DUBAI – Zayed University launched the first du Multimedia lab on Dubai Campus in the year 2012. The lab is part of du’s plan to be a part of educational development in media in the UAE.
Many people wonder about the work of the lab, so we met up with the Digital Technology Officer on April 20.
Maryam Al Falasi: Introduce yourself please.
Fatima Al Hammadi: My name is Fatima Al Hammadi, I am a Zayed University graduate and I work in the du lab at Zayed University’s Dubai campus.
MF: When did you start working here? And how did you find out about the job?
FH: I started 12th of April and I found out about the job through the previous Digital Technology Officer, Maryam Al Ansari.
MF: What is it you do, what is your job title?
FH: My job is to be available all the time when needed to help students, to maintain the equipment, to support the CCMS college faculty and students when needed. My job title is Digital Technology Officer.
MF: You’re the second person to hold this position, how does that make you feel?
FH: It’s not that important where I come in the order, whether it’s first or last. The only thing I care about is doing my job well and learning from previous employees.
MF: Which part of your job do you enjoy the most, and which part feels more challenging?
FH: I’m in a discovery time at the moment, learning what I should do and how. And I’m convincing myself that I love what I do, so that I will have success in it. I don’t want to be negative and see things challenging because it will slow me down.
MF: What was your major and specialization at Zayed University? In what way has this prepared you for this job?
FH: My major was in the College of Communication and Media Sciences, and I specialized in visual communication. What I studied is somewhat the same of what I am doing right now, and I feel like nothing is new or different.
MF: Did you use any of the equipment here during your studies? Are there things here that you would like to learn more about, and if so, what?
FH: 99% of the equipment is new to me, but the other 1% I worked with the older versions of it. The basics are the same, but I will need to develop more in the things I know and learn about what I don’t know.
MF: What kind of training have you taken for this job, and what would you like to learn more about?
FH: So far there has been no training before taking this job, though I feel like I have the right to be trained so that I can do the job. My goal now is to know more about what I have here, so that I can do a better job.
MF: Where have you worked before and how is it different from what you’re doing now? Why did you choose to work at ZU?
FH: This is my first job. I found other jobs to apply for but they weren’t related to what I learned, and once I heard about the opening of du lab position at the university I wanted to come and discover more about it and learn more.
MF: How are the working hours working for you? Do you work on weekends, or are you expected to be on call?
FH: At the beginning I thought the hours were long, but after a week or so I started adjusting and the hours seem reasonable to me. I do not work on the weekend, and about being on call – there should be a heads up given so that I can organize my time.
MF: You have audio recording rooms and a TV studio in the du Lab. Are they open for everyone on campus, or for specific majors and classes?
FH: The du Lab recording rooms and TV studio are only for CCMS students and faculty whenever they need them, and for their courses that they need the lab space to complete their work.
MF: What is the process of getting into the TV studio and the recording rooms? Should faculty and students set an appointment? Is there a specific requirement for the du Lab to be used?
FH: They must have an appointment to be organized and to avoid overlaps. Scheduling depends on their level in the major. Like, for example, seniors can use more equipment because they have learned more about it and know how to use it, while others might still be learning about it so it would be a risk to give them some equipment until they know how to operate it.
This story was originally published on April 26, 2015. It was re-uploaded on Dec. 24, 2020. The photo that accompanied this story was lost due to the loss of the domain name.
