Learning Design Thinking at Stanford University

Innovation is the engine of opportunity. At its core, innovation is a commitment to experiential learning. It encourages critical thinking and creative problem-solving while also engaging soft skills. This mindset is fundamental to the future of the United Arab Emirates. So much so that, it is part of the ‘United in Knowledge’ pillar of Vision 2021 which focuses on innovative Emiratis building a competitive economy. Emphasizing it’s importance, H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum explained, “Innovation is not an option, but a necessity. It is not a culture, but work style, and governments and companies that do not innovate…

Read More

Arabian Gulf Game Plan: The Social Media Marketing Strategy of the EAFL

Yesterday was the publication date of a book in which I wrote a chapter about the social media marketing efforts of the Emirates American Football League (EAFL). Recognizing the global role and relevance of American football, I wrote a chapter about the EAFL in the book The Routledge Handbook of International Sport Business profiling its social media strategy. Titled “Arabian Gulf Game Plan: The social media marketing strategy of the Emirates American Football League,” the chapter: Explores the origins of the EAFL. Looks to the future of American football in UAE. Shares the league’s social media strategy. The Routledge Handbook of International Sport…

Read More

Game’s Over: Acting in a Student Film

I previously blogged about my adventures as an extra on Star Trek Beyond in 2015, but in July 2017 I beamed up to a starring role as Eric Lopez in “Game’s Over,” a short film by students at SAE Institute Dubai. We shot the film during the evening on July 18 and 19 in Dubai and it premiered at a student showcase at SAE. I was invited to participate in this film noir project by Natalie Aji, the film’s producer, Melissa Urresti, the director, via my profile on Mixfame (an online platform connecting talented individuals with production houses, casting directors and producers for…

Read More

Celebrating Ten Years of Teaching

“To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner. I am not a teacher, only a fellow student.” — Søren Kierkegaard Inspired by the quote above (which is the anchor of my teaching philosophy), I have been learning while teaching for a decade. Ten years ago today — on Monday, June 18, 2007 — I began my career in academia when I started teaching COM 120, Effective Persuasive Writing online at what was then called Axia College (University of Phoenix‘s online junior college). It’s hard to believe that much time has passed; it feels like just yesterday when I began…

Read More

Presenting “Professor, Brand Yourself!”

On March 16,2017 from 2:30 to 3:00 pm at the at GESS Dubai I delivered my “Professor, Brand Yourself!” workshop. GESS (Global Educational Supplies & Solutions) Dubai is the largest education event not just in the UAE but across the entire Middle East. It’s the only event that brings together all levels of educationalists together, in one place. “Professor, Brand Yourself!” is a personal branding workshop for individuals working in higher education, vocational, and leadership/management positions. However, it also appeals to anyone wanting to develop their personal brand and learn how to leverage social media to promote themselves professionally. The…

Read More