the classroom. allowed us humans to flourish once more. UAE was integral in the colonisation of Mars as 50 years ago, Rashid, a scientist is sitting in the space shuttle the satellite, Hope which was sent by them showed ‘Destiny’ which is travelling at 30 times the speed of signs of life and proof of water on Mars. This gave sound. He doesn’t feel a thing inside, he isn’t anxious humans the much-needed confidence to invest in either. He has been visiting the UAE Space Station the colonization of Mars. Large colonies have been everyday now. When he reaches the rocket built on Mars and life was made secure. One of the automatically docks itself and Rashid gets onboard integral parts of this mission was how to make for researching more about the effects of space on humans not require water. Using CRISPR gene the human body. They have advanced and found out editing technology, scientists were able to make a quite a lot ever since space travel became more new generation of human’s function without water common due to reusable rockets. He uses by converting solar energy directly into a source of superluminal communication to signal to the team energy. This meant that there would no longer be on Earth of his new discovery on human genome the trouble of requiring a constant supply of water splicing technology. on Mars. "The colonisation of Mars also allowed humans to work on combating the effects of climate change on Earth" 3 SIIX PEOPLE,, SIIX EXPERIIENCES by Milek Anilkumar Abdulla is the first cyborg ever made in human history. He was designed by the UAE to explore Venus and utilise its resources for intergalactic travel and to build a Dyson Sphere. He has the special ability to be remotely controlled via virtual reality back on Earth via superluminal communication through his cybernetic implant. At his disposal is an army of 10000 fully autonomous robots, which will be used for gathering data and house the latest mining technology. Abdulla’s mechanical parts are made up using the latest heat resistant material, and he contains nanotechnology that heals any injury that is caused to him by the harsh conditions of Venus. Zainab is an astronaut that is onboard the UAE satellite “AlShams” which orbits the Sun. She is the only person onboard and has a crucial job. To make sure humans survive if all else fail. The satellite consists of only 4 parts. A living quarters, Research and development station, Escape AUTHOR pod, and finally, the most crucial part, a “life bank” which contains DNA of every single species of plant, human, BIIO animal ever recorded. In case everything fails, Zainab is the last hope for humanity. All she will have to do is launch the life bank. It is a ship that has fuel to travel across the Milky Way to find a suitable expoplanet, until then it will nourish every single living cell onboard and develop them to a suitable state. It contains enough resources onboard to sustain life for 500 years. Ibrahim, a archaeologist back on Earth is thrilled to see his lifelong dream of seeing the extinct animals has come true. His genome recreation technology gave birth to a Exotic Biosphere in which extinct animals such as dinosaurs, the mammoth , dodo birds could be recreated in a lab with an accuracy of 99.6%. This allowed humans to observe and see what was once a myth in the past. These six experiences are a glimpse into what is possible in Hello! My name is Milek and I’m a the UAE in 2071 based on the efforts being made in the student of grade 10. I study at Our present. Own English High School Sharjah Boys. I enjoy writing and debating about the world around me. You can reach me at: milekanil@outlook.com 4 A UAE MORNING IN 2071 by Zina Abohaia “ H o u s e , s h u t t h e b l i n d s , l i g h t s , a n d l o c k t h e d o o r . ” I s a y , a s I l e a v e m y a p a r t m e n t . I h e a r t h e b l i n d s f a l l s h u t , t h e l i g h t s c l i c k o f f , a n d t h e d o o r l o c k i n g , a s t h e e l e v a t o r a r r i v e s t o w e l c o m e m e . “ A n d t h i s i s h o w V e n u s w i l l b e t h e n e x t p l a n e t w e t e r r a f o r m ” , S i e r r a , t h e A I c o m m e n t a t o r , w e n t o n , e x p l a i n i n g h o w w e w e r e n o w e x p a n d i n g t o l i f e o n V e n u s , a f t e r m a r s w a s a s u c c e s s . O h , t h a t r e m i n d s m e . M a r i a m u s t b e b a c k f r o m m a r s ; I s h o u l d p a y h e r a v i s i t t o m o r r o w . T h e e l e v a t o r w e n t s t r a i g h t t o t h e g r o u n d f l o o r , a s t h i s w a s m y d a i l y t r i p . I f i n d t h e g u a r d s t a n d i n g i n t h e l o b b y , a n d i t g r e e t s m e . I c a n ’ t e v e r s e e m t o r e m e m b e r i t s n a m e . I t ’ s n o t m y f a u l t t h o u g h ; t h e y k e e p g e t t i n g u p d a t e d w i t h n e w s o f t w a r e , a n d n e w n a m e s . W e l l , t h a t ’ s h o w m y s m a r t c o n t a c t l e n s e s c o m e i n h a n d y , r i g h t ? V i s i o n , D i r e c t i o n s , I n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h i n g s a n d p e o p l e - i t t i c k s a l l t h e b o x e s . I s t e p o u t o n t o t h e s t r e e t – o r s h o u l d I s a y w a l k i n g l a n e – a n d h e a d o u t f o r m y u s u a l r o u t e , t o t h e D u b a i S i l i c o n O a s i s H y p e r l o o p , t h e n o f f t o A b u D h a b i ' s c o r n i c h e f o r a s t r o l l . Y e s t e r d a y , r i g h t n e x t t o w h e r e t h e v e r t i c a l c i t y t o w e r , C i t y s c a p e r , i s , I s a w a s e l f - d r i v i n g c a r v e e r i n g o n t o t h e o t h e r l a n e , c o m i n g s o c l o s e t o a n o t h e r c a r . I t w o u l d ’ v e b e e n a t e r r i b l e d i s a s t e r i f i t w a s n ’ t f o r M i s t y , A n A I s o f t w a r e t h a t k n o w s t h e c a r s ’ r o u t e s , a l l t h e l a n e s ’ e n t r a n c e s a n d e x i t s , a n d a l s o c o n t r o l s t h e l a n e s . I t r o t a t e d t h e v e e r i n g c a r b a c k o n t o i t s r i g h t f u l r o u t e b y m o v i n g t h e r o t a t i n g r i d g e s o n t h e s i d e o f t h e l a n e t o t h e c a r s ’ t i r e s . I d i d n ’ t e v e n k n o w s h e c o u l d u s e t h o s e r i d g e s t h a t w a y ! I t h o u g h t i t w a s o n l y f o r m o v i n g a l o n g c a r g o . 5 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 A UAE MORNING IN 2071 by Zina Abohaia “ I t a c t u a l l y h a s m a n y o t h e r u s e s , M i s s Z i n a ” , s a y s M a r k , t h e h u m a n o i d r o b o t a t t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e h y p e r l o o p ’ s s t o p . H o w e v e r , m y a t t e n t i o n i s c a u g h t b y a b e a u t i f u l w e a r a b l e s c r e e n t h a t m u s t ’ v e - I f e e l m y a n k l e t w i s t . P a i n s h o o t s u p m y l e g a s I t a k e a n o t h e r s t e p w i t h i t ; I d o n ’ t h a v e t i m e f o r t h i s . T h e h y p e r l o o p ’ s s y s t e m d e d u c t s m y t r i p ’ s f a r e , m y l e n s e s n o t i f y m e . I s t e p o n t o t h e h y p e r l o o p , a n d s e a r c h i n m y p o c k e t s f o r t h e s m a l l p i l l o f H e a l a d o l I u s u a l l y p u t t h e r e . “ D o y o u r m a g i c ” , I s a y a n d t a k e t h e p i l l . A t f i r s t , I w a s q u i t e s k e p t i c o f r e g e n e r a t i v e m e d i c i n e . A p i l l t h a t c a n h e a l t e n d o n s , k i l l v i r u s e s w i t h o u t t h e m d e v e l o p i n g r e s i s t a n c e , a n d a l s o a n a n t i d e p r e s s a n t ? I t j u s t s o u n d e d t o o g o o d t o b e t r u e . H o w e v e r , I h a v e e x p e r i e n c e d i t s a m a z i n g e f f e c t s f i r s t h a n d , a n d I c a n ’ t i m a g i n e g o i n g t o a t i m e w i t h o u t i t . C e r t a i n l y , t h e U A E ’ s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h i s p r o j e c t w a s s o m e t h i n g I w a s q u i t e p r o u d o f . I w a s r a i s e d h e r e , a n d s a w a l l t h e c h a n g e s f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g . I k n o w , I k n o w , I s t i l l l o o k 2 0 b u t t h a t ’ s t e c h n o l o g y f o r y o u ! “ A b u D h a b i ” a n n o u n c e s t h e h y p e r l o o p . H o w s a t i s f y i n g i s i t t h a t I c a n g e t h e r e i n j u s t a c o u p l e o f m i n u t e s ? O u r p a r e n t s b e f o r e u s t o o k a n h o u r a n d a h a l f b y c a r t o t r a v e l t h e s a m e d i s t a n c e , w h i l e o u r a n c e s t o r s t o o k a r o u n d a w e e k b y c a m e l . I s t e p o f f t h e h y p e r l o o p . I t ’ s t i m e f o r s o m e f r e s h a i r . 6 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 A UAE MORNING IN 2071 by Zina Abohaia T h i s i s h o w I i m a g i n e a d a y i n 2 0 7 1 t o l o o k l i k e . T h e s a m e w a y o u r a n c e s t o r s l o o k e d a t t r a i n s a n d c a r s , w e l o o k a t a l l t h e s e c o n c e p t s t h a t w i l l j u m p s t a r t t h e n e x t r e v o l u t i o n . F r o m i n t e r n e t o f t h i n g s t o s p a c e t o u r i s m , e v e r y t h i n g i s o n t h e t a b l e . T h e U A E G o v e r n m e n t ( 2 0 2 1 ) a n d t h e U A E C a b i n e t ( 2 0 2 1 ) a n n o u n c e d t h e “ U A E C e n t e n n i a l 2 0 7 1 ” p l a n w h i c h e m p h a s i s e t h e f o l l o w i n g f o u r g o a l s : 1 . G o v e r n m e n t d e v e l o p m e n t t o b e m o r e f u t u r e - f o c u s e d , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y k e e p i n g t r a c k o f v a r i a b l e s i n d i f f e r e n t s e c t o r s . 2 . E d u c a t i o n w h i c h f o c u s e s o n t e c h n o l o g y , e n g i n e e r i n g , a n d i n n o v a t i o n . A s w e l l a s e n c o u r a g i n g s t u d e n t s t o d i s c o v e r t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l s t a l e n t s e a r l y . 3 . K n o w l e d g e e c o n o m y w h i c h c a n b e a c h i e v e d b y h a v i n g a m o r e p r o d u c t i o n n a t i o n a l e c o n o m y , i n v e s t i n g i n r e s e a r c h a n d p r o m i s i n g a r e a s , a s w e l l a s f o c u s i n g o n i n n o v a t i o n a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p . 4 . C o m m u n i t y c o h e s i o n w h e r e t h e s o c i e t y i s t o l e r a n t , s e c u r e , e t h i c a l , a n d e m b r a c e s a p o s i t i v e h e a l t h y l i f e s t y l e . W i t h E x p o 2 0 2 0 , G I T E X , a n d m a n y o t h e r AUTHOR m i l e s t o n e s a c h i e v e d o r s e t , t h i s p l a n i s a l r e a d y i n m o t i o n . T h e p r o o f o f t h i s a r e t h e BIIO r e s u l t s o f H S B C ’ s E x p a t E x p l o r e r S u r v e y 2 0 2 1 , w h e r e t h e U A E c a m e i n a t t h e f o u r t h Zina Abohaia is a student of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at The British b e s t c o u n t r y t o l i v e a n d w o r k f o r e x p a t s . University in Dubai who has interests in reading, T h i s i s c e r t a i n l y a n a c h i e v e m e n t t o b e writing, mathematics, and music. She aspires to p r o u d o f , a n d , a s a n e x p a t m y s e l f , I a m make a difference in the world, be it through h a p p y t o b e h e r e t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e research, writing, being plant-based, or t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a n d b e a p a r t o f i t . collaboration. 18 DECEMBER 2071 by Mohammed AlAmeen Ahmed! Nadya! Breakfast!” My Mum called out from the central speakers, her high-pitched voice waking me up from one of the best dreams I ever had. I dreamt that I helped the scientists at the Dubai Science Park Lab create a time machine that can travel anywhere into the past or the future and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s great grandson was presenting me with an award for the ‘Most Innovative Scientist of 2071’. Ever since I was a child, I dreamt of creating something that would help advance science even further. “KIDS!”, My mom’s shrilling voice called out once, snapping me back to reality. “Two minutes, mama!” I heard my sister call out from her room. “And we’re twenty, not kids.” “You know what I mean habeebti,” Mum said through the speakers. “You’ll always be my little kids. Isn’t that right Ahmed?” She didn’t even give us a chance to respond when she started yelling again. “YOU BETTER BE AWAKE AHMED!” “YA ALLAH, I’M UP!” I yelled, jumping out of bed. I heard Mum and my sister laugh. See what I have to deal with? I headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Our robotic housemaid, Amal, developed by Dubai Future Foundation, walked in, unannounced. So much for privacy. “Sir Ahmed, your mother has been calling you for the past twenty minutes,” it said, hovering in the air. She was half my height but could multi-task like no other. Robot models have been used literally everywhere in Dubai, from helping the Dubai Police to working in banks and government offices. Very useful but they can get incredibly annoying. “Go bother Nadya,” I yawned, walking to my wardrobe. I stood in front of the mirror, tapped a few buttons on the screen, and within seconds, got dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans. I mean it’s 2071 bathes are so old school. 8 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 18 DECEMBER 2071 by Mohammed AlAmeen “Perhaps you’re tired because you were staying up all night talking to a certain someone over the phone. A female human maybe?” Amal chimed in. “Mind your own business Amal,” I said. Geez, so much sass this one. “Your Mum’s preparing a delicious breakfast. I should know because I helped. I’m not just good at cleaning, I’m also great at cooking.” Did I mention arrogant too? “AHMED!” my Mum called out for the fourth time this morning. "I’m here!” I said, skipping two stairs at once like a ninja. As I walked into the kitchen, my senses tingled with sensation from the waft of fresh pancakes. “Your father is flying home next week,” Mum said excitedly, whisking the eggs. I loved spending time with my dad, but I rarely see him because he’s always on space travels, mostly to Mars. He works for the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, and flies from Mars to Earth every month for just a week. Technology is amazing. We’ve reached so far and traveling between planets takes only a few hours. Incredible, isn’t it? “Nadya!” Mum said, bringing eggs to the table. “Geez mama, no need to yell first thing in the morning,” my sister grumbled as she entered the kitchen -“I heard you the first time”. She sat at the table opposite of me. “I’m not having that,” she said, pushing the plate of pancakes towards me. “I’m on a detox.” I rolled my eyes as she walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottled water with sliced lemons. “All the more for me then!” I said, loading her pancakes onto my plate. “What have I told you about this detox diet Nadya?” Mum said. “You’re too young to be dieting.” “Mom, I’m twenty, not ten,” Nadya said, walking back to the table. “Still. You need to have a healthy appetite like your brother.” I smiled proudly as Nadya stuck her tongue out at me. Really mature, sis. C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 18 DECEMBER 2071 by Mohammed AlAmeen Just then, my iPhone 360 rang. It was my best friend, Khaled, and a hologram of him appeared in our kitchen. “Hey man,” he said. “I’m parked outside your house. Are you ready?” “Ready for what?” I said, drizzling maple syrup on my pancakes. “Dude, did you forget? We’re supposed to go and find a gift for Sultan’s birthday next week and oh, good morning, Aunty Mariam, I’m sorry I didn’t see you there!” “Hello Khalid habibi,” Mum said, coming to the table with a jug of freshly-squeezed orange juice. “Why don’t you join us for breakfast? There’s so much food.” “Thank you, Aunty, but Ahmed and I have a busy schedule today and…” “Right, I’ll be out in two minutes,” I said, cutting him off – TMI! I gulped down my orange juice, kissed my mom’s head, and walked outside. Khalid was waiting for me inside his flying Nissan Patrol. As soon as I got in, he lifted the brakes and the car started levitating in the air. “Destination,” the activated voice control in his car said. “Dubai Mall,” I said. “What? No!” Khaled said. “Dude, that mall is so small and old. Let’s head to Infinity Mall of Dubai.” This mall is ultra-modern as it uses virtual reality showrooms to display products and once you make a purchase it teleports the items directly to your home – no shopping bags! “Come on, old is gold,” I said. Yes, I sound lame. Sue me. I guess we were going to have a shopping bag kinda day. “Fine,” Khaled said. “Take us to Dubai Mall, robot,” he said. 18 DECEMBER 2071 by Mohammed AlAmeen “Certainly,” the activated voice control replied. “There seems to be traffic congestion due to expected levels of cloud precipitation so we should reach there in thirty minutes.” “I’m gonna take a short nap till we reach,” Khalid asked, turning to his other side. His car flew us over the city of Dubai, and I gazed outside the window. Even though I’ve seen the view multiple times, it dazzles me every time. Gigantic landmarks and colossal skyscrapers took over the entire city, towering over the once-upon-a- time tallest building, Burj Khalifa. Large trees and lush greenery added to the architecture, creating a breathtaking view. Flying cars were everywhere, and the infrastructure paved the way for them to operate. It’s so hard to image what the city of Dubai looked like fifty years ago. I mean, they were driving in regular cars on roads and stuff. Their lives must have been incredibly difficult without automated robots and high-end technology. And it’s all thanks to one of the best historical rulers of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. I can’t wait for the day where I succeed in creating a time machine. The first thing I would do is travel back to the year 2021 and meet him in person. He’s my favorite historical role model and meeting him would be a dream come true. AUTHOR BIIO My name is Mohammed Adnan AlAmeen and I’m a Bahraini national living in Dubai. I’ve worked and completed several short stories which I hope to publish soon. You can reach me at: mohammed.a.alameen@gmail.com THE GREEN ECONOMY by Ashish Zachariah The date is December 2nd, 2071. The UAE is The shift to becoming an eco-friendly and celebrating 100 years of Independence as the rest of forward-looking economy has also helped create the world looks at the remarkable success of the millions of jobs as demand for new roles such as country with awe. The country has shown astronauts who are tourist guides, space pilots, remarkable growth during last century but the true and environmental scientists have shot up. To feat is the successful transformation of this country help satisfy this growth in demand for skilled to a true green economy. From one of the world’s individuals, several universities were set up, and biggest oil producers just a few decades ago the international students from all over the world country has now moved to a net carbon negative- have been welcomed. As a result UAE has country. Energy is still one of the biggest products become a leading hub for innovation. A notable exported by the Arab state, but rather than achievement is the status of UAE as teh world petroleum, it now exports ‘Green Hydrogen,’ which leader in health sciences with many state of the powers heavy machinery and transportation art new innovations, such as regenerative vehicles such as aircrafts, ships and hyperloops all medicine and cancer diagnostic testing to detect over the world. The abundance of land helped create the malignant cells in a human’s body years large swathes of solar farms in the desert, which before they become deadly. produces most of the energy needed to meet the requirements of the nation, including power for The golden visa drive, which started more than both on road as well as flying cars. UAE has invested fifty years ago, has also made the UAE the crypto in several innovative green initiatives. For example, and blockchain capital of the world. This is ninety percent of the roads in the country are because the country welcomed coders and ‘charging roads,’ which means that road cars are blockchain developers with open arms, coupled charged as they drive. As a result, the country is now with the abundance of cheap renewable energy, self-sufficient in meeting its energy requirements in which made the UAE a paradise for all things an eco-friendly manner. related to blockchain. Every year the world’s biggest NFT [Non-Fungible Tokens] exhibition Tourism is still the dominant industry of the UAE as takes place in the UAE where world-renowned it is the most visited destination for tourists in the artists bring their digital art to exhibit to the world in the last decade. This is due to the amazing entire world. green attractions this country continues to build, like the world’s first and only ‘Flying amusement park,’ which is suspended 150 meters up in the sky "People of all races, cultures and with the help of rocket boosters. Space tourism is religious faiths continue to live here also a major draw for tourists as Dubai is the Middle in perfect harmony as everyone is East’s only location from which people can travel to space as companies such as Blue Origin and Virgin guaranteed their human rights as Galactic have set up bases here. The UAE is also one individuals and is protected by the of only three operational bases globally for country’s great leaders." transportation of passengers and resources to Mars as part of a joint mission undertaken by the United Nations, SpaceX, and different world governments. 12 THE GREEN ECONOMY by Ashish Zachariah As remarkable as all these developments may be, the most remarkable achievement over the last century is something else entirely. The UAE now produces enough food grains and vegetables for its own needs. This was made possible due to the widespread usage of vertical farming and ‘nanoclay’ technology. Nanoclay, a soil recovery technology that was first tested in late 2020 in Dubai, has helped to turn vast areas of the arid desert into farmable land as the liquid clay helps to treat the sand and make it fertile with time. Exports of grains and other farm produce from the UAE has provided food security and stability to the entire region. All these extraordinary feats coupled with an inclusive and safe environment have propelled AUTHOR the UAE into becoming a global superpower that continues to be a beacon of hope to the rest of BIIO the world. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, would be proud of how far this beautiful country has come in just a hundred years. Ashish is a financial analyst who is pursuing the Chartered Final Analyst designation and is a candidate for the CFA level two exams. Even though finance is his calling, he always had a passion for writing and public speaking. His interest in contemporary socio- economic developments attracted him to the theme of this magazine issue. You can reach Ashish at: ashishtkz@gmail.com 13 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 A MIDAS IN THE DESERT by Cyril Saju Flying cars are buzzing in the air as a busy day starts for millions of people. In the background, you can see the Burj Khalifa, which was once the tallest building in the world, alongside a huge stadium which is nearing completion for the upcoming 2072 Olympic Games set to be hosted by the U.A.E. The fact that the country is hosting the Olympic Games is a testament to the incredible progress the country has made. The U.A.E has successfully been able to transition from an oil producing country into a technological hub in a matter of just a few decades. The world has become much more virtual with the onset of the ‘Metaverse’ which was the successor to the internet. People now conduct business and all sorts of activities on the ‘Metaverse’ with the help of state-of-the-art technologies like smart chips. People are able to access information and work virtually even while they are outdoors with the help of nano-chips that are embedded inside their nervous system and can be controlled as if they were a part of the human body. This has revolutionized how people work. The U.A.E was one of the first countries to adopt this technology. This has also attracted tons of technological companies who wanted to help shape the future, and this in turn has created millions of jobs and propelled the country into one of the world’s leading economies. Advanced research and technological developments have also helped to make the U.A.E a centre for medical sciences. ‘Regenerative medicine’, which helps patients to grow back human body cells such as entire limbs which were lost in accidents or due to other ailments, is a remarkable breakthrough that has caught the attention of the entire world and is helping to develop medical tourism within the country. Other than this, there are several other technological developments which are amazing, such as the revival of extinct species using the gene pools technique which helps to bring back precious fauna that was once thought to be lost and this also helps to revitalise the environment which had been deteriorating for a very long time. 14 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 A MIDAS IN THE DESERT by Cyril Saju The U.A.E has also become a cultural hub along with its technological accomplishments. The world’s largest 4 dimensional (4-D) cinema studio, which spans acres of land built to help produce and capture the biggest blockbuster productions. This has brought along with it, an influx of artists and visionaries which is helping to influence the minds of the younger generations in the country and is even giving Hollywood and its old guard a run for its money. It has also helped in promoting and showcasing Arab culture and history to the world and has made the U.A.E the crown jewel of Arab pride to the entire region. The U.A.E has also become a world leader in producing nuclear energy sustainably. Rather AUTHOR than nuclear fission, the sustainable newer technology focuses on nuclear fusion which does BIIO not leave behind any toxic wastage which is radioactive but at the same time is very potent in producing huge loads of energy safely. This helps to power the entire country in an eco-friendly manner. Despite its expertise in nuclear tech, the U.A.E has no intentions of using it to create arms of mass destruction as a sign of how it promotes world peace. All these rapid developments and changes have helped to make this country almost unrecognizable from what it used to be a few decades ago. But one thing that has stayed the same is how people from various different countries come and live in the U.A.E and call it Cyril Saju is a mechanical engineering home affectionately. Therefore, it’s no wonder graduate. He was born and brought up that even today, the U.A.E is still ranked as the in the U.A.E and shares a deep love for happiest and safest country to live in, making it a this country and that affection is what real life ‘Midas in the desert’. motivated him to write this article. His passions include football, reading and watching historical documentaries. You can reach Cyril at: cyrilsajudxb@gmail.com 15 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 Graduation Ceremony Class of Under the Chancellorship of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation The British Authority, and CEO and Chairman of the Emirates Group, TheBritish University in Dubai (BUiD) celebrated the graduation of its fifteenth and sixteenth cohorts of graduates at the University doctoral and Masters levels at Za’abeel Park on 15 December2021. in Dubai Due to COVID-19 BUiD was unable to hold a ceremony in2020, so this year more than 350 postgraduate students graduated, with 200 graduands attending the ceremony celebrates including 57 at the doctoral level. The University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdullah two cohorts Alshamsi, welcomed the graduates, their families, and guests.He said, ‘This graduation comes in a very special year for all of us as we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the of graduates United Arab Emirates. On this occasion, we remember andacknowledge the efforts made by our founding leaders, namely His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and His Highness the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, along with the rulers of all the Emirates who have made the dream of a union a reality.' FROM ‘‘HOO,, YA MAL’’ TO ‘‘SALAMA’’ by Maha Ali Al-Shehhi The beginning was with ‘Hoo, Ya Mal’ which is a sea shanty sung by Emirati sai lors while diving for pearls. It reveals the fortitude and determination which led to what the county witnesses now. Actually, many of the current achievements in different f ields such as those in education, trade and space explorations are drawn from the expectations from the past. On the education level , nano-technology-based devices, which offer gigantic possibil it ies, are being used and the teacher’s role has become no more than a facil itator. In a similar vein, the exploration of space and manufacturing of space shuttles has become fully Emirati manpowered. As a result , the UAE is currently witnessing an influx of tourists coming from all over the world to go on a space trip or spend a day on Mars. Furthermore, explorations of space have helped discover new metals and gases which have led to breakthrough in agriculture such as having new types of vegetables and fruits. Likewise, the energy system has witnessed a great revolution through which clean energy systems transformed the arid areas into green lands. Additionally, al l of the autonomous electrical vehicles run now by clean energy which helped to reduce pollution in the UAE to zero. The application of the solar system has resulted in having more rivers and waterfalls from the great mountains that the UAE are blessed with. 17 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 F R O M ‘‘ H O O,, Y A M A L’’ T O ‘‘ S A L A M A’’ by Maha Ali Al-Shehhi Economically, the availabil ity of unmanned aerial vehicles has helped the country export different goods of heavy or l ight weights al l over the world. Credit cards, banknotes and Pin numbers do not exist anymore as banks now use bitcoins and people carry out al l their transactions using face recognition technology. Finally, al l of the UAE cities are now smart and the 7d built-houses adopts ‘Salama’ technology which is a home servant that helps in carrying out most the chores and also reduce the energy consumption. It also sets up the alarms, plays music or makes phone calls . ‘Salama’ also alerts the owners and the police if there is any suspected harm or danger. AUTHOR BIIO Maha Ali Al-Shehhi is a teacher with 10 years experience in English as a foreign language at four different schools and at multiple levels. Her career revolves around planning for general goals and specific aims along with being a community leader who organises different educational and charity events. She enjoys presenting workshops in her field as she feels this is an area where she can improve and give back to her community. 18 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 T H E M E D I C A L T O U R I S M C A P I T A L O F T H E W O R L D by Bianca Badando The year is 2071. Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed the vision of the United Arab Emirates come into fruition with their fast-progressing leaps in almost al l facets of society. It has been widely claimed that residents and citizens are blessed to call this their home – a home that constantly aims for more. The journey to 2071 came out of a zeal for continuous development, the UAE government launched The Centennial 2071 a vision to position the UAE as the top country in the world by 2071. And to reach that pinnacle of superior excellence, the UAE visualised and material ised an important aspect to this - being a healthy population with access to top- notch standards of healthcare in the world. We have learnt a lot since the COVID-19 pandemic where we were unprepared and it hit us with the seemingly underestimated cause and effect notion that when health is at stake, the entire nation can be brought to a standsti l l . This reminded us that people’s health and wellness is the utmost priority at the end of the day. Many l ives were lost during that t ime, but it was based on this that the UAE now stands in a leading position as one of the countries that turned healthcare around – collaboration and community enabled this where a fully networked world enhanced the opportunity for cooperation and shared learning. Pandemics are a thing of the past and the UAE pioneered this reality. The UAE’s global position, an eight-hour f l ight away from two-thirds of world’s population makes it a strategic location for tourists and businesses were two important aspects that made ‘Medical Tourism’ one of the key pil lars of the UAE’s future. The vision that the UAE has sketched for healthcare since its genesis in 2021 is one centred on ground-breaking advancements in technology and a business-focused approach on innovation which attracts patients from around the world as they choose the UAE as their top destination for health and wellness purposes. The current outlook on healthcare in 2071 is focused on digital health which is geared towards a proactive culture rather than reactive culture where treatments are initiated only upon the onset of i l lnesses. This proactivity is supported by AI-engrained decision models and remote monitoring devices or wearables that al low doctors to anticipate il lness, predict each procedure’s outcomes, and provide patients with real-time access to health information. This in turn led to enhanced diagnosis and prevention even before the il lness occurs, which ultimately reduced costs from the beginning and promote patient empowerment. Although innovations are expensive, this proactive approach enables the UAE to lower costs and reap rewards over time, so not only is the UAE the medical capital of the world but the affordable medical capital of the world. T H E M E DII C A L T O U RII S M C A PII T A L O F T H E W O R L D by Bianca Badando One might ask if the patient has been comprised by the use of AI technology in healthcare and the reality is the UAE regulates machine learning models, ensuring that they are on par with ethics, safety, accountabil ity and security use of AI in healthcare. But what is world class healthcare technology without nurturing the best talent? Part of UAE 2071 was the continuous growth of talent in the f ields of medicine, research and development through heavy investments enabling high quality education in health sciences and research for young students, scientists, and healthcare professionals. The UAE back in 2021 allocated heavy investments, particularly in boosting its research capacity and productivity in health science and technology. They developed health science institutions such as the Dubai Science Park, a free zone for l ife science and tech businesses, deliberatively working together with a vast number of institutions worldwide on various l ife science projects and cl inical trials . This is what enabled them to be where they are today. COVID-19 induced changes shifted the UAE’s healthcare industry to take on a business-oriented approach through the Health Accelerator programme partnering with Abu Dhabi Global Market regulatory framework that enables investments in health-tech innovation. 20 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 T H E M E DII C A L T O U RII S M C A PII T A L O F T H E W O R L D by Bianca Badando Universities also al igned their education In a nutshell , the UAE in 2071 is leveraging system in support of this health strategy as a national health strategy that prioritises evident in the research-intensive digital health alongside developing the undergraduate programmes of the most talented physicians and scientists, Mohamed Bin Rashid University of fostering the significance of combining Medicine and Health Sciences, as well as human and machine learning capabil it ies the futuristic research projects of the that would set an example for the future American University of Sharjah Biomedical generations. Engineering programme on the enhancement of epileptic diagnosis and Healthcare spearheads human existence treatment through combining the and in turn, enables the future that we mathematical models and skil ls of top envision for society and medical tourism is engineers and scientists. John Hopkins one of those pil lars that UAE would stand University has also worked alongside local for in the next 50 years. health institutions to develop a way on quantitative measurement of brain injuries after a cardiac arrest by conducting cl inical AUTHOR trials of patients in critical care. BIIO Bianca is a 4th year Business Management student at BUiD. Since her first year, she has consistently served as the Vice- President for the Student Council and has always been passionate about providing value and a worthwhile university experience to fellow students. You can reach Bianca at: bbadando@yahoo.com 21 THE ONLY CERTAIINTY TOWARDS 2071 IIS CHANGE by Dabeer Hassan The world has seen some incredible changes both with each other? Will the concept of marriages and predictable and unpredictable. The United Arab nuclear families thrive, or will we see a hyper- Emirates is no stranger to these changes as they individualistic economy? We are seeing dramatic have exhibited tremendous growth over the past shifts in the structure of society already. 50 years. A resident of UAE in the 1970s knew that his day included breakfast, going to work, a "As society and by extension the family to come home to, entertainment in the world rapidly changes we can no form of TV or radio and a good night's sleep. However, owing to the unprecedented longer accurately predict what life advancement in areas such as artificial would look like in 50 years. The Intelligence, genetic engineering and big data, we can no longer make the same predictions for what only certainty is change." life will look like in the next 50 years. This uncertainty in rapidly developing cities of the As the UAE government ushers in a technological UAE are more pronounced as they continue the revolution, the residents may find their lives with major diversification of its economy away inseparable from high-tech AI gadgets. With the from hydrocarbons and into non-oil sectors integration of smart devices in every aspect of including media, telecom, tourism, manufacturing human existence, we will find ourselves depending and commercial aviation. on technology for everything- from recording mass information to using this to make economic As society and by extension the world rapidly decisions. Current algorithms already monitor changes we can no longer accurately predict what most of our daily activities- our location, life would look like in 50 years. The only certainty purchases, music preferences, even our daily is change. In such a situation, we find ourselves steps. Extrapolating this concept, our lives 50 asking some critical questions in an effort to years from now may see a complete takeover by anticipate what the UAE would be in 2017 - How technology. Wearable gadgets will monitor our will our society function? How will our breaths, our heartbeats and may even make health relationships develop? What will our eating habits decisions for us. It will be impossible to extricate be? Will we have armies, governments and ourselves from technology completely, even if we schools? How will the residents of UAE interact wanted to. 22 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 T H E O N L Y C E R T AII N T Y T O W A R D S 2071 II S C H A N G E by Dabeer Hassan In the enthusiastic pursuit of technological advancement, the effects of these changes on the human psyche would be overlooked. With groundbreaking biotechnological advancement and longer life spans, in 50 years the UAE economy will see an increased proportion of older people, unequipped to keep up with the rapidly changing life in the second half of the century. A 60-year-old radiologist will not be able to change careers just because machine learning software does his job better. Change has always been unwelcome, but the stress and anxiety caused by the ever-changing environment in 50 years will overwhelm even the best of us. Mental instability and stress-related illnesses such as depression may become commonplace. Economically, without any contingencies in place, the current wealth gap and income gap may worsen. While most of us would lead healthier and more fulfilling lives, it is possible that a section of society would be worse off. We can mitigate these inevitable downsides by Yuval Noah Harari, a mainstream philosopher and finding the right balance at the human-AI interface thinker proclaims that the current race towards the today. Effectively, we are staring down the barrel of future is largely unsustainable. As AI prematurely the gun which will eventually go off. We have to propels us into the future, society is not coming up decide if we want to move. The stakes are high. Our with sustainable alternatives. As of now, most future depends on it. technological advancements are implemented for capitalist gain; this strategy is unviable for the future we want to see in 50 years. As the world approaches overpopulation, coupled with longer lifespans and possible large-scale unemployment, we may see irreversible societal rifts. AUTHOR BIIO Dabeer Hassan describes himself as an ordinary guy who doesn't really keep up with the modern way of life. He could sit with anyone and talk for hours and will always be entertained. News, sports and technology are his go to when he gets off from work. You can reach him at: dbzhassan96@gmail.com 23 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 UAE AND THE TECHNOLOGIICAL ADVANCEMENTS OF TOMORROW by Hiba Hassan Consider a world where the possibilities and On Earth, UAE is already on its way to become one imaginations are limitless. A world where of the smartest countries in the world. We will be technology attempts to go beyond human living in a world where smart houses and smart comprehension. That is the UAE's future and we can cities become the norm. New and developed smart have a glimpse of what might be the reality in 2071. devices will be available in the market. We already have the Dubai Metro which is automated One of the most important aspects of the UAE transportation that helps people in the UAE. economy is its tourism industry. It has always Autonomous and flying automobiles and concentrated on how to enhance tourism areas and transportation may also be possible in the future. propel them to the next level. When it comes to Floating cities and dwellings could possibly be a space and tourism, the UAE is always seeking ways future possibility. to stay ahead of the competition. UAE has the vision that the development of space tourism can raise tourism to a whole new level in the future. The "Tourists will be able to fly Emirates Mars Mission in 2020 was a big success, thus we may expect the UAE to be capable of much to space and explore its more by 2071. Tourists will be able to fly to space and explore its vast unknown territories. vast unknown territories" Technology will be created to support these activities, such as a space tourism automobiles capable of high speed to make space tourism Another area with huge potential of future possible and facilities to make tourists feel at ease. technological advancement is the field of virtual Another possibility is establishment of a colony on reality. Holograms and projections will be another planet supported by the UAE's ambition to commonplace in our world. We may be greeted by improve research and support space exploration. holograms wherever we go or communicate using New architectural advancements will be made to hologram-like video communication. With virtual support habitable building structures on foreign reality people’s consciousness can be transported planets where the atmosphere may be considerably to unimaginable places, and technology can different from Earth. Technological advancements advance to the point where it could almost feel in space tourisms will also help pave the way for a real. In addition, artificial intelligence and robotics wide range of unique employment opportunities, will play their part in enhancing our quality of life. such as the job title of space pilot may become more Human-like robots could be developed to do common in the future. desired task to make our lives comfortable. UAE AND THE TECHNOLOGIICAL ADVANCEMENTS OF TOMORROW by Hiba Hassan In the field of health science, there could be medicines that can be able to generate or create a lost organ using various technical breakthroughs. Imagine if human medicine is capable of reproducing the cells lost by a person due to injury or sickness. This could open up all sorts of possibilities for the future. While thinking of all these examples of possible technological advancements, we must never forget that the UAE has always attempted to integrate energy and environmental conservation as one of its goals. So, UAE’s technological breakthroughs will go hand in hand with its vision to build a better and sustainable world. The future of the UAE, as unpredictable as it is, will surely be a future in which we may see the birth of a completely new world. AUTHOR BIIO Hiba Hassan is a first-year Computer Science Artificial Intelligence student at BUiD. Writing is one of her favorite pastimes. She aspires to contribute to the futuristic development of the UAE. You can reach Hiba at: hibahassan021@gmail.com 25 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 WELCOME TO DUBAI 2071 by Leah Unnikrishnan Downtown Enormous skyscrapers cast a solid shadow over an endless tangle of streets. An element glows that sets the stage for a ballet of flesh and steel. Floodlights and mega screens that blast a sky wherever hulky AVs glide like fish through water, this is often the city’s core, its heart, it’s a dream turned into reality, and at its heart lies the Burj Khalifa. Dubai still holds the tallest building record for a skyscraper that reaches the cosmos, where one can engrave their name on the moon. Meanwhile, the anti-gravity town is wherever the city lets down its hair. Home to its most extravagant hotels, delectable restaurants, and exclusive amusement hubs. There are infinite reasons to go there, place on your Anti-G walking shoes and grab your billfold. If you haven’t been already, you’ll need to start your dive into its nightlife. An ideal place to soak within the city’s rebel-chic atmosphere. No matter what you are doing, don’t forget to go by the gift shop! Anti-Gravity Town (City’s Center) Though not the boundary of the city flaunted in hologram-ads, the city exudes a refined and clear charm. It boasts a broad array of malls, restaurants from the bougie boutiques to food saloons on the coast to the colorful outdoor markets and shawarma stands. In the heart of the city, you will conjointly notice the Dubai gate, an active tower of activity encircled by the pleasant openness of a digital park. While admiring, its design, keep your eyes open for the Sheikh as they dart to traditional meetings in the Parliament or just enjoy a leisurely stroll to meet and greet their endangered hybrid pets. High Land Jumeirah In the high land Jumeirah, its suburban area is raised 15 feet higher than the surrounding land with beautiful white picket fences and immaculate swimming pools surrounded by spacious homes in an endless, exciting panorama. Tree-lined streets snake through it like grassland streams, taking residents from their residential area repose to their workplaces in factories and foundries. When they come in the evening, they’ll relish all the amenities of older times while not having to travel into the town. Corniche Before you step foot onto the corniche, close your eyes and imagine boutiques with products for every demographic, pop-up cyberware clinics, and amidst them all, throngs of happy tourists spending their hard-earned money, having the time of their lives. WELCOME TO DUBAI 2071 by Leah Unnikrishnan Industrial District In the industrial district, newcomers with a knack for engineering or supply chain logistics write the first chapters of their stories in apartments that receive them through the portal given to them by the land-owners fixed within their space with no worry about their travel time. Outskirts Areas outside Dubai are extraordinarily stunning and you ought to decide to explore them, there are many landmarks of interest to see—preferably from a good distance or in person. Worth a glance are the Farms, vast, tent-like structures on the outskirts of the town. However, a number of the numerous farms and factories manufacture on a vast scale. You may additionally swing by the robot factory and grab yourself a souvenir, with a trial to construct a self-contained district within the desert east of the town where rogue robots reside and create life for themselves. They mean no harm when no foul is bestowed on them and are extremely hospitable certain area on the outskirts of Dubai gained itself a name as Robo-Ajman where all rogue robots seek refuge and finally, the alternative energy station for all needs of electricity, water, air, heat makes for a formidable sight. Business sector The business sectors of the city include manufacturing industries, international trade and commerce, information services, electronic technologies, security services, and so on. AUTHOR BIIO My name is Leah Unnikrishnan, and I currently live in Doha, Qatar where I work as an Analyst in an IT company. The opportunity to visit Dubai gave me the inspiration to see its future. You can reach me at: leahunni@gmail.com AT A GLANCE 19 5 12 69 81 PhD Graduates Scholarly Publications Nationalities 1674 162 Master Graduates Research Projects Accredited by UAE Ministry of Education Higher Education Affairs Recognised by UK NARIC & Supported by Knowledge Fund Establishment Professional Accreditation and Membership A HUNDRED YEARS OF UAE by Rama Rayes Thinking about how it all started, a historical meeting between seven leaders with big dreams and visions leading to creation of a nation that has never ceased to astonish the world with its success since the day of the great union. The leaders shared their dreams and turned them into a reality. They provided vision, goals, and aspirations for the future to come which are still guiding the UAE on its path to future. UAE in the year 2071 year would be the same as UAE in1971, a country with the willpower to astonish the world with its developments, visions, and futuristic capabilities. Looking at its current rate of progress, we can foresee a prosperous future of the UAE in multiple aspects. One of these aspects could be the developments in the construction field. UAE is moving forward towards sustainable and futuristic construction methods. Hence, in future we anticipate that buildings would be built with sustainable materials using 3D printing machines and there will be widespread use of eco-friendly power generating devices such as solar panels and wind powered generators. Water sustainability will be a key feature in future construction such as buildings having recycling facilities for the used water, and use of dehumidifiers to get water from the humidity in the air. Construction wonders will be commonplace. We will see structures underwater, flying between the clouds or underneath the ground. Buildings will have a variety of human comfort specifications, environmental sustainability features, and smart interactions, thus, having a greener and smarter urban complex. Smart urban complex leads to smart cities. UAE is marching towards this approach an which will be completely implemented throughout the country by completion of its hundred years. Cities would be self-efficient, adaptive to the environment and humans, sustainable, ecofriendly, and technology driven. Use of several types of clean energy sources will eliminate the negative impact on the environment. These smart cities aim to provide all means of human comfort using technology and by utilization of smart infrastructure. Focusing on A HUNDRED YEARS OF UAE by Rama Rayes technology, we will see widespread Communication would also be quite interesting. implementations of robotic and AI devices assisting Imagine that you miss a family member or a dear in the daily human life tasks. Robots will target the person who isn’t around, but you can still see them needs of humans and expedite the workflow of hard and feel them as if they were just next to you. A or force-required tasks to smartly accomplish communication cabin that would be available all- assigned duties as per the city’s requirement. AI around UAE will allow you to see your dear ones would be utilized in various fields, such as education, and interact with them and feel them by multiple banking, security, community service, and many sensors and holographic technology. This more. technology will generate signals to your neurological system making all your senses work An important development will be the smart in response to the action of the person you are infrastructure solutions in the transportation interacting with. section. Thinking of transportation in the UAE’s future, we can foretell that transportation between Looking back at the UAE 50 years from today the seven emirates and their suburbs would be a lot makes us hopeful as we can’t help but be easier and faster. Hyper transportation will enable enthusiastic about how incredible it would be after users to travel around the UAE within a few another 50 years. The vision for 2071 has been set minutes. For example, you can grab a cup of coffee by his highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashed Al for the morning in Fujairah and can go to work in Maktoum and it includes a lot of aspects that will Dubai only within few minutes after that! If you provide the wellbeing and the decent living of would like to use a car, you don’t have to worry everyone on this. Until then, the UAE is already on about passing your driver’s license exam, as your car the marching train towards its incredible and would self-drive itself towards your desired location shining future. using GPS and AI technology. It can also detect the road’s speed, surrounding environment, and traffic signs so that you can enjoy a safe and smooth ride AUTHOR towards your location. Transportation would be carbon -free, as the main fuel would be electric BIIO energy. You might as well enjoy the view of earth from the moon since the UAE is one of the leading countries in astronomy and space interventions. A lot of the UAE’s astronauts will visit outer space to learn about space and would open a path for UAE space tourists who are ready to be amazed by the facilities and structures built on the moon or the space stations in the vacuum. In this future world, you can either go for a staycation or just spend a long day Rama is a Syrian Architect born and raised sightseeing or learning about outer space. in the UAE. She graduated from Ajman University and worked in an architectural consultancy firm in Dubai. She is very keen about architecture and aims to prosper with it. You can reach her at: rama_r94@hotmail.com 30 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 Food Securiity iin the UAE of 2071 by Sala Essam From the desert to modern cities, from tradition to farms will have to be supported by architectural technology, from technology to sustainability, the columns and beams and will have other unique list is ongoing. It is difficult to determine the precise infrastructure requirements. It will be a vertical future of any city, as the vision may vary from jungle requiring a sustainable infrastructure that individual to individual. But the path for the UAE is can suppor the vegetation requirements such as clearly defined by the current progress and the availability of sunlight for photosynthesis, good technological evolutions that the country has gone ventilation and a sustainable water supply. The over that last few decades. The faith of the leaders structural elements such as column and beams will has resulted in changing their vision into reality. have to be recyclable and may have the capability of changing their layers to accommodate cleaning The strength of the country lies in its diversity. The requirements in such a way that farm floor does leaders had a vision to bring people from all over not have any sedimentation issues. the world to UAE. Despite the individual differences in the expatriates each individual has These farms could be managed by a robotic system brought something unique and everyone has capable of solving any routine issue to support the contributed in either creating something new or human management of the system. This will give have supporting in building something already the humans a chance to think more critically and existent. But with the explosive growth of the UAE, focus on more critical issues. there are some challenges that the UAE will overcome by having innovative strategies in future. From design point view I believe United Arab Emirates has the imagination and will to move If we think of the challenges that we face in the forward to change its future vision of food self- next half century, a main challenge identified by sufficiency into reality. UAE has the support of the researchers is the world food situation. The research-based economy to help it in achieving its growing population will require additional food objectives. UAE’s past provides faith in its future as sources to avoid famines and hunger at a massive previous data shows that UAE has always faced scale. The world health organization has warned and managed challenges successfully and is an that world should be prepared to handle food exemplary state showing continuous performance. shortages. One of the options to increase food production with same land area is to opt for vertical farming. This will require better recycling systems, filtering systems, and well-organzied logistical options such as vertical elevators and escalators. These vertical THE VISION: UAE CENTENNIAL 2071 by Umamah Ali The UAE government has launched a program named “UAE Centennial 2071” which is a five- decade vision for future generations. This project was launched by the UAE Federal Cabinet to make UAE the best country in the world by 2071.These projects seek to advance education, economic development, government development, and community cohesion. By 2071, UAE's vision is to become a knowledge-based hub that is sustainable and driven by innovation. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Till the year 2071, there will be an expanded use of science and technology in various fields. Among these advances will be the development of more early and proactive screenings, as well as improved diagnostics, such as genome sequencing technologies or liquid biopsy. New drugs will be developed that will extend life expectancy within five decades. AI research will be able to diagnose and cure a variety of diseases. In addition to this, robots could be utilized in operation theatres for complicated operations. A software could be implemented for recommending the correct medicines for various diseases. Artificial intelligence trends are also expected to continue to evolve in education, thereby improving the quality and enhancing the effectiveness of teaching in the future. Robots in classrooms will demonstrate accuracy in teaching. DRONE ECOSYSTEM The UAE will witness a variety of drone ecosystems that will be used for the vital purpose of security surveillance and monitoring. Flyable electric cars will drastically reduce noise emissions and battery power consumptions, yielding a far more efficient system thereby reducing accidents and deaths. These cars will utilize parking meters and charging docks, saving time and effort. Furthermore, the excess utilization of solar energy will result in reduced dependence on fossil fuels and will help fight climate change. SPACE AND SPACE TOURISM Within 5 decades, space will become more accessible for both public and private organizations. Spaceplanes are also destined to become a common feature, which will be used for suborbital flights and flights to space. These vehicles would provide cost-effective launch services as well as crew missions for orbiting different planets. Using robotic missions to the outer solar system and highly advanced space telescopes as well as transportation services to the moon will be made available. By 2071, lunar tourism is expected to flourish. Humanity would eventually become a multiplanetary species. THE VISION: UAE CENTENNIAL 2071 by Umamah Ali AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY Agriculture and food security will also become a vital part of the future. A hydroponic system is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without land. Aquaponics is a farming method that combines the benefits of aquaculture and hydroponics. As per the UAE’s harsh climate, vertical farming, hydroponics and aquaponics are most useful methods of agriculture as it requires a small area of land, limited manpower and less water consumption. Throughout the year, we can get more yield from less piece of land instead of season wise production with the help of this method. In future, hydroponic farming will be the most efficient and effective way of farming. It will allow plants to have better access to nutrients which can be controlled, monitored and managed leading to higher qualitative and quantitative crops. Food security will become an important element of the future as it will ensure the availability of nutritious food for a healthy life for all the residents of UAE. Furthermore, genetically modified crops could also be the responses to the growing need for greater food efficiency as populations will continue to grow by 2071. THE ECONOMY UAE’s economy is projected to become one of the most diversified in the world by the year 2071. Globalization and digitalization in the economy could enhance the ability of small firms to supply products on a large scale therefore causing an increased entrepreneurship in the near future. Likewise, on-demand manufacturing is most likely to become one of the norms, thus enabling organizations to cater to the targeted customers in the near future. In conclusion, these plans would prepare the future generations of UAE with the skills and knowledge needed to face rapid changes and would make UAE the best country in the world by the next centennial in 2071. AUTHOR BIIO Umamah Ali is a Grade-12 Science student born and raised in the UAE. Among her accomplishments is a first place prize in the Story Writing Competition held at the Expo Center Sharjah. She plans to pursue Artificial Intelligence as a career in the future. 33 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 2+2 S t a r t a t B U i D G e t y o u r a w a r d f r o m t h e U K ! You can transfer to one of the UK's prestigious universities - University of Edinburgh or University of Glasgow UK PARTNERS T O P O F T H E W O R L D by Tasneem SalahAldeen Under the scorching sun, circa 1970, and amidst heaps of golden sand dunes stretching as far as the eyesight can reach, stood a man with a vision, that would then seem as a dream spawned in the imagination of an ambitious mind. In 1971, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan, a visionary and the father of the UAE, could see our 2021 UAE now. “You will drive cars on asphalt roads “he said to his companion who recalls these words in pride. “Back in the days, it took us 10 days to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.” Sheik Zayed along with sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed al Maktoom went ahead to fulfill that promise by uniting the United Arab Emirates and setting the course for an extraordinary journey and a great legacy that would continue and flourish for 50 years under the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates. As the UAE announces year 2021 to be the year of the centennial plan, I find myself traveling to the streets of 2071 I n 1 9 7 1 , S h e i k h Z a y e d B i n UAE. S u l t a n , a v i s i o n a r y a n d t h e f a t h e r o f t h e U A E , c o u l d s e e In Dubai, a group of people gather around the glass front of a o u r 2 0 2 1 U A E n o w . “ Y o u mall displaying a gas powered Nissan Patrol. These cars are now w i l l d r i v e c a r s o n a s p h a l t obsolete and are only owned by people for luxurious purposes. r o a d s “ h e s a i d t o h i s The main means of transportation are either the autonomous c o m p a n i o n w h o r e c a l l s Flying Glass Saucers (FGS) which navigate by the signals t h e s e w o r d s i n p r i d e . “ B a c k received from the UAE satellites that orbit the Earth or the i n t h e d a y s , i t t o o k u s 1 0 Hyperloop channels which connect all the seven Emirates. These d a y s t o t r a v e l f r o m D u b a i Hyperloops travel at a speed of 1220km/h, bordering the speed t o A b u D h a b i . ” of sound. 35 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 TOP OF THE WORLD by Tasneem SalahAldeen As the Hyperloop pod glides smoothly, images of the lush greenery along the way rush by. The deserts that once laid between the cities were terraformed into fertile soil and the country is now self-sufficient and has surplus crop production making UAE one of the top hydroponic crop exporters in the world. Agriculture flourished after the massive success of bio desalination plants technology which operates by combining the genes of jellyfish, the most absorptive material with mangrove roots, and the most natural powerful desalinators. A technology that the UAE can now export to many different countries. This innovative technology has also made the UAE one of the top contributors to solving the world’s fresh water crises. On the outskirts of town, lies the 3D built cities providing the citizens with affordable and ecofriendly residential solutions and creating massive demand for 3D engineers and opening new horizons for construction. Education has witnessed its new age of e-learning. A hologram broadcast is no longer a movie fantasy. Students can be transported semi-physically to lecture halls through hologram imaging. In addition to education, hologram imaging is a huge vector in nowadays surgeries, a nano camera can project a detailed organ image right in front of the surgeons revealing the clearest details of complex surgery sites. In addition to the contribution the hologram added to education, it also found its way to surgeries. A Nano camera can project a detailed organ image right in front of the surgeons revealing the clearest and tiniest details of complex surgery sites. In a similar vein, after conducting research in space, scientists harnessed the benefits of microgravity on stem cells by boosting the cells with abilities to regenerate damaged tissues and bone. Abu Dhabi is a global destination for genetic disease eradication. Cancer in all its types is now a manageable disease and patients can live a normal life span due to advanced application of nanotechnology where bioengineers designed smart Nano therapy diffusers the size of sugar crystals which attacks loose infected cells. Having virtually no side patients can live their lives normally. As pioneers in the field of cloning, Ras al-Khaimah is now a global hub of medicine industries and pharmaceuticals and considered one of the first line defenders against pandemics in the world. TOP OF THE WORLD by Tasneem SalahAldeen Al Fujairah has an international space port, which also has a prestigious space farer academy. Mohamed bin Rashid space cosmodrome hosts international and local rocket launches to Mars as well as studying incoming test material from space. UAE has tipped the scales in its battle against climate change and global warming by eradicating CO2 gas emissions and greenhouse gases taking several smart steps; firstly, creating artificial islands to control the climate. Each island has its own distinctive ecosystem and fauna and is monitored closely without any human interference. UAE launched submarines to canvas the waters and suction all waste material that harms marine life. National parks became the home to free roaming animals like the Arabic Oryx and caracals which were once extinct. These islands along with the desalination plants. natural parks, and eradicating the use of gas fueled cars and plastic material have helped the UAE into managing and reducing harmful gases in its atmosphere. Thus, creating a closed cycle of producing its own energy and processing its own waste. AUTHOR Economic stability, ever steadily rising, the financial and economic growth in the UAE continues to be an attracting BIIO and convenient hearth for global business opportunities. UAE being a synonym of excellence provided both its citizens and global investors with every means possible to establish and support their business with smart and rapid regulations in its smart city government sectors. Individual income is on constant rise with a generation that is adept at grasping creative opportunities to invest. UAE’s most valuable asset has always been its citizens. The Tasneem was born and raised in the UAE 2071 society is the same secure, virtuous, happy, United Arab Emirates in Al Ain city. She diversified, harmonious community of UAE 2021; a is an English teacher, and holds a community that takes pride in its past and embraces the Bachelor Degree in English literature challenges of the future. and Translation. You can reach Tasneem at: Ms.Tasneem89@hotmail.com MIND-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY by Abdul Munem Nerabie It is probably not new to point out that the Covid-19 pandemic has made us all pause (literally and figuratively) and reflect on ourselves, our jobs, our passions, and our place in society. We came to realise how fast paced everything is, and how rarely we stop to evaluate the impact this has our mental health. Granted, the 2021 speed of technology is next to nothing when compared to 2071. In the UAE of 2071, technological advancements will herald in a new age of speed so hyper to the point where we will probably be completely detached from objective reality. I cannot see how our psyche can handle that. Today, the way we adopt and utilize technology threatens the environmental ecosystem of our planet and we strive to develop eco-friendly technologies eco-friendly products, and eco-friendly systems. In a similar fashion, I can see that in 2071, the UAE is faced with a challenge of reinventing technology to be ‘mind-friendly’ and ‘emotionally- friendly’. To combat negative psychological effects technological advancements has on our minds, I can AUTHOR see the UAE in 2071 passing a law with three main mandates: BIIO 1. All healthcare insurance policies should include coverage for mental healthcare and emotional well- being 2. The establishment of medical research institutions specialised in mental wellbeing and emotional welfare 3. The adoption of ‘mind-friendly’ technology in all levels of government establishments by 2073 In the end I would like to say that the future for this Abdul Munem is a 3rd year bachelor’s aspect of society isn’t necessarily bleak, but it would student majoring in computer science probably need more work and time for us to make with the aspirations to become a any major strides in. We seem to have more interest knowledgeable “swiss army knife” in the in faster computers, bigger space ships, and higher field. Abdul Munem enjoys learning sky scrapers, than we do in mental and emotional about human psychology and wellbeing. We might reach a breaking point in 2071 physiology, and loves playing video if we stay on this path. games. 38 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 THE TOP FOUR TECH COMPANIES OF 2071 by Khadyja Imad In 2071, the UAE is a world leader in technological advancements. It houses the headquarters of the top 4 most advanced tech AUTHOR companies in the world: ArchiTech, Ven, Physics Engine, and BIIO Aroma ArchiTech – Dubai Architech are the world leading experts in research and development of nanotechnology. They produce a wide range of nano-materials with applications in medicine, electronics, biomaterials, energy, and consumer goods. Drivenetic – Sharjah Drivenetic manages the world’s largest traffic network system of self-driving cars. Their systems make use of radar, lidar, sonar, GPS, odometry, and inertial measurement to create seamless Khadyja Shahid is a high school traffic flows. They are a pioneers at their field, having been the student who loves to socialize. first company to innovate the technological solution that made She has a set record of reading traffic jams a thing of the past. 20 books in a year, and is down for anything that gives her an adrenaline rush. You can reach Physics Engine – Abu Dhabi Khadija at: There is no VR technology company around the world like Physics khadyja1226@gmail.com Engine. It manufactures highly immersive environments which allows users to experience the virtual as if it were real. It makes use of tactile sensors, somatosensory information, and powerfully rendered visuals to create an all-enveloping reality. Aror – Al Ain Aror is the only company in the world that produces and exports artificial organs. The relevance of artificial organs and the urgent need for them have long been recognized in medicine and other fields of sicence. Aror does not only spawn naturally occurring organs, they also create completely new ones with strange and novel biological functions. The year 2071 is more fantastical than you think it is, and if you want to experience the future at its most intensity, come and visit UAE! 39 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 UAE 2071 IN BITES by Laraib Syed The United Arab Emirates is one of the top ten leading countries globally. So what does 2071 look like if this trend continues? Let us look at little bites from each sector. Travel Sustainable technologies would transform travel as we know it from electric cars to hyper- loops to shorten citizens' journeys. Navigation has never been more straightforward; using advanced AI technology, routes are prepared with the shortest travel time and are traffic- free. Retail By the year 2071, the UAE will implement AR into everyday retail and shopping. Citizens of the UAE would interact with items in shops using AR. Not only would AR allow customers to learn more about the product, but it will also allow them to find the best deals using an extensive database with all sales and discounts, rather than them having to search on the internet on different websites. Customers would also be able to try on 3D models of the clothes they wish to buy before purchasing them. Space Exploration The UAE has joined the International Coalition for Space Exploration in 2038, and was involved in the Mars settlement project of 2066. In 2071, the UAE was integral in the construction of a Martian space station from which giant space ships will launch into the furthest corners of the solar system. Medicine By 2071, healthcare will be accessible to everyone, and AI will conduct the diagnosis accurately and quickly to limit the amount of death caused by late diagnosis. Surgeries will be done entirely remotely, through robots, with hyper precision levels. Transplants are done without the need for donors since organs are grown in laboratories. Laraib is a Pakistani national studying information technology AUTHOR at Middlesex University Dubai. She absolutely adores reading and BIIO writing and she is a member of a book club. You can reach Laraib at: laraibsyed92@gmail.com THE EMIRATI METAVERSE by Mohamed Yehia The Metaverse is a digitized duplication of our real universe superimposed on our reality. It is the ultimate amalgamation of artificial intelligence, block chain technology, 4.0 web, the internet of things, and the various categories of virtual reality technologies such as (XR) Extended Reality, (AR) augmented reality, and (MR) mixed reality. By 2071, the Metaverse would have taken over every aspect of our lives. In fact, the Metaverse would become so deeply- rooted that people will find it difficult to tell which part of their reality is physical and which part is virtual. Today, the global big tech companies such as Facebook (now Meta), Google and Apple have dedicated their resources and strategies for materializing the Metaverse. Before long, new start-up competitors will begin to appear in the market, and before 2071, the big tech companies we now know to be dominant will no longer be so. New patterns of cultural behaviour and societal structure will emerge at the dawn of the rise of the Metaverse. There will be new economic systems and new political systems as the Metaverse reshapes our understanding of morality, values, and principles. Civilisation in 2071 may be difficult to imagine or conceive of now. The UAE – lead by visionary leaders – is already following methodically approaches and strategies to assume the Metaverse slowly into its socioeconomic structure and function. By 2071, I see the UAE fully integrated and evolved into an Emirati contextualised Metaverse. Mohamed Yehia has 15+ years of experience in the Telecom AUTHOR industry and enjoys reading about cutting edge and futuristic BIIO technology. You can reach Mohamed at: mohamed.yehia.2006@gmail.com 41 C O N N E C T I O N S | S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA YOU WANT TO CONNECT? SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE! FOR INQURIES , SPONSORSHIPS , COMMENTS , & ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS , EMAIL US AT : CONNECTIONS@BUID .AC .AE THANK YOU FOR CONNECTING WITH US. SEE YOU SOON IN THE NEXT ISSUE!