Known as Hollywood on the Nile, Egypt’s film industry experienced its golden age in the 1960s.The nationalization of its film industry buoyed the budgets of directors to capture the hopes and fears of Egyptian society in hits like Dawn of a New Day and Struggle of the Heroes. Tamara Maatouk, assistant professor of film studies in the Department of the Arts, sees film as a vessel for history, offering insights beyond textbooks. Her research explores how Egypt’s private- and public sector films captured the socialist 1960s. AUCToday spoke with Maatouk to learn more.

Supported by the newly established Kerr Family Scholarship for undergraduate students, freshman Malak Hashem is beginning her path toward becoming an architect focused on sustainability and community impact.

“We have a lot of global challenges, like pollution and the use of nonrenewable resources,” Hashem said. “I chose architecture because it allows me to respond to these issues. My current interest is in sustainability and net-zero buildings. I hope that, with my knowledge, I can help communities adopt these methods to create a stable and sustainable environment.”

Hashem’s interest in architecture grew from a lifelong passion for drawing, crafting and sculpting. While studying historical art, she became drawn to the geometry of Islamic architecture and the grandeur of Baroque ceilings. That balance between beauty and function ultimately led her to architecture — a discipline she believes “can’t be replaced by AI because humans are the only ones capable of true creativity.” 

“I want to use sustainable energy in my future buildings to help reduce the impact of the water crisis."

AUC’s New Cairo campus has reinforced that belief. Designed with sustainability in mind, the low-lying, Andalusian-inspired buildings integrate shaded courtyards, windcatchers and recirculated water systems that reduce energy use and minimize waste amid Egypt’s water scarcity. Summer winds are guided through the campus to cool interior spaces, limiting reliance on air conditioning. 

For Hashem, the campus serves as a living example of the principles she hopes to apply in her own work. “I want to use sustainable energy in my future buildings to help reduce the impact of the water crisis,” she said. 

On a campus built to encourage connection and environmental awareness, Hashem has found a like-minded community. Conversations with senior architecture students have sparked her excitement for upcoming theory courses, where she will explore the historical and philosophical intentions behind architectural forms. AUC’s Core Curriculum has also shaped her perspective. Courses in rhetoric and composition introduced her to the study of beauty beyond aesthetics. 

“I learned that beauty is a deeply rooted concept in every aspect of life,” Hashem said. “It’s not about appearances or social media trends.” As she looks ahead, Hashem is intentionally taking courses across disciplines — including business, psychology and sociology — to develop as both an architect and global citizen. “I won’t stop at my undergraduate degree,” she said. “I want to continue my studies so that one day, I can build communities that are both beautiful and sustainable.”

Just past the New Cairo campus portal stands a sturdy brick building housing the University’s hub for academic-industry collaborations: the AUC Innovation Hub. Inside, startups, multinationals and corporates work alongside students on real-world professional projects, without ever having to leave campus.

Smart tables, reservable offices and a gaming station fill the hub, where students and industry leaders meet, prototype and work with emerging technologies. All nine companies currently partnering with the AUC Innovation Hub fall within three focus areas: digital transformation, artificial intelligence and sustainability. 

Dalia Abd-Allah, senior director of the AUC Innovation Hub, knows that providing students with experiential learning is essential to making them competitive young professionals. “Our aim is simple yet bold: to make AUC a place where innovation actually happens, where companies can work through real challenges and students gain practical experience along the way,” she said.

AUC architecture senior Maya Saad described the opportunities she gained while working at LAYN, an Egyptian startup specializing in 3D concrete printing and one of the Innovation Hub’s industry partners. “I got to develop my programming skills by actually working on projects that used the design programs I’d been learning about in class,” Saad explained. “When you work for a startup, you get to see how modeling functions in reality.”

LAYN operates partially out of the Innovation Hub and offers internships and curricular and noncurricular programs that immerse students in real-time innovation problem solving. Sama Abdelsayed, an architectural engineering student, reflected on her participation in the micro-internship program. “I learned a lot from the experience at the Innovation Hub about how my career doesn’t have to be dull or traditional,” she stated. “It is living proof that there are new ways to use our creativity and create successful collaborations between different companies.”

Two of the Innovation Hub’s partners, LAYN and SODIC, have collaborated with courses at AUC, including the Digital Design Studio and Workshop in the architecture department. Fatma Farrag ’19, ’23, senior computational designer at LAYN, is also an instructor for the course. “Normally in the classroom, we’re very limited to small models because so much of our work is experimental,” she explained. “But by partnering with LAYN, students are able to build actual prototypes. They get to see the application of their theoretical knowledge in a way that is essential before entering the field.”

“I got to develop my programming skills by actually working on projects... When you work for a startup, you get to see how modeling functions in reality.”

The architecture students designed and prototyped a pavilion using LAYN’s 3D concrete printing technology. They completed site visits, worked with professional software and participated in a jury review with judges from both LAYN and SODIC.

With so many companies collaborating in the same space, new partnerships are forming and finding creative ways to engage with students. “We’re all able to grow together — us as startups and the students as future professionals,” Farrag added.

Another partner, Blu EV, works in electric mobility and operates a battery-swapping platform for electric light vehicles. Students collaborated with the company on battery management challenges.

“I feel astonished by the quality of the solutions that were introduced by the students,” said Rida Baalbaki, CEO of Blu EV. “For them, it was exciting to have that sort of hands-on experience, and for us, the students are exceptional. This partnership creates real value for both AUC and the tech sector.”