Wednesday, 01 April, 2015

More than 60 alumni of the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD)’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences gathered at the University’s Knowledge Village campus this week for a networking event. Organised by UOWD’s Alumni department, the evening was the first Faculty specific networking event of its kind for the University. It offered an excellent platform for UOWD Alumni to mingle with Faculty and old classmates and pass on valuable words of advice to current students who are currently developing a range of ground-breaking software projects as part of their undergraduate degree program.The inventions on show included SAMA, an innovative product which uses Microsoft Kinect technology to teach people sign language using pattern recognition and MyChol, a wearable technology project aimed at reducing patients’ cholesterol level by monitoring exercise and food consumption and setting achievable goals. HealthBuddy, a drone system aimed at helping to monitor the well-being of patients with mental health difficulties, and Pulsera, a wristband which measures a patient’s level of stress and then triggers a system to reduce their pulse rate, also captured the imagination of alumni and staff alike.As Arpana Sharma, the University’s Manager of External Relations and Executive Officer explained during her opening address, the evening was the first Faculty specific networking event of its kind for the University, aiming to initiate, develop and foster meaningful engagement with the University’s 7,500 alumni.Mohammed Hamad, who graduated from the University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Internet Science and Technology and is now working as an Information Security Consultant at Help AG having recently completed a Masters of Information Technology Management, commented: “I always love to come back to UOWD to catch up with my classmates and lecturers. It’s an establishment which changes, grows and improves every time I visit. I am where I am today because of the University and events like these are a great chance to give back to the community that I owe so much to.”Parag Mehta, who graduated with a Bachelor of Internet Science and Technology in 2005 and now manages ecommerce site Letstango.com, added: “Myself and UOWD go back a long way - I was a student at the Jumeirah Road campus before the move to Knowledge Village. Tonight has been a great opportunity to see lecturers and reconnect with what’s going on at the University.”