Interactive maths exhibition in Sharjah aims to inspire tomorrow’s academics

SHARJAH // Maths is being made exciting for children courtesy of an interactive exhibition at the Sharjah Science Museum.

Raytheon’s MathAlive! is designed to inspire interest and spark pupils’ imaginations.

It was launched by Saeed Musbah Al Kaabi, the director of the Sharjah Educational Zone, and is being held in partnership with the emirate’s Department of Museums.

“As a global technology leader, Raytheon understands how important maths and science skills are to every nation’s future, including the United Arab Emirates,” said Matt Riddle, the president of Raytheon International.

“I hope that bringing our exciting MathAlive! exhibition to venues such as the Sharjah Science Museum extends and deepens our 50-year regional relationship in new ways, and helps inspire the next generation of students to pursue maths and science-related technology careers.”

The exhibition is scheduled to travel across the Middle East over the next five years.

It is aimed at children between the ages 7 and 14 and will highlight the maths behind things children enjoy – such as video games, sports, design, music and robotics – by creating an interactive and immersive experience.

“Encouraging our youth to be more involved in mathematics and science is essential for the advancement of our country, and as this delightful exhibition illustrates, these subjects can be both fascinating and fun,” said Manal Ataya, the director general of Sharjah Museums.

The exhibition is being supported by Khalifa University. The assistant director of the university’s Sharjah campus, Dr Ali Dawood, said: “Khalifa University is proud to support such an exciting and worthwhile event.

“We are dedicated to inspiring creativity and innovation in the UAE and hosting events like MathAlive! is one of the ways we can do this.

“It is very important to attract today’s young people to careers in science and technology because that is where the future lies and what the UAE needs to be a world leader in.”

Presented in Arabic and English, the exhibition, which covers 465 square metres, contains content related to maths at work and also features the historical achievements of mathematicians from the Arabian Gulf.

MathAlive! will be open from Sunday until Thursday from 8am to 2pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 4pm to 8pm. It runs until January 12.

KYasin@thenational.ae

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”