The new president of a government-backed group set up to empower women working and studying in science and technology is on a mission to 'destroy gender barriers' in the UAE - and make knowledge accessible to all.
Hoda Al Khzaimi says she has had to overcome many hurdles in her career solely due to her gender, but she is determined to make the career path smoother for others in her role as the new president of Emirates Digital Association for Women.
The group, which is supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs, is a non-profit initiative geared towards empowering women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-related sectors, using ambassadors from universities, schools, government, ministries, banking, tech giants and social media firms as beacons of hope to those looking to make inroads into the world of work.
The association is working to ensure that researchers have all the equipment and funding they need, though being a junior researcher and a woman is tough in UAE, said Ms Al Khzaimi, who is the director of Center of Cyber Security at NYUAD.
"We wanted to make sure women have a better career path and choices in the field of research. We are working on programmes on women leadership. We should have local capacity and people who are competent to carry out research. We want to see good examples who can give back to the ecosystem," said Ms Al Khzaimi.
“I would love to place an international programme for our researchers. This programme would offer scholarships. If they need some funding, they can be supported. We are fundraising now.
“I want to contribute to conferences and send researchers with papers to these conferences. If researchers can’t afford to travel to conferences, we want to fund this. We want to provide internships for women from the Middle East across the globe so that they can get empowered. This will move them beyond academia,” she said.
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Read more:
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Ms Khzaimi’s idea is to build an innovation lab aimed at all age groups where people can learn or cultivate their minds, attend workshops or build a prototype.
“I face tremendous challenges within my field. We can destroy these gender barriers that exist and start by making sure researchers have an initial support systems. To get to being a senior researcher, you need support when you are a junior. You need to give people a chance to do research and build a resume,” she added.
The researcher hopes that soon academics would have the resources to travel and attend any conferences or hire someone for research, should they require it.
“We need to make sure that within every organisation, there is a critical support network. There are many organisations across the globe saying they support gender balance and payment equality. In reality, that’s not what is happening. My goal is to make knowledge accessible,” said Ms Al Khzaimi.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
