من الخوف الى الإلهام | أ.د. هبه كردي | TEDxPNU

Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Faisal Al Saud

• The story began with the selection of a location by King Abdulaziz in 1902, where he said "I am the light" and from there, the story of the people of happiness started (27s).
• The story is about a distinguished woman named Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Faisal Al Saud, who was an inspiration to King Abdulaziz and a symbol of peace, love, and knowledge (52s).
• Noura was a woman who learned to read and write in an era when it was rare for women to be educated, and she was known for her wisdom, intelligence, and insight (1m7s).
• She was also an inspiration to everyone who knew her and had a progressive mindset, emphasizing the importance of education in improving human life (1m31s).
• Noura allocated funds to encourage girls who memorized the Quran, showcasing her commitment to education (1m41s).
• The story continued with Noura's inspiration until 1970, when the first college for girls was established in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was initially called the College of Education (2m4s).
• The story did not end there, as Noura's legacy continued to grow until 2000, when she became a topic of discussion in society, and the world at large, due to the establishment of the largest women's educational institution in the world (2m25s).
• This educational institution was established to represent Saudi women and the Saudi community as a whole, embodying the spirit of knowledge, development, and passion for success (2m50s).
• The story of Noura has not ended, as she has inspired distinguished women in various fields, who have followed in her footsteps and achieved success in wisdom, power, and decision-making (3m17s).
• Noura's story is now present in every student who has been part of this great institution, which was established 100 years ago by King Abdulaziz and continues to be a beacon of knowledge for the Saudi people (3m48s).
• Today, the Princess Noura bint Abdul Rahman University will witness and host many inspiring stories of women and men who embody Noura's story, a woman who was a companion of secrets and determination (4m11s).

Dr. Hebah Karkee's Story

• Many people have phobias or fears, and it's possible for these fears to transform into inspiration (4m34s).
• The individual has had a phobia of cats since childhood and initially thought they would outgrow it, but discovered they have a severe allergy to cats (4m45s).
• Instead of avoiding the fear, the individual armed themselves with knowledge, and the fear became a gateway to solving complex technological problems (5m17s).
• This led to achieving more than ten patents as the first Saudi woman to do so, publishing over 120 scientific research papers in the fields of artificial intelligence, and being among the top 2% of the world's scientists in terms of citations (5m35s).
• The individual's fear was transformed into a source of inspiration, and their story will be shared to show how fear can be a gateway to innovation and success globally (5m56s).
• The individual is Dr. Hebah Karkee, who will be sharing her personal story and experiences (6m10s).

From Fear of Insects to Inspiration

• When looking at a picture, people may have different reactions, such as feeling scared, disgusted, or anxious, which are all negative emotions (6m38s).
• The individual used to experience these negative emotions when hearing about insects, not just seeing them, and their fear would change everything (7m14s).
• However, their fear was transformed into a source of inspiration, and their story will be shared to show how this transformation occurred (7m30s).
• The individual's fear of insects started when they were nine years old and found a box of insects in a room, which triggered their phobia (8m8s).
• The individual's phobia was so severe that they would imagine insects everywhere, which affected their life (8m47s).
• The simplest things can evoke strong emotions, such as the sound of nail clippers, which can be pleasant, but also remind one of unpleasant things like locusts and sunflowers, which are considered beautiful but evoke a sense of disgust due to their yellow and black colors (8m54s).
• Fear of insects can be overwhelming, and it can be challenging to coexist with anything that jumps or flies, but this fear can be overcome with exposure and treatment (9m19s).
• Marriage to a doctor who specializes in treating phobias can be helpful in overcoming one's fears, and exposure therapy, which involves confronting the source of fear, can be an effective treatment method (9m33s).
• Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing the patient to the source of their fear, allowing them to become accustomed to it, much like learning to swim by being thrown into the water (9m54s).
• A personal experience of being in a car with two small frogs that jumped in and caused a commotion helped to overcome a fear of frogs (10m12s).
• Despite the fear, one should not be perceived as weak or cowardly, and the presence of insects can be tolerated, even if they are not liked (10m39s).
• Pursuing higher education, such as a bachelor's degree in computer science, can be challenging and time-consuming, taking up to 11 years to complete due to various circumstances, including marriage and relocation (11m10s).
• The journey to completing a degree can be long and arduous, but with perseverance and determination, it is possible to achieve one's goals, even if it takes a long time (11m45s).
• Having a dream of becoming a doctor and being determined to achieve it can help overcome obstacles and eventually lead to success (12m9s).
• The individual earned a bachelor's degree with honors, followed by a master's degree, and then received a scholarship for a Ph.D. in London, which marked a crucial chapter in their story with insects (12m23s).
• Three years after starting their Ph.D. research, they experienced a distressing incident where their young son got stung by a bee in their eye, prompting them to call for emergency services (12m44s).
• The family lived in a villa with a beautiful garden, but the presence of bees became a problem, and the husband contacted the local authorities, who sent a specialized team to deal with the issue (13m38s).
• The team discovered that a beehive was built on a tree branch opposite the son's room, and the individual was shocked to learn that the bees had chosen that specific location to build their hive (14m7s).
• This incident led the individual to reflect on a Quranic verse that mentions God guiding bees to build their homes in mountains, trees, and other places (14m30s).
• The verse had a profound impact, and the individual realized that even the smallest creatures can possess great wisdom and organization (14m48s).
• Researching bees revealed that they have a highly organized social structure, with each individual knowing its role and responsibilities without needing external guidance (15m9s).
• This discovery inspired the individual to develop a system for personal mobile networks, using a bee-inspired algorithm to manage resources efficiently (15m41s).
• The algorithm led to the creation of a patented invention, making the individual the first Saudi woman to receive a patent in the field of technology (16m3s).
• A grant was received from Aram to pursue postdoctoral research in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the world's top university in the field of information technology (16m18s).
• The research focused on a system for unmanned aircraft, also known as drones, to improve their efficiency in search and rescue operations (16m40s).
• The field of unmanned aircraft systems and control systems was new, and the research involved reading extensively to understand the subject, which is related to computer science and artificial intelligence (17m9s).
• A photo was taken in the office at MIT, showing the panoramic window behind the desk and a garden in front with trees and insects (17m22s).
• One day, while sitting by the window and reading, a grasshopper suddenly jumped onto the window and fell to the ground (17m52s).
• The grasshopper's size was similar to that of a locust, and it triggered a flashback to memories of locusts (18m9s).
• However, unlike previous experiences, there was no fear or screaming, and instead, curiosity took over, leading to reading about locusts (18m28s).
• Research revealed that locusts have a unique behavior that puzzles scientists, as they normally avoid their own smell but suddenly change behavior and become attracted to each other, forming large swarms that can destroy massive crops in a short time (19m0s).
• This behavior is exactly what is needed for search and rescue operations, making the study of locusts relevant to the research (20m0s).
• The development of drones for search and rescue operations in disaster areas is crucial, as they can cover large areas quickly and efficiently to locate victims and provide timely assistance (20m6s).
• A system for controlling drones in search and rescue operations was developed, inspired by locusts, and this innovation led to the first Saudi woman to receive a patent in the field of aviation (20m31s).
• After returning to Saudi Arabia, a research group was established to focus on distributed intelligent systems, initially working on insect-inspired algorithms (20m50s).
• The research expanded to include algorithms inspired by other living creatures, such as fish, birds, and animals like chimpanzees and lemurs, revealing that intelligence is not exclusive to humans (21m1s).
• The natural world, including the Earth and its creatures, is full of intelligence, organization, and rules, making them similar to human societies (21m30s).
• Further research expanded to include the entire universe, drawing inspiration from natural phenomena like the tides, islands, and rain, as well as chemistry and the relationships between atoms and compounds (21m52s).
• The human body, specifically the digestive system, was also studied, leading to the development of four patents and the establishment of a logistics company focused on intelligent systems (22m33s).
• Despite the initial fear of insects, the experience transformed into a driving force for learning and innovation, rather than paralysis, and led to the discovery of many valuable lessons (23m14s).
• Three key lessons learned from this experience are: first, do not let negative emotions obscure the truth; second, the enemy can often teach valuable lessons; and third, the importance of not being controlled by fear (23m41s).
• A useful lesson can be learned from transforming the shiver of fear into the dance of the thumb (23m59s).