Computer Science at CMU-Qatar

Wishing a peaceful and blessed Ramadan to our community! We asked students how are they planning their days for Ramadan, and they said: “During Ramadan, it gives me a lot of time to complete my work during the day (and not use eating as an excuse to procrastinate). This Ramadan will be like playing a chess game: I have to calculate my moves, ensuring not to lose the game but also be brave enough to strike when there is opportunity. Checkmate.” Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing the month.

Graduates from across the years met up last Thursday to reconnect, share their professional stories, and celebrate their shared history.
The gathering focused on new initiatives and additions to the alumni association, highlighting future opportunities for growth and support within the network. Beyond the official updates, the event provided a meaningful chance for members to reconnect, share their professional stories, and talk with one another about their journeys since graduation.
The evening served as a warm reminder of the lasting connections within the community!

Bands featuring some of our students achieved a clean sweep of the top three positions during the annual Backyard Battle last night. A huge round of applause to all who participated and showcased their amazing musical talents, ranging from singing to drumming, to playing the guitar on stage!

Tarnival brought the campus to life last Thursday with a day of games, food, and community spirit. Students participated in the festivities throughout the afternoon, with several even organizing and running their own interactive booths, including a stall by the Computing Club. A highlight of the event was welcoming back alumni who returned to campus to join the festivities and reconnect with familiar faces. Great chance for the community to take a break and enjoy being together on campus!

Ghassan Kosta, Country Manager for Google Cloud in Qatar, led an engaging exploration of the region's digital evolution during last Tuesday’s Dean’s Lecture. His talk, “AI & Cloud: Driving Digital Transformation in Qatar and the Middle East,” provided an insightful look into how artificial intelligence and cloud technologies are currently reshaping the local and regional landscape of innovation. The session gave students, faculty, and staff a professional perspective on these cutting-edge technologies.

Quite an insightful presentation and discussion in yesterday's Bits & Bites session, led by prof. Kira, on how to identify ways to enrich our community. We left with a stronger awareness of the unconscious biases that we all carry, and with some smart strategies that may help us overcome them. Thank you, professor!

Securing a spot on the Dean’s List for the very first semester of one's studies is quite an achievement. This is exactly what Yusuf Fares, Alleena Omar, Minh Pham, Kyrylo Redenskyi, and Faisal Toosan have managed to do, and they were rightfully pleased to enjoy yesterday's ceremony. Faisal reflects: "I am super grateful for making it into the Fall 2025 Dean's List! While our first semester in CS definitely had some turbulent moments, I realized over the winter break how rewarding and, more importantly, how formative it was." So well said. Warm congratulations to all!

The spirit of collaboration and problem-solving was on full display at this year's LifeLines Hackathon, where once again participants gathered to address humanitarian challenges through technology.
Many teams competed for the top winning places in this intensive innovation challenge. Over several days, they combined their skills in coding, design, and research to build "software that saves lives".
Congratulations to all participants, but also to the organizers for such a highly successful event! Started by students, staff, and faculty, LifeLines has established itself as one of the most powerful ways that the community can address crises through technology.

"Much like everyone else who has found errata in Don Knuth's books, I never cashed his checks of 0x100¢=$2.56 per erratum; instead, I keep them framed on the wall, as `trophies in the office' from the years in the job", says prof. Christos, as he proudly poses in front of his entry for our latest !

Do you also want a check from the ? Search for "The Bank of San Serriffe" and start studying his books today --- v e r y c a r e f u l l y ! :-)

A very warm welcome to our Early Decision students of Class 2030! In a special dinner held this week, this first batch of admitted students had the opportunity to meet one another, interact with faculty, and get a first glimpse of campus life.

Early Decision is a special section of the admission process designed for candidates who have CMUQ as their first choice. It takes place three months before the regular deadline, usually in November. Rather than being a separate program, it is a dedicated path for students who are committed to joining the community.