#masters in computer science in Lebanon

[joeabdelsater]

Assignment 6: Part 1

Introduction

My name is Joe Abdel Sater, and I am a master’s student at the University of Hertfordshire. I recently started my studies in games art and design after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science back in July 2023. Before moving to the UK, I was studying at Notre Dame University – Louaize, while working as a freelance 3D Generalist for local companies in Lebanon. I decided to pursue a master’s degree as I was much more interested in the artistic side of game-making and wanted to improve my skills in creating assets and environments while exploring Unreal Engine 5.

Project Idea

In order to speed up the design process and foster creativity, the fashion industry has embraced digital tools and techniques more and more. This advancement of Digital fashion technology has been in many ways beneficial to a wide range of aspects in the scope of game design, and creating realistic clothing for video games has never been more accessible. In this article, I will be covering the behind-the-scenes workflow of garment creation and integration into Unreal Engine. With the huge advancements in digital garment creation technologies, it has become a bit overwhelming for new artists to choose the method of work to take on, so I aspire to find the most beginner-friendly efficient pipeline for digital fashion creation.

I hope that my project serves as a valuable resource for fashion designers and game artists like me interested in exploring the realm of digital fashion and its applications in various industries.

The process doesn’t require you to have extensive knowledge in the area of dressmaking and couture, it only requires you to have an eye for design, 3D skills, and the proper tools like: Marvelous Designer for pattern making and simulations, 3Ds MAX for prepping and polishing (or a similar software), Substance Painter for texturing, and Unreal Engine to bind everything together.

In order to construct the best workflow possible for my purpose, I went through extensive research of all the possible ways to go about transitioning from one software to another while preventing any sorts of technical issues. The many trials and errors led me to finalize and polish the digital fashion workflow I discovered and share it with you in detail.

Valuable technologies

In Marvelous Designer, two key features that are particularly valuable to my digital fashion workflow are Automatic UVs and Mesh Transformation.

First, Marvelous Designer offers an Automatic UV unwrapping feature, which simplifies the process of creating UV maps for the 3D clothing models. UV unwrapping is the process of flattening a 3D model's surface onto a 2D plane, allowing textures and materials to be applied accurately. Marvelous Designer's Automatic UVs generate optimized UV layouts automatically, reducing the need for manual UV manipulation. In my project, I needed Automatic UVs to ensure that I can apply textures, patterns, and materials accurately onto the garments, while saving time and effort by automating the tedious process of manually unwrapping each pattern piece. What Marvelous Designer initially does is create the UVs following the pattern outlines of the garments that I create, thus preparing the clothes for direct texturing.

Second, Marvelous Designer provides tools for mesh transformation, which allows me to optimize and refine the topology of the clothing models. This process involves converting the initial triangular mesh generated by the software into a more optimized and animation-friendly mesh with quad polygons for example. By creating a cleaner mesh topology, I can achieve better deformations during animation and improve the integration of the garments into game engines or other 3D software. It also has a “remesh” option that allows me to transform the overall topology of an outfit into a clean grid of squares that wraps around the shape of the garments.

Furthermore, when working with game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity, optimizing the mesh topology can significantly improve performance and rendering quality. Quad-based topology is generally preferred in real-time rendering environments as it provides better support for subdivision surfaces, smoothing groups, and more efficient rendering.

Concept and references:

I believe this is a crucial step before officially starting the practical work. During this stage, I hop on Pinterest and browse through the fashion board where I have been saving my pins of favorite outfits and designer clothes. These images serve as a visual inspiration for the clothes that I will be creating.

Figure 1- Pinterest Fashion Design Board

I later gather the collected pictures into groups that form references for potential assortments that I can recreate in 3D. These pictures are saved in PureRef, an application that allows me to organize the pictures to use them as references for my creations. I keep the PureRef window open all the time to visualize color combinations, fabric textures, and potential pattern pieces for my garments.

Figure 2 - PureRef file of one of the dresses

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The Arabic or Perso-Arabic script is a writing system used for writing Arabic and several other languages of Asia and Africa, such as Persian, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto, Lurish, Urdu and Mandinka. Algeria is the largest Arab country with a total area of 919,685 square miles. The smallest by area is Bahrain, which covers just 293 square miles. Modern Standard Arab is the official language throughout these nations.

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Arabic language is basically spoken in the Arab conditions of Middle East and North Africa. It is the official language of around sixteen nations, to be specific the UAE, Algeria Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia. It was made the sixth official language of the United Nations in 1974 and is spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide.

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Oxford-Weidenfeld Scholarships and Leadership Program for Developing Countries

MSc in African Studies, Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), MSc in Comparative Social Policy, MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies, MSc in Economics for Development, MPhil in Environmental Change and Management, MSc in Environmental Change and Management, MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation, MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation, MSc in Financial Economics, MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy, MSc in Global Health Science, MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine, MSc in Latin American Studies, MSc in Law and Finance, Magister Juris (MJur) Master of Business Administration (MBA), MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance, MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing, MSc in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science, MSc in Migration Studies, MSc in Modern South Asian Studies, MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance, MSc in Politics Research,Master of Public Policy (MPP), MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, MSc in Social Science of the Internet, MSc in Statistical Science, MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management About the Award: This scholarship is part of the Oxford Graduate Scholarships, which were established through a ground-breaking new matched funding initiative to enable the creation of fully-funded scholarships for graduate students of the highest calibre from across the world. The University contributes 40% of the funds for these scholarships, together with 60% from generous donations provided by supporters of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust, including Fondation Hoffmann. Fondation Hoffmann is a Swiss-based grant making institution supporting the emergence and expansion of concrete projects which address global problems in today’s societies. You should be intending to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed. Students currently at Oxford are not eligible to apply unless they are already Weidenfeld scholars.You should be able to demonstrate a connection between your subject of study and your longer-term career objectives, explaining how you see your professional work contributing to the improvement of public life in your country of origin or at a wider regional or international level.The above qualities will be assessed during the selection process, including using your graduate application form, your Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Questionnaire and (if relevant) your interview.Candidates who hold deferred offers to start in 2020-21 are not eligible to be considered for these scholarships. Number of Scholarships: 12 What are the benefits? The scholarship will cover 100% of course fees and a grant for living costs (of at least £15,009). Awards are made for the full duration of your fee liability for the agreed course. Duration of Scholarship: Awards are made for the full duration of a student’s fee liability for the agreed course. If your scholarship is offered for a course lasting more than one year, the continuation of your scholarship each year is subject to an annual renewal process based on satisfactory academic progress. Eligible Countries: Eligible candidates must have an undergraduate degree and be an ordinary resident of one of the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,  Belarus,  Belize,  Benin,  Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia,  Cameroon Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, China Tibet, China, Hong Kong SAR, China, Macau SAR, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep. (Kinshasa), Congo, Rep. (Brazzaville), Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, The, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (North), Korea (South), Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand – New, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria. Taiwan (Republic of China), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe To be taken at (country): University of Oxford, UK How to Apply Applications for the Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships must be made via the Chevening website. To be considered as an award recipient, applicants must list the University of Oxford as their first preference university choice. Chevening-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholars will also be subject to the terms and conditions of the Chevening Scholarship. Read the full article

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A Tale of Two Cities: Exploring the Future of Play in Switzerland

Our young medium is ever forward-facing. There is so much – both technically and artistically – that hasn’t fully been explored yet. Video games are like a map with lots of white spaces, and how we fill these spaces will shape the future.

On a trip to Switzerland, I visited two schools that try to tackle this challenge, each in their own way.

The Game Technology Center (GTC) is part of the Department of Computer Science of the ETH Zürich. Their aim is to research a way of using games for science and education, and transferring this technology to the game industry. To this end, they are currently exploring Augmented Reality as a playful tool with real-world applications. AR might not be as fancy a technology as VR, but it is easier to implement in an everyday context.

Projects that are currently being worked on are an AR guide for museums that offers a more hands-on experience than an audio guide. It adds interaction to the usually-passive reception of art by allowing you to explore the different stages of restoration that a piece of artwork went through, or adding playful and sometimes funny commentary to other pieces of art.

Another project is an AR coloring book: after coloring a picture, you can scan it in the app and have it come to life in 3D – looking just like you designed it! The aim is obvious: getting children to stop staring at screens all day, while at the same time acknowledging that you can actually do some pretty cool things with those screens.

Most impressive might have been a drag and drop game designing tool that makes use of AR. Think of it as the good old Klik & Play construction kit, only that you can take pictures of real-world objects and drawings with your tablet and incorporate them into your game right away. This tool, developed by the team of Dr. Stéphane Magnenat, is surprisingly easy to just pick up and play around with. Creating a fully working Space Invader clone with custom graphics in five minutes? This is how you get kids interested in creating games.

Every year, students of the GTC show off their projects in a big ceremony. Some of these projects attract enough attention for commercial publishing, such as the cooperative railroad building game Unrailed, which recently got picked up by German publisher Daedalic. In any case, the GTC’s approach seems to be in exploring the potential of existing technologies and working your way up from there to create innovative games with real-world applications.

A whole different approach is taught at the other end of the country in Switzerland’s francophone part. A three-hour train ride away from Zürich, at the Haute École d’Arts Appliqués (HEAD) in Genève, students can get a master’s degree in media design. One of the subject’s focal points: games. The school’s approach is notably different to the usual game design education. These students are not game designers in the usual sense; they are designers who happen to make games. They tailor their individual learning experiences to their needs, starting with their project in mind and working from there while teaching themselves the technologies they need. This leads to a variety of wildly different results.

Take Ghofran Akil’s Unresolved, for example. The game, which is her master’s thesis project, deals with the so-called enforced disappeared. These are people who go missing during war and conflict. Following Ghofran’s travels to the Lebanon and interviewing affected families, the project underwent different designs until settling on its final, text-based form.

Unresolved puts you in the shoes of different family members of an enforced disappeared, making decisions that affect the flow of the story. You start as the wife of a disappeared, but you jump back and forth in time during the game, exploring the effect such disappearances have on generations of family members. This is not a game you can win. There is no miracle rescue at the end, no closure for any of the characters. It is a frustrating, ongoing dilemma which affects millions of people today.

Other projects use multi-monitor setups, self-made devices as teaching tools, or they attempt to transfer Swiss literature into gaming form, using a slew of different approaches and tools. Tourmaline Studio’s Oniri Islands, a cooperative tablet game using smart toys, is one of these games that even saw a commercial release. In any case, it is all about the idea at the center of each project, with the particular technologies being of secondary importance.

There are whole branches of game development out there that don’t get a lot of coverage. For these to receive both funding and attention is important. Even if they enjoy less visibility than commercial games, they push our medium forward in ways that may be felt further down the road. Whether these are truly the future of play, the future of interacting with games and gamified programs, or the game designers of tomorrow –  all this remains to be seen. What is most important is that games are thriving in all kinds of ways and that the blank spaces on the map are filled with fascinating, varied works.

[DISCLOSURE: travel and accommodation for this trip were paid by Presence Switzerland.]

The post A Tale of Two Cities: Exploring the Future of Play in Switzerland appeared first on Indie Games Plus.

A Tale of Two Cities: Exploring the Future of Play in Switzerland published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

[startupcanada]

This Entrepreneur Identified The Gap Left By Bloomberg And Built A $1.4 Billion Business

David Gurle has pioneered much of how we communicate today as well as the next generation of internet privacy tools and has formed a syndicate of global financial institutions.

David recently appeared as a guest on the DealMakers Podcast. During the exclusive interview, he shared his journey, the experience as well as lessons learned working directly with Bill Gates at Microsoft, raising hundreds of millions from top tier investors, and many more topics.

Navigating The World & Pulling It Into The New Era Of Tech

Having a French father and an English mother, and spending his childhood living in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, David Gurle gained a global multicultural perspective early in life.

Gurle says, “I had the chance to first be street smart before being academic smart, and play, and strategize in winning those kinds of your small day-to-day battles. Growing up like that was an experience that taught me a lot about pragmatism, about understanding others, and about figuring out a way in which you build peace, and you move forward with a consensus.”

At 14, he arrived in Cannes in the south of France. He became a ski instructor and thought that was going to be his future. Then in the time of Atari and Commodore, the dinosaurs of computing, he found a passion for science and a passion for precision. He earned his Masters in computer science and telecommunication.

Then in 1995, after working for companies like Digital Equipment Corporation and France Telecom, he realized that everything was going to converge to Internet Protocol (IP). If you have used services like Skype, that’s because back in 1995 people began to be able to send voice through packet networks like IP. He began to get involved and even moved to Israel during the Iraq War.

In order to challenge himself, he decided to write a book on voice-over-IP. He started as he was traveling back and forth to Israel and other places around the world. He has gone on to publish at least five books so far.

To Microsoft & Beyond

David says he realized that in order for a voice-over-IP to become real, Microsoft had to embrace it because you had to embed that stack in Windows. And if it was part of Windows, then the revolution would start.

After stints at ETSI and VocalTec, he joined Microsoft, resigned the next day, but ultimately stayed on to help build this out. It took just a few weeks to meet Bill Gates. He ended up being the General Manager of Microsoft’s real-time communication products.

Once Microsoft adopted this new protocol, everybody knew that they had no choice but to stick to it. That basically became the enabler for pretty much everything from your mobile phones to Skype. David actually joined Skype too, until it was later acquired for $8 billion.

Organizing a Global Business Symphony

When he landed in Palo Alto he found a completely different culture. An extremely entrepreneurial one. That’s a very, very compelling set of people who are always challenging the status quo, and trying to make you realize that if you do nothing, you are worthless.

He caught the entrepreneur bug. Some of the people at his last employer even invested in his own company, and Perzo was born. It was a hit.

Pretty quickly, David had the chance to sell the company and cash out. Instead, he coordinated a consortium to buy the company. He took a pass on an exit that would have been financially life changing in exchange for the opportunity to do something even bigger, and stay a part of it. Symphony was born.

So far Symphony has raised $460 million. Investors include Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Standard Chartered, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, Google, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Citi Group, HSBC, Wells Fargo.

Today he says, “I think every global financial institution is actually an investor, obviously also a customer of Symphony. What’s interesting is that they first were being a customer and then they became investors. So, that’s even better.”

David has a really interesting take on raising funds. To him, it is not just about money by any means. It’s more the mental challenge.

He says, “It really tests your thesis with sophisticated people who are putting money at work by taking a huge amount of risk, trusting you, trusting your plan, trusting the team, and trusting pretty much the ecosystem that you are building, and testing yourself each year against all these smart money people.“

He calls it a very, very rewarding test. From his perspective, if you graduate successfully with the right terms and the right valuation, that builds confidence. Then from there, you progressively get better at it. The team that you work with is also a very important part of the equation. Because they grow with you, and also, they obviously reap the benefits of the growth of the company.

In essence, as described by David, storytelling is everything in fundraising and he was able to master this. Being able to capture what you are doing in 15 to 20 slides is the key. For a winning deck, take a look at the pitch deck template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel (see it here) that I recently covered. Thiel was the first angel investor in Facebook with a $500K check that turned into more than $1 billion in cash.

The Present & The Future

Now Symphony has 300 people, a global company presence all the way from Palo Alto to Tokyo, 400 firms as customers, 400,000 users, $50 Million dollars in revenue, and is growing at about 40% a year.

Towards the future, David thinks the next phase is people starting to realize that security, privacy, and confidentiality are important attributes to the digital human that we are becoming. We haven’t had much of that privacy recently: Just Google “Facebook.” Though, it could get better if it’s up to David and Symphony.

He’s changing the way messages, documents and trades are sent, creating a whole new concept in security that many just don’t even realize they need yet.

How to Be Successful at Anything

If you’re aspiring to be an entrepreneur and to start a business, David says you should expect it to be a lonely road. That can even be true with friends, family, and teams around you. Be ready for it.

You bear the burden of responsibility and accountability at the end. Building a great team and organizing them is critical. Then, David says, “you shift your focus on how to become a better puzzle-solver as opposed to how to run better technology or a better business.“

David‘s opinion is that at the end, it is how people work with each other that matters more than what they do, and if you do it well, then you can be successful at anything.

Listen in to the full podcast episode to find out more, including:

Identifying big markets

Raising capital from strategic investors

Lessons learned from Bill Gates

Innovating in regulated markets

How to brainstorm crazy ideas

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[mega-wayne-l-wickizer]

In earnest, we turn now to Senator Orrin Hatch.  Lest we forget, Hatch is the most powerful “Goodfella” in the Deep States’ Swamp.

The Hatch machine operates like a well tuned corporation and CIA front organization complete with all of the trappings.  (Words underlined are links.)  However, most obvious from recent examples of aging, he needs his handlers.

Back in our military flying days of 1955-65, we encountered and were naively overawed that the CIA was embedded in Air America, Southern Air Transport, Evergreen Airways.  Since the 1980s … Hatch and any number of 3 letter agencies have been symbiotically seeded and embedded in murky Blackops and Psyops activities dripping and smearing their “Deep State” prints over the Globe … smeared over business, industry, education, politics … all the demographic images that one might conjure.

We offer and allege a case in point.  Hatch is hooked at the hip with his own personal, Skunk Works, “Policy Impact Communications (PIC)” … a Washington lobbying firm.  Within that firm are operators and handlers who Hatch has worked with for his entire political and even adult life.  Case in point is PIC CEO William Nixon who worked for Hatch during Hatch’s first run for the Senate.  We add to that Nixon’s father William L. Nixon, PIC Director and a Hatch endorsed Immigration Judge,  who served as a youth in the same Mormon mission area with Hatch and … voila … we have a family … a long standing family … DNA twisted, turned, and intertwined into politics, the Deep State, the Swamp, and the subversion of The Rule of Law and Good Governance.

Even more interesting and we allege far more sinister in this context is the likes of PIC Senior Adviser William V. Cowan and several others.  Every Skunk Works needs an “Operator.”  The Bushes had Richard Armitage.  Reagan had Oliver North.  The Russians have Putin.  Tsar Nicholas had Rasputin.   The Medicis had Machiavelli.

Hatch and PIC have William V. Cowan.   Here are but a few of his credentials:

Retired USMC lieutenant colonel, a public speaker on matters of national security and terrorism, and a former contributor for the Fox News.

Cowan has a graduate degree in computer science and is a member of Mensa.

Known internationally for his expertise in planning and executing difficult and often dangerous counter terrorism, intelligence, and military special operations.

Following the events of 9/11, Cowan was called on again by the government to support various clandestine, priority programs and operations overseas.

One of his rescues, the 1990 rescue of American businessmen in Kuwait after Saddam Hussein had invaded that country, was the subject of a documentary where some secrets about his organization were revealed, such as the fact that organization operatives used fake passports issued by a man in Paris to enter countries where people were being held. This operation was conducted in combination with former CIA director Bill Colby. It also included him being part of a three-man team who secretly met with the Iranians at the request of the White House to lay the formal groundwork for the release of the Western hostages being held in Lebanon.

The roster of talent in PIC is similarly, frightfully impressive and brings to mind and the forefront our postings “As for the Black Arts” and “Dancing with the Devil” wherein we share information about, ” … the “Black Arts” in play along the way … truth flees and flits like fickle illusions through dark clouds of Cognitive Dissonance, Distortion, Psychological Warfare, Propaganda, Perception Management, Mind Manipulation, and Destabilization. They, the masters (Goodfellas) of these “Black Arts,” with “malice afore thought” and intent have subverted the rule of law and good governance.”

William V. Cowan is the quintessential, typical, prototypical, stereotypical, archetypal, classic, model, standard, stock, representative, ideal, consummate, exemplary, definitive, best, ultimate example of an OPERATOR.

Today, we launch the first of our Hatch “Institutional Memories” of his inappropriate, scandalous and corrupt conduct.  We launch with “The Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI).”  

Hatch, among other Senators, appears on a BCCI bribery list  and is featured in this 7 minute video.

BCCI … The Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) was an international bank founded in 1972.  A decade after opening, BCCI had over 400 branches in 78 countries, and assets in excess of US$20 billion, making it the 7th largest private bank in the world.

 BCCI was also accused of opening accounts or laundering money for figures such as Saddam Hussein, Manuel Noriega, Hussain Mohammad Ershad, and Samuel Doe, and for criminal organizations such as the Medellin Cartel and Abu Nidal. Police and intelligence experts nicknamed BCCI the “Bank of Crooks and Criminals International” for its penchant for catering to customers who dealt in arms, drugs, and hot money.[

After extolling their virtues from the Senate floor, Hatch solicited a $10,000,000 loan from BCCI.

Time for a break ….

Next up, Robert Mueller “The Deus ex Machina” of BCCI and “The veneer of Hatch’s respectability overlain on a cornucopia of corruption.”

Orrin Hatch’s Inc. and Ink …. In earnest, we turn now to Senator Orrin Hatch.  Lest we forget, Hatch is the most powerful "Goodfella" in the Deep States' Swamp.

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Dvorak New World Symhony 9 & Cello Concerto Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra

CONCERTS: Sat 3 March 19:00 Sun 4 March 15:00

Dvorak – Symphony no 9 (New World) & Cello Concerto Czech Republic 100 years. In association with the Czech Embassy. Czech cello soloist: Jan Pech Czech conductor : Jan Štván

100th Anniversary of Czechoslovakia Gauteng Philharmonic Orchestra in collaboration of Embassy of the Czech Republic.

Block A (Adult) – R310Block B (Adult) – R260

Block A (Senior) – R260Block B (Senior)- R210

Block C (Row P, Q, R) – R160

BOOK NOW

Brooklyn Theatre (012 460 6033) Greenlyn Village Centre C/o Thomas Edison and 13th Streets Menlo Park

Jan Pech (Cello)

RNDr. MgA. Jan PECH, Ph. D. (*1982) is an active musician working in parallel as a scientist in the laboratory of computational fluid dynamics at the Institute od Thermomechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

His musical education came from the Prague Conservatory and Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (professors R. Lojda, D. Veis, J. Hošek). He participated the masterclasses in Semmering and succeeded in the Prague Spring competition in 2012.

As a cellist, he performed several recitals and cooperated with many orchestras (Berg, South Czech Philharmony, Philharmony of the Nations, NTUSO Taipei, Prague Youth Philharmonic, Talich Chamber orch.). As a soloist accompanied by orchestra, he performed cello concertos of C. Saint-Saëns, J. Haydn, A. Kraft and repeatedly the famous B minor concerto of A. Dvořák.

Jan Pech excels in interpretation of compositions written for cello solo, which are the most often performed pieces of his repertoire, especially O. Kukal’s „Violoncelliana“, Bach’s suites or solo sonatas of Z. Kodály or P. Hindemith; he premiered the solo sonata of M. Knížák.

Besides the classical music he acts in projects of other genres. He established the Prague Cello Quartet and now leads his “PECH cello quartet”. He is a member of group Aktual.

Jan Štván (Conductor)

International master courses by Genadij Rozhdestvenski in Siena, Italy. Next year he also took IMG by Helmuth Rilling in Oregon, USA and Stuttgart, Germany. In the same time he worked as a chorus master in a National theater in Prague and then 6 years as the conductor and principal conductor in Nord Czech philharmonic in Teplice. After a few years he came back to the National Theater in Prague, where he performed operas as for instance Ottelo, Tosca or Salome. 1998 he bacame principal conductor in Opera in Pilsen where he performed many opera premieres and symphony concerts, for example Beethoven IX or Dvořák Requiem. In the same time he became a guest conductor by Nürenberger symphoniker in Germany. In between he worked in many foreign states, as guest conductor, for example in Italy, Lebanon or Switzerland. Between the years 2013-2016 he has done more than 90 concerts in France with the Moravian philharmonic Olomouc.

SYMPHONY NO. 9 IN E MINOR, OP. 95, “FROM THE NEW WORLD” by Tim Greiving

For a brief period in his early 50s, Antonín Dvořák left his home in Vysoká, Czechoslovakia – and his position as composition professor at the Prague Conservatory – to oversee the newly-founded New York National Conservatory. He came as an international celebrity, having made a name and successful body of work in Europe, and he brought his cachet to a hungry “new world” at the infancy of its high culture.

The composer’s ninth and final symphony was overtly inspired by his time in America (1892 – 1895), an attempt at harvesting our native musical seeds in the soil of his established style. (Dvořák, like Ives, wove the folk tunes of his homeland into a contemporary, symphonic tapestry.) He seized on two local kernels, that of Native Americans and of slaves, albeit loosely and colored by his Slavic sensibility. He knew Longfellow’s epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha, and was inspired by the funeral of the protagonist’s lover (Minnehaha) when he wrote his Largo, and by the dance of the Indians when writing his Scherzo. The composer never claimed any ethnomusicological accuracy in his depiction of Native Americans. In his introduction to the piece, he wrote: “I have simply written original themes embodying the peculiarities of Indian music, and using these themes as subjects, have developed them with all the resources of modern rhythms, harmony, counterpoint, and orchestral color.”

The New York Conservatory may have been the vanity project of a wealthy socialite, Jeanette Thurber, but it was actually quite socially progressive. All races and nationalities were openly welcome, and tuition was generously matched to whatever students could afford. (Dvořák encouraged his students to mine the traditions of America’s mistreated natives and slaves in their compositions, as he had done with the folk tunes of Bohemia.) One student who benefitted from the school’s unusually equal treatment was Henry Burleigh, a Pennsylvania musician and the grandson of a former slave. Burleigh worked as a copyist for Dvořák, who encouraged him to sing the African-American spirituals and plantation songs he had inherited. The spirit of that heritage found a home in the symphony’s serene second movement, and Dvořák even acknowledged the timbre of Burleigh’s voice by assigning the melody to the English horn.

The symphony was written in the spring of 1893, and premiered in New York that December, quickly becoming the composer’s most loved and most performed musical offspring. He soon returned to his home country, and many critics hear as much nostalgia for Vysoká in his “New World” as any uniquely American flavor – a bias Dvořák would likely concede.

Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 by Phillip Huscher

Dvořák began his cello concerto in New York on November 8, 1894; he completed the score on February 9, 1895 (at 11:30 A.M.), revised the ending that June, and conducted the first performance, with Leo Stern as soloist, on March 19, 1896, in London. The orchestra consists of two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, three trombones and tuba, timpani, triangle, and strings. Performance time is approximately forty minutes.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first subscription concert performances of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto were given at the Auditorium Theatre on January 29 and 30, 1897, with Leo Stern as soloist and Theodore Thomas conducting.

It was Victor Herbert, the composer of Babes in Toyland and Naughty Marietta, who inspired Dvořák to write the most beloved cello concerto in the repertory. We owe this historical curiosity, along with some of Dvořák’s most popular music, to Jeannette M. Thurber, the wife of a New York wholesale grocer, who exhausted her husband’s millions establishing an English-language opera company that folded and a National Conservatory of Music that flourished long enough to entice Dvořák to settle temporarily in the New World. The composer agreed to serve as director of her school for $15,000, and when he arrived in 1892, Victor Herbert was the head of the cello department. Herbert, who had come to the United States from Vienna only six years before, was highly regarded as a cellist, conductor, and composer, though he hadn’t yet written the first of the forty operettas that would make him enormously popular.

In 1892, Dvořák was as famous as any composer alive. Taking on an administrative title and a heavy teaching schedule was probably an unfortunate waste of his time and talents, although the music Dvořák wrote in this country includes some of his best: a string quartet and a string quintet (both titled American) composed in Spillville, Iowa; the New World Symphony; and this cello concerto.

For several years Dvořák had been unmoved by a request from his friend Hanuš Wihan, the cellist of the Bohemian Quartet, to write a cello concerto. During his second year at the National Conservatory, Dvořák attended the premiere of Victor Herbert’s Second Cello Concerto, given by the New York Philharmonic on March 9, 1894. It is difficult today to know why this long-forgotten score made such a deep impression on him, for Herbert was hardly an overwhelming or influential talent. But Dvořák enthusiastically applauded Herbert’s concerto, and he heard something in it that made him think, for the first time, that there was important music to be written for solo cello and orchestra. This concerto would prove to be the last major symphonic work of his career.

On April 28, 1894, Dvořák signed a new two-year contract with the conservatory. After spending the summer holiday in Bohemia, he returned to New York on November 1; a week later he began this concerto. While he was writing the second movement, he received word that his sister-in-law, Josefina Kaunitzová (with whom he had once been in love), was seriously ill. As a tribute to her, he quoted at length one of her favorite melodies, “Kéž duch můj sám” (Leave me alone), the first of his Four Songs, op. 82. He completed the concerto on February 9 (his son Otakar’s tenth birthday), at 11:30 in the morning.

After the premiere of the New World Symphony in 1893, Dvořák said, “I know that if I had not seen America I never would have written my new symphony.” The cello concerto shows no such outward signs of the composer’s American experience—it doesn’t imitate the rhythms and melodies of the native music he heard in the United States—and has often been accepted as an early warning sign of his homesickness. In fact, once Dvořák returned to Bohemia for the summer of 1895, with his new concerto in his bags, he realized that he couldn’t leave his homeland again; in August he wrote to Mrs. Thurber asking to be released from his contract. Since he had already contributed so much to American music, including a symphony as popular as any ever written, she could not refuse. The unveiling of the cello concerto, the last of Dvořák’s American products, belongs to the final chapter of his life: the premiere was given in London in March 1896, with the composer conducting. (The first American performance was not given until December.)

The literature for solo cello and orchestra isn’t extensive. At best, Dvořák can’t have known more than the single concertos by Haydn (a second was discovered in 1961) and Schumann, the first of Saint-Saëns’s two, and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations for cello and orchestra. (He also knew the Triple Concerto by Beethoven and the Double Concerto by Brahms.) Dvořák had written one long-winded cello concerto in his youth and later said he thought little of the cello as a solo instrument (“High up it sounds nasal, and low down it growls”). Now, with little previous inclination and few useful models, Dvořák gave the form its finest example. Brahms is reported to have said, “Why on earth didn’t I know that one could write a cello concerto like this? Had I known, I would have written one long ago.”

The first movement of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto is as impressive as anything in the composer’s output.

The music is long and expansive. The orchestral exposition commits the textbook sin of traveling to a foreign key for the second subject—a luxury traditionally saved for the soloist—but Dvořák’s theme is so magnificent (Donald Tovey called it “one of the most beautiful passages ever written for the horn”) that it can justify the risk. Dvořák later admitted the melody meant a great deal to him. Once the soloist enters, the music grows richer and more fanciful. The development section dissolves into simple lyricism. By the recapitulation, Dvořák is writing his own rules: he bypasses his first theme and goes straight for the big horn melody, as if he couldn’t wait to hear it again. The movement is all the stronger for its daring and unconventional architecture.

Dvořák’s progress on the slow movement was sidetracked by the memory of Josefina, and, as a result, the music he wrote is interrupted midway by the poignant song she loved. The depth of his feeling for her, often debated and sometimes denied, is painfully clear. Josefina died soon after Dvořák permanently returned to Bohemia, and, hearing the news, he took this jaunty rondo finale down from the shelf and added a long, contemplative coda as a memorial. The concerto still ends in high spirits, but it’s no longer the same piece Dvořák took home from the New World.

[megadarkbouquettidalwavethings]

Six inspiring students awarded the Pershing Square Scholarship at the University of Oxford

Since 2014 the Pershing Square Foundation has collaborated with Saïd Business School, University Oxford to award full scholarships to outstanding future leaders on the School’s 1+1 MBA programme, which allows participants to combine a specialist Master’s degree from one of several Oxford University departments with the School’s one-year MBA.

The Scholarship provides funding for tuition, college fees and living expenses, and the Scholars also benefit from a unique mentoring plan.

‘The most interesting business careers and the most challenging issues in the world require leaders to have depth and breadth of understanding and expertise,’ commented Peter Tufano, Peter Moores Dean and Professor of Finance at Oxford Saïd. ‘The Pershing Square Foundation’s gift will allow exceptional future leaders to gain deep knowledge and action-orientated business skills while being mentored by one of the most illustrious leaders in their fields. This customised, fully funded, two-year path eclipses all others. It’s simply a chance of a lifetime to help shape and develop amazing individuals who can go on to make an outstanding impact on the world.’ Six recipients were awarded the Scholarship this year:

Tim Krupa, British Columbia, Canada, Master of Public Policy Before joining Oxford, Tim worked on the policy team in the Office of Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, advising on youth, sport, and disabilities policy.

Tim was raised in Kelowna, BC and studied biochemistry (BSc ’13) and political science (MA ’15) at the University of British Columbia. In 2013 he worked in Zambia to research the determinants of well-being among Zambian children, and his work in this field saw him recognised as the ‘UBC graduate most likely to change the world.’

‘I really believe it’s important in life to have a positive impact on as many people as possible. That’s what the Pershing Square Scholarship is all about. It’s a tremendous opportunity.’

Vuyane Mhlomi, Cape Town, South Africa, DPhil Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vuyane, a former Rhodes Scholar and medical doctor who was raised in a notorious township on the fringes of Cape Town, aims to transform the lives of future generations through education, healthcare and entrepreneurship. His non-profit organisation – the MH Foundation – uses education as an instrument to cultivate Africa’s future leaders while ensuring that the most marginalised children can fulfil their true potential.

After graduating from medical school, Vuyane witnessed first-hand the failings of the South African public healthcare system and its devastating impact on the poor and marginalised. To tackle this problem, Vuyane also co-founded the Emergent Healthcare Group (EHCG), a company that will commission affordable, accessible and quality healthcare centres.

Tulsi Parida, Mumbai, India & New York, USA, MSc in Social Science of the Internet Tulsi’s ambition is to improve literacy in the Global South by utilising advances in accessible technology.

Following time spent with Teach for America in The Bronx, Tulsi joined Newsela, an education tech company, before relocating to India to oversee the growth of a mobile English learning app. She joins the pioneering Oxford Master’s in Social Science of the Internet in order to develop an expert understanding of the changing role of the Internet in society, and how it can be best utilised to revolutionise opportunities for education in the developing world.

‘I am specifically interested in addressing inequalities in education through technology. The 1+1 MBA will give me the opportunity to learn the specific issues of the problem through my MSc and the practical skills to execute a solution through the MBA.’

Carl Rietschel, Hamburg, Germany, MSc in Computer Science Carl’s aim is to use artificial intelligence technology to tackle world-scale problems, while improving the ethics and accountability of the AI industry.

He found his passion for computing early in life, assembling his own computer at the age of 12. Carl graduated with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge before joining the Boston Consulting Group, where he gained exposure to major government projects as well as the financial industry. A long-standing dedication to technology underpins Carl’s ambition for the future: convinced by the potential of AI to make a positive impact in the world, he is eager to shape this industry for the better.

‘The 1+1 MBA has opened not only the opportunity for me to continue my studies at a world class university, but with its community and mentorship programme, it will also provide a unique setting in which to further develop and achieve my future goals.’

Giorgio Tarraf, Beirut, Lebanon, MSc in Comparative Social Policy Born at the tail end of the Civil War, Giorgio witnessed the failings of post-war development policies and their tremendous impact on Beirut and its population.

His goal is to improve the living conditions of urban populations around the world through the development of sustainable urban plans, with a focus on post-conflict reconstruction.

Giorgio co-founded Save Beirut Heritage (SBH) after losing his ancestral family home to rampant urbanisation. SBH quickly grew from a Facebook group to one of the largest cultural organizations in the region with over 10,000 volunteers. It helped preserve over 120 landmarks in the Lebanese capital in just four years.

Facing intimidation as a result of his work, Giorgio immigrated to the United States and joined the United Nations at its Headquarters in New York, at the office of the Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the head of the UN Department of Information.

Lauren Xie, California, USA, MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance Through her experience working in Indonesia, Lauren understands that today’s complex human and environmental challenges have urgent ethical implications.

Lauren is a first-generation Chinese American and a Harvard graduate. Her career led her to Indonesia, where she has worked on the complex issues surrounding deforestation and indigenous peoples’ rights.

From 2015, she worked for CSIRO Australia on a project under the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Rural Economic Development, which focused on improving the incomes of 10,000 small farmers in Eastern Indonesia.

‘The MSc year will give me the theoretical tools to think through these issues, and the MBA year will strengthen my practical skills so that I can turn my new knowledge into action.’

To arrange interviews with the Pershing Square Scholars, please contact the press office. Tom Pilsworth, PR Coordinator, Saïd Business School T: +44 (0)1865 288879 M: +44 (0)7753277689 Email: thomas.pilsworth@sbs.ox.ac.uk

Josie Powell, PR Manager, Saïd Business School T: +44 (0) 1865 288403 M: +44 (0)7711 387215 Email: josie.powell@sbs.ox.ac.uk or pressoffice@sbs.ox.ac.uk

Pershing Square Foundation In 2006, Bill and Karen Ackman founded The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF) to support exceptional leaders and innovative organizations that tackle important social issues and deliver scalable and sustainable impact across the globe. In the decade since, PSF has committed $400 million in grants and social investments across a number of fields, including health and medicine, education, economic development and social justice. By investing in pioneering individuals, non-profits and mission driven companies who dare to re-imagine the possible, PSF has helped to bring about important breakthroughs — from cancer research and small scale agriculture to criminal justice reform and educational opportunities for young people in communities around the world. For more information visit: http://ift.tt/1xsT8v5

Saïd Business School Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford blends the best of new and old. We are a vibrant and innovative business school, but yet deeply embedded in an 800 year old world-class university. We create programmes and ideas that have global impact. We educate people for successful business careers, and as a community seek to tackle world-scale problems. We deliver cutting-edge programmes and ground-breaking research that transform individuals, organisations, business practice, and society. We seek to be a world-class business school community, embedded in a world-class University, tackling world-scale problems.

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The post Six inspiring students awarded the Pershing Square Scholarship at the University of Oxford appeared first on Sports News, Transfers, Scores | Watch Live Sport.

[janiklandre-blog]

Tuesday, May 9th, 2017

Tuesday, May 9th, 2017  9:31 a.m. chilly days - back in the computer room, fighting endless distractions - lots of things I should be doing in my apartment, if I looked at all the things coming up on the screen I would never begin writing, answering mail from readers - that I much appreciate - then do find, like long ago when I had wonderful correspondences with individual friends - I then for the most part could freely write about things on my mind. These correspondences probably could fill a few volumes - as the correspondences of "known" writers do - letters by. It is already written about how email no longer fills previous functions - though of course now we do read endlessly about much harm and distress caused by emails found in computers. Manual typewriters coming back into style! For years it was 8 or 9 quite random people to whom these here writings went - carefully chosen to be out of New York and not in contact with any one close to me - and actually since I had that wonderful lazer printer right next to my computer I did print reams of them, now sitting in folders in milk crates under what should have been my dining table filled with the stuff I should be upstairs and get rid of it. It was people expressing interest in my writing that led to expanding this writing - and now somehow, without giving it too much thought - true for a lot happening in my life - I began sending it to people close to me - who actually would make up the major topic in my life, but cannot, since they are reading this. The dilemmas we cause ourselves. Early on Ken was telling me that in the most miniscule ways I was creating some sort of face book - but an old techno phobic woman - never had a business sense - found so little in my life to turn into dollars and cents - this here blog after some fashion has become what others seem to post on face book - kind of keeping people up to date on my doings - constantly careful of not stepping on toes - but still stepping on toes here and there. Enough of my musings. In the mornings the clock seems to move much faster than in the evening when I am tired. I do plan today to go for soup to the C.W. - in an hour I must sign out. Then do a little shopping, by 1 p.m. ready to close eyes for a while, with a little bit of luck falling briefly asleep - Napoleon it is said was a master of brief naps. Today off to my uptown library, four weeks ago I took out a book trying to read a book again instead of newspapers - the account of an Israeli writer who as a young man was a soldier in a Lebanon outpost  describing the utterly senseless dying of young men. Flowers of Pumpkin Hill is the title of the book. My memoir reading. The book is due and must be returned. I will combine it with a walk in Central Park. That's the plan. The trip yesterday. You heard from me from the Smith College library, a large library, Neilson Library, about to be closed for three years for renovation. I had used their guest computer before - on May 21st the library will be closed. My son has been going there to work on a history paper and found a lovely quiet desk at a window and he also has been meeting there with a friend - they found each other not that long ago and realized they had been class mates at an elite public school in New York, actually located in the Bronx, called the Bronx High School of Science. Quite often mentioned. The other man is working on a book and they established a little ritual meeting at the library and having lunch - now by the closing of the library to be rudely interrupted. Yesterday I joined the two at lunch - in Norhampton, places overrun by customers, nice place, the name of some couple, Alice? and ?? - I enjoyed the fish chowder and then my son walked me to the train - I fully expecting a delay - at 2:01 on the minute it arrived. Amazing. Many travellers. Comfortable. Slow. No bullet trains in America the country of cars. I got off in New Haven to switch to  Metro North - a fellow traveller knew the schedule - leaving, on time! - 4:42 p.m., soon after we had arrived. On this train the pleasure is that as a senior, read old woman, you can pay the conductor, no fine. For Amtrac my son went though a tedious on line reservation - it was $23 and then $11 on metro north. Metro North at times is faster running express, it was almost 7 p.m. by the time we crawled to a stop in Grand Central. This train goes underground on 96th Street under Park Avenue - 96th street became the dividing line between the Upper East Side and Harlem - for years two worlds - now what we call gentrification is crawling up into Harlem. On Sunday there was a review of a book (NYT book review) trying to explain the tremendous changes this city is undergoing. Not easy. As we were crawling very slowly under Park Avenue from 96th street to 42nd street where Grand Central station is, I was already standing by the door that also is a window and the scenario you get to watch is a scenario totally falling apart, another witness to the neglect of our rail system. At one time actually small colonies of homeless had settled in the crumbling nooks and crannies until they were evicted. But one pleasure for me again is that I get off the train and on a quick straight line walk to my subway, the number 6 train - while Penn stsation is a labyrint and none of the west side subways once I find them take me where I want to go. When long walks were still short I usually walked from the West side to my East side. I had texted thee friend that I was coming, I'm always happy to come home to a friend - in my refrigerator was what last Thursday my older son and I had taken home from dinner at the Ukrainian restaurant - Hungarian goulash and mashed potatoes - I often eat things cold, the friend insisted on heating it (I don't want a micro wave - a pan is fine) and it made a good dinner for me. I like to talk, she likes to talk, we had a lively time. When she left I lay down on my bed, was out in seconds and woke at 2 a.m. again to do a few thing - quickly then fell asleep again until 6 a.m. Among my many struggles is my wardrobe. There is for instance a thrift shop in Brattleboro, Vermont - with a big sign we only take good, clean clothing - and there are women my size there who share my taste in long skirts, long dresses and also tops I like - and not that long ago I would drive there by car and at very low prices renew my wardrobe a bit. Lately I have not been able to get there any more and I realize my denim jumpers are fraying at the edges, and so is a black, very simple linen dress that I bought many years ago in a store around here that of course no longer exists. I never wore blue jeans with holes in them but marvel how now women pay a lot of money for faded blue jeans with big holes and hope that before too long fraying dresses and skirts also will become an expensive style. Pre wrinkled is in vogue, straight hair is chic - once upon a time it was only curled hair - well, it is almost 11 - I've carefully omitted writing about conflicts in my life - stuck to the very neutral and possibly boring topic of trains in America - time to sign out. Adios, Marianne

[cts-minnesota]

Executive Profile: In Lebanon, George Haddad says everyone wants to be an entrepreneur

George Haddad Title: CEO and founder, Liaison International Age: 56 Education: Bachelor’s degree, computer science, American University of Beirut, 1980; master’s degree, information technology, Boston University, 1984 Residence: Boston Professional challenge ‘Continuing to strike a balance between innovation in products and services that serve the wider higher education community while continuing to provide the personalized touch of service and support which we consider the hallmark…

via http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2017/01/27/executive-profilein-lebanon-george-haddad-says.html?ana=RSS%26s=article_search and www.computechtechnologyservices.com/nationwide-minnesota.html

[austedu]

MS in Computer & Communications Engineering with a Focus on Mechatronics at AUST University, Lebanon

In today's technologically driven world, the intersection of multiple engineering disciplines is crucial for innovation and progress. The Master of Science (MS) in Computer & Communications Engineering (CCE) at AUST University in Lebanon offers a unique opportunity to delve into the cutting-edge field of Mechatronics Engineering. This specialized program is designed to equip students with the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills necessary to excel in this dynamic sector.

Why Choose AUST University?

AUST (American University of Science & Technology) in Lebanon is known for its commitment to academic excellence and innovative research. The university's MS in Computer & Communications Engineering program, with a focus on Mechatronics, provides a comprehensive education that blends theoretical foundations with practical applications.

Program Highlights

Interdisciplinary Curriculum: The program covers a wide range of topics, including robotics, automation, control systems, and intelligent systems, alongside core CCE subjects. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that students gain a holistic understanding of how computer and communication technologies integrate with mechanical and electronic systems.

Advanced Mechatronics Courses: Specialized courses in mechatronics engineering, such as microcontroller systems, electromechanical systems, and industrial automation, provide students with the knowledge needed to design and develop sophisticated automated systems.

Research Opportunities: AUST places a strong emphasis on research, encouraging students to engage in innovative projects. This hands-on experience is invaluable, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the context of mechatronics.

Experienced Faculty: The faculty members are experts in their fields, bringing a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to the classroom. Their guidance and mentorship are crucial in helping students navigate complex concepts and stay abreast of industry trends.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: AUST boasts modern laboratories and research centers equipped with the latest technologies. These facilities provide an ideal environment for experimentation and innovation in mechatronics.

Industry Connections: The university maintains strong ties with the industry, facilitating internships and job placements for graduates. This network is instrumental in helping students transition smoothly from academia to the professional world.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the MS in Computer & Communications Engineering with a focus on Mechatronics at AUST are well-prepared for a variety of career paths. They can pursue roles in robotics engineering, automation, aerospace, automotive industries, and more. The program's comprehensive approach ensures that students are not only knowledgeable but also adaptable to the ever-changing tech landscape.

Conclusion

The MS in Computer & Communications Engineering with a focus on Mechatronics at AUST University in Lebanon offers a robust educational experience, combining advanced coursework, research opportunities, and industry connections. For those looking to advance their careers and make significant contributions to the field of mechatronics, this program is an excellent choice.

[austedu]

AUST’s Master’s in Biomedical Engineering in Lebanon: Curriculum and Opportunities

The American University of Science and Technology (AUST) in Lebanon offers a comprehensive and cutting-edge Master's program in Biomedical Engineering. This program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to excel in the ever-evolving field of biomedical engineering. In this blog, we will delve into the curriculum and opportunities that make AUST’s Master’s in Biomedical Engineering a top choice for students in Lebanon and beyond.

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering at AUST

Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field that merges the principles of engineering with the complexities of biological sciences to develop technologies and systems that improve healthcare. AUST’s Master’s program in Biomedical Engineering stands out for its rigorous curriculum, experienced faculty, and strong industry connections.

Curriculum Overview

Core Courses

The core curriculum is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in both engineering and biomedical sciences. Key courses include:

Biomedical Instrumentation: This course covers the design and application of instruments used in medical diagnostics and treatment. Topics include sensors, signal processing, and medical imaging systems.

Biomaterials: Students learn about materials used in medical devices and implants, focusing on properties, biocompatibility, and applications.

Medical Imaging: This course explores various imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, and ultrasound, emphasizing the principles and techniques used in medical diagnostics.

Biomechanics: The study of the mechanical aspects of living organisms, biomechanics, includes topics such as motion analysis, orthopedic implants, and rehabilitation engineering.

Bioinformatics: An introduction to computational methods used to analyze biological data, bioinformatics covers topics such as genomic sequencing and protein structure prediction.

Elective Courses

In addition to core courses, AUST offers a range of electives allowing students to tailor their education to their interests and career goals. Elective topics may include:

Neural Engineering: Focuses on the interface between the nervous system and artificial devices, including neuroprosthetics and brain-computer interfaces.

Regenerative Medicine: Covers the principles and applications of tissue engineering and regenerative therapies.

Healthcare Systems Engineering: Explores the optimization of healthcare delivery through engineering principles and technology.

Research and Thesis

A significant component of the Master’s program at AUST is the research thesis. Students undertake original research under the guidance of faculty advisors, contributing to the advancement of biomedical engineering knowledge. The research projects often address real-world problems and can lead to publications in scientific journals.

Opportunities for Students

Industry Partnerships

AUST has strong connections with leading healthcare and biomedical companies in Lebanon and internationally. These partnerships provide students with opportunities for internships, collaborative research, and exposure to industry practices. Companies often seek out AUST graduates for their strong technical skills and practical experience.

Internships

Internships are a crucial part of the learning experience at AUST. The university’s partnerships with hospitals, medical device manufacturers, and research labs enable students to gain hands-on experience in real-world settings. These internships not only enhance learning but also improve employability upon graduation.

Research Opportunities

Students at AUST have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and laboratories. The university encourages students to engage in interdisciplinary research projects that address contemporary challenges in healthcare. Research areas include biomedical imaging, biomaterials, biomechanics, and bioinformatics.

Conferences and Workshops

AUST regularly hosts conferences, workshops, and seminars featuring leading experts in biomedical engineering. These events provide students with opportunities to learn about the latest advancements in the field, network with professionals, and present their own research.

Career Support

AUST’s career services provide comprehensive support to students, including resume writing workshops, interview preparation, and job placement assistance. The university’s strong industry connections and alumni network also play a vital role in helping graduates secure positions in leading organizations.

Why Choose AUST for a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering?

Academic Excellence

AUST is known for its commitment to academic excellence. The biomedical engineering program is designed to challenge students and develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The faculty comprises experienced professionals and researchers who are dedicated to providing high-quality education and mentorship.

Innovative Research

The emphasis on research at AUST ensures that students are at the forefront of biomedical engineering advancements. The university’s research projects often address pressing healthcare issues, offering students the chance to contribute to meaningful innovations.

Vibrant Student Life

AUST offers a vibrant and inclusive campus life. Students from diverse backgrounds come together to form a supportive community. The university’s location in Beirut, a city known for its rich cultural heritage and dynamic lifestyle, enhances the overall student experience.

Global Perspective

With its strong international collaborations and diverse student body, AUST provides a global perspective on biomedical engineering. Students benefit from exposure to different cultures and ideas, preparing them for careers in an increasingly globalized world.

Conclusion

AUST’s Master’s in Biomedical Engineering in Lebanon offers a robust curriculum, extensive research opportunities, and strong industry connections. The program is designed to prepare students for successful careers in biomedical engineering, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to make significant contributions to healthcare technology. Whether you are looking to advance your education, engage in cutting-edge research, or build a career in biomedical engineering, AUST provides a supportive and enriching environment to achieve your goals.

Choosing AUST for your Master’s in Biomedical Engineering can be a transformative decision, opening doors to a world of opportunities and setting you on a path to a fulfilling and impactful career.

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Shaping Tomorrow's Healthcare: Your Path to a Master's in Medical Imaging in Lebanon

Introduction:

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, the role of medical imaging is more crucial than ever before. As medical professionals strive to provide accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans, the demand for skilled individuals in medical imaging is on the rise. In Lebanon, the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) offers a comprehensive Master's program in Medical Imaging, providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to shape the future of healthcare. Let's explore the journey of pursuing a Master's in Medical Imaging at AUST and how it can pave the way for a fulfilling and impactful career in healthcare.

The Importance of Medical Imaging:

Medical imaging plays a pivotal role in modern healthcare by enabling clinicians to visualize the internal structures of the human body with remarkable clarity. From diagnosing diseases to guiding surgical procedures, medical imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and ultrasound have revolutionized the way healthcare is delivered. With advancements in technology and imaging modalities, the field continues to expand, offering new opportunities for innovation and research.

Why Choose AUST for Your Master's in Medical Imaging?

AUST stands out as a premier institution for medical education in Lebanon, renowned for its academic excellence and commitment to student success. The Master's program in Medical Imaging at AUST is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of both the theoretical foundations and practical applications of medical imaging techniques. With state-of-the-art facilities and experienced faculty members who are leaders in their fields, AUST offers an enriching learning environment where students can thrive and develop their expertise.

Curriculum Overview:

The Master's program in Medical Imaging at AUST offers a rigorous curriculum that covers a wide range of topics, including radiographic anatomy, image interpretation, radiopharmaceuticals, radiation safety, and more. Through a combination of classroom lectures, hands-on laboratory sessions, and clinical rotations, students gain a deep understanding of various imaging modalities and their clinical applications. The curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary, integrating knowledge from fields such as physics, biology, and computer science to provide students with a holistic understanding of medical imaging.

Hands-On Learning Opportunities:

One of the highlights of the Master's program at AUST is the emphasis on hands-on learning experiences. Students have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge imaging equipment in AUST's state-of-the-art laboratories, gaining practical skills that are essential for success in the field. Additionally, clinical rotations allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world healthcare settings, working alongside experienced professionals and gaining valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities in the field of medical imaging.

Faculty Expertise and Mentorship:

At AUST, students benefit from the expertise and mentorship of renowned faculty members who are leaders in the field of medical imaging. With years of experience in both academia and clinical practice, faculty members are dedicated to helping students succeed academically and professionally. Whether it's guiding research projects, providing career advice, or offering support and encouragement, faculty members play a crucial role in shaping the learning experience at AUST.

Career Opportunities:

Upon completion of the Master's program in Medical Imaging at AUST, graduates are well-equipped to pursue exciting career opportunities in a variety of healthcare settings. Whether working in hospitals, clinics, research laboratories, or academic institutions, medical imaging professionals play a vital role in improving patient care and advancing medical knowledge. With a Master's degree from AUST, graduates have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to excel in this dynamic and rewarding field.

Conclusion:

As we look to the future of healthcare, the importance of medical imaging cannot be overstated. By pursuing a Master's in Medical Imaging in Lebanon at AUST, students have the opportunity to shape tomorrow's healthcare landscape and make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. With a comprehensive curriculum, hands-on learning opportunities, and expert faculty guidance, AUST provides the ideal platform for aspiring medical imaging professionals to launch their careers and achieve their goals. Join us on this transformative journey and become a leader in the field of medical imaging at AUST.

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Mastering the Future: AUST's MS in Computer & Communications Engineering in Lebanon

Welcome to AUST: Pioneering Excellence in Computer & Communications Engineering

At the American University of Science and Technology (AUST), we invite you to embark on a transformative journey through our Master's program in Computer & Communications Engineering. Positioned at the forefront of technological innovation, our program is designed to equip students with the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to master the future in the dynamic fields of computer and communications engineering.

Why Choose AUST for Your MS in Computer & Communications Engineering?

1. Cutting-Edge Curriculum:

Dive into a curriculum meticulously crafted to incorporate the latest advancements in computer and communications engineering. AUST's program ensures that students are not only well-versed in foundational principles but also at the forefront of emerging technologies.

2. Expert Faculty:

Learn from a distinguished faculty comprising experts and professionals with extensive experience in the fields of computer and communications engineering. AUST's faculty members are committed to fostering an environment of academic excellence and practical knowledge transfer.

3. State-of-the-Art Facilities:

Immerse yourself in hands-on learning with access to cutting-edge laboratories and research facilities. AUST is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, providing students with an environment that mirrors industry standards.

4. Research Opportunities:

Engage in groundbreaking research projects that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in computer and communications engineering. AUST encourages and supports students in exploring innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

5. Industry Integration:

Benefit from AUST's strong ties with industry leaders. Our program is designed in collaboration with professionals, ensuring that the curriculum remains relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of the computer and communications engineering industry.

Admission Requirements for the MS in Computer & Communications Engineering Program

Embarking on your journey to mastering the future at AUST involves meeting our admission requirements:

A bachelor's degree in computer engineering, communications engineering, or a related field from a recognized institution.

Academic transcripts demonstrating proficiency in relevant subjects.

Letters of recommendation attesting to your academic potential and commitment to the field.

A compelling statement of purpose outlining your career goals and aspirations in computer and communications engineering.

Relevant work experience or a background in the field may be advantageous.

Navigate our user-friendly online application process on the AUST website, ensuring timely submission of all required documents. Our admissions team is ready to assist you at every step.

Program Structure and Duration

The Master's in Computer & Communications Engineering program at AUST is designed to be completed within 18 to 24 months. The curriculum encompasses a blend of core courses, specialized electives, and practical experiences, ensuring a comprehensive education that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving field.

Career Opportunities in Computer & Communications Engineering

Upon completion of the program, you'll be well-equipped for a variety of roles in the field, including:

Systems Engineer

Network Architect

Communications Analyst

Software Developer

Research Scientist in Communications

IT Project Manager

AUST's strong network of industry connections and its career services department enhance your prospects for internships, job placements, and networking opportunities within the computer and communications engineering field.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

AUST is committed to making quality education accessible. Explore our various financial aid options, scholarships, and grants tailored to support your academic journey. The financial aid office is available to guide you through the application process and provide information on eligibility criteria.

Conclusion: Master the Future with AUST

In conclusion, AUST's Masters in Computer & Communications Engineering in Lebanon is your gateway to mastering the future in these dynamic fields. Whether you are a recent graduate or a professional seeking to advance your expertise, AUST offers a transformative education that propels you towards success. Explore our website for more detailed information or reach out to our admissions office to take the first step towards mastering Computer & Communications Engineering at AUST. Your journey to mastering the future starts here!