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More Arab Women Studying STEM

By U.S. News & World Report

For as long as she can remember, Amirah Ahmad Daghache has had a fascination with electronics and computer systems. As a child growing up in Saudi Arabia, Daghache did really well in math and says she was “the nerd that enjoyed doing her math homework.”

Today, Daghache, a Palestinian-Canadian, is putting those math skills to use as a telecommunications engineering major at the Canadian University of Dubai.

“I’m hoping to pursue my degree and work on programming for media companies,” says Daghache, who is the student representative for the School of Engineering, tasked with working with university officials to help solve engineering students’ concerns.

No longer just a boys’ club, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are being infiltrated by more women who are pursuing, and excelling, at these subjects offered by Arab region universities. Studying STEM was a natural choice for Daghache, who is doing an internship at streaming and video-on-demand platform, Icflix, and has future plans for a master’s in computer programming.

See how Arab universities [are offering opportunities to women.]

“I’ve already started my career in the field and I’m very optimistic about the future,” says Daghache. “I’m hoping to find new and better ways to organize databases and make it easier and smoother for customers and clients to connect to media servers.”

In the Gulf region, women comprise 60 percent of engineering students in universities, compared with 30 percent in the U.S. and Europe, according to UNESCO.

Hind Zantout, professor at the School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus, says women in her undergraduate computer science courses actively engage with the subject matter on par with their male peers. She believes it is beginning to have a positive impact in the technology startup market. And, Zantout sees multiple roles to be filled by women as the number and type of Internet-connected devices continues to expand.

“With the Internet of Things fast hurtling toward us, there is also a pressing need for women to take part in shaping this new world from all its aspects, be it legal, social or technological,” says Zantout.

Feda Abdullah Al-Majed, a Saudi national, just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Jubail University College in Saudi Arabia. While a student, she founded Girly Talk, a beauty and lifestyle blog, an idea that won her first place for the 2014 Business Ideas Competition at her school.

“It all started with a beauty blog. Then we opened our online store where we sold makeup and cosmetic bags designed and made completely by us,” says Al-Majed, who, along with her partner, is opening a physical store.

In January, Al-Majed attended the first women-only hackathon in Dubai, sponsored by the Meera Kaul Foundation and held at the Canadian University of Dubai as part of the Women in STEM 2015 Conference and Awards. Her five-woman team took first place in the two-day coding competition, winning the $5,000 prize for the mobile gaming prototype app they created in nine hours.

Learn how [online education at one Saudi university is engaging women.]

“We created a game under the name Unique Hand that was inspired from our culture and the henna designs that are popular in this region,” says Al-Majed. “Participating in such a big event opened my eyes to different ideas and gave me the chance to meet new people and increase my connections.”

Wes Schwalje, chief operating officer of Tahseen Consulting in the United Arab Emirates, says these types of events have been ways Gulf Cooperation Council countries have sought to expose more students to STEM. While research he has compiled on females in school and at work shows that Arab women have indeed made gains in STEM, he says they “still face significant challenges in the workplace that leads to segmentation into select fields.” Some of these challenges include sociocultural barriers, such as ideas about appropriate work and how much men and women should interact in the workplace.

Despite such barriers, women like Soumaya Tebbi, a French-Algerian chemical engineer, are pushing through.

“Working in the Middle East, I have witnessed many companies implementing a diversity policy to increase the number of women at the workplace especially in technical fields, so the opportunities are waiting out there,” says Tebbi, a regional sourcing manager working for a major oil and gas service company in the UAE.

Those anticipating working in a male-dominated environment, she says, should be confident they will gain higher respect with their expertise.

Tebbi says STEM can provide many opportunities for women in the Middle East where, she says, gender diversity has not stabilized yet and where technology and innovation are in high demand by employers such as the oil and gas, waste management, fast-moving consumer goods and chemical industries.

Explore the ways [higher education is evolving in the Arab region.]

And STEM can lead to a variety of career paths. Her former engineering classmates are currently working as research and development engineers, consultants, environment managers, business managers and teachers.

When embarking on a career in a STEM field Tebbi advises students to understand the type of career opportunities their STEM programs can offer, seek role models from whom they can gain insight and pursue internships to help shape their career path.

For her part, telecommunications engineering student Daghache says pursuing STEM has made her more confident and “unstoppable,” especially when challenging men in the field and breaking down barriers.

“You can only make your mark on the world when you stand out of the crowd,” she says.

See the complete rankings of the Best Arab Region Universities.

More from U.S. News

5 Facts About American-Style Universities in the Arab Region

Arab Countries Open New University Campuses to Draw Female Students

Online Programs Offer New Opportunities for Arab Students

More Arab Women Studying STEM originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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