Undergraduate researchers triumph at Manipal and Abu Dhabi University student research competitions
- Thursday, 1 June 2023
A group of Undergraduate researchers from Middlesex University Dubai’s Education and Psychology departments are celebrating their success at two recent student research competitions in the UAE.
Students submitted 19 total research posters and oral projects to the 1st Hybrid International Student Research Colloquium, held at Manipal Academy of Higher Education – Dubai on 12 and 17 May, and the ADU Undergraduate Research Competition, held at Abu Dhabi University on 18 May. Many submissions took the top places in their category and were commended for the quality of their research.
Abu Dhabi University’s Undergraduate Research Competition is now in its tenth year and showcased the work of 1,100 students from 64 international universities. The University’s Psychology department had nine submissions, covering topics in psychology and public health.
Devapriya Madhusudhanan, supervised by Denise Andrzejewski, won 2nd place in the Psychology category for her research into the links between guilt, decision-making, and mental illness. Maliha Masood, Sumaya Shakubar, Sheldon Lobo, Sreya Subhash, and Eden Elsa Luis, supervised by Olga Khokhlova, took 3rd place for their experimental study on female perceptions of indirect aggression.
Devapriya, who is studying BSc (Honours) Psychology with Criminology, said taking part in the Abu Dhabi University Undergraduate Research Competition allowed her to amplify her research ideas and hear from other impactful student voices within academic research. “It was captivating to watch like-minded students from different universities offer ideas they have investigated and explored to create innovation and sustainability within the region.”
Sheldon Lobo, BSc (Honours) Psychology with Counselling Skills student, added: “Representing Middlesex University Dubai was an incredible privilege. This achievement affirmed our commitment to academic excellence. Surrounded by intellectual giants, we explored captivating topics like the lives of people of determination and the impact of AI in healthcare.”
Middlesex’s students were also very successful in the Education category, with Sherry Pithawalla taking 1st place for her study into the perceived importance of extracurricular activities in the UAE. Sara Khaleel came in 2nd place for her research into the potential of TikTok for student learning in the UAE.
Philip Anderson, Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and Education at Middlesex, supervised their projects. These successes make this the third consecutive year that MDX Dubai Education students have claimed the top prizes in the Education category. Six Education students in total took part.
Four groups of students presented a series of research posters and oral projects at Manipal’s 1st Hybrid International Student Research Colloquium, which featured 51 oral and poster presentations overall from a range of university teams across several tracks, including psychology, sociology and literature.
Second year Psychology students Hiba Jahan, Jannah Fathima, and Waaezah Tazmeen won the research poster competition with their project "When regret lurks: How connection regret impacts friendship quality and self-esteem in university students". Aditi Bhatia, Lecturer in Psychology at MDX Dubai, supervised the project.
Jannah, BSc (Honours) Psychology with Counselling Skills student, said their victory has inspired the group to take on new challenges in research: “The colloquium was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our research skills, and winning it gave us increased confidence in our abilities.”
Dr Fehmida Hussain, Chair of the Office of Student Research (OSR), said: “Student research is one of the cornerstones of our academic community. Congratulations to all our students on their outstanding successes, which are a testament to their research acumen and the support and encouragement of their supervisors. Thank you to our faculty members Philip Anderson, Yousra Osman, Rory McConnon, Dr Anita Shrivastava Kashi, and Dr Lynda Hyland, who supported the students as they took part in the competitions at Manipal and Abu Dhabi University.”
The OSR at Middlesex University Dubai works to develop a strong, positive research culture within the student body through several initiatives. With the support of the OSR team, many Middlesex students have excelled in showcasing their research skills, including winning numerous national and international research awards, co-authoring academic journal articles, and presenting at academic conferences.
