A U.S.-based alumna reflects on what it's like to be a health care professional during the pandemic.
 

By Yakin Ouederni

For Hanaa Ibrahim '90, heroes nowadays look very different from the ones we see in movies. Instead of capes, they're draped in white coats and scrubs, and instead of fighting off villains, they're treating and containing COVID-19. However, while they do not look the same, they share a common goal: to save lives. As many of them as possible.

Ibrahim is the director of pharmacy in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. When the coronavirus hit the United States, New York became the epicenter of the pandemic, with more than 350,000 confirmed cases and over 40,000 in her county. Ibrahim -- whose responsibilities as pharmacy director include overseeing the Suffolk County central pharmacy, medical programs in two jails and vaccination programs for uninsured residents -- saw her duties expand with the rapid spread of the virus.

"I oversee the distribution of testing kits to the nursing homes, fire departments and other centers so they can test the public," she said. "We also created PODs, Points of Distribution, where we create sort of a mobile hospital to draw blood and test. We're also taking care of tracing patients and all those they had been in contact with in the past 14 days and possibly have been exposed to the virus."

Ibrahim is playing a large role in the county's coronavirus public health response. Her days are filled with meetings, site visits, emergency preparedness, tracking cases and ensuring people are properly tested and traced. When a vaccination for coronavirus becomes available, she will be in charge of the vaccination program in the county.

"The efforts played out beautifully," she said about the county's public health initiative. "We flattened the curve. Had we not flattened it, we would have been worse than Italy."

But that doesn't mean it's over. As the United States began reopening the economy, states have started to see a rise in the number of cases. And more recently, the country is witnessing a wave of public gatherings as people take to the streets to protest police brutality.

"How is this going to translate pandemically? I don't know," Ibrahim said. "It's like a perfect storm."

For now, Ibrahim and her colleagues have put together policies and procedures for all possible scenarios. "We have a plan A, plan B and plan C," she said. "It's emergency preparedness -- all 'what if' situations."

Thinking ahead is nothing new for Ibrahim. In 2008, she was the first in New York to introduce the practice of Emergency Room Pharmacists, now a common -- and deemed critical -- practice across the country. She was met with skepticism when proposing this idea but went on to become a health care pioneer in the state.

"I believed in what I was doing," she reflected. "In your job, don't look under your feet; look 10 years from now. The world 50 years ago is nothing like the world today. If you think your job is going to stay the same your whole life, you'll probably lose it."

And it's with that same mentality that she puts on her cape each morning, saying goodbye to her family as she and thousands of other health care workers go to the frontline. She says that she's tired and exhausted, and the slightest things have started to make her cry, but that doesn't stop her from heading to her office. If anything, it has made her stronger.

"Every day is a challenge, but every day is also a success story and milestone," she said. "I appreciate my family more, my friends more, my lifestyle and my religion even more now."

While Ibrahim is dedicated to doing her job, she wants everyone else to do theirs too. For now, she advises people to keep their social distance, wear masks, be conscious and not take the matter as a joke. For the future, she wants governments worldwide to be transparent and work together when fighting the same battle.

"What hit China hit the rest of the world in one month and a half," she said. "We're going to have more pandemics in time. When that happens, countries shouldn't point fingers. They should learn from each other's mistakes and think globally."

Even as Ibrahim's career progressed since graduating from AUC with a bachelor's in chemistry in 1990, followed by a bachelor's in pharmacy from St. John's University and a doctorate in clinical pharmacy from Shenandoah University, she says that AUC has been with her every step of the way. It's at AUC, she affirmed, where she was taught to think critically and solve problems creatively.

"Thank you, AUC, for everything you've done for me," she said. "Where I am now is all a product of AUC. It's not an institution; it's a culture and a family that taught me how to think."

And it's as an AUCian, "heart and soul," she asserted, that she will continue to fight for people's lives.

By Yakin Ouederni

You probably never used to count the number of times you shake hands or give hugs during the week. Once a natural moment, saying hello or reaching out for a quick pat or nudge were instinctive gestures that have now transformed into an awkward elbow tap, a slight wave or, more commonly, nothing at all.

With the world told to social distance since the pandemic, many have abided by strict isolating rules: wearing masks, keeping a distance of at least 2 meters away from others and engaging in no physical contact. But with a number of vaccines already being administered around the world, the pertinent question of 'to touch or not to touch' remains afloat. Will we be able to go back to physical contact as normal? Was this just a phase we will quickly outgrow? Experts say they hope so.

"We are hardwired to connect with others," said Hani Henry, associate professor of psychology and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. "So I honestly think that for our mental health, we need to get out of this distancing as much as we can without compromising current protective guidelines."

Apart from the apparent physical tolls of COVID-19 on one's health, the virus has also unleashed a wave of mental and psychological issues that arise from isolation and distance from other humans. "It's been proven that loneliness and isolation can precipitate or exacerbate depression or anxiety," Henry said. "More and more people feel isolated and are feeling depressed or anxious as a result. Because we're social animals, we thrive through connectedness and the sharing of experiences. When this gets cut off, it can affect our mood, our sense of the world, our perception of danger and our skills."

Irene Strasser, assistant professor of psychology, used the term 'disembodiment' to describe the consequences of our limited contact with others. It's not even about having the contact itself but what we gain from being together -- body language, gaze and unspoken expressions.

"Our interactions are more or less disembodied," Strasser said. "We need to put more effort into communicating informally. I think of my students and the fact that after class, I click on 'end meeting,' and everyone is alone in front of the computers. There is no walking out of the classroom together, no going for a quick coffee."

The issue isn't even the physical space or the act of getting coffee but the "room" for informal conversations where we connect personally -- "the kind of communication where we bond, happen to find similarities, experience empathy and sympathy, share experiences and evaluate our own feelings in relation to the other," she said.

As with all discussions about COVID-19, the question of touch boils down to one thing: science. Touch, Henry explained, is our first tool of communication as humans. "If you give a baby a toy, the first thing they do is to touch and feel it," he said.

Touch is both how we receive and express emotions. "Research has shown that we can experience a wide variety of feelings such as love, happiness and sympathy, or anger, fear and disgust through touch," Henry added. More so, touch may lower stress hormones and release oxytocin, which enhances your sense of trust and attachment. In moments of grief, we squeeze and hold tight; in happiness, we hug; and in love, we kiss.

The importance of touch in our lives has long been a question of study. American psychologist Harry Harlow's wire monkey experiment showed that touch plays just as important a role as basic survival needs like food and water. Harlow built two 'mother' monkeys, one made with wire and the other covered in soft fluffy cloth. In one of the experimental conditions, the wire mother provided baby monkeys with food, while the fluffy one did nothing. In the end, Harlow found that the babies spent more time with the fluffy mother, despite her not providing them with any sort of nutrition -- just comfort.

"That was interesting to see, and Harlow would say the need to touch, the need for tactile comfort is innate, not only human," Strasser said, quantifying the wired monkey example with a reminder that humans are much more complicated beings and are able to find comfort in diverse interactions.

"Physical touch is not the only way of feeling close, attached and connected," she said. "We feel touched by someone who is just leaning in, looking at you or talking in a calming way, or for example, being touched by a particular gaze, how someone looks at you, displaying care, understanding, solidarity, warmth or when falling in love."

Despite the known benefits of coming out of isolation and reverting to old practices of physical touch, the process of renormalizing human interaction is no easy task, and it's likely that not everyone will hastily return to pre-COVID ways.

And there are places like Egypt, where kissing and hugging are an integral part of the culture, where social gatherings and face-to-face interactions are not just things that come along with life but are woven into the social fabric of the country. It's common to see those who are "indifferent" to the pandemic in Egypt -- going about their daily lives, pandemic or not -- and once COVID-19 is over, the country will likely see a quick change of behavior among those who are taking precautions now.

Henry, who has conducted multiple studies focusing on the collectivist nature of Egyptian society, noted that the avoidance of distancing measures is not about ignorance as much as it is about maintaining harmony -- an essential element of collectivism.

"I've seen people take off the surgical masks to kiss each other, and then they put the mask on again," Henry said. "Why do people do that? The self is not very independent or individualistic. And so the idea of harmony with people takes precedence over human individuality."

Strasser agreed that physical contact in cultures like Egypt will likely not go away any time soon.

"I don't think that kissing and hugging will disappear from any cultural context. Maybe we will continue adopting different ways of informal greetings, gatherings, and showing appreciation and connectedness for a while or within particular contexts. But most people still have their bubbles where they kiss, hug and physically touch each other," Strasser said.

With about five major COVID vaccines being administered at the moment, including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and the Sinopharm Chinese vaccine, the process of returning to normal can be quicker than we expected. But what exactly does getting vaccinated mean? Does it answer the question of "to touch or not to touch" with a simple "touch?"

"Vaccination is our hope to end the pandemic and go back to normal life," said Ahmad Moustafa, professor of biology at AUC.

Moustafa explained that the extent of protection of vaccines is measured by efficacy. The Pfizer vaccine is measured at 95% efficacy, meaning that once you take it, you reduce your risk of contracting COVID by 95%. The long-term effects of the COVID vaccines can be predicted by looking at other viruses in history, Moustafa said. Polio has been virtually eradicated globally, with a 94% efficacy vaccine. However, the protection that vaccines offer cannot be seen unless we reach "herd immunity."

"Herd immunity happens when a particular proportion of the population gains immunity against the virus through vaccination or previous exposure to the virus. Then the immune subpopulation will protect the smaller proportion without the immunity," Moustafa said.

Regarding COVID-19, the vaccination needs to reach about 80-90% of the population to achieve herd immunity. How long it will take depends on how fast the vaccine is delivered.

The best way to move forward is to learn how to deal with uncertainty, Strasser emphasized. It's no question that social distancing is the solution to slow down the spread of the virus and actually save lives until the vaccine is widely available. "It's a good idea in the midst of a pandemic to help flatten the curve, and if even more people could engage in more social distancing, wearing masks and other precautionary measures, it would probably be even better," Strasser said.

But it's equally as important to not allow for this sudden change to drift us too far from what it means to be human. "With the current pandemic, we live in constant awareness of staying in distance to others," she added. " I think it's important that we do not become alienated from each other, that we still feel solidarity and empathy and connected to 'the other' as human beings, even outside our bubbles of families and friends."

So it seems our question involves an open-ended answer, one that depends on the individual, the course of events and, of course, science. For Henry, this crisis has not only made people aware of what we took for granted and the importance of connections, but has proven that human resilience is indeed remarkable. And it's that resilience that paves the way for our return to brighter days, he said.

"Think about the feeling you have when you go to the cinema and you are with other people who are laughing and that laughter is contagious. Or think about the happiness and excitement you feel when you watch a soccer game along with people. Think about the spirit of rekindling love, of mending the rapture that happened between people."

By Nahla El Gendy, as told by AUC faculty

Jillian Campana, theatre professor and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences

For over 20 years, I sought to avoid online teaching and even hybrid course design. Learning and teaching are more than the transfer of knowledge. They are about falling deeply in love with a subject matter, research question, theory or practice. They involve a reciprocal relationship between educator and students in which together they question ideas, discover approaches and solve problems. This is really difficult to accomplish via an online platform or email correspondence. People of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures are currently citing high levels of isolation, and most of us are less connected to people outside of our bubble. Without the ability to establish new relationships, we are not challenged to understand perspectives other than our own.

For this reason, I believe that when we are able to return to face-to-face educational experiences, there will be a surge in pedagogical trends that seek to connect students and honor dialog and experiential educational practices.

Students have missed the classroom. Teachers have missed the classroom. We will all be grateful to resume study in a space together, and out of this gratitude will come innovation.

At the same time, problems generally lead to creative solutions and groundbreaking discoveries. In our current situation, students and teachers are at the forefront of such problem solving because we have a finite time, typically four years, to work and learn together, and so we need to make the most out of remote and hybrid study. Many professors are learning to use and incorporate technology into their courses better, and these tools will remain a steady part of our classes even after we return to campus, connecting older faculty to the younger generation who rely on technology. Students are reaching out to their instructors more for informal conversations. I have had many individual Zoom meetings and phone calls with students -- an example of how individualized instruction will forge lasting connections.

As a professor of theatre, remote work has been a unique challenge but also an opportunity to transform and invent new forms and make new connections.

We have had masterclasses through Zoom with distinguished artists living abroad like Yussef El Guindi, and we held a playwriting event last spring in which almost 100 students, faculty and alumni submitted original plays. These events would not have happened if we had not been craving creative outlets.

Of course, theatre relies on the relationship between artist and spectator, in much the same way that a classroom relies on the connection between student and teacher. It is the very energy in the space and the way the emotions and ideas spread from performer to audience that make the medium of theatre powerful. We simply cannot bring an audience into an enclosed space these days, so rather than change the discipline, we are making use of different types of performance venues and audience engagement techniques.

AUC's Spring 2021 play, Msh Zanbek, formerly titled You, W-Ana Too, is an outdoor site-specific performance in which five original short plays will be performed in five different outdoor locations. Small audience groups of approximately 10-15 people will watch each play (masked) and then follow a student guide to the next outdoor location to watch the next play. In this way, audiences will rotate through all five plays, watching the stories unfold. Since the topic of the play is sexual harassment, I am particularly interested in how conversations between audience members will unfold as they walk together to the next performance. The experience will be more interactive than a traditional play and will hopefully spur change and dialogue. Without the current restrictions on public gatherings, this performance would have been held in the Malak Gabr Arts Theater or The Gerhart Theater. As comforting and easy as that would have been, it is incredibly exciting to come up with an unusual and new approach to making and viewing a play.

I believe that out of this very difficult time will come a stronger, more connected and more innovative educational community.

Ahmed Tolba '97, '01, associate professor of marketing

Can the COVID-19 pandemic produce positive consequences? Can we look at the glass half-full?

I believe we can, particularly in the education field.

Since March 2020, faculty members have passed through three phases. First, there was the "panic" phase, whereby all what we hoped for was to save the semester. Then we experienced the "adaptability" phase, where we gained confidence in delivering online courses, albeit with a few reservations and still with a hope to return back to campus. Finally, we are passing through the "new normal" phase, where we hope to maximize the use of the effective online tools to complement face-to-face instruction.

In my opinion, the new normal in education should include more hybrid models. Students should be able to attend synchronous classes on-campus and online. This should attract international students to join programs and courses without travel. The new normal will involve more use of technology and more reliance on experiential learning in class to complement online learning tools. This will avail more time for interaction and practical applications, which, in turn, should raise the quality of education.

It is up to us to look at the glass half-full. Let's capitalize on a crisis to build a better future!

Hamed Shamma '99, '02, associate professor of marketing and BP Endowed Chair at AUC's School of Business

COVID-19 has been a significant disruptor to our lives -- probably the most considerable one we have faced so far. It has forced us to change how we do everything. In education, it has forced us to go online. We never thought or believed that being online would be as good as face-to-face instruction. But I have to say that online learning opened up new avenues that we never realized until we actually experienced it.

Going online made me question: Are we really making the best use of our face-to-face classes? If most of what we do in class can be done over Zoom -- this is the case in my marketing classes; it may differ for sciences or other disciplines -- then what should we offer in face-to-face classes? It made me challenge myself and think that I need to bring learning to a new level once we are back on campus.

Going online provided an easier connection with practitioners, consumers and businesses from Egypt and worldwide. If we need to connect with any stakeholder, it is much easier than we thought. With a click on a Zoom link, we are all together in class. This is obviously convenient for everyone. It also allowed us to better communicate with students, who realized that it is easy to talk and have a video call with professors, colleagues and other entities outside of class time. This was formerly limited to office hours on campus, but now, this can virtually happen at any point in time.

We have realized the benefits of online learning, but we have also realized that 100% online is just not the best experience.

Once the pandemic starts to diminish to safe levels for us to go back to campus, I am sure we will do things differently. Here is what I will do:

1. Less explanation of concepts and more engagement with students in class

2. More open-book exams

3. Regularly connecting with other students, marketing practitioners and consumers in different parts of the world to augment the practical learning experience and international exposure

We have always been talking about blended learning. We can no longer depend on 100% face to face nor 100% online. A mix of both tools will be the way forward.

Education is changing for good. This disruption will force educators to change their learning methodologies and use a mix of tools to provide students with the best learning experience. The future of education will definitely be more exciting than it currently is.

By Reem Abouemera

Will the future of education be online, hybrid or completely face to face? What will happen in the post-COVID-19 classroom? Even before the pandemic, Research and Markets had forecasted that the online education market would surge to at least $350 billion by 2025. What happens now, with the impact of COVID-19 becoming centric in education?

Hoda Mostafa, professor of practice and director of the Center for Learning and Teaching, and Maha Bali '01, associate professor of practice at CLT, believe it's all about the individuals using the tools rather than the tools themselves.

"The digital education space is rich with both pedagogical and technological innovations, and the decisions we take now can possibly open up new opportunities," said Mostafa. "I am personally a pedagogy-first proponent and see technology as the enabler."

"Nothing is ever really about the 'digital tools,' or at least, it shouldn't be," Bali affirmed.

"Sometimes, a tool can replace something you're doing in-person to allow you to do it the same way, supplement it or enhance it. Occasionally, a digital tool can help you do something you could not do before, but it's always about what it is you're trying to do and whether a tool exists that can be used -- or repurposed -- to fit your goals," Bali added.

For Bali, it's always about humans and social connections -- not tools, since there are almost no "new" tools that appeared during COVID-19. It's just that suddenly more people had to learn to use them and choose the ones that fit their needs.

"People are innovative, not tools," Bali emphasized. "You can use simple and straightforward tools every day, like Google Slides, in innovative ways. Digital literacy is more important than digital tools."

For instance, using Twitter isn't about learning how to tweet but about learning how to use it to create a campaign. Similarly, many people around the world use a tool like Zoom, but how many are using it to create engaging classes and meetings?

So is hybrid the future of education?

Mostafa perceives that in some contexts, traditional classrooms and even workplaces will no longer "work" after everyone has been exposed to studying and working in vastly different approaches than the usual, which is why hybrid models are here to stay.

Bali agrees that hybrid teaching will likely continue beyond the pandemic because it was already happening before it. "I'm sure that although many people were introduced to online learning at a time of trauma, some will realize the benefits of sometimes using non-traditional ways of teaching in the future," she stressed. "Whether it's for logistical reasons or because some tools enable equitable learning, each teacher will discover what works for them."

Despite that, Bali still believes that university education is much more than the cognitive learning component that happens in classrooms.

"Students gain so much from the social interaction, extracurricular activities, and other informal and less-structured learning that happens on campus. Universities will likely continue to offer and value such experiences," she affirmed.

For Mostafa, there seem to be more questions than answers at this point. "What will our learning spaces look like in the near and far future? Will we ever return to the face-to-face teaching we are accustomed to, or will we craft a new set of delivery methods, pedagogies and technologies that allow for fluid teaching and learning? What kind of support environment can centers for learning and teaching provide instructors as they drive this change and help navigate the array of digital tools that best support learning?" These are all questions yet to be answered, and the discussions continue.

"Many communities within institutions across the globe are responding to the pandemic by engaging in conversations around the future of higher education using an innovative mindset to challenge the status quo," she added.

As for Bali, while she's certain that hybrid learning isn't just a buzzword and is here for the long haul, she deems it vital to keep the issue of privilege front and center: Who has privileged access to technology, and who doesn't? What about access to high-quality devices? The internet? "Even some privileged neighborhoods don't have great internet access, and that is an issue that needs to be solved at the infrastructure level," she said.

But all in all, opportunities are evidently present, with digital tools paving the way for them.

"With this complexity comes opportunity when communities of practice look to others for guidance, draw from past experiences and, most importantly, listen with empathy and care to our learners," said Mostafa. "I hope that the higher education communities will embrace this crisis with innovation, accompanied by an openness to experimentation and learning -- one challenge at a time."

By Reem Abouemera

"COVID-19 could be the first of waves, not the only wave. That will definitely change behavior, and in my own practice, it will change design - precisely, it will change architectural design," said Khaled Tarabieh, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Architecture.

Looking ahead, the University began its AUC Next 100 Campus Plan along with international architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle, who will be guiding the University through the master planning process for the design and construction of the second phase of our New Cairo campus. BBB engaged the AUC community, including student interns, in creating a vision for the future of the campus - supporting the space needs of the 21st century.

Among the engaged stakeholders who shared their vision for AUC New Cairo were Tarabieh's students in his Sustainable Design class. Over the summer, they explored environmentally friendly uses for AUC's undeveloped land, putting themselves in the shoes of the architects and actively working on the campus project by being assigned an AUC site and tasked with master planning it.

From green roofs to permeable pavements, students worked from scratch to come up with their own architectural proposals. Their efforts were guided by Tarabieh, who holds both a master's and PhD in city planning for energy-efficient environments from the University of Pennsylvania and is an expert on the design, construction and assessment of green buildings.

Tarabieh shared with AUCToday his architectural insights on what the future could look like for AUC post COVID-19, in light of his expertise and based on the ideas proposed by his students during their participation in the AUC Next 100 Campus Plan exercise.

Hybrid Flexible (HyFlex) Classes

Among the pandemic's expected implications is the prevalence of HyFlex courses, where students can attend their classes either fully face to face, via videoconferencing as the classes happen in person or via recorded sessions after class, Tarabieh noted. Therefore, classrooms need to be equipped with technological resources to enable students to equally access all these participation modes and achieve the same learning objectives regardless of the mode they choose.

Class space would also need to be reconfigured to maximize physical distancing and may even need to be redesigned or enlarged, especially if the number of enrolled students per semester remains more or less constant.

"The new normal will demand that we take certain aspects into account, like how humans will adapt to being 1 meter apart from each other and wearing protective masks," he said.

The Air We Breathe

The pandemic has taught us how particles can linger in the air, and confined spaces can be a transmission source for the virus. So improving indoor air quality must be at the forefront of priorities, Tarabieh said, highlighting that a "breath of fresh air" can go a long way.

AUC has always fostered a clean and green campus and taken several measures to implement that, from developing a sustainable trash management system to building the University's first extensive green roof.

Now the buildings will need to be even more sustainable and healthier than before, with mechanical systems designed to supply fresh air and purify air at higher levels, Tarabieh noted.

"Priorities have changed," he said. "It's no longer about just supplying cold air or nice-quality air that's free of humidity - it's about purifying the air -- an issue that imposes greater difficulty on mechanical design and that will require future investment in quality air conditioning systems and being ready for a higher energy bill."

To achieve that, AUC will need to invest heavily in technology, particularly ultraviolet germicidal irradiation technology that purifies the air and inactivates airborne bacteria and viruses -- similar to the concept of home air purifiers but on a larger scale. In addition, a front-loaded investment in building systems could take the form of more advanced air filters and portable filtration units.

Keep Disinfecting

We're all using hand sanitizers much more than before, stocking them in our bags and pockets while on the go. Since we've been doing it for a while, it's become second nature and is likely to stay.

While seemingly simple, the frequent use of sanitizers has entirely different effects on physical spaces, especially concerning material selections. Since we're spraying different types of liquids all day, the choice of material becomes vital, Tarabieh pointed out.

"AUC will need to seek bacteria-resistant materials and antimicrobial surfaces that don't allow viruses to settle onto them," he said. "You won't be able to use cloth materials that COVID-19 can stick to while cleaning classrooms, for example. Using carpets will be challenging not only because it acts as a dust sink but also because it's a potential surface that retains the virus for a prolonged time. Floors, furniture and wall materials also need to be able to withstand that kind of frequent spraying and cleaning without deteriorating."

Naturally, life-post-pandemic will be all about frequent cleaning and disinfecting public areas. COVID-19 got us used to the sight of housekeepers in protective suits or vehicles spraying disinfectants everywhere -- and that will become part of the AUC norm for decades to come.

Tarabieh expects that the University will be recruiting for a much larger "army of specialized technical disinfection teams in addition to the typical army of housekeepers as well as disinfectant jobs to run a facility like AUC and sanitize it like a hospital."

But a large base of housekeepers simultaneously means more stock of protective equipment: sanitation suits, masks, sanitizers and disinfectants. "Yes, we'll need much larger storage closets, but the bigger impact will be on their architectural programming," stressed Tarabieh. "There has to be a mechanism to not only store the equipment but also dry it when needed, have it in stock at all times and dispose of it without coming in contact with the rest of the equipment. In other words, a sustainable cleaning system will need to be built from scratch."

Back to Partitions?

"In the last 10 years of green architecture, we've been calling for open office spaces without partitions," recounted Tarabieh. "It's a healthier environment when you're in an open office space, enjoying daylight and socializing with one another."

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, researchers are now taking a step back on the idea of open office spaces because being in close proximity with others can pose significant risks. As a result, the direction is headed toward increasing spaces between offices.

"There's a likelihood that we're going back to compartments," said Tarabieh.

That's for office space.

But "the power of outdoors" will likely take over in other aspects of life, with a new trend that is likely to emerge. "It's similar to 'stay home,' but this time, it's 'stay outside and get some fresh air.'"

Tarabieh predicts that AUC will invest more in landscaping to design more pedestrian-friendly areas in expectation of new normals such as outdoor classes, for instance. He emphasized that the nature of courses will change -- classes can be taught on the go while walking with students, socializing, or having a drink or meal together.

"The idea of stagnant classroom instruction was fading away anyway before COVID but the fading accelerated post-pandemic onto the new normal," Tarabieh said. "The architectural vocabulary of outdoor spaces will change, including how to define and design these spaces. AUC will need more steps that allow gatherings and instruction in the fresh air and pit-like design spaces like those on Bartlett Plaza, where people sit in a circle or a U-shape."

For Better or Worse

The lingering question remains, "Will the post-COVID-19 world be better or worse than it was before the pandemic?" No one knows, but Tarabieh is looking on the bright side.

"The whole world will change," he affirmed. "Every house now has a home office, and each one of us -- from children to grandparents -- needs internet access. Smart TVs, smartphones and digital tools are keeping us connected, and there's an overarching theme of strengthening sustainability worldwide."

Through it all, humans have proven their perseverance. "There will be nothing called 'reset to the beginning' post-COVID,' but this isn't the first challenge that mankind has faced," Tarabieh reflected. "For thousands of years, humans faced challenges. They will adapt and find ways to do what they used to do before the pandemic. I'm not saying that its impact will last forever -- but human beings have an exceptional characteristic, which is adaptability."

AUCians can stay home and stay safe, but they can't stay inactive. Check out some of the creative ways they've been spending their time during the quarantine.

AUC's Musical Talents Shine

This is Not a Concert

It's not a concert, but it is a series of spectacular performances put on by some of AUC's most talented musical artists. You can watch all the performances here

• Dina Iskander, adjunct professor of voice and founder and director of the AUC Opera Ensemble, sings a Broadway tune and a tribute to David Llewellyn Hales (1957-2020), a musician, accompanist and coach who worked with students and ensembles at AUC, and as a reminder to stay strong during these challenging times.
• John Baboukis, professor and director of AUC's music program, initiated This is Not a Concert series to provide "musical comfort food" during the quarantine
• Nesma Mahgoub '13, adjunct professor of voice at AUC, founder and director of A caPop choir and professional singer, sings Rise Up and I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.

Quarantining hasn't stopped Arthur Bos, associate professor and chair of the Department of Biology, from making music. Bos has been recording songs during "Quarantine Sessions" from his home in Cairo for the AUC community and fans around the world to enjoy during this time Watch his videos.

"To teach online, take good care
Just don't look at the camera and stare
And you really need to know which screen to share"

School of Business faculty members Ahmed Abdel Meguid, associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration at the school, and Hakim Meshreki, assistant professor and Master of International Management/CEMS academic director, collaborated on this fun song about online instruction mishaps and tips. Take a listen here.

Writer's Corner

From day one to 161...and counting

The Caravan presents: Daily Diaries, everyday reflections from the AUC community.

Read the narratives capturing life under quarantine for different people.

"I say count your blessings. It may be the fact that we are forced to stay in that is making it unbearable along with the uncertainty of the future. Nonetheless, there is always a positive side to every downfall." -- Lobna Fayez '17, senior specialist, external affairs, School of Global Affairs and Public Policy

Playwriting Bakeoff

Members of the AUC community put their creative skills to the test when challenged to write a play script in just 48 hours. Read the scripts.

Workstation Selfies

• "I am really delighted to be able to interact with my students and keep them going right from the first week of online teaching. Delivering the lectures during scheduled class time, using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, allows students to be interactive by participating in real-time questionand-answer sessions." -- Abdelaziz Khlaifat, professor, Department of Petroleum and Energy Engineering
• "The transition to online teaching has been smooth. Of course, there are challenges, but according to feedback from my students, they are satisfied. These are difficult times for us all, and we all have to come together and support each other by being understanding of how the disruptions to our daily routines have affected all aspects of our lives. I am thankful for how the AUC community as a whole has been very supportive." -- Adel El Adawy, assistant professor, Middle East Studies Center
• "We don't always get the chance to work outdoors and enjoy the sun and breeze. This is an opportunity to make the best of the current circumstances. Stay positive, stay safe and stay home!" -- Caroline Mikhail (MA '14), executive assistant to the chair, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
• "I've discovered that making videos of my lectures is a great resource. Students tell me they like being able to rewatch any part they didn't catch the first time. I can tell from online responses that they are catching more of the content than they do taking notes in person." -- Elisabeth Kennedy, visiting assistant professor, Department of History
• "I gave my first online presentation through Zoom in the final course for the Professional Educator Diploma, and I rocked it! Keep it up, believe in yourself and stay safe." -- Islam Ahmed, School of Continuing Education student
• "The transition to remote teaching has been an overwhelming experience. We have gained a huge amount of knowledge in a very short time, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Distant learning is full of potential that is now smoothly implemented, and we will continue benefiting from it even after these hard times are gone." -- Mariam Abouhadid, adjunct assistant professor, Department of Architecture
• "Working from home is definitely a new challenge for me, especially while having two kids around, but during these difficult times, we all have to stay home and stay safe so we can get through this together." -- Ragya Sorour, executive assistant to the chair, Department of Biology
• "Teaching online from home proved what I used to say to my trainees: 'Teachers will not be replaced by technology, but teachers who do not use technology will be replaced.'" -- Osama Sebaai, instructor and teacher trainer, School of Continuing Education
• "Working remotely is sometimes challenging, but it has definitely pushed me to find creative ways to maintain productivity. It also helps when my dog is by my side in every online meeting I attend. She is my support system." -- Suzan Kenawy '09, '20, marketing manager, AUC Press and Bookstores
• "These difficult circumstances enabled me to discover how patient, kind and understanding my professors are. Thank you to all AUC staff members who work in silence in order to ease our online journey." -- Samaa Abdelhamid, AUC student

Where in the World are Our Alumni Quarantining?

• "I am the corporate financial planning and analysis manager at PepsiCo headquarters in New York. I've got some work-from-home tips for everyone: Set a daily working hours timetable to be focused, dress up to freshen up, take refresh breaks every couple of hours, stay more connected with your teammates, organize a simple workstation and motivate your family members." -- Farah Haggag '10, '12
• "We graduated from the architectural engineering program in 2016. We just got our master's in urban design from The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Now we are volunteering with an advocacy group called Car Free Day to apply what we have learned during our master's program in the city." -- Islam Ibrahim El Banna '16 and Aya Khaled Abdelfatah '16
• "I graduated with a master's in international human rights law and a graduate diploma in forced migration and refugee studies in 2006. I have fond memories of my schooling at AUC. I am currently teleworking in Silver Spring, Maryland, as the deputy director of the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation with USAID. When things calm down and travel is available again, I will be working for USAID in Khartoum, Sudan, as the deputy director of Food for Peace."-- Felicia Genet (MA '06)
• "COVID-19 has hit the United Kingdom hard, and little did we know that we will be staying home. I am a program leader for Further Education and Training at Edge Hill University. COVID-19 has shown us here in Liverpool the power of people coming together. The great Arab community in Liverpool and the Arabic center's initiative to provide food and support for families are exceptional. Liverpool is one of the beautiful cities in North West England that always makes me feel like I am in Alexandria or Port Said because of its waterfront and beautiful seas. Regardless of the current situation and remote work, I feel lucky to be able to hear the birds singing in the garden and see the occasional seagulls trying to steal some food." -- Shereen Hamed Shaw '06

Do you have cash to spare?Are you looking for stable investments to maintain or increase the value of your money? In this economy, money can be less productive inside the bank than in investments due to inflation, which has led to a drastic devaluation of the Egyptian pound.

To dissect Egypt's economic status and discover the best saving methods, we spoke with Jasmin Fouad, professor of finance in AUC's Heikal Department of Management. Below are some of her tips for navigating the current Egyptian economy and multiplying, or at least safeguarding, your savings.

By Celeste Abourjeili

"I remember walking into that court in the morning feeling overwhelmed, and it almost seemed like the peak of my career aspirations. I'm in the court representing Egypt in a case addressing the situation in Palestine," says Jasmine Moussa '02, '05.

Moussa is a legal adviser in Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and she recently presented Egypt's oral arguments at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the advisory opinion on the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

At the court, Moussa highlighted the 75-year history of Palestinian suffering at the hands of Israel. "History will judge us for how we respond today," said Moussa in her ICJ address. She ultimately declared, on behalf of Egypt, that "Israel's prolonged occupation is therefore illegal and is an ongoing, internationally wrongful act that must be immediately brought to an end."

The aftermath was possibly even more disorienting. "We don't typically do media appearances, but on the plane back, passengers, flight staff and the pilot recognized me." she says. Moussa had mixed feelings about the attention at first, but overall felt honored for the reception, and relieved that people generally respected the work she had done. "People in this ministry put a lot of trust in me with that task, and I just felt so privileged and thankful that it was well received. It felt like a nice, big celebration that we had all collectively done something," she says.

Bold Beginnings

Moussa discovered her interest in international law and politics at AUC, where she double majored in political science and economics. "I was at AUC between 1998 and 2002, which was a turbulent time for the region," she says, explaining that the era witnessed conflicts in Palestine, Southern Lebanon and Iraq, as well as 9/11. "The campus was really alive with political discussions and debates, and there was a lot of student activism around those themes. AUC was a place where we had complete freedom of thought, complete freedom of action."

She found that student engagement was always welcome from her professors. "Once, we organized a massive drive to collect donations for Palestine, and it was so huge that we blocked the roads for a week. We had 33 trucks full of humanitarian relief supplies," shares Moussa. She and her fellow students inspired others in her community to help too, with underprivileged children bringing bags of rice and sugar for the cause.

Moussa was also engaged in the Cairo International Model United Nations on campus, which kept her aware of current developments. She took part in the model of the International Court of Justice, even presiding over it at moments. "It all started at AUC: my passion for the Palestinian cause, justice, international law and the international rule of law. These interests drove me throughout my career."

When Moussa finished her undergraduate degree, she decided to become an international lawyer, completing her first postgraduate degree in international human rights law at AUC.

Building a Career

Moussa's first job after AUC was an internship with the Arab League. It was there that she wrote a short memo about requesting an advisory opinion on the legality of settlements in occupied Palestine. "To me, that was very obvious. Why don't we go to the ICJ and ask for an advisory opinion? And then, 20 odd years later, it happened," she says.

Later, in 2005, Moussa joined Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but she didn't just want to work in diplomacy -- she wanted to specialize in the field of law and chart the path forward. This drove her to pursue a law degree at Cairo University, a master's in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a PhD in law at Cambridge. "Every step in my path was further confirmation that I was in the right field, doing the right thing," she affirms.

"There's a whole new generation of Egyptian international lawyers who are amplifying Egypt's voice in the international legal arena."

Though the law is not always applied correctly, Moussa feels she is contributing to improving its application in this part of the world, particularly in Egypt. "International law is a tool for developing countries to try to get their rights asserted at the global level," she says. "There's a whole new generation of Egyptian international lawyers who are amplifying Egypt's voice in the international legal arena."

While exciting and fast-paced, the job is anything but easy. Moussa and her team work six days a week with open-ended working hours. "We live in the office, and it comes at an expense," she says. "Oftentimes, our goal is not to reach an agreement, but rather to avoid one that does not serve Egypt's best interest."

Outside the office, Moussa's time is dedicated to her family. She has two young children and a husband. While she used to love writing poetry and volunteering, her time now is limited to work and family. "It's very difficult for women to maintain a career in law," she reflects. "There are a lot of women who enter the field, but then they're not able to continue in it for very long."

Making the Case

The work of an international lawyer can be painstakingly slow, Moussa says. "Some agreements can take decades, even generations to negotiate. The apparent lack of results is one of the most frustrating parts of my work."

This is especially true when it comes to Palestine. "In the Palestinian case, it seems that very little is achievable. There doesn't seem to be much prospect for peace," she explains. Moussa finds the disregard for international law in the Palestinian case particularly frustrating and believes that the ICJ ruling has revealed a pattern of noncompliance with international law when it comes to Palestine.

"For decades we've talked about Israel's obligations as an occupying power until it occurred to the Palestinians to ask the question, 'Is this occupation lawful to begin with?'" Instead of ruling on how Israel should be conducting the occupation, lawyers like Moussa are now arguing that Israel should not be conducting the occupation in the first place because the whole situation is unlawful.

"The ICJ complied; it gave the opinion that Israel needs to end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory with an overwhelming majority," she says. "With international law, we can keep critiquing the system, or we can try to use it to our favor to achieve incremental gains."

Moussa believes this is a reality that Palestinians have become acutely aware of today. "Now, Palestinians are trying to get decisions from international courts so that we're not just talking about rights in the abstract, but about rights confirmed by the highest judicial organ of the global system," Moussa explains. This pathway, Moussa says, has helped other countries vindicate their rights, such as Mauritius in its claim for sovereignty over Chagos, Namibia during its fight for independence and South Africans at the end of apartheid. "If you work from within the system, it will sometimes work in your favor," she says.

When asked about her advice to current AUCians, Moussa warns that many will try to dissuade them by arguing that the work students feel passionate about is too hard. The field of international law, for instance, is very competitive and has lots of experts without many opportunities. Yet, following her own advice, Moussa did what she was passionate about and never gave up. "Don't take no for an answer, and just keep at it. Because that's really what it is," she says. "You try and try and try."

By Em Mills and Devon Murray

If you can't imagine a future without AI, you're not alone. AI has transformed countless aspects of daily life and will only get more influential, leading some to ask, "Is AI going to take over the world?"

Fears of robot overlords aside, a more pressing concern lies in whether AI can learn to address the systemic inequalities that shape our society and inform our data sets. Left unchecked, AI is doomed to replicate and amplify the prejudice reflected in dominant culture. What needs to happen to set AI on the right path?

We spoke with AI experts Mona Diab '92, director of Carnegie Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute, and Aliah Yacoub '18, AI philosopher at Synapse Analytics and founder of the publication techQualia, to understand the latest developments and challenges in the realm of AI and why it's important to incorporate ethics into tech.

Mona, you've been working with AI for more than two decades. How have things changed over the years?

MD: Our field used to be a bit of a hidden secret until the boom in 2017 when we started seeing far more large language model technologies hitting the market. Now, with things like ChatGPT, those technologies have really taken over the narrative and are much more mainstream.

What are some of the challenges accompanying the AI boom?

AY: The most critical challenges that we're facing today are of an ethical and social nature. Instead of focusing too heavily on questions about AI displacing workers or killer robots taking over the world, we should direct our attention to the pressing issues of feminist AI, geopolitical exclusion, regulation issues, bias and more.

We also face particular sociopolitical obstacles that make AI usage complicated: Countries can't create regulatory frameworks at the same pace that the technology itself advances or even at the same pace with each other. In Egypt, this is amplified by certain structures and governance issues that make the regulation of responsible AI a real challenge.

MD: Take things like Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and machine translation. Many people blindly assume that they can always be trusted, which is very scary. In general, Google Translate does a phenomenal job. However, if you translate a language that has a limited digital presence -- meaning how much information about the language is accessible for AI to pull from online -- then your technology is less than perfect and you can run into a lot of trouble. With the growing accessibility and dependence on these technologies, from basic translation to courtrooms, it's imperative that they have a built-in notion of responsibility.

How can we build more responsible, culturally sensitive AI?

MD: It starts with building talent. We talk a lot about computational and critical thinking in computer science programs, but what I'd like to add to this conversation is responsible thinking. We want the people working with these new technologies to come in with social responsibility in mind, as opposed to adopting it later as a remedial or reactive attitude.

That's why I came back to the university; it's where people begin to study and work with these technologies. The idea is to start students out already understanding and grappling with these dynamics from the get-go.

AY: Because AI has become a fundamentally interdisciplinary field, it's vital for experts across specializations -- particularly the social sciences -- to have a voice and lend their personal skill sets to the field. That's how we can develop responsible AI.

Can you give us some examples of social responsibility in AI?

AY: One example of this is Data Feminism, a feminist AI approach which aims to address the issue of biased data sets that perpetuate inequalities. In the tech world, women are grossly underrepresented in every stage of production, from the theoretical to the technical. Feminist AI seeks to incorporate an analysis of contextual knowledge, power relations and marginalized perspectives, helping us understand who AI systems represent and who they ultimately serve.

Another example of social responsibility is localizing AI content to bridge regional literacy gaps. At techQalia, we approach this by writing in an accessible and exhaustive way, avoiding confusing academic jargon and releasing all of our publications in English and Arabic.

MD: Translating sciences into other languages so that people can study in their native language. It's not about dispelling English as a central language for scientific expression but rather enriching the scientific landscape by unlocking people's creativity in their native languages. This way, we create new algorithms, approaches and technologies. It comes with the territory of diversity.

Why is it important for Egypt and the Arab world to get involved with these technologies now?

MD: Facilitating scientific innovation in Egypt and the Arab world will enable local communities to flourish economically and enrich the scientific landscape as a whole, helping to balance out inequality in who gets a say in tech development. Right now, Silicon Valley predominantly defines the value systems of large language models because they're the ones with the means to build these technologies at scale. This creates a level of hegemony that we need to remain cognizant of, particularly in the context of colonialism and imperialism.

AY: Right now, Egypt struggles with severe AI illiteracy. We are rarely ever early adopters of new technologies, which means we miss out on the benefits of adopting generative AI across industries like healthcare and education. Aside from missed economic opportunities, the fact that algorithms are not trained on Arabic data can also have dangerous repercussions on our sense of identity, reproduction of knowledge and representation in data sets.

"We talk a lot about computational and critical thinking in computer science programs, but what I'd like to add to this conversation is responsible thinking."

Mona, a large portion of your work has focused on expanding the understanding of Arabic in large language models. Can you tell us more about this?

MD: My work came to fruition at Meta in the context of social media. People don't commonly speak in Modern Standard Arabic. On social media platforms, they use their own dialect and vernacular, so a reductionist understanding of Arabic like MSA renders translation ineffective and inaccurate. I challenged Meta to account for these variations, leading to more effective translations, better user experience and easier recognition of hate speech. Translating Arabic is a microcosm of exploring how to push the boundaries of computer science as a technology.

I want to get involved in AI. Where do I start?

AY: It's never too early and never too late to get involved with AI. Most importantly, it's never unrelated to your studies, no matter what they are. We actually recently published an excellent resource in English and Arabic for students called techQualia Career Guide, which offers insight into jobs in AI based on different fields of study.

MD: I highly encourage students to seek out ways of participating in global initiatives around AI. I have an initiative called 60-60 that I would really love for people to join. You don't have to travel to be able to participate in most initiatives. You can partake in events, courses, tutorials and programs online that will give you the opportunity to build a global network.

Any final thoughts?

MD: I'm actually an optimist when it comes to this technology because at the end of the day, it is human agency that controls it. As much as we are good, the technology will be good and will be put to good use.

AY: It's very difficult to think of an area of human life or human experience that AI hasn't already transformed or is plotting to transform. It's essential to start now, from the very beginning, focusing on ethical development.

___

Diab studied computer science at AUC and completed her master's in computer science at The George Washington University and her PhD in computational linguistics at the University of Maryland, moving on to conduct postdoctoral research at Stanford University and serve in leadership roles at companies like Amazon and Meta. Diab's work combines linguistics and computer science to make AI-powered tools effective and inclusive, focusing on responsible AI.

Yacoub studied philosophy and political science at AUC and completed her master's in philosophy at the University of Groningen. Her work focuses on the ethics, science and implementation of machine learning AI algorithms within a broader social context. She strives to explain, inform and critique the workings and implications of AI using a philosophical framework.

By Adham Radwan

At AUC New Cairo, anyone hurrying to class near Alwaleed Hall or the School of Sciences and Engineering who wants to grab a snack from Quick 24 must pass by the University's "walk of fame" -- also known as "the steps."

For some, the steps are a place to relax during their gap periods. "I think students sit there to be close to their classes," says Marwa Hussien, an AUC student.

Others experience more anxiety while passing by. "I don't like to sit on the steps because I fear being judged for not wearing a Louis Vuitton bag or Gucci belt, as those who sit there do," says another student who wishes to remain anonymous.

The steps have been a campus staple for decades, dating back to 1964 when the University purchased the Greek Campus to accommodate a growing student body. For years, it housed the library, Social Science building, Social Research Center, Jameel Center and School of Continuing Education (previously known as the Center for Adult and Continuing Education and Division of Public Service). Back then on the Tahrir campus, the steps were known as "the platform" or "the plat," extending from the library to the garden areas at the center of the campus.

• Social Science stairs on AUC's Greek Campus, 1990s-2000s. Courtesy of the University Archives
• The Platform (Plat) on AUC's Greek Campus. Photo courtesy of the University Archives
• Social Science stairs on AUC's Greek Campus, 1980s. Courtesy of the University Archives
• The steps in front of the School of Sciences and Engineering at AUC New Cairo. Photo by Ahmad El-Nemr

Many AUCians remember the platform as the cool spot to sit due to its close proximity to the famed "Gucci Corner," where students wearing designer clothes often hung out.

Emad Elba '07, a political science major, mentions Gucci Corner as she recalls the social division of AUC's downtown campus during her undergraduate years in the AUC Memories project. "[If] you wanted a study-abroad student, you went to the Fountain Area, the presidential gate or the rare books library. ... But if you wanted [to find them] with their semi-Egyptian friends, you'll find the gang sitting on the platform by the library gate. ... [If you] wanted an activities dude, you took a trip to the Student Lounge or the Greek booths area. ... [If you were] wondering what's the latest fashion, pass by the Gucci Corner down the platform by the Social [Science] building. ... And of course, for any technical 'scientific' assistance, you go straight [ahead] to the Falaki labs."

Years passed, and the University leased the Greek campus and opened a 260-acre campus in New Cairo. Working with a space more than 30 times larger than AUC Tahrir Square, the Campus Development Committee planned similar spaces to emulate Tahrir Square's intimate atmosphere loved by students, faculty and staff alike.

"It's all about the good view, great location and socializing."

Along with the steps, some institutional narratives were carried from Tahrir Square to New Cairo. Gucci Corner, for example, is now synonymous with the SSE steps, as highlighted in the 2013 Caravan feature "Around AUC in Five Days" by Mona Saleh.

"Arrive to the university and go directly to your favorite place, the SSE steps or as everyone calls it 'The Gucci Corner'. This is where you're going to spend your whole day unless you really want to attend your classes to check out that cute guy. Otherwise, just chill and enjoy the company of your friends."

Yet many who choose to sit on the steps there don't think of themselves as any different than other students. "People think that we are going to bite them, but we won't," said AUC student Salma El-Shamshergy, a familiar face on the steps who chooses to sit there for the sunshine and convenient proximity to any building on campus. "It's all about the good view, great location and socializing."

In a nutshell, the steps are not just a spot where new campus students hang out -- they are an essential part of the AUC journey.

Adham Radwan is an integrated marketing communication senior at AUC