Interviews
DO Interviews 1: Mustapha Hamdi
Q:
Welcome, Mr. Mustapha Hamdi. We thank you for accepting the invitation.
A:
It is my pleasure.
Q:
Would you please start by introducing yourself to the ones who don’t know who Mustapha Hamdi is?
A:
I am a research fellow at INSAT (National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology). I teach IoT (Internet of Things) and Artificial Intelligence. I’m adopting an innovative concept, co-training, which consists of integrating industrialists into the training, via projects.
Q:
You were organizer and coordinator in multiple events and hackathons, among which we cite the AI Hack, which took place in Rades. So, what is AI Hack?
A:
AI Hack is an international event. There are organizers like Zindi among others, each edition taking place in a different African country. The objective is to find solutions to a problem that an enterprise (private or public) proposes using data science and artificial intelligence. The participants aren’t exclusively students. They can be young entrepreneurs, young engineers, etc. Evidently, the enterprises must provide the required data so the participants can use them. At the end of the hackathon, the participants, who come from different countries like Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, present their solutions. And of course, there are the coaches and the jury. I am a coach and a jury. They come from the academic world, as well as enterprises like Google and IBM… Especially Google, actually, helped a lot and brought their seniors from the Middle East, North America, and Europe.
Q:
As you know, many events and hackathons in this domain took place in Tunisia. So what makes this AI Hack special?
A:
First, there is the scale of the event, an international event. It’s not limited only to Tunisia. The participants come from all over the world. The coaches and the jury too. And second, there is the strong participation of public and private enterprises.
Q:
As for every event, are there any obstacles that you faced in the organization or the competitions, or with the participants?
A:
Well, there aren’t any particular ones. Maybe the only real problem that can present in such an event is, actually, the large quantity of data that should always be available. But in the event in itself, we didn’t face any real problems.
Q:
As we know it, despite the limited number of places, there was an important rate of participation. On what basis is the selection process carried out?
A:
In fact, during the workshops and the competitions, there are many sessions where winners are selected to continue their projects. As a result, the number of participants is continuously reduced until, in the end, we get the desired number.
Q:
As a jury in the hackathon, what are the criteria of evaluation of the projects presented? What parameters are taken into account?
A:
As you said, I participated as a coach and also as a jury. Concerning the evaluation of the projects, there is a list of criteria that should be considered: feasibility, innovation, etc. The feasibility of the solution and the data quality are important because when we talk about data science and artificial intelligence we talk about the quality of data. Innovation, teamwork, collaboration, etc, are also other important parameters to reach the finals. That’s what makes the difference between the projects evaluated.
Q:
As for the winners of the hackathons, is there monitoring and incubation for their work and project?
A:
Actually, the object of hackathons is to find solutions for enterprises, therefore they are supposed to continue working with the candidates to implement these solutions.
Q:
As a hackathon organizer and a professor in INSAT, an institute of engineering, do you think participating in hackathons improves the career of engineers and strengthens their resume?
A:
Apart from the AI Hack, we hosted the InnovChallenge at INSAT. The idea was to make a student work on projects and subjects that are not included in his academic curriculum. The challenges were real ones that the companies face. So when they graduate, they won’t find a barrier, that is new fields that they don’t know. On the contrary, as they are engineering students, they have an idea of the industrial and entrepreneurial world and they are working on actual problematics. As a result, there is a gain of experience for the student; what kind of challenges they may find and tools they may need. There is also technical gain, and a boost in soft skills as well.
Q:
How would you describe the current state of the artificial intelligence and data science field in Tunisia?
A:
We speak a lot about artificial intelligence in Tunisia in events and media. Many companies and startups started investing in the field. They also sell products based on AI. On the other hand, Governmental institutions are not using AI a lot, but they are working on this concept and there is a will to use AI in all sectors such as transportation, agriculture, health care, medicine, etc. Actually, there are already some projects in slow progress. I dare say there are two paces at which AI is progressing in Tunisia. The private sector is taking the upper hand, while the public one is still behind. We can already find products from private companies in the market. But in the public sector, we find proofs of concept that require the initiative from the government to start working on them. So I think in a few years, we can find finished services and products powered by the state.
Q:
What do you say to those who assume that Tunisia is still far from using data science and artificial intelligence to solve current issues?
A:
That’s not true. In fact, the need is there. And then there are proposed solutions, notably, with the Ministry of Health. Engineers are working on such projects. I think that they will be released in their finished state soon, and that will be the best answer for doubters.
Q:
Will there be any changes in organizing hackathons in the time of Covid?
A:
I think that the biggest change is the migration to virtual hackathons. That will show new challenges because this type of hackathons needs more work, better organization, and innovation.
Q:
Are there any upcoming projects?
A:
Well, there is another hackathon called ActInSpace. INSAT will take part in the project. It will be held on November,13th. The first three local teams will be awarded in the finals, in Sfax. The winning team will be qualified for the international competition in Toulouse. And then if they win they will be part of a crew in a space ship.
Q:
As you have heard, many people, companies, organizations, are organizing hackathons, what advice would you want to share with them as a hackathon organizer?
A:
Actually, the tip is to focus on concrete needs, to optimize hackathons. In other words, don’t work on an amateur idea without guaranteeing its finality. To rephrase it, don’t arrange an event, put all your efforts and money into it, waste students’ time just to give awards and nothing more. That’s not profitable. What’s profitable and lucrative is to have the real problems, which are given by public institutions or private companies, to work on them, then comes the next step, continuity, in the form of projects adopted by those structures (public institutions or private companies) or a startup made by the student. So, you should always keep in mind that you have to enhance hackathons and challenges. The finality is not taking a few photos but making your projects and startups. In other words, the output of a university or an institute is not simply the diplomas students get. The main goal is to make projects. To illustrate, INSAT would annually provide 300 projects, 10% of which become startups. The rest of the students become very good executives in companies and excellent engineers. INSAT should not provide 300 diplomas that are just ink on papers, we should provide projects. How so? It’s through these hackathons and challenges. We should encourage them; a student should have a project idea from the third grade and work on it step by step. It’s not the institute that should give him a project to work on. No. He should be creative, find his needs, and work on his own idea. By the end of the two final years of his studies, his project will be for sure incubated.
Q:
Just before finishing, if you have a quote, a motto that inspires and motivates you, would you like to share it with us?
A:
If you ever had a dream, even though you think that it’s crazy and can’t happen, you should believe in yourself, work on your idea, try hard and it will definitely see the light.
This interview was held on November, 11th.
Oumayma Ayadi is an industrial biology student at INSAT. She took a gap year at the end of BIO 4 and went on an internship in Poland. We met with her at the INSAT Press office for an interview to learn more about her unique experience.
Ahmed: Hi Oumayma. Thank you for accepting INSAT Press’s interview invitation
Oumayma : Hello. Thank you for inviting me. I am glad to be here with you today.
Ahmed: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us what inspired you to pursue a degree in industrial biology?
Oumayma: I’m Oumayma Ayadi, a 5th year industrial biology engineering student at INSAT. I chose to study biology because I have always adored life sciences. In biology lessons, I used to always think about biological innovations and solutions beyond the course material. This love for problem solving and biology made industrial biology engineering a natural choice for me.
Ahmed: Awesome! Now let’s get to your internship in Poland. How long did it last and what was its main area of focus?
Oumayma: It lasted 6 months. We focused on environmental research. We analyzed the toxicity and heavy metal presence in mushrooms and river water as it’s commonly used in Poland. We also received in our lab babies’ umbilical cords to analyze for heavy metals too !
Ahmed: Interesting work! Did you intern at a private company’s lab or a university affiliated one?
Oumayma: It was in the lab of the faculty of environmental management of Zut university in the polish town of Szczecin.
Ahmed: How did you come across this interesting opportunity and how was the application and selection process?
Oumayma: I found this internship opportunity by chance actually. It was through IAESTE Tunisia, an association that helps students find exchange opportunities and internships abroad. They organized a stand at the university so I approached them and applied for their various destinations. I passed an English test with other applicants that allowed us, based on our score, to get a choice among the ones we ranked. I got my first choice which is this Poland internship.
Ahmed: Why did you choose Poland?
Oumayma: The IAESTE offered many destinations like Iran and Brazil, but they seemed too far for me compared to Poland haha. Also this Polish internship came with the polish government funding and dorm housing so it seemed a great opportunity for me.
Ahmed: As you already talked about the financial side of this, I wanna ask you about how you funded this experience. Did you need any personal money?
Oumayma: I paid the plane ticket and needed some money at the beginning as the funding was issued after half a month. The scholarship monthly amount was 1200 złoty, around 900 TND, and the dorm fee per month was 400 złoty so what was left was not much. It was enough with some good budgeting. But I received some student benefits like a 50% reduction on public transportation and other things even when I was an intern.
Ahmed: How did your family react to the news, especially when unlike Germany Or France, Poland is not a usual destination for work or studies for us Tunisians?
Oumayma: Their response was positive. They were supportive as they usually are. They saw my excitement for the opportunity and supported me fully.
Ahmed: Aha, that’s great! How was your first day in Poland? Describe it!
Oumayma: Hahahaha, it was ridiculous! My coordinator waited at the bus station while I arrived from Berlin. He took me to the dorm. His name is Kamil but he won’t understand this article.
Ahmed: This will be published in english. Don’t worry haha.
Oumayma: Thank you Kamil for helping me! So, he took me to the dorm, did my paperwork there and talked to the receptionist while I stood there understanding nothing! I was like oh my god, how am I gonna spend 6 months here. He brought me the key and wifi code of the dorm. The thing is it turned out it was not the dorm I was supposed to live in, so they allowed me there for the night. They would have probably left me sleep in the streets if this were Tunisia Hahahah
Ahmed: Hahaha, they would’ve kicked you out lol.
Oumayma: Another problem was that Poland does not use the euro, and I did not know where to exchange money so I slept hungry that night hahaha. I was lost and did not have money. My professor felt sorry for me and lent me 200 złoty to get going the first few days. Then after “a century” I learned how to exchange the money. I discovered that their google maps is organized unlike ours too.
Ahmed: You can rely on the app there.
Oumayma: Yes, you don’t have to ask the locals. I had no internet at first and had problems with the bank account too hahaha.
Ahmed: My fire on you [Tunisian idiom].
Oumayma: And Telecom sent me a message to tell me I spent 100 dinars. I was shocked, it was just the first day hahaha.
Ahmed: Oh my god ! Did your expectations of Poland align with what you have experienced there?
Oumayma: The reality is I did not expect [anything] hahah. I did little research about Poland. It was very organized. I mastered the apps used there with time. My life depended really on these apps. Ah, also people were not “cold” like the Germans as one might expect. People were friendly. A professor invited me to spend Christmas with her family.
Ahmed: How lovely!
Oumayma: Polish people were curious and truly respectful of my culture. I told my professor that I don’t eat pork. I once grabbed a sandwich which I didn’t know had pork so she yelled ,put that down, don’t eat it, it has pork hahah.
Ahmed: Did you face any challenges integrating into Polish society?
Oumayma: In the supermarket the employees did not speak english, so I had to mime and use google translate. The young people spoke very good english unlike the adults who I felt did not even like it.
Ahmed: What is your favorite part of Poland and its culture?
Oumayma: Oh, I really liked that they have many museums with free entry days too. It’s a country that has truly invested in culture! I visited museums and roamed around the town enjoying its architecture and scenes. I loved nature so much there too.
Ahmed: What aspects of Tunisian culture and society do you appreciate more after your time in Poland?
Oumayma: The food hahaha and the weather.
Ahmed: Hahaha, What about society?
Oumayma: Honestly I did not feel like a foreigner there. I got along very well with people in Poland. People there had that eastern warmth one might not expect. It was trouble dealing with the supermarket employees hahahahaha. They did not like that I did not speak Polish. I will take my grievance against them to God XD.
Ahmed: Can you describe your responsibilities during the internship?
Oumayma: My supervisors would show me various techniques in the lab so I can apply them and note down measurements. She once sent me with a professor on a trip with another student. We went on a rainy day to collect river water. My pants were drenched in mud hahah. I was assigned projects too. I did one on environmental protection in Tunisia and my supervisor liked it.
Ahmed: Did you have opportunities to network with professionals or other students?
Oumayma: I networked with the professionals my supervisor knew but mostly with students. They were very welcoming and I faced no problem integrating myself with them in the student events. I am naturally open to knowing other people and this helped me to get along with people in general.
Ahmed: What would you do differently if you were to redo the internship?
Oumayma: I would learn more about Poland and how things work there and the apps used as they were very helpful. I would also learn the daily used common phrases in polish.
Ahmed: What app you wish we had here in Tunisia.
Oumayma: The public transportation app where you check the arrival time and the trajectories of trains and buses. It was very helpful.
Ahmed: Was Poland safe for you as a girl?
Oumayma: Honestly it was very safe. You have to naturally pay attention at night like anywhere else but it was safe and they had buses at night which is great for transportation!
Ahmed: What did you learn about yourself during this experience abroad?
Oumayma: I discovered my ability to be independent, adapt with new environments and live with people of different cultures. My English has improved a lot too!
Ahmed: You seem to be excelling and making the most out of your major as an Industrial Biology student, how can other students studying biology in INSAT thrive too?
Oumayma: You have to love the major. I advise students to be curious and keep up with the technological progress of the field. Follow youtube channels and go to the clubs’ workshops. Learn new skills to join fields like bioinformatics for exemple if that’s what you’re passionate about. It makes you more employable in Tunisia and abroad as you can apply your skills to streamline processes in the labs and companies you join.
Ahmed: What are the most promising professional paths, in your opinion, in the field of biology?
Oumayma: It’s a question I ask myself a lot. I honestly don’t have a specific answer. But I am personally more inclined towards fields involving innovation, discovery, and research.
Ahmed: How should students approach abroad internships search?
Oumayma: Look everywhere, on linkedin, job boards and clubs like AIESEC and IAESTE. You can find really interesting opportunities. Make sure to reach out to your network and ask about where older students and alumni did their internships and whether they recommend them or not. They can help you a lot. Perseverance maximizes your chance to find the opportunities that live up to your aspirations.
Ahmed: CBA students will be choosing between CH and Bio this year. What’s your advice for the undecided student?
Oumayma: You have to project into the future and see what field serves you the best. Choose the field you like so you can work hard and evolve without hurting your mental health. At the end the two choices are very similar, so you have to pick the industry you want to join whether it’s renewable energy, petroleum industry, pharmaceutical industry, environmental industry or any other domain that will make you happy in the long term and allow you to innovate.
Ahmed: Thank you Oumayma for your input and answers today. It was a pleasure having you with us.
Oumayma: Thank you Ahmed, I enjoyed this interview and I hope people will find value in my answers!
Written by: Ahmed Toufahi
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