NU-Q students present research papers at home campus expo

Students from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) recently presented their research theses at the 14th annual Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition at university’s home campus in the US. NU-Q dean noted that students on the campus in Qatar “have numerous opportunities to be involved in home campus activities, which reflect the alignment of research and education offered on our campuses in Doha and Evanston”.“This annual event is an opportunity for our students to showcase their findings with the community in Evanston, and to showcase the outstanding research being done by our students in Doha,” said Everette E Dennis, dean and CEO, NU-Q.Shakeeb Asrar presented on his project, “Sensationalism in Pakistani News Channels: A Downside of Media Deregulation?”, which investigated the dramatisation of news in Pakistan, linking it to the deregulation/liberalisation of the media in 2002. His work received the Best Panel Presentation for Global Challenges and Connections, and he was awarded the third best research presentation overall. Asrar was mentored by NU-Q Professor Joe Khalil, who is a seasoned global media professional, and expert in TV production and programming. “It was really interesting to study what I had been witnessing in Pakistan for years, and it was also eye-opening to research how news channels operate in Pakistan, since I wasn’t aware of back-end operations such as media ownership, news gathering, professional background of news anchors and so forth,” said Asrar. Jemina Legaspi’s presentation, “Different Perceptions of Audiences, Organisers and Scientists in Public Science Majlis Forum in Qatar”, explored the question of whether the public in Qatar has a deficit understanding of science. Her topic is one segment of a larger UREP research project she is working on alongside fellow student researchers Aisha al-Qadi and Sara al-Ansari, and is being led by NU-Q Professor Anto Mohsin. The annual expo on the home campus serves as a platform for the global Northwestern community to present their research projects, whether they are performed on stage, written in a thesis or produced in a lab. Participants at the expo presented their work through poster and oral presentations in the arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering.