Young Emirati students present promising researches in an international conference

Zayed University Undergraduate Research Scholars Program students attract wide attention at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in North Carolina

May 30, 2016, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Although a visit to a beauty salon is usually associated with images of beauty, pampering and relaxation, research suggests that they can be a main reason of transmitting infectious diseases among its customers.

Speaking at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), Hana Saeed, Zayed University graduate from the College of Sustainability and Humanities, discussed her research paper entitled “Evaluating the Health Knowledge within Female Staff in Abu Dhabi Salons”.

“I have successfully completed the first phase of my paper that took me around two months. The main purpose of my research paper is to educate salon owners and employees and raise their awareness about health and safety rules and hygienic practices that should be adopted while using cosmetics, beauty treatment or makeup,” Hana, who did her internship as a health inspector in Abu Dhabi Municipality, said.

“My research paper included a sample of 60 participants. Following my interview with them, I found that majority of participants are unaware of potential health risks and transmission of contagious diseases that can result following their visit to beauty establishments,” she added.

Additionally, Hana pointed out that there is an urgent need to provide salon employees with practice-based training programs in terms of public health and safety knowledge in order to ensure the sustainability of good practices and prevent transmission of contagious diseases among salon customers.

Hana’s research was among other 11 promising researches presented by young enthusiastic Emirati students before the audience during the National Conference on Undergraduate Research that was held on April 2 in North Carolina. The trip also included visits to important cultural and political sites in Washington D.C.

The 9-day visit was part of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP) at Zayed University, which students enroll at for around two years and a half to develop their research skills and publish their papers in scholarly academic journals. 

The trip came in efforts to introduce URSP students to the academic dissemination process through participating in an international conference.

“With the UAE placing great emphasis on capacity building, education, and scientific research, Zayed University has always been committed to stimulate young minds and fuel their interests with innovative ideas in order to help in the advancement of the knowledge-economy transformation process,” Dr Michael Allen, Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and Research at Zayed University, said.

Shurooq Al Hashimi, Graduate Development Program Associate at the Office of Research in Zayed University also pointed out that 11 students were exposed to the contemporary life of Americans from its various aspects. Politically, they were able to sense how the public opinion impacts U.S. governments through observing the Cannabis campaign, while they were touring the area near to the White House. Students were also able to learn about the historical foundation of the United States through viewing the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights at the National Archive and visiting the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building.  

Nuha bin Agag, a dedicated environmental studies and sciences student at Zayed University, presented an extraordinary research that aims to create an atlas for Sabkhas within the city of Abu Dhabi by defining its geographical distribution in different districts for the first time in the country.

“Declining sea levels are associated with waterlogging and sinkholes and could lead to the formation of unique wet inland regions named sabkhas. In the UAE, sabkhas are abundant in areas that have brackish soil and high evaporation levels. The development of new cities in the last two decades within Abu Dhabi had witnessed a rise in the level of construction drilling and land filling with artificial sediments, thus leading to the emergence of sabkhas within residential areas,” Nuha added.

“My study utilized field visits for five districts including: Khalifa Shakhbout, Al Shamkha, Al Shawamkh, and Al Falah. Each location was examined four different times on a weekly basis per month between March and April with average temperature ranging from 26 to 31 degrees Celsius. Microscopic examination of soil cross sections was conducted in order to define coordinate areas that have weak and stone and highly weathered surfaces,” she added.

During her research and investigation, Nuha has reached to important findings.

“The data demonstrated that Khalifa district had the highest cumulative area of sabkhas. While the lowest cumulative areas was in Al Falah. Moreover, the number and area of sabkhas were affected by distance from sea. The farther the city was, the fewer and smaller sabkhas there were. My research findings also suggested that artificial sediments that block aquifers, which pass through some districts like Khalifa city could mediate the formation of sabkhas,” Nuha said.