January 2013

AlMuhandes ‫املهندس‬
Monthly Publication of the National Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects
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From the President’s Desk...
Dear AAAEA Member,
CONTACT
AAAEA:
aaaea@aaaea.org
312.409.8560
www.aaaea.org
P.O. BOX 1536,
Chicago, IL 60690
P U B L I CA T I ON
C OM MI T T EE :
 Ayman Alamy
 Mohamad Alsharbini
 Bilal Almasri
 Ghadir Haikal
 Maha Alsadi
 Mohamed Zaher
 Reema Albahri

vamping and rebuilding the NaNow with the start of a new year, and tional AAAEA
as we enter our second official year as website and all its
chapters under
a national organization, and after a
new platform based on WordPress®
new national board been elected last
content management system
November, it is the time for the organization to form its national commit- All the accomplishments at the local
tees to provide the services expected and national levels were due to memand start moving the association forbers volunteering their time. This asward.
sociation is based and structured
around volunteering.
Each national officer was assigned a
task in the first conference call the national board held this month. The national committees must start conducting its work in order for this board to
meet the expectations of our members. Again, committees are the backbone of any successful organization.
I encourage each and every member
to volunteer some of his/her time to
advance the mission of this great association. Your colleagues need your
help. Your community is need of the
volunteers.
I want to conclude by reemphasizing
I am pleased to share with you that
that, only with hard work, committhe IT committee and publication com- ment, and teamwork can we build on
mittee have been formed and held
our progress, and achieve our goals
their first conference call. Other com- of providing outstanding services to
mittees are being formed.
our members.
Also, it is my pleasure to share with
you the significant progress on the
new national web site. The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
National IT committee has been hard
at work over the past two months re-
Until we meet again, I wish you all
the best.
Together we can go further!
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In This Issue
SECTION
TITLE
PAGE
Monthly President Message
Meet the new National Executive Board
1
3
3
4
5
6
President Message
National AAAEA
Publications
Information Technology
Outdoor
National Conference
Welcome New Publications Committee
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
Joint camping with IL and WI
Next AAAEA National Conference in 2013 Location
7
8
11
12
7
8
9
Activities
Education
Career
Tri-State February 9th event flyer
12
Leadership Technical Seminar
13
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimore's deputy
14
chief of operations
Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aer- 15
ial Vehicles
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our students in Illinois
16
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG & AAAEA)- Chicago
17
1
2
10 Technical Article
11 Students
12 Education
13 Activities
14 Education
15 Fundraising
16 Activities
17 Activities
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Chapters
Activities
Education
Note
Note
Membership
Activities
Interview
Picture of the Month
ALMUHANDES
Chicago Upcoming Social Events for 2013
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AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
WI Fundraising dinner planned
AAAEA IIT Chapter
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago Chapter has been APPROVED
Chicago annual HAFLAH
2013 AAAEA-Chicago activities schedule
Introduction to Quality Management
Note to AlMuhandes Readers
20
21
22
23
Note from Texas
Annual Membership- Capital Area
Kickoff meeting for Texas Austin Chapter
Interview with Hiyam Wakeem
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington, Texas
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30
31
33
35
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25
26
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Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members
Bilal Almasri, Founding President
Bilal is a Civil Engineer with bachelor degrees in Civil Engineering and
Physics. His experience expands over 30 years in the private and public sectors. During his career, Bilal worked for contractors, engineering firms, the
city of Chicago, and currently with Illinois Department of Transportation.
Bilal served the city of Chicago in the capacity of Chief Engineer, Deputy
Commissioner, Managing Deputy Commissioner, and Acting Commissioner.
Prior to his primary role as the founding president of the National Arab
American Association of Engineers and Architects (NAAAEA), he served as
the Chicago AAAEA founding president, Chairman and member of the board
of trustees, and a member on other comities of this association on the national and local levels since its inception in the fall of 1996. In addition, he led
the creation of the Arab Professionals caucus in Chicago (Medical, Bar, Business, and AAAEA) in 1999. Recently he served as the President of the Council of Arab Organizations (consist of 13 organizations) in Chicago.
Bilal’s objective for NAAAEA is contribute to the credibility and improve the sustainability of this young organization in addition to create and connect local chapters in different states to optimize possibilities that will ultimately benefit the association’s members and Arab American community.
Bilal believes that our strong aspirations create and enhance our possibilities.
Hiyam Zayed Wakeem, Executive Vice President
Hiyam is a Mechanical Engineer with a Master of Engineering Science (PSU)
and MBA in Marketing (York College of PA). She worked for electronics
manufacturers in the capacity of product engineering and product management. Currently, she is the Americas Product Line Manager for Industrial
Connectivity solutions at Belden Inc.
Hiyam joined the capital chapter of AAAEA in 2010. She played an essential role in creating the scholarship program. Hiyam served in the capital area
chapter as the education committee chair, activities committee chair, and executive board vice president. In November 2012, Hiyam was elected to serve
in the capacity of vice president of the national executive board.
Hiyam’s objective is to connect Arab American professionals on the local and national levels to optimize services
and possibilities for the association’s members.
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Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members– Continue
Jamal Grainawi, Executive Board Treasurer
Jamal is a Licensed Civil Engineer (PE) with a Bachelor and Master of Science
degrees in Civil Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is currently serving as VP and Chief Structural Engineer at Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Jamal has over 28 years of experience in Transportation and Structural Engineering.
In addition to AAAEA, Jamal is a member of other professional organizations
including Heavy Movable Structures, Inc. and Tau Beta Pi. He also volunteers to
Engineers Week activities to encourage young students to enter the engineering
field. Some of these activities include community outreach efforts, such as visiting local schools, participating in the E-Week Expo, judging school competitions
at the state science fair; judging the IIT international Bridge Building Competitions, and overseeing the AAAEA Poster/Essay Contest that he founded.
Jamal joined AAAEA since its inception in Chicago in 1996. He served the association in the capacity of Education Committee chair and connected the association with the Illinois Engineers Council (IEC). He also served as treasurer, Vice President,
President, and one year as Chairman of the board. In addition he served on several ad-hoc committees such as the national
outreach, newsletter, semi-annual meeting and E-Week. In addition to his current role as the Treasurer for the National
AAAEA, Jamal is the current chairman of the Bylaws Committee for the Chicago chapter.
Jamal’s objectives are to expand AAAEA presence into areas such as Boston and Seattle, increase the association activity in
Engineers Week programs on a national level, recognize and honor our Arab engineers by creating an Arab Engineering Hall
of Fame overseen and managed by the National AAAEA, and to see all of members listing AAAEA on their resume and being proud of the prestige it carries.
Maha Alsadi, Executive Board Secretary
Maha is a senior software engineer at Motorola Solutions Inc. She holds a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering, Master degree in Computer Engineering,
Master degree in Project Management and Certified Six Sigma Green Belt. Maha
is a member of other professional organizations including Tau Beta Pi and
Motorola Women’s Business Council (south Florida Chapter)
Maha joined AAAEA in 2006. She served on the National Steering committee
for four years and was responsible for the AlMuhandes publication since inception in 2007 until 2012. Maha currently serves as the treasurer of the AAAEAFlorida chapter in addition to her role as a Secretary to the National executive
board.
Maha’s objective is to grow the FL chapter and connect Arab American professionals across the country to build a stronger community.
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Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members– Continue
Hani Mayzouni, Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, MBA, and M.S. in Software Engineering. His professional background includes over 25 years of experience with Senior Management,
Information Technology, Telephony and Web Technology.
Hani joined AAAEA in 1999 via another member. He believes uniting Arab American professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young generation to enter the field of Science and Engineering.
Hani's objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our members on the science and engineering communities.
Dina A. El-Tawansy, Executive Board Membership Chair
Dina is a licensed Civil Engineer (PE) and Project Management Professional (PMP)
with Bachelor degree in Civil engineering (CSU), and Master degree in Construction Management (CSU).
Dina worked for California Department of Transportation for more than 14 years in
several divisions including: Planning, Traffic Operations, Maintenance Design,
Construction, and Project Management. She also teaches construction management at the California State Northridge University as a part-time instructor. Dina
joined AAAEA since the inception of the CA chapter in 2008 and founded the Bay
Area section.
Dina’s goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Membership Committee to help the association promote and advocate on behalf of the business owners and professionals, expand the
scholarship program, conduct academic review courses and technical seminars, and establish presence in the Bay Area.
Hosam Salman, Executive Board Career Chair
Hosam Salman is a Licensed Geotechnical Engineer (PE) with a bachelor degree in
civil engineering (Ain Shams University) and Master of Engineering (Concordia
University, Canada). His experience expands over 17 years in the private and public sectors. Currently, Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff, Dallas office. Hosam’s expertise includes; geotechnical, pavement,
construction material testing and inspection.
Hosam is the co-founder for Texas Arab American Association of Engineers and
Architects (AAAEA) in 2004 in Dallas and then Huston, TX; he served as the
Houston chapter president. Hosam was involved on the national AAAEA since it
started as a member of the national steering board.
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Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members– Continue
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engineers in Laredo and Mid-Cities, Young Engineers Society, TxDOT, Engineering Student Association, Concordia University.
Ghadir Haikal, Executive Board Education Chair
Ghadir Haikal is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University,
West Lafayette, Indiana. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University, Syria), and M.S. & Ph.D degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Dr. Haikal's research focuses on developing advanced computational models for simulating the response of complex
structures and materials to extreme loading events. Dr. Haikal received several
awards among them: the Fulbright Foreign Student Fellowship for graduate study for
2002-2004, American Arab Association of Engineers and Architects Student Scholarship in 2007, and the 2009 Mavis Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the College of
Engineering at the University of Illinois. She is a member of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Engineering Science, and the United States Association for Computational Mechanics. Dr.
Haikal joined the Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects in 2007 as
a student member. She is currently the interim president of the Indiana chapter and a
member of the national executive board.
Dr. Haikal’s objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their opportunities.
Ayman Alamy, Executive Board Publication Chair
Ayman Alamy is a Sr. Project Engineer, Certified Six Sigma Green Belt, Certified
Lean Master and Certified CMMI auditor; Ayman has MS in Industrial management
(SDSU) and BS in Electrical Engineering. He is currently working as a Sr. Project
Engineer in the Software Operations Business at Rockwell Automation. He worked in
Quality Engineering for 14 years in both hardware and software.
Ayman joined AAAEA in 2008 in Wisconsin since he found the association to speak
for his profession and heritage. He served the association as an IT officer in 2012 and
currently the chair of the publication committee. Ayman decided to join the national
executive board in order to benefit all chapters from the publication work that he did
with the AAAEA identity brochure and to help out with AlMuhandes monthly newsletter. Ayman’s objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada.
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Welcome New Publication Committee
Dear Friends,
It is my pleasure to be the newly elected Publication chair for the National AAAEA this
year. I would like to thank all the current and previous board members that volunteered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly AlMuhandes publication since 2007. A special “thank you” goes to Maha Alsadi, and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMuhandes.
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level. We are introducing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will enable you to be able to carry your AAAEA publication with you with any device you
want from your laptop, iPad, iPhone, or any other devices that accept PDF. With the
PDF you will be able to print out the publication or save it to read later, also you will
have the ability to zoom in or out depending of your reading habits. If you do or do not
like the new design, please send us any feedback to almuhandes@aaaea.org
We have plenty of goals this year for our publication committee; some of those goals
are to update our National brochure in order to fit all chapters, and to assist our colleagues in Texas for the upcoming National convention. Otherwise we are designing a
list of publication that will be used in our chapters, one of which is a membership card
that will be given to each paid member on a yearly basis, just like all professional organizations.
Finally, please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information, announcements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our publication. Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interested in reading the publication, and therefore contributing to it.
Thank you,
Ayman Alamy, Publication Chair
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The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
National IT committee is very pleased to inform you that over the past
two month they have been revamping and rebuilding the National
AAAEA website and all its chapters under new platform based on
WordPress® content management system. The fifth generation website has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all association business and focuses on simplicity, privacy and effectiveness
as main goals for our members, our executive board, and any general
visitors. There are many ways to get the info only limited by visitor
Amr Kudssi
preference. Website also is getting a fresh design overhaul to look
more like 2013 website rather than 2000 one
Features For Members:
Our members are our most important association asset, many features that used to
be public will now require member login, such as Job listings, Resumes, Special
events, and more.
Some of member features:

New membership registration form with PayPal integration, email receipt confirmations and automatic membership renewals.

Ability to comment on all website content such as articles, technical sessions, picnics, events, announcements and even comment on photos.

Social networks integration, so members can share a story or “Like” an article on
their Facebook wall, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.

Online Business Directory for members’ companies. So member companies get
better exposure to visitors. Visitors can do all kinds of searching, filtering and
sorting on business directory listings.

Online Careers Center, where members can search for jobs by type, category, location or any other job keyword. Members can also apply for jobs online and receive
interview requests right into their registered email.

Events that keep members informed about upcoming association activities with
ability to register for events and add that event to their calendars on computers
and smart phones.

Association news and announcements also keep members informed on the associ-
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The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website– Continue
ation latest.

Ability to register and view Online video classes for EIT to prepare the member to
take the PE exam from the comfort of their home computer.

Members can now easily register, and update their info only, pay their dues and
subscribe to newsletters.
Features For Students:
On the new website there are dedicated student sections that shows student
events, and student activities. there are sections for K-12 students all they way to
the engineering student chapters.
For Executive board members:
The new website simplifies and unifies many daily tasks, letting EB members focus
more on ways to advance association business rather than facing tedious nontrivial challenges for non-technical persons. Some of the new features include:

Automatic membership management, member registration and renewals.

Simplified Events and Announcements creation and removal.

Simplified pictures and photo album creation and updates.

Simplified Job, resumes management.

Many more.
The main great feature that the IT committee is proud of is the platform extensibility and the wide range of adoption in the market. WordPress® has over 180,000
add-ons that should cover every single feature anyone can dream of. Members are
always welcome to join the committee or recommend features, the IT committee will
be more than happy to look into them and add them as needed.
Stay tuned, to the announcement of the new National AAAEA website coming very
soon.
Amr Kudssi
National IT Committee
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The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website– Continue
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construction
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AAAEA– National Conference 2013 News
Dallas, Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
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AAAEA-DFW is pleased to invite you to our Leadership Technical Seminar
Please join us and let us learn together !
Place: Lina T. Ramey and Associates, Inc.
Conference Room 1stFloor , 1349 Empire Central, Dallas, Texas75247
Lean Six Sigma
By
Dr. Raed Omar Sbeit
( http://raedsbeit.com/ )
D.E. Engineering Management, 2008 - Southern Methodist University
M.S. Software Engineering, 2003 - Southern Methodist University
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9, 2013 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Improve Quality, Cut Costs and Increase Speed with Lean Six Sigma!
Boost your success by getting Lean! In the world of Lean thinking, your primary goal is to operate more efficiently by eliminating not only defects in products and services, but other forms of waste: inventory, processing, waiting, motion, transportation and overproduction. Lean Six Sigma techniques help professionals in both service and manufacturing industries.
Dr. Sbeit is a lecturer at the Engineering Technology Department of UNT in Denton. Also he works as Software
Engineer and Project Manager at Verizon Communications for the last 10 years. He worked as a Field Engineer in
the construction field in UAE. Dr. Sbeit earned his doctoral degree from SMU in Engineering Management and
holds a Masters Degree in Software Engineering from SMU. He also earned Executive Graduate Certificates in
Strategic Marketing, Finance and Accounting, Negotiations and Leadership from the Cox School of Business at
SMU. He graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from the American University of Beirut. His main research interests
are in systems engineering, Telecom Mergers, Organization Effectiveness, software techniques and tools, Mergers
and Acquisitions, Systems Engineering Processes, Applications of system engineering principles and research in
commercial, telecom web-based systems and Technology development and transfer in collaboration with industrial
partners. Dr. Sbeit published a book, Raed Sbeit, "Telecom Mergers Economical and Technological Effects,
Verizon As Case Study", VDM Verlag Dr. Müller (November 27, 2008). ISBN: 3639107292
Dr. Sbeit volunteered in Verizon Volunteer Partner in Education to tutor kids in Irving School District and served as
the Vice President and Graduate Chair of Muslim Student Association (MSA) @ Southern Methodist University
SMU - Dallas, TX USA Http://people.smu.edu/msa. Dr. Sbeit is a Boys Scout Master and a Co - Founder of MAS
Scout Troop 2053 in Irving. He founded the Verizon Technology Seminars for Boys and Girls Club in Greater Dallas Area. The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills. Dr. Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
proud father of Heba, Huda and Omar.
Please invite others to participate in this event
AAEAA-TX (National AAAEA)
P. O. BOX 421341
Dallas, Texas 75342-1341
Mobil: 214-695-0636
http://dfw.aaaeatx.org (DFW Chapter)
http://hou.aaaeatx.org ( Houston Chapter)
http://www.aaaea.org (National AAAEA)
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Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied
Baltimore's (deputy Mayor of operations)
BALTIMORE, MD (January 7, 2013) — Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayor’s Office. In this role, Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Parking Authority of Baltimore City, the Department of Public Works, and the Department of General Services. Deputy Director
of Transportation Frank Murphy will serve as interim director of the Department
of Transportation.
“Mr. Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quality of essential services for the public,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “His expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight, transparency, and service delivery of our
operational agencies.”
As head of the Department of Transportation, Zaied oversaw a major expansion of the popular and successful
Charm City Circulator. He also expanded Operation Orange Cone, which has increased the number of lane miles
paved in the city each year.
Deputy Chief Zaied has served the director of the Department of Transportation since July 2010. He began working for the City of Baltimore in 1998 as a project manager and project engineer for DOT. He later served as chief
of the Highway Design Section, during which time he led the design team for the streetscapes of Harford Road,
Argonne Drive, Eastern Avenue, Charles Street, Calvert Street, Fayette Street, Broadway, and Eutaw Street. He
also served as the chief of Conduit Division. In 2006, he left DOT to become the Director of design and school
construction for Baltimore City Public Schools. With the school system, he managed a team that designed and
implemented over $30 million in school improvements.
“I am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and efficient,” added Mr. Zaied.
Previously, Mr. Zaied served as head of the Bureau of General Services and as director of the Department of
General Services. Mr. Zaied graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor’s Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA), MD-DC-VA Chapter.
Interim Director Murphy has served the city since 1974, when he began working in the Interstate Division. In
1987, he moved to Traffic Engineering. Murphy currently serves as the Deputy Director for Operations. He is a
graduate of Drexel University and a licensed professional engineer.
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Within Reach: Drexel Engineers to Add Arms
and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Drexel University- PHILADELPHIA, August 1, 2012
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as those used by the military for surveillance and reconnaissance, could be getting a
hand –and an arm– from engineers at Drexel University as part of a National Science Foundation grant to investigate adding
dexterous limbs to the aircrafts. The project, whose subject harkens to the hovering android iconography of sci-fi movies, could
be a step toward the use of UAVs for emergency response and search and rescue scenarios.
The team, led by Dr. Paul Oh, a professor in Drexel’s College of Engineering and head of the Mechanical Engineering and
Mechanics department, will examine the reaction forces and torques associated with applying robotic arms to UAVs as part of
his work in the Drexel Autonomous Systems Laboratory.
A gantry system, like the one pictured, will be used to
test the robotic arms that could eventually be mounted
on unmanned aerial vehicles.
UAVs currently perform passive tasks such as gathering in-flight visual
data and intelligence, tasks that are performed well above ground. Oh’s
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level. The group’s research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
“Mobile Manipulating UAVs” –with arms and hands capable of performing
active near-ground tasks. Oh envisions a broad range of applications from
infrastructure repair and disaster recovery to border inspection and agricultural handling.
“These types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigation,” Oh said. “It could help with
infrastructure repair; instead of hoisting someone up to a bridge, these
robots might be equipped to fly up to the bridge and start welding.”
The three-year $649,999 NSF grant will charge the group with challenges such as developing a a system that would allow the
UAV to interact with objects without upsetting its own stability. Oh developed the proposal and he will be joined in the research
by Dr. M. Ani Hsieh, Dr. James Tangorra and Dr. Jin Kang.
To better understand the forces and torques associated with the movements of limbs on a flying machine, Oh and his team
intend to retrofit robotic arms and hands onto an adjustable gantry system that is configured to mimic a UAV’s lateral and longitudinal movements. Using the data gained from the gantry testing, Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype.
“Like all things that fly you want to make sure they don’t crash, and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehicle,” Oh said. “This is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attacked.”
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Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
Dear Student,
Congratulations on choosing a career in engineering, architecture, or information technology.
The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA) is committed to supporting you throughout your college years and beyond.
AAAEA is a professional, non-profit, non-religious, and non-political organization that was established in 1996 in Chicago, IL. Our mission stems from a realization of the demand for an
organization that would address the specific needs of the Arab engineering professionals and
the Arab community at large. AAAEA has a track record of technical seminars, conferences,
and networking events, all of which will help strengthen your professional prospects. In addition, the association has established exam review classes for the Engineer-in-Training and
Professional Engineer licenses. AAAEA has a number of other social events throughout the
year for the whole family to participate.
As you endeavor for excellence in your profession, you can benefit from the scholarship program offered annually by the Association. The scholarship is awarded to students based on
merit and extra-curricular activities. Awardees are recognized during the annual professional
meeting which is a grand gathering of members and leaders in the industry.
Seventeen years and growing strong, AAAEA now has chapters and sister associations in
Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, and California. In 2011, we celebrated the formation of the National Association
which will give you, as a member, access to a broader professional network.
I would like to wish you success in your profession, and I would highly encourage you to take
advantage of the many benefits AAAEA has to offer by becoming a member. Build your leadership skills through volunteering and serving in the different committees within your chapter.
I look forward to seeing you as an active member of the association. AAAEA will help shape
your professional outlook as you prepare to shape the world.
Sincerely,
Anas Alkhatib
Vice President
Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects
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PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG & AAAEA)
Time: Classes will be held 6:00pm-9:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Location: Parsons Brinckerhoff (230 W. Monroe Street, Suite 900, Chicago, IL)
Cost: $400 (Includes several sets of practice problems but does not include any books)
RSVP: Hussam Alkhatib (Alkhatib@pbworld.com) by February 15th, 2013.
AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) & ASCE
YMG (Younger Member Group) are once again offering their PE Exam Review
Course for the April 12th, 2013 IL Professional Engineer Exam. Our revamped
PE Review Course features live instruction as well as focused problem-solving
sessions, to best prepare you for this important step in your career. Our course
has received very favorable reviews from past attendees and is the best value
available for PE Exam preparation.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day
Date
Tuesday
2/19/2013
Thursday
2/21/2013
Tuesday
2/26/2013
Tuesday
3/5/2013
Thursday
3/7/2013
Tuesday
3/12/2013
Thursday
3/14/2013
Thursday
3/21/2013
Tuesday
3/26/2013
Thursday
3/28/2013
Tuesday
4/2/2013
Break Until the Exam Time
Friday
4/12/2013
Topic
Introduction to class and the exam
Transportation
Transportation
Water Resources and Environmental
Water Resources and Environmental
Geotechnical
Geotechnical
Surveying/ Construction/Economics
Surveying/ Construction/Economics
Structural
Structural
Instructor
Dr. Soliman Khudeira, PE, SE
Dr. Zongzhi Li, PE
Study Group*
Paul M. Kanellopoulos, PE
Study Group*
Dr. Krishna R. Reddy, PE
Study Group*
Dr. Soliman Khudeira, PE, SE
Study Group*
Dr. Soliman Khudeira, PE, SE
Study Group*
PE EXAM
*Dinner will be provided during each study group nights.
To Register:
Please email your name and contact info (address, email, and telephone number) to Hussam
Alkhatib at alkhatib@pbworld.com before February 15th, 2013.
-SPACE IS LIMMITEDFor all other information or questions please contact:
Hussam Alkhatib
YMG PE Exam Review Director
(c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatib@pbworld.com
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam!
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Chicago Upcoming Social Events for 2013
Dear AAAEA Members:
On behalf of the AAAEA Executive Board and as your activity committee chair, it gives
me great pleasure to report that 2012 has been another successful and productive
year for the organization at the local and the national level. In 2012, we have held several activities which brought AAAEA members and families together and has given
everyone the opportunity to socialize and interact on a casual and professional basis
in a relaxed and informal setting. Yet, 2013 will offer more activities to carry on the organization into wider horizons.
We have planned a comprehensive set of activities to offer and encourage everyone
to take part in these upcoming activities among family members and professional associates. The intent of the activities is to attract as much as possible of the members.
This is your organization and participation is always our full priority and objective. We
are always open to suggestions for more activities and we will always listen and act so
that our members get the full benefits out of the organization. We are always a phone
call away and we welcome your ideas and suggestions.
Our 2013 upcoming activities include:
1. An evening of music, food, fun and surprises packaged as a formal "Hafleh" to be
held on Saturday evening, March 23, 2013.
2. A total of 4 picnics to celebrate the warm summer of Illinois on 6/15/2013 (and welcome summer 2013), on 7/6/2013 (to celebrate Independence Day), on 8/17/2013 (to
bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 9/1/2013 (to celebrate all our hard workers on
Labor Day). These picnics provide families quality time to enjoy their time among their
friends and colleagues and simply to make new friends.
3. An interesting and unique camping experience in Wisconsin, tentatively scheduled
for June 7, 2013. Details are still being worked out but we promise a fantastic time to
all participants.
4. Our Semi-Annual Meeting at Drury Lane scheduled for October 17, 2013 promises
a successful professional gathering and an opportunity to network.
We are grateful to your continued participation and support of our organization and we
all look forward to a prosperous year.
Sincerely,
Issam Rayyan
Chair,
AAAEA Activities Committee
AAAEA | 312-409-8560 | aaaea@aaaea.org | http://www.aaaea.org
P.O. Box 1536; Chicago, IL 60690
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AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
Topic: “Underwater Bridge Inspection” by Nick Triandafilou P.E., S.E. and Brian Dilworth P.E.
On Wednesday January, 9, 2013, AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chicago Camous. The focus of the seminar was a presentation on “Underwater Bridge Inspection” by Nick Triandafilou P.E., S.E., and Brian Dilworth P.E., both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and designers, from Collins Engineers, Inc. The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nation's infrastructure and ensuring public safety on our highway systems. The recent collapse of the I35
Bridge in Minneapolis has brought an increased focus to the importance of bridge inspection. Inspecting the
underwater portions of bridge piers is an integral part of the bridge inspection program as many structural and
stability related deficiencies can be hidden below water. In fact, the most common cause of bridge failures in
the United States is scour, in which the channel bottom material below a bridge pier washes away and results
in the pier becoming unstable. This presentation discussed the methods currently being used to inspect and
monitor the underwater portions of our nation's bridges.
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit, or for individuals or companies interested in presenting at one of the AAAEA events,
please contact Kevin Mesyef at education@aaaea.org.
Best Regards,
Kevin Mesyef
Education Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
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AAAEA IIT Chapter
On December 12, 2012, Mr. Bilal Almasri, the national president of AAAEA, Dr. Soliman
Khudaira, past president and a member of the board of trustees, and Anas Khatib, vice president visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IIT’s campus.
As president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at IIT, I had the honor
of welcoming the AAAEA and introducing them to some of the wonderful engineering and architecture students currently at IIT. During the meeting, Mr. Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organization’s beginning as well as the benefits of being an active member. Even more impressive, was the discussion of the AAAEA’s vision for the future. During the meeting, a group of IIT students created a committee that will
lay out the foundation and building blocks for future generations of AAAEA at IIT.
Our vision for this chapter is to allow young motivated Arab engineers and architects to connect with professionals in the field and allow them to increase their network. Also we will strive
to give them opportunities that will ultimately place them in highly valued and influential positions, this will eventually help them become leaders and innovators of the future.
It was a great honor to have this meeting at IIT and it provided the students a wonderful opportunity to listen to great engineers and architects that have many years of experience. On
behalf of all the Arab engineering and architecture students at IIT, I would like to thank the entire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional experience with the talented and motivated
students on our campus.
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
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AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
Dear Board Team,
Thanks for your support, as well as the support from UIC, we have successfully been
approved as an IIT Chapter finally tonight after my presentation, with the presence of
Abdulrahman Arnaout, in the lecture hall.
I hope you would be able to come to our first General Body Meeting which we are planning to be on February 14th, 2013 at 12:50pm to 1:50pm I know it might be difficult for
you guys to come because of work timings but if you can find the time to come it would
be great to let the students meet the reason behind this chapter.
The following are the official founders of this organization, ordered by no preference
other than their last name:




Arnaout, Abdulrahman
Asfahani, Rami
Alhamwi, Tarek
Khallil, Ahmad
Thank you again for your support.
PS: It would be great if we can do a small meeting directly after our new executive
board members are elected so that we introduce them to you guys and see why we
should keep this organization up and going forward for the next years to come even
when we leave it for other people to run it.
Sincerely,
A. Rami Asfahani
Vice President of the IIT Chapter
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AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA
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Date:
Sat March 23rd, 2013
Time:
5:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M
Place:
Belvedere Chateau
8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills, IL 60645
Register: http://www.aaaea.org
Questions and Information
312-409-8560 (Voice Mail)
E-mail: aaaea@aaaea.org
Cost:
$50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely,
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Annual Hafleh on Saturday 3/23/13
Picnic1 on 6/15/2013.
Camping starting Friday6/7/2013 to Sunday 6/9/2013.
Picnic 2 on7/6/2013.
Picnic 3 on 8/17/2013.
Picnic 4 on 9/1/2013
Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10/17/2013.
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AAAEA– Texas Education Seminar
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AAAEA– Texas Education Seminar– Continue
Campus Information
Map
http://www.uh.edu/maps/
Parking
http://www.uh.edu/maps/#map-parking-routes
Directions
http://uh.edu/maps/buildings/?short_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Houston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar
in 2013.
The title of the seminar is: Introduction to Quality Management - “System for Major
Capital Projects Execution”
Our guest speaker is : Mohan Sharma, BE, ME, MBA,
Global Quality Assurance Team Manager,
Chevron Energy Technology Company.
When: January 30, 2013 (7:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Where: University of Houston (main campus)
Cullen College of Engineering Bldg. #2 - D3 Room E-223
Please refer to the attached flyer for more information.
Thank you,
AAAEA-TX (Houston Chapter)
http://hou.aaaeatx.org (Houston Chapter)
http://dfw.aaaeatx.org (DFW Chapter)
http://www.aaaea.org (National AAAEA)
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AAAEA– Texas Education Seminar– Continue
For CAMPUS MAP:
http://www.uh.edu/maps/
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP:
http://www.uh.edu/maps/#map-parking-routes
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Notes from AlMuhandes

All news and articles must be e-mailed to almuhandes@aaaea.org by the 16th of each
month in order to be published by the end of
the month.

All chapters must update their e-mail list in
order to ensure the distribution of AlMuhandes to all their members.

Please send your feedback about the new design to almuhandes@aaaea.org
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Our AAAEA Members,
Please share with us any career, job fair, scholarship, internship, etc opportunity either within USA or Middle
East. We would like to share it with our members.
Please email Career Committee at:
career.center@aaaea.org
Thank you very much.
Hosam Salman
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Arab American Association of Engineers & Architects
Capital Area
Annual Membership
Dear AAAEA Friend,
Our association has been growing every year and our activities are increasing as well. This could have not be
done without you and your commitment.
In order for us to accomplish our goals for 2013 as we continue to provide our members with a professional environment and networking opportunities to enhance their knowledge, we need your support. You could start by
renewing your membership for 2013 as our records indicate that you have not done so yet.
The intrinsic value of membership is rewarding to the individual and can lead to professional satisfaction. Furthermore the contacts made through AAAEA will be valuable throughout your professional career.
Below are a few examples of the benefits of membership:

Regular technical seminars addressing the specific needs of practicing Architects and Engineers.

Interaction with industry and professional groups, and advance notice of seminars and other offerings.

The opportunity to network with Architects, Engineers and other professionals.

Complimentary subscription to Al-Muhandes newsletter.

Discounted and/or free admissions to several of our annual activities.
Individual Membership application form can be downloaded by clicking here.
We appreciate your commitment to AAAEA and definitely look forward to your support.
Sincerely;
Membership Committee
Individual Membership Form
Corporate Membership Form
If you already renewed your membership for 2013, please email us at membership@aaaeadc.com to update our records. We
apologize for the inconvenience.
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AAAEA–Texas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
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AAAEA–Texas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter– Continue
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Interview of the Month
1. Please introduce yourself, education, back ground and
family.
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem. My family’s hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin, Palestine). I was born in Kuwait and grew up in Amman-Jordan.
I am married to Jamal Wakeem and have two sons; Khalil
(9) and Zayne (7).
Hiyam Zayed Wakeem
I graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology (PSU), Master of Engineering Science (PSU), and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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My work experience is concentrated in Electronics Manufacturing. I
worked in Product Engineering and Product Management for Industrial
and Fiber Optic connector manufacturers. Currently, I am a Product Line
Manager and Product Engineering Manager for Industrial Connectivity Solutions at Belden Inc., the Americas region.
2. How did you hear about AAAEA and how long have you been
involved and what positions did you hold?
A friend of mine who is a member of the AAAEA introduced me to the
capital chapter in 2009. I joined the chapter that year.
2010 position à Member of Education Committee, member of Activities
Committee.
2011 positions à Co-Chair of Education Committee, Chair of Activities
Committee.
2012 position à Vice President of Capital Area Chapter.
3. Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee & scholarship committee in
DC.
In 2010, I served on the Education and Activities committees. My responsibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
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Interview of the Month– continue
grams. I cooperated with the chapter president, at the time, to establish
the criteria, requirements, and the marketing plan to promote the program.
I assisted the Activities committee with the social activities planned that
year.
In 2011, I served as Co-chair of the Education Committee and Chair of
the Activities Committee.
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events.
In 2012, I served as Vice President on the Association, Capital Area chapter.
4. Did the National Conference meet your expectations? Please
provide us with your feedback.
The National Conference was of high standards. The Wisconsin chapter
did an outstanding job in planning and executing the event. I enjoyed being
part of the National Conference.
My only reservation is the election process; I would like the election process to start by introducing the nominees’ credentials prior to the conference so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees before voting.
5. What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any suggestions?
I enjoy reading Almuhandes; it is a great publication. I would like to see
more interviews with members who excel in their field, or publish books
and articles. Recognize those who receive awards in their respective
fields, by introducing their work, Almuhandes would advance our
knowledge and encourage others to write articles and introduce themselves to our association members.
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Hiyam Zayed Wakeem
I helped the Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD, VA, and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter.
34
Picture of the Month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington, Texas

AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help it's members as well as the
community as a whole.

Any content in this newsletter is used for informative or educational purposes
only.

Any questions , concerns or feedback regarding ALMUHANDES should be forwarded to almuhandes@aaaea.org

All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandes@aaaea.org by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month.