Texas A&M University at Qatar Graduates Its 400th Engineer, Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Texas A&M University at Qatar graduated its 400th engineer at its spring commencement exercise Thursday evening at the Qatar National Convention Centre. The ceremony celebrated the university’s 113 spring graduates, its first two chemical engineering master’s program graduates and featured guest speaker Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco and a 1982 Texas A&M graduate.

Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO

The event was a milestone for the university as it is commemorating its 10^thyear in Qatar at the Qatar Foundation Education City campus. Midway through the yearlong celebration, the university is acknowledging its comprehensive growth from its inaugural class of 29 students in 2003, to one that boasts over 480 current students, a graduate program and more than $130 million in research.

Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO, noted that the graduates will be playing key roles in Qatar’s development, saying, “Congratulations to the graduates of the class of 2013 on your momentous achievement. You are a special class for the university, as you represent 10 years of Aggie engineering education in Qatar. It is an honor to be present as the university graduates its 113th new engineer; we are incredibly proud of this achievement and its contribution toward the State of Qatar’s National Vision. As engineers, you will be responsible for the further building of Qatar and for creating the new knowledge that will realize Qatar’s goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy. This is truly a time when the future is in your hands. Use the lessons you learned at Texas A&M at Qatar well and carry the Aggie values of integrity, excellence, leadership, respect and selfless service with you wherever your career takes you.”

Texas A&M at Qatar is building capacity for Qatar and the region through its mission of teaching, research and engagement, and seeks to populate the workforce with world-class engineers and leaders, training future Aggie engineers and researchers to solve critical problems and provide new knowledge and technologies needed to push Qatar toward its goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy and a global center for learning.

In his remarks, Al-Falih warmly welcomed the Class of 2013 to a worldwide network of Texas A&M alumni, noting it is “a fellowship distinguished not just by the quality of its education, but by a lasting sense of identity and purpose.” Al-Falih also outlined what sets a Texas A&M engineer apart and encouraged the graduates to leverage their unique Aggie academics, “other education” and values to meet the engineering challenges of the 21^stcentury. “This bright and hopeful day is not only the launch pad for your careers; I believe it can also be the start of a better world, thanks to you.”

Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco and Texas A&M ’82 graduate

Al-Falih is the recipient of Texas A&M’s Distinguished Alumnus 2013 award and the Outstanding International Alumnus 2010 award. He is one of only three Texas A&M former students to achieve both recognitions. Al-Falih has maintained throughout his career a commitment to quality education and professional development, and was instrumental in the effort to establish the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.

The May 2013 graduating class is diverse, featuring 24 chemical engineers, 29 electrical engineers, 32 mechanical engineers and 28 petroleum engineers. The class is 36 percent female and represents 28 countries.

VIP speakers at the commencement event also included Texas A&M University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Karan L. Watson; David B. Prior, executive vice president and provost at Hamad bin Khalifa University; Doha Aggie Club President, John Fenn, Jr., ’05; and student speaker, Hamad Ali H.A. Al-Badr, ’11, mechanical engineering.

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About Texas A&M University at Qatar

Texas A&M University, recognized as having one of the premier engineering programs in the world, has offered undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering at Qatar Foundation’s Education City campus since 2003. One hundred fifty one engineers have graduated from Texas A&M at Qatar since 2007. In addition to engineering courses, Texas A&M at Qatar provides classes in science, mathematics, liberal arts and the humanities. All four of the engineering programs offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are accredited by ABET. The curricula offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are materially identical to those offered at the main campus in College Station, Texas, and courses are taught in English in a co-educational setting. The reputation for excellence is the same, as is the commitment to equip engineers to lead the next generation of engineering advancement. Faculty from around the world are attracted to Texas A&M at Qatar to provide this educational experience and to participate in research activities now valued at $70 million, and that address issues important to the State of Qatar. Visit www.qatar.tamu.edu.

Texas A&M-Qatar Celebrates Student Achievement

Texas A&M University at Qatar hosted its annual Student Affairs Leadership and Student Achievement (SALSA) Awards. The event celebrates student achievements throughout the year, and awards were presented to individuals and student organizations that have demonstrated the university’s Core Values and exhibited outstanding student accomplishment.

Students at Texas A&M University at Qatar were honored for their outstanding accomplishments.

Aggie engineering students were recognized for contributions to the university as student leaders, athletes, student employees and scholars. The event was held on April 25 in the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Center Ballroom.

Jeff Sulik, assistant director of student affairs at Texas A&M at Qatar, said, “We look forward to this event all year.  You just can’t go wrong honoring students for their dedication and hard work.  Students are the reason we are here.”

The awards celebrated Student Organization of the Year, Student Organization Advisor of the Year, Athletics Awards for the Basketball, Cricket and Soccer Team, Student Employee Awards, Buck Weirus Spirit Award, 12th Man Award, Gathright Scholar Awards, Core Value Awards, Richard E. Ewing Award for Excellence in Student Research,  and the Troy Marschang Award for Leadership Excellence.

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Texas A&M-Qatar’s Technology in Higher Education Conference April 16-17, Doha

Texas A&M University at Qatar invites educators, IT professionals and students to the Technology in Higher Education (THE) Conference, April 16-17 at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) in Doha, Qatar. The conference titled “THE2013 – Today, Tomorrow and Beyond: Innovation in Teaching, Technology and Learning” will focus on identifying the shifts, challenges and opportunities for educators and IT pros to adapt and innovate their practice in a constantly changing technological and higher education

Media and partners are invited to attend the opening session on Tuesday, 16 April from 9-10 a.m. at Auditorium 1 at QNCC.

Welcome remarks will be presented by Dr. Othmane Bouhali, Research Associate Professor and Director of Research Computing and co-chair of THE2013 at Texas A&M at Qatar; Steve Kenny, Chief Administrative Officer at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar; and Sharon Hollinsworth, Director of Education Computing at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar and co-chair of THE2013. The Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Philip Long, Chief Information Officer at Yale University.

For more information about the program, visit http://www.the.edu.qa/program.

Texas A&M-Qatar Kicks Off Ethics Week With Lecture

Texas A&M University at Qatar will kick off Ethics Week with “Lecture on the Economic Development Industry: Moral Pitfalls on the Road to Modernity,” featuring Guest Lecturer Charles Choguill, vice provost for Academic Affairs at Al Faisal University, Riyadh. The lecture will take place at the university’s Lecture Hall 238 on Monday, April 1 from 11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Choguill specializes in finding solutions to urban problems in the developing world and has taught at Harvard University, Middle East Technical University in Turkey, the  University of Sheffield, UK, University of Illinois, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and King Saud University in Saudi Arabia.  He has also carried out international advisory missions and research projects for the Asian Development Bank, UNESCO, OECD, UN-Habitat, UNDP, the  International Civil Aviation Organization, the UK Overseas Development Administration, the UK Department of Trade and Industry, the European Commission and the Australian Agency for International Development. He is the editor of Habitat International, the leading international academic journal focusing on human settlements.

Choguill will be available for media interviews following the lecture.

To RSVP, contact Nehal Maher at nehal.maher@qatar.tamu.edu or phone 974.5542.8289.

Texas A&M-Qatar To Have World-Class Process Safety Center

Texas A&M University at Qatar signed an agreement to bring an extension of Texas-based Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center to Doha, Qatar. The extension will replicate all academic programs and activities of the center at the university’s main campus in College Station, TX. The MoU was signed during the annual Qatar Process Safety Symposium held March 11-12 at the Qatar National Convention Center.

The center’s mission is to promote safety as second nature in industry around the world with goals to prevent future accidents. It is set to be an international leader in minimizing losses within the process industry through safer processes, management, equipment and procedures. The center (MKOPSC-Q) will provide good science-based counsel, develop and disseminate best practices through consulting and short courses, provide benchmarking for process safety management systems and practices and conduct research. It will also provide industry with a forum to exchange ideas and advance technologies to keep competitive.

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