The CSO Journey

2023

	Fatima Dashti Kuwait CSO Graduate The CSO program was beneficial to me and I learned a lot from it. Also, the lectures given by different professors helped me gain many skills as well as the STEM materials we were exposed to			Mariam AlShamsi UAE CSO Graduate I see that STEM played a great role in the CSO program because STEM gets students or any other person to think outside the box and be creative
	Abdullah AlMuhairi UAE CSO Graduate Frankly, with the CSO program I learned how to be able to speak to people with ease. Before that, this used to be a challenge for me because I did not know how to speak to people, and I used to like to stay alone most of the time and I didn’t like to talk to people.			Abdullah AlHadlaq Kuwait CSO Graduate I had the chance from day one to meet almost all the Emiratis who participated in the program and I saw their presence as a boost to the CSO program because it allowed people from different backgrounds to meet each other. Everyone wanted to get to know the Emirati participants, similarly, they were interested in getting to know the Kuwaitis.
	Manar AlKandari CSO Leadership Council The Chief Science Officers Program has been a wonderful opportunity for me to test my communication skills and handle conflict. The program has provided me with the space to practice and refine my abilities. I have learned a great deal about effective communication through hands-on experience. I have become more confident in my ability to express myself clearly and concisely, and I have also gained greater insight into the dynamics of conflict and how to navigate challenging conversations. In short, this program has given me valuable tools and insights that I carry with me every day.			Salma AlSalem CSO Leadership Council Volunteering as a helper in the CSO program has had a very big impact on me, both personally and as a leader. Through this experience, I have gained knowledge about STEM fields, and learned from experts in the field. For my graduating project, Najat AlJuwaihel, Nora AlAmeera and I have designed and planned efficient buses, bus routes, and bus stops. Our project is called Sarayna. Some of the most important lessons I have learned is that it all gets easier with experience, we should give ourselves time to learn and grow, and that I’m not afraid to be seen trying. I am very grateful to have this opportunity, thank you CSOs and Mentors. CSOs DONT JUST HOPE IT HAPPENS, WE MAKE IT HAPPEN!
	Othman AlMutawa CSO Leadership Council It was an honor for me to volunteer in the chief science officer Program, which is under great leadership and tremendous efforts. This program has taught me many skills that I will not find anywhere else. One of these skills is socialization, which teaches a person how to deal with all people and ages. Also, one of the most important skills is to have confidence when speaking in front of new people or in front of an audience. There was a situation that happened in which a person had to speak in front of about 100-200 people, so we learned to speak with confidence. As for the scientific field, we were among the greatest professors and doctors who broadened our scientific awareness. We learned a lot from them, about the types of university majors, the best universities, and a lot from this field. The levels of dialogue were also high. This year was different from other years because we had honored guests from the Emirates, from whom we learned a lot about their culture, and we built great relationships and memories that can never be forgotten. I conclude by thanking the officials who gave us this opportunity, and I advise all people to enter this great program.			Mohammad AlGhunaiman CSO Leadership Council In the beginning, I was reading about the Chief Science Officers program in magazines, as you are doing now. Pictures of my friends were prominent, which prompted me to participate in a program different from what I was accustomed to in schools. I enjoyed, cooperated, and learned a lot. After waiting for months, I received an invitation to volunteer and help transfer what I learned to those after me and applied what I learned from the skills of scientific communication and discussion with science students. In fact, I enjoyed exchanging information with them, as each participant had different hobbies and traditions, which increased scientific and cultural diversity. We were honored by our guests on scholarship from the United Arab Emirates. They created joy, happiness, and memories for their fellow participants, volunteers, and even officials. In addition, they shared the knowledge they gained from the progress and development of their country, which astonished the world. Regardless of the end of the program, I had acquired more than my imagination in terms of speaking skills. I got rid of the fear of the audience and avoiding conversation, which led to me gaining friends with different minds, a cooperative spirit, and a cheerful soul. Our communication continued despite our distance.

2019

	Khaled AlFahaad This trip is one of my proudest accomplishments. At the beginning of my adventure, I did not understand the purpose of the Executive Science Director program. But, after attending some meetings with my teammate, we started to get the hang of it. We loved the goal, which is to empower students, help them become future leaders, and encourage them to continue in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. During my trip I met many friends and colleagues.			Abdullah AlQallaf I have difficulties with maths and science, but enjoy learning.My teammates and I trained hard to beat our rivals in the training program by designing the project prototype early. Our project wasn’t easy and very time consuming. We raced against time to beat our rivals and we did it; we won the competition. Our prize was a trip to the USA to work with Arizona CSO.Now I can take on more responsibilities and I believe that I can do anything if I try hard enough. If I take the easy way out, I will not taste victory.
	Noura AlMutairi I love chemistry and hate physics my mother told me about the CSO program. although it was difficult, I was able to accomplish this task. Finally, we qualified for the trip. I had many fears about the trip:I had many fears about the trip: the long flight, taking responsibility, traveling for the first time without my family, and the stereotypes we hear about Americans, and I had surgery on my leg, But I overcame my health problems. Many of my preconceived ideas about Americans have changed. Also, I fell in love with physics and I did not ever imagine I would. One of the most important things I learned is that when you focus your time on one thing, it takes time away from another. So your priorities are very important and passion is key.			Saad AlDousari From the time the idea of the CSO program was first introduced to me, I was worried because of my English I faced many obstacles, the biggest of which was the language barrier.but with time the English got to me. We were able to complete the project for the competition but I became aware of how important English is. This had me contemplating leaving the program because I couldn’t understand the language. I was also afraid of speaking in public and not being able to manage my time and be fully committed, but I tried and with time I became better at the things I could change. I traveled with my team and took advantage of many things, and from my journey I learned that language is very important.
	Amnah AlDhafairi I have some issues with English. When my teacher told me about CSO,and after her encouragement I joined. My team won second place in the competition our prize was the trip to the U.S. My mother was very excited for me and she encouraged me to speak only in English while I was in Arizona, to help me overcome my fear of the language. I encouraged my team to speak only in English so we could practice it. I met and spoke to many students there and started to feel more comfortable with the language.I also learned to respect time. Try hard and try often and you will get better at it. Now that I am back in Kuwait, I always want to speak in English with my family and encourage them to speak it as well.			Abrar Baqer My main interests are music, art, and politics, I think we need both art and science to be truly creative. my teacher told us we have a competition in April. In the beginning, I was nervous. How could I work with a team and new people? Working with a team was difficult, I wanted so badly to just work on my own. However, I adapted even when I was uncomfortable. My team and I designed an Electronics Waste Recycling machine we won first place in a truly unforgettable moment. The prize was a trip to Arizona. I still remember when, during the trip, one of the local students there told me, “You represent women in STEM, and you’ve done a great job.” I’m glad that I had the chance to represent Kuwait in the US, it was like a dream, but reality.
	Ghada AlKandari During the three days at GUST I had a hard time speaking in front of people, especially in English. My face became red and when I started speaking, I stuttered. on the third day, I had a change of heart because we did some fun activities and experiments. My teacher said that they are having a competition in April My group and I practiced to present in front of the judges. I was worried about presenting, but I worked and trained hard.My teacher was so proud of me and when the judges announced the winners, my group was one of them.In the U.S., we went to Arizona State University and spent three days in the dorms. I had fun meeting students from different cultures.