Tamuq camp helps students develop apps for cybersecurity

About30 school students from across Qatar designed and coded mobileapplications as part of a week-long academic enrichment workshop oncybersecurity organised by Texas A&M University at Qatar (Tamuq). DuringApp Camp: Cybersecurity Challenge, students worked in teams to designand develop an iOS app. They learned how to code, prototype, test andrefine their ideas along the way. Apps developed by the studentsincluded a phone-theft app, an app that helps students make choices thatwill decide their futures, an app that lets users borrow specific itemsfrom others in the community and an app for delivering coffee andrecycling the materials used.Najah Alnounou was part of the teamdeveloping a phone-security app called Stranger Danger. When installedon an iPhone, the app can detect if the person holding the phone is theowner. If the wrong password is entered, the app takes a photo of theholder’s face and sounds an alarm to notify others in the area of thetheft.Alanounou said she enjoyed the programming aspect of the camp.“It’s all about logic. Once you understand, you’re ready to createanything. That’s what coding is!”Participant Mohab Amgad said, “Inthis workshop I have learned to program in a new language, with a goalto create a new app that involves cyber security with the purpose tohelp others.”Dr Mohamed Gharib, facilitator for App Camp, said theprogramme was designed to help students understand fundamentals ofprogramming while highlighting the critical role of cybersecurity inQatar’s sustained development.“Through this experience, App Campparticipants are learning that anyone can become a programmer,” he said.“These students have applied their creativity and determination towardsimpressive app projects that they should be proud of.”Mahaal-Sulaiti said she applied for the programme to gain experience inprogramming, and Maha al-Suffar agreed, saying: “I have learned a lotabout computer programming and because of the App Camp programme, myteam and I are going to create the first coffee app that delivers andrecycles in Qatar.”Ghalya Abdulrahman and Noor Abdulrazzaq, part ofthe coffee-app team, said: “Being the first young Qatari girlsprogramming our personal project on coffee transport application – inaddition to collaborating with the recycling company – has never made usfeel this proud of ourselves, as we are not only contributing to thecommunity and environment but to Qatar.”  Dr Cesar O Malave, dean ofTamuq said outreach programmes such as App Camp help young studentsunderstand the importance of engineering in Qatar and worldwide. “Thestudents have seen how engineering can help solve problems people faceevery day, and I hope they have learned a lot and enjoyed their timewith us. Each of our App Camp programmers and inventors has thepotential to be an engineering leader in Qatar.”App Camp was presented by Tamuq and sponsored by Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd.