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Tribune News Network
Doha
Qatar’s plans for the future have always centred around the understanding that technology is created for people and not the other way round, said Dr Dena Ahmed S al Thani, assistant professor at the College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF).
“For the same reason, every stage of development in this country includes measures to improve access to information for its population, including those with disabilities,” Dr Dena noted.
If anyone can comment on Qatar’s efforts to ensure that its people, especially those with disabilities, have access to information and technology, it is Thani.
She has spent almost a decade conducting extensive research on the interaction between humans and technology – also referred to as ‘human-computer interaction’ or ‘HCI’ - in relation to health and accessibility.
Her research papers have also been published by Oxford University Press.
The first time she heard of HCI was during her undergraduate studies at Qatar University – when, in her own words, she “fell in love with it.”
The possibility of actually being able to improve interaction between people, especially those with disabilities and technology, inspired Thani so much that she decided to join Queen Mary University of London, the UK, for a postgraduate programme in computer science.
A year later, when she completed her Master of Science course, she was awarded a distinction and, subsequently, a scholarship to join the university’s PhD programme, as well as a chance to conduct research into something close to her heart – HCI, with a focus on methods to enhance accessibility of information for the visually impaired.
“There was clearly a need for expertise in the field of improving accessibility to digital and electronic information for those with disabilities in my country,” Thani said. “So, while studying in the UK, I was eager to apply what I had learned at university back home. The question was – how?”
In the first few months after she returned to Qatar, she helped Mada Assistive Technology Centre – a non-profit organisation committed to connecting persons with disabilities to the world of information and communication technology – implement various projects and organise conferences.
Thani’s mission, though, was far from complete. She realised that the expertise she had meticulously acquired during her time abroad could be put to better use and would help her country further if passed on to others, especially students.
With that goal in mind, Thani joined HBKU as a faculty member in 2016.
“I never thought that one day I would teach students in my own country, and in a field that I am so passionate about,” she said. “As a Qatari, to be able to work at a Qatar Foundation university is a dream come true.”
Aside from still being involved in Mada’s projects, she recently chaired the scientific committee in the Gulf Region Education Assistive Technology conference organised in Doha by Mada.
Thani currently teaches interactive design at HBKU and guides PhD students in their research in HCI and assistive technology, a term used to describe software, equipment or a system that allows people with disabilities improved access to electronic or digital technology.
Her commitment led to her being made the director of a new postgraduate programme at HBKU –Master of Data Analytics in Health Management.
“The course will teach students to design technology to give nurses, physicians and researchers the feedback they need to provide better medical care,” said Thani, who was one of the experts who talked about design in healthcare at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of QF, recently.
“Last November, WISH chose Design in Health as one of its research topics. That and the new course at HBKU are significant developments for me as they clearly show that Qatar recognises the importance of design in lifestyle and healthcare,” she said.
Thani pointed out that this was a result of years of collaboration between research entities at HBKU such as Qatar Computing Research Institute and Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, QF members including Qatar Genome Programme and Qatar Biobank, and key government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
According to her, Qatar has made considerable headway in improving access to technology.
“Given the fact that in-depth studies on human-computer interaction focusing on assistive technology and health have been around for barely 40 years,” she said, “the work that Qatar is doing to ensure that everyone has access to information is remarkable.”
Doha
Qatar’s plans for the future have always centred around the understanding that technology is created for people and not the other way round, said Dr Dena Ahmed S al Thani, assistant professor at the College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF).
“For the same reason, every stage of development in this country includes measures to improve access to information for its population, including those with disabilities,” Dr Dena noted.
If anyone can comment on Qatar’s efforts to ensure that its people, especially those with disabilities, have access to information and technology, it is Thani.
She has spent almost a decade conducting extensive research on the interaction between humans and technology – also referred to as ‘human-computer interaction’ or ‘HCI’ - in relation to health and accessibility.
Her research papers have also been published by Oxford University Press.
The first time she heard of HCI was during her undergraduate studies at Qatar University – when, in her own words, she “fell in love with it.”
The possibility of actually being able to improve interaction between people, especially those with disabilities and technology, inspired Thani so much that she decided to join Queen Mary University of London, the UK, for a postgraduate programme in computer science.
A year later, when she completed her Master of Science course, she was awarded a distinction and, subsequently, a scholarship to join the university’s PhD programme, as well as a chance to conduct research into something close to her heart – HCI, with a focus on methods to enhance accessibility of information for the visually impaired.
“There was clearly a need for expertise in the field of improving accessibility to digital and electronic information for those with disabilities in my country,” Thani said. “So, while studying in the UK, I was eager to apply what I had learned at university back home. The question was – how?”
In the first few months after she returned to Qatar, she helped Mada Assistive Technology Centre – a non-profit organisation committed to connecting persons with disabilities to the world of information and communication technology – implement various projects and organise conferences.
Thani’s mission, though, was far from complete. She realised that the expertise she had meticulously acquired during her time abroad could be put to better use and would help her country further if passed on to others, especially students.
With that goal in mind, Thani joined HBKU as a faculty member in 2016.
“I never thought that one day I would teach students in my own country, and in a field that I am so passionate about,” she said. “As a Qatari, to be able to work at a Qatar Foundation university is a dream come true.”
Aside from still being involved in Mada’s projects, she recently chaired the scientific committee in the Gulf Region Education Assistive Technology conference organised in Doha by Mada.
Thani currently teaches interactive design at HBKU and guides PhD students in their research in HCI and assistive technology, a term used to describe software, equipment or a system that allows people with disabilities improved access to electronic or digital technology.
Her commitment led to her being made the director of a new postgraduate programme at HBKU –Master of Data Analytics in Health Management.
“The course will teach students to design technology to give nurses, physicians and researchers the feedback they need to provide better medical care,” said Thani, who was one of the experts who talked about design in healthcare at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of QF, recently.
“Last November, WISH chose Design in Health as one of its research topics. That and the new course at HBKU are significant developments for me as they clearly show that Qatar recognises the importance of design in lifestyle and healthcare,” she said.
Thani pointed out that this was a result of years of collaboration between research entities at HBKU such as Qatar Computing Research Institute and Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, QF members including Qatar Genome Programme and Qatar Biobank, and key government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
According to her, Qatar has made considerable headway in improving access to technology.
“Given the fact that in-depth studies on human-computer interaction focusing on assistive technology and health have been around for barely 40 years,” she said, “the work that Qatar is doing to ensure that everyone has access to information is remarkable.”
