In the News 2014

  • New York University President on the Move to Abu Dhabi

    John Sexton, the president of one the world’s top universities, explains why he decided to expand to Abu Dhabi.

    Gulf Business |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Student Awarded Falcon Scholarship

    Arfa Rehman, a student at New York University Abu Dhabi, was announced as the recipient of the Falcon Scholarship for 2015.

    The National |
  • New York University Abu Dhabi Digitises Arabic Books for Worldwide Access

    The world will soon have free online access to 15,000 Arabic books ranging from 12th-century collections of the hadith to Sulayman Al Bustani’s translation of Homer’s Iliad, thanks to a project funded by New York University Abu Dhabi. 

    The National |
  • Philips and Dubai Economic Council Announce Winners of the 'Spirit of Innovation' Competition

    Philips and the Dubai Economic Council (DEC) have announced the winner of the UAE student competition ‘Spirit of Innovation’.

    AMEinfo.com |
  • Students Challenged to Come up with Green Solutions for Abu Dhabi School

    University students in Abu Dhabi could win $5,000 for thinking of environmentally friendly solutions for schools.

    The National |
  • NYUAD to Host UAE Sports Events Legacy Conference

    New York University Abu Dhabi will host a conference focused on identifying risks and discussing the legacies of mega sports events across the UAE.

    The National |
  • The Point of It All

    It seems like a rite of passage now for PhD students: confronting the harsh prospects of academic careers.

    Science Mag |
  • 'This Will Happen Again' Learning from the Ebola Outbreak

    Some scientists are cautiously predicting a turning point in the Ebola outbreak and attention is being focused on the lessons that can be learnt.

    The National |
  • New NYUAD Art Gallery Will Challenge Our Perceptions of Art

    There’s a moment in most illusions that’s called the reveal, an intentional twist that surprises the viewer, plays with their mind and changes their frame of reference forever.

    The National |
  • Amitav Ghosh Talks about Seclusion as His Mind Space

    Anyone planning to see Amitav Ghosh, either at the Sharjah International Book Fair on November 13 or at tomorrow’s, November 7 discussion at New York University Abu Dhabi Institute, should consider themselves lucky. Admired the world over as a novelist, essayist, Tweeter and blogger, Ghosh is in demand everywhere he goes.

    The National |
  • Food Bland? Electric Spoon Zaps Taste into Every Bite

    If dinner is missing some zing, a spoon studded with electrodes could help. It creates tastes on your tongue with a pulse of electricity. The utensil may add some extra flavour for people who shouldn't eat certain foods.

    New Scientist |
  • How Do We Punish Norm Violators?

    An international team of researchers including Loukas Balafoutas (University of Innsbruck), Nikos Nikiforakis (NYU Abu Dhabi) and Bettina Rockenbach (University of Cologne) has conducted pioneering research on the question of how people punish strangers for norm violating behavior. 

    Phys.org |
  • New York University Abu Dhabi's New Gallery Set to Open This Weekend

    The new 7000 square feet gallery space within the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) campus will be inaugurated with an exhibition of seminal works this weekend.

    The National Art Blog |
  • Stopover in Abu Dhabi or Dubai in United Arab Emirates

    It wasn’t a posh version of the old British comedy ’Allo ’Allo. It was Bill Clinton - President Clinton - striding up the aisle at the first graduation of New York University’s four-year-old Abu Dhabi campus in the United Arab Emirates.

    Escape.com |
  • Moving Home: The Brave New World of New York University Abu Dhabi's New Saadiyat Campus

    Some things never change. The temporary convenience store on New York University Abu Dhabi’s newly opened campus on Saadiyat is fully stocked with student staples. 

    The National |
  • Man Booker Judges to Speak at NYU Panel on World Literature

    The judges of the Man Booker International Prize 2015 will share their views on world literature at New York University Abu Dhabi next month.

    The National |
  • The Renaissance of Abu Dhabi

    UAE capital epitome of a gradual shifting of the Arab axis of culture eastwards to the Gulf cities.

    Gulf News |
  • Cyber-Security Vital for Schools

    There is a shortage of UAE nationals interested in cyber security, experts say at conference.

    Gulf News |
  • Art Project Gets to Bottom of Coral Reef Picture

    Exhibition at university seeks to highlight environmental and economic impact of reef erosion.

    Gulf News |
  • Abu Dhabi Spins a Yarn about Climate Change

    These are no ordinary reefs – they are artificial: crocheted yarn, plastic, audio-cassette tapes and other materials fixed to traditional fishing pots from Mina Zayed. Each one represents a different emirate and, collectively, they bear a message about the devastating effect of climate change.

    The National |
  • Phone Scammers Lured in with 'Honeypot' Scheme Set up by Abu Dhabi Researchers

    The honeypots are part of the Phone Genome Project, an initiative set up between New York University Abu Dhabi and Georgia Institute of Technology in the US to learn more about phone scams and other unwanted calls to enhance security in telephony.

    The National |
  • Crochet Coral Reef on Display at NYU Abu Dhabi

    Margaret Wertheim and her twin, Christine, began creating a coral reef out of yarn and plastic thread in the living room of their Los Angeles home nine years ago.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Set to Bloom

    Al Bloom is articulate, informative and candid, whether discussing educational philosophy or Japanese linguistics.

    The National |
  • A Globalizer for N.Y.U. In Abu Dhabi

    Six years ago, Bill Bragin, the music programmer whose hyper-multicultural lineups put Joe’s Pub on the international map, surprised the New York arts world by moving uptown to Lincoln Center. Now he is making an even bigger move, to Abu Dhabi.

    The New York Times |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Welcomes 24 Outstanding Students in an Intensive Enrichment Programme

    Some 24 talented high-achieving undergraduate students have been welcomed by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) into its seventh edition of the eight-month intensive programme for the 2014-2015 academic year.

    Gulf News |
  • New York University Abu Dhabi Welcomes 24 Talented Undergraduate Students to the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Scholars Program

    New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) recently welcomed 24 talented undergraduate students to the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program’s (SMSP) 7th edition this year (2014-2015). 

    One8One |
  • New Research Gives Insight into Mechanism of The "Thermosalient Effect"

    The phenomenon of crystals jumping in response to heat, known as the thermosalient effect, was first reported over thirty years ago, but the mechanism underlying the process remained unexplained.

    Nature Middle East |
  • Student Tracks Key Arabian Gulf Fish Species

    A study of Arabian Gulf fish populations by a university student in Abu Dhabi could soon lend insightful clues to marine conservationists around the world.

    Gulf News |
  • A Decline and Fall: What the History of the Safavid Empire Can Teach Us

    The world stands at a dangerous moment: tensions in Eastern Europe, war in Syria, the rise of militant Islamists and recent hostilities in Gaza.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Provides Hope for Rwandan Genocide Survivor

    Of all the students from around the world who have started at New York University Abu Dhabi this week, perhaps Rodger Iradukunda has had the toughest mission to get here. 

    The National |
  • US Envoy Visits NYUAD

    The US Ambassador to the UAE, Michael Corbin, has visited New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) on Saadiyat Island, where he met NYUAD Vice Chancellor Alfred H Bloom.

    Gulf News |
  • Doors Open to Students of the World at NYUAD

    The first intake of students at New York University Abu Dhabi’s new Saadiyat Island campus has begun its first week of classes.

    The National |
  • Winds of Change Blow Worldwide

    People sometimes like to see everything on the planet as being connected somehow with everything else. According to this perspective, the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings on one side of the world might cause an earthquake on the other side of the globe.

    The National |
  • Abu Dhabi Student with a Million Dollar Side Job

    While most students spend their free time either rushing to meet assignment deadlines or partying with friends, one New York University Abu Dhabi student has other things on his mind – the multimillion dollar US property rental business he has co-founded.

    The National |
  • W Coast to Face the Heat

    The core of the southwest monsoon regime has been showing a tendency to shift north along India’s West coast, leaving the south increasingly dry. 

    The Hindu Business Line |
  • Summer Temperatures Spark Fears for Gulf Coral Reefs

    With summer temperatures in the Arabian Gulf generally beyond the tolerance threshold of many coral species, forecasts of unusually warm seas this year are being met with trepidation by marine scientists.

    The National |
  • What Would Krishna Do? Or Shiva? Or Vishnu?

    This is the ninth in a series of interviews about religion that I am conducting for The Stone. The interviewee for this installment is Jonardon Ganeri, currently a visiting professor of philosophy at New York University Abu Dhabi and the author of “The Lost Age of Reason: Philosophy in Early Modern India 1450–1700.”

    The New York Times |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi: A Student's View

    Now that I’ve graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi, people often ask me, “How was it?” I never know how to answer this question: Good? Strange? Wonderful? Difficult? Sweaty—there is not one absolute answer I can give.

    Al-Fanar Media |
  • Going Nowhere Fast: Analysing the Joyriders of Saudi Arabia

    Menoret, an assistant professor of Middle Eastern studies at New York University Abu Dhabi, spent four years trying to embed himself with the joyriding youth in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to understand the who, what and the why of the illegal, dangerous and incredibly popular pastime.

    The National |
  • Reem Falaknaz Documents Mountain Life in the UAE for the Arab Documentary Photography Program

    The three men sit facing the camera in their basic dwelling. On the exposed brick wall behind them hang their simple belongings, which include a lantern and a washing pot. On the floor is a large dish and a flask, from which they share their meals.

    The National |
  • Crochet Corals to Come to Abu Dhabi

    It’s been shown at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburg and The Hayward in London. Now the Crochet Coral Reef Travelling Exhibition will soon be on its way to the New York University Abu Dhabi.

    The National |
  • Process behind Jumping Crystals Unlocked

    Researchers uncover how some crystals can jump large distances when exposed to ultraviolet light, which could pave the way to actuators driven by light instead of electricity.

    Nature Middle East |
  • How the Mysteries of Language Are Being Mapped

    “The Babel fish is small, yellow, leech-like, and probably the oddest thing in the universe. It feeds on brain-wave energy … excreting telepathically a matrix formed from the conscious frequencies and nerve signals picked up from the speech centres of the brain, the practical upshot of which is that if you stick one in your ear, you can instantly understand anything said to you in any form of language.”

    The National |
  • A Time for Reflection and to Be Grateful for What We Have

    When the dust settled after our recent move, I found myself with a pile of things we could no longer use, from Ikea bookshelves that didn’t fit in our new apartment to clothes no one wanted.

    The National |
  • Arabian Gulf Coral Reefs Dying a Slow Death

    The coral content in Arabian Gulf reefs has declined by up to 50 per cent, posing a threat to fish stocks and marine habitats, an expert has warned. 

    Gulf News |
  • Ancient Clay Hidden in Plain Sight

    At a time of the day when the heat is so intense that even the goats sleep, a Scottish potter and a Syrian geologist scamper up the scree of Wadi Haqeel to chip away at its side.

    The National |
  • NYUAD Names Recipients of 2014-2015 Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Scholarship for Outstanding High School Students

    New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) today announced the 32 recipients of its Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarship for Outstanding High School Students, who will participate in an 18-month enrichment program designed specifically for academically outstanding Abu Dhabi-based Emirati high school students. 
    The coral content in Arabian Gulf reefs has declined by up to 50 per cent, posing a threat to fish stocks and marine habitats, an expert has warned. 

    Abu Dhabi City Guide |
  • We Explore Touring Musical Showcase Auhdio

    After setting up an operation that has organised some of the biggest independent music events in Abu Dhabi, Manuel is now figuring out the future of Auhdio on the eve of his graduation. Nerses Sanassian from White Cube chats to him.

    Time Out Abu Dhabi |
  • Fast and Furious

    Motors and mayhem in Saudi Arabia.

    The Economist |
  • NYUAD Professor Deborah Quinn's Real-Life Adventures in Self-Publishing

    Quinn is the pen name of Deborah Williams, a professor of literature at New York University Abu Dhabi and National columnist, who began work on her first foray into Young Adult (YA) fiction before she moved to Abu Dhabi to teach three years ago.

    The National |
  • Our Inaugural Graduates Receive a Real-World Lesson

    The former United States president Bill Clinton addresses New York University Abu Dhabi’s first graduation ceremony.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi: Learning to Walk, Fall and Change since 2010

    When I graduated from college, in 1986, Nelson Mandela was still in prison. My friends and I were passionate about the anti-apartheid movement and we decorated our graduation robes with “divest now” buttons.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi: A Very 'Special Incubator' in a Unique City

    When Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon, his “giant leap for mankind” didn’t just mark a victory for the US in the space race, his words brought the world together. Education can have a similarly unifying effect. 

    The National |
  • Building a Museum-Going Culture

    New York University student engages children in art to build an audience for Abu Dhabi’s upcoming museums.

    Gulf News |
  • Film Student Hunts for UAE History

    More heritage-centred festivals and performances needed to spread awareness of country’s rich past.

    Gulf News |
  • Local? Regional? National? No, Arab Cinema Is Becoming Truly Global

    The Egyptian-made film Villa 69, which exemplifies the way regional cinema has moved beyond the parochial.

    The National |
  • Abu Dhabi Ports Supports Angel Appeal Charity Event

    The Abu Dhabi Ports Company has hosted students from New York University Abu Dhabi and the British International School Abu Dhabi, along with representatives from the Angel Appeal charity, helping them to hand out more than 200 care packages to seafarers at the Free Port in Abu Dhabi.

    arabianindustry.com |
  • Are Babies Truly Conscious? Abu Dhabi Reseachers Find Our Infants Are More Aware Than Initially Thought

    Are babies truly conscious? The question had scientists baffled until a team in Abu Dhabi studied infants’ brain activity, and found they were more aware than initially thought.

    The National |
  • Marina Warner Unlocks the Cross-Cultural Secrets of the Arabian Nights

    It’s a full house. When Marina Warner, the highly regarded English scholar and novelist, visits New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) to discuss one of her favourite topics – “the power of patterned word” as she would later describe the Arabian Nights – students, professors and the public at large take the time to stop and listen.

    The National |
  • Sheikh Nahyan Hails UAE-EU Relations on Europe Day

    Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak addresses diplomats and students at the ceremony to celebrate Europe Day at the Paris-Sorbonne University.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Senior Collaborates with Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority to Promote Local Arts Education

    New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), hosted a presentation and talk this week by NYUAD senior Bouthayna Baltaji focused on finding ways to inspire young people to become more active in the arts. 

    Abu Dhabi City Guide |
  • Egyptian Writer Naguib Mahfouz's Play Gets Its First Reading in English by NYU Abu Dhabi Students

    A minor yet important play by the late Egyptian literary legend Naguib Mahfouz received its first English reading by NYU Abu Dhabi students at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Poised to Unveil New Green Campus on Saadiyat Island

    Construction has finished on New York University Abu Dhabi’s main campus on Saadiyat Island. The 21 buildings, which took less than four years to complete, span 450,000 square meters, an area equivalent to eight New York city blocks.

    The National |
  • The Importance of Good Translation

    How can a work of translation become a successful work of literature in its own right?

    The National |
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Institute's Noise from the Middle East Puts Regional Electronic Music in the Spotlight

    The Egyptian musician Karim Sultan was among three regional performers at NYU Abu Dhabi Institute's electronic music festival Noise from the Middle East. 

    The National |
  • Electronic Music Micro-Festival in Abu Dhabi

    Lovers of the genre will have the chance to learn from experts and established musicians.

    Gulf News |
  • New York University Abu Dhabi Maps Date Palm Genome

    Dates have been central to the diets in the Gulf for thousands of years, providing sustenance to everyone from the simple desert societies of the past through to today’s residents of shiny skyscrapers.

    The National |
  • NYUAD Hosts Discussion on Animal Farm

    Members of the Abu Dhabi community on Thursday to joined a group reading and discussion on George Orwell’s famous satiric novel Animal Farm, hosted by the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Institute and the University’s Arts and Humanities journal Electra Street at the NYUAD downtown campus.

    The Gulf Today |
  • Reinventing the Log: Why NYU Abu Dhabi Matters

    When I was invited to visit New York University's Abu Dhabi campus, I thought about begging off. Abu Dhabi is very far away. Many universities have established branch campuses around the world. And the cutting edge of higher education innovation today has more to do with open access, low-cost, digital initiatives than with expanding a university's physical plant.

    Huffington Post |
  • Award-Winning Sculptures by Erin Meekhof

    They might look like abstract sculptures – five strange, black, boxy objects – but Erin Meekhof’s art is representative of alphabet trees, the result of her inquisitive studies into language and its roots.

    The National |
  • Bill Clinton to Speak at First New York University Abu Dhabi Graduation

    Former US president Bill Clinton will address students at New York University Abu Dhabi’s first graduation ceremony. 

    The National |
  • Computer Whizzkids Descend on Abu Dhabi for Programming Marathon

    The Orphan Locator was one of 15 applications developed by more than 80 students from across the world who were in Abu Dhabi for the International Hackathon to solve the region’s problems through technology.

    The National |
  • Brisk Cycle of Construction and Demolition in Abu Dhabi a Threat to Capital's History

    When it comes to Abu Dhabi’s architectural heritage, the relationship between the present and the past is far from straightforward. 

    The National |
  • Two Students in UAE Win Scholarships to Oxford

    Two students from New York University Abu Dhabi have been offered places on the inaugural Falcon Scholars programme and will this year conduct postgraduate studies at Oxford University in England. 

    The National |
  • Abu Dhabi Scientists Shine a Light on How the Brain Works

    Dr Timothy Dore is doing research in to the role of serotonin as a neurotransmitter chemical at NYU Abu Dhabi.

    The National |
  • The Art of Living: Abu Dhabi Adds Cultural Big-Hitters to Saadiyat Island Project

    Rising up from the turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf, Saadiyat Island is arguably one of the grandest residential and cultural projects in the works anywhere in the world today.

    CNN |