Category: Marketing & PR

BAHRAINI PUPILS PREPARE TO SET A WORLD RECORD

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Ali Al-Hawadi, one of the Facilitators in the Bahrain Science Centre, using the ‘Memory Test’ display in the ‘Test your Talents’ gallery

World’s largest memory game to be held at the Bahrain Science Centre during Biology Week

The Bahrain Science Centre in collaboration with The Society of Biology will be part of a record attempt for the world’s largest memory game to celebrate Biology Week in October. The record attempt will take place in the Bahrain Science Centre at 4.30pm on Friday 19th October and is suitable for adults and children of all ages.

Anyone keen to put their short-term memory to the test can take part in the record attempt and learn about the fascinating world of neuroscience. The games will be simple and require no resources or preparation and will last 10 minutes. By sitting a ten-minute memory test, which has been prepared by renowned experimental psychologist Professor Bruce Hood, the pupils will be contributing to a nationwide scientific study.

Dr Mark Downs, Chief Executive of the Society of Biology, says: “This will be the climax of Biology Week, with schools, universities, and learned societies testing their memories simultaneously. We’ve been thrilled with the number of people who are keen to take part and we have high hopes for setting an impressive world record.”

According to Khalid Eshaq Alkoheji, Undersecretary for Community Development in the Ministry, the event is one of many planned at the Bahrain Science Centre to inspire and educate visitors about the life sciences.

“The involvement of the Bahrain Science Centre in the ‘Memory Test’ competition is the first of many international events in which the Science Centre will participate”, said Professor Mike Bruton, MTE Studios Director for the Science Centre, “The Science Centre is part of the international science education community and we are keen to strengthen our global network.”

Participants will sit a ten-minute memory test, prepared by renowned experimental psychologist, Professor Bruce Hood. The data from people of different ages will contribute to a scientific study.

Alongside the attempt school pupils will learn about how our brains store memories (or at least convince us we have made accurate memories!). Anyone who is interested in how the brain works, from remembering how to make a cup of tea to falling in love can watch the Society of Biology Brain Explorers video series.

Dr Downs says: “We hope the record attempt will highlight the importance of neuroscience research, especially into diseases like Alzheimer’s. The memory game is part of a series of events being held to mark Biology Week which runs from 13th-19th October and aims to inspire students about the life sciences.

The Bahrain Science Centre, located in Building 334, Road 109, Block 801, Riyadh Avenue, Isa Town in the Kingdom of Bahrain has several permanent interactive displays that test and develop the memory of visitors.

-ENDS-

Press release issued on behalf Bahrain Science Centre. For further information, please contact Shereen Shabnam on +971 507690087/ 504828177/ shereen@mtestudios.com.

Notes for editors:

The Society of Biology (www.societyofbiology.org) is a professional body for bioscientists – providing a single unified voice for biology: advising Government and influencing policy; advancing education and professional development; supporting their members, and engaging and encouraging public interest in the life sciences.

About Biology Week

The first ever Biology Week will take place on 13th-19th October, organised by the Society of Biology. Events around the country will give everyone the chance to learn about biology, the science of the 21st Century. www.societyofbiology.org/biologyweek

About Bahrain Science Centre (BSC):

The Bahrain Science Centre (BSC) is an interactive educational facility that targets children, youth and families of Bahrain. It is located in building 334, Road 109, Block 801, Riyadh Avenue, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain. The science centre has six interactive exhibition galleries, an auditorium, four laboratories and a café/shop.

The role of the BSC is to promote awareness of the importance of science and technology, complement the school curriculum, stimulate curiosity and innovation, and create a forum for public debate on science and technology issues. The topics covered by current exhibitions include junior engineering, human health, the five senses, earth sciences and biodiversity.

Focusing on hands-on learning using interactive displays and people-centred programmes, such as science shows, Bahrain Science Centre also strongly promotes creativity and innovation as well as cross-generational learning. The science centre will also endeavour to promote an awareness of Bahrain’s contributions to science and technology and a strong Bahraini identity. It is an ideal family edutainment destination.

The German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK)

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An amazing number of business groups got together at The Ritz DIFC for networking

Last week, various business groups got together under one roof at the Ritz Carlton DIFC…..I was representing the International Business Women’s Group and we had special invites from the very generous Australian Business Council to attend this networking event. I met a lovely lady there, Dr. Anna Uzarowska from the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce (AHK), a German semi-governmental organization and member of the world-wide German Chambers Network.

It was founded in May 2009 and was inaugurated by the former German Federal Minister of Economy and Technology.

Anna sent me a note post the networking saying that the AHK is the first bilateral federal business organization as well as the first international institution on federal level which has been founded in the Gulf. It promotes and supports trade relations between Germany and the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain and in particular supports German companies in building up and extending their business in the region.

AHK represents the interests of the German business community in the UAE as well as the interests of all its members (both German and local companies). Regardless of the company size or the nationality, AHK members are VIP clients who are offered support from the network of the group, contacts and services. Check them out on  www.ahkuae.com

Caption stories – the best kind

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Being a writer for my leisure groups and being in-house PR has allowed me to focus on one brand and determine with other journalists what hooks work best for them. For our press story today, although a bit long for my liking, I feel good that we spent a decent amount of time in selecting various images for various groups of media the press release was going to.

One thing we can agree on both sides of the fence (media/PR) is that a good dynamic photo can mean great publicity for your business!. As media, images are hooks that get us excited and as PR, images speak volumes eliminating the need for long draining press releases. If you’ve got the opportunity to create or capture a unique, dynamic photo that relates to your business, then half your battle is won when selling your story to the media.

For someone who has been on both media and PR sides over the last 10 years, I can vouch for this. I remember the best image brief for me in the recent years came from The Corvette UAE Club. The images were collated by the dynamic Osama and I remember us receiving images from one of our Road safety drives to the Yas Island Hotel with police escorts….Corvettes are super sexy anyway but the great photography done by one of our group members totally blew our mind.

In a nutshell, pay extra attention to photos you can create and arrange for your business and write a story to contextualise it. Corporate communications teams these days spend so much money trying to get the next hip venue for their events and press conferences that they forget to get a good photographer because their budgets are blown out of context…..pr agencies in many cases don’t dare say no and prioritise the budgets for photography. One thing is for sure, no matter how great a news story is – it will always appear naked without a powerful image to go with it.

PR World Congress comes to Dubai

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Diva just got an invite to the PR World Congress….normally I would not be so bothered about it as I have done enough courses and attended enough PR conferences to date but this particular one features speakers I know very well or admire, including the ex-Prime Minister of Malaysia (Anwar Ibrahim) whose house I used to go to to break fast as an International IIU student. I used to love dinners with him and listening to him talk to us young things, telling us we were the future leaders of the Muslim world and we could do great things if we followed our heart. He was very hands on as our patron and took great care of us during the month of Ramadan when we were away from family so dinners at his home was always a regular for expat students.

I must say while I love my life the way it is, I don’t think I’ve done justice in doing things the way he as our University patron would have wanted me to do. I was one of the first PR graduates to work in the UAE beginning of 2000 when the industry was just blossoming here and most of my colleagues were marketing people taking on PR as an added extra. Thankfully UAE has matured tremendously since and PR is an industry in its own right and may I add one of the most successful one at this point in time. Hence my regret that I don’t do enough for this discipline that I love and keep wasting my time in areas that get me nowhere.

So all the prep talks we received from Encik Anwar Ibrahim on being the best in the disciplines we were studying for did sink in but I wish I had taken action and focussed on my talent and dreams more instead of being distracted along the way. It is fine and well to live someone else’s dream or do things they feel you are good at but essentially at some stage you need to take a call and focus on the work that you are cut out to do and excel in.

Nonetheless, I am thrilled about the congress. As a publicity chick perhaps I am a little bias, but I’m always so pleased to read that top-level industry leaders are endorsing public relations as one of the most powerful marketing tools available. Its about time people noticed and respected our work.

PR is incredibly powerful because of the highly trusted third-party endorsements of media organisations of stories that make a difference – in my opinion, you just can’t beat it. For now, I hope I get to attend some of the congress. The last time I tried attending something of significance like this, I was slumbered at my desk doing stuff I should not have been doing in any event so the episode left diva not very impressed. There is a reason why we have support staff to do the mundane stuff. This time round the world can go to pot as my 2012 resolution is to do what I love and PR is my first love above everyone and everything else!

Sensitivity Training!!! What next?

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This weekend I finally ventured out to the Ramadan tents which is an institution in itself when you live in the UAE during Ramadan. (Vouching for the manakish at the Address Hotel tent in Dubai Marina & the fruit juices at Royal Mirage). A number of my university mates hung out with me. Some are incredible HR specialists (I guess that’s why they earn twice what I do despite being a lot younger than me). Anyway….amongst the shisha pipes and with me trying hard to negotiate my way around the smoke in a bid to avoid it, we got around to talking about Ramadan, recession and what’s happening in our lives.

Soon we got to talking about work and my HR friends were mentioning how these days they put candidates through several rounds of “sensitivity training” to avoid internal personality conflicts in organisations. At first it sounded like a fluffy exercise but when you really think about it, I wish most organisations would use this not just with new staff but existing ones. The exercise teaches that human beings are all different creatures and not all are inherently malicious, conniving creatures and that most of our ideas and actions are well-intentioned.

At work, if someone is spiteful, there is nothing to say they are not driven by their personal emotions and perhaps you should show concern, compassion, and curiosity to know more. One must give the benefit of the doubt as there must be a reason why a manager would put down a staff in front of his colleagues or a reason why a CEO turns into a nasty piece of work everytime he is with a girlfriend – either she brings out the worst in him or his idea of impressing her is emailing or calling staff and being rude to them to show his authority. Or why a staff would walk out of the meeting and the reasons why a superior, instead of having a private talk with a staff about his performance decides to humiliate him in front of his team. One never really knows ones motives which is why I guess this whole idea of ‘sensitivity training’ has come about – to make people more sensitive and understanding.

I don’t think people need to relate to each other with Mother Teresa-level compassion but assess the actions of management, colleagues from multiple perspectives before feeling hurt. Personally I will never understand people who use facades to show superiority or be negative to mask insecurity. Afterall, isn’t the goal of any organisation to motivate staff, give them confidence and promote camaraderie in times of stress so everyone works that much harder to make things work.

I wonder how I’d do with this sensitivity training thingy – I always find the under-layers of goodness in others fueled by an earnest desire to keep them happy. Its not always a good thing  as someone said, believing the best about people only makes them show you their best and not their real self. Maybe its time to be neutral and not take things at face value. Plus realise that no one is perfect and people you often look up to can also be insensitive towards you. It needs to be all about balance! I’d love to know more about this ‘sensitivity training’ and if it really does work.