vamping and re- building the Na- tional AAAEA website and all its chapters under new platform based on WordPress® content management system All the accomplishments at the local and national levels were due to mem- bers volunteering their time. This as- sociation is based and structured around volunteering. I encourage each and every member to volunteer some of his/her time to advance the mission of this great as- sociation. Your colleagues need your help. Your community is need of the volunteers. I want to conclude by reemphasizing that, only with hard work, commit- ment, and teamwork can we build on our progress, and achieve our goals of providing outstanding services to our members. Until we meet again, I wish you all the best. Together we can go further! Dear AAAEA Member, Now with the start of a new year, and as we enter our second official year as a national organization, and after a new national board been elected last November, it is the time for the or- ganization to form its national commit- tees to provide the services expected and start moving the association for- ward. Each national officer was assigned a task in the first conference call the na- tional board held this month. The na- tional committees must start conduct- ing its work in order for this board to meet the expectations of our mem- bers. Again, committees are the back- bone of any successful organization. I am pleased to share with you that the IT committee and publication com- mittee have been formed and held their first conference call. Other com- mittees are being formed. Also, it is my pleasure to share with you the significant progress on the new national web site. The Fifth Gen- eration National AAAEA Website National IT committee has been hard at work over the past two months re- From the President’s Desk... AlMuhandes JANUARY 2013 VOLUME VII ISSUE 1 PUBLICATION COMMITTEE: Ayman Alamy Mohamad Alsharbini Bilal Almasri Ghadir Haikal Maha Alsadi Mohamed Zaher Reema Albahri Monthly Publication of the National Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects هندس اCONTACT AAAEA: [email protected]312.409.8560 www.aaaea.org P.O. BOX 1536, Chicago, IL 60690
Transcript
vamping and re-
building the Na-
tional AAAEA
website and all its
chapters under
new platform based on WordPressreg
content management system
All the accomplishments at the local
and national levels were due to mem-
bers volunteering their time This as-
sociation is based and structured
around volunteering
I encourage each and every member
to volunteer some of hisher time to
advance the mission of this great as-
sociation Your colleagues need your
help Your community is need of the
volunteers
I want to conclude by reemphasizing
that only with hard work commit-
ment and teamwork can we build on
our progress and achieve our goals
of providing outstanding services to
our members
Until we meet again I wish you all
the best
Together we can go further
Dear AAAEA Member
Now with the start of a new year and
as we enter our second official year as
a national organization and after a
new national board been elected last
November it is the time for the or-
ganization to form its national commit-
tees to provide the services expected
and start moving the association for-
ward
Each national officer was assigned a
task in the first conference call the na-
tional board held this month The na-
tional committees must start conduct-
ing its work in order for this board to
meet the expectations of our mem-
bers Again committees are the back-
bone of any successful organization
I am pleased to share with you that
the IT committee and publication com-
mittee have been formed and held
their first conference call Other com-
mittees are being formed
Also it is my pleasure to share with
you the significant progress on the
new national web site The Fifth Gen-
eration National AAAEA Website
National IT committee has been hard
at work over the past two months re-
From the Presidentrsquos Desk
AlMuhandes J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
20 Education Introduction to Quality Management 26
21 Note Note to AlMuhandes Readers 29
22 Note Note from Texas 29
23 Membership Annual Membership- Capital Area 30
24 Activities Kickoff meeting for Texas Austin Chapter 31
25 Interview Interview with Hiyam Wakeem 33
26 Picture of the Month Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas 35
P A G E 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sec-
tors 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 nation-
al 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 Recent-
ly he served as the President of the Council of Arab Organizations (consist of 13 organizations) in Chicago
Bilalrsquos objective for NAAAEA is contribute to the credibility and improve the sustainability of this young organi-
zation in addition to create and connect local chapters in different states to optimize possibilities that will ulti-
mately benefit the associationrsquos members and Arab American community
Bilal believes that our strong aspirations create and enhance our possibilities
Hiyam Zayed Wakeem Executive Vice Pres-
ident
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 manage-
ment 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 essen-
tial role in creating the scholarship program Hiyam served in the capital area
chapter as the education committee chair activities committee chair and ex-
ecutive board vice president In November 2012 Hiyam was elected to serve
in the capacity of vice president of the national executive board
Hiyamrsquos objective is to connect Arab American professionals on the local and national levels to optimize services
and possibilities for the associationrsquos members
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 cur-
rently serving as VP and Chief Structural Engineer at Parsons Brinckerhoff
Jamal has over 28 years of experience in Transportation and Structural Engineer-
ing
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 visit-
ing local schools participating in the E-Week Expo judging school competitions
at the state science fair judging the IIT international Bridge Building Competi-
tions and overseeing the AAAEA PosterEssay Contest that he founded
Jamal joined AAAEA since its inception in Chicago in 1996 He served the association in the capacity of Education Commit-
tee 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
Jamalrsquos 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 be-
ing proud of the prestige it carries
Maha Alsadi Executive Board Secretary
Maha is a senior software engineer at Motorola Solutions Inc She holds a Bach-
elor 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 Womenrsquos 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 incep-
tion in 2007 until 2012 Maha currently serves as the treasurer of the AAAEA-
Florida chapter in addition to her role as a Secretary to the National executive
board
Maharsquos objective is to grow the FL chapter and connect Arab American profes-
sionals across the country to build a stronger community
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hani Mayzouni Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing and Computer Science MBA and MS in Software Engineering His profes-
sional 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 Ameri-
can professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young genera-
tion to enter the field of Science and Engineering
Hanis objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our mem-
bers 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 Construc-
tion 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 manage-
ment 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
Dinarsquos goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Member-
ship 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 pub-
lic sectors Currently Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff Dallas office Hosamrsquos 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
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
In This Issue
A L M U H A N D E S
SECTION TITLE PAGE
1 President Message Monthly President Message 1
2 National AAAEA Meet the new National Executive Board 3
3 Publications Welcome New Publications Committee 7
4 Information Technology The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website 8
5 Outdoor Joint camping with IL and WI 11
6 National Conference Next AAAEA National Conference in 2013 Location 12
7 Activities Tri-State February 9th event flyer 12
8 Education Leadership Technical Seminar 13
9 Career Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores deputy chief of operations
14
10 Technical Article Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aer-ial Vehicles
15
11 Students Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our students in Illinois 16
12 Education PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)- Chicago 17
13 Activities Chicago Upcoming Social Events for 2013 19
14 Education AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar 20
15 Fundraising WI Fundraising dinner planned 21
16 Activities AAAEA IIT Chapter 22
17 Activities AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago Chapter has been AP-PROVED
20 Education Introduction to Quality Management 26
21 Note Note to AlMuhandes Readers 29
22 Note Note from Texas 29
23 Membership Annual Membership- Capital Area 30
24 Activities Kickoff meeting for Texas Austin Chapter 31
25 Interview Interview with Hiyam Wakeem 33
26 Picture of the Month Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas 35
P A G E 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sec-
tors 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 nation-
al 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 Recent-
ly he served as the President of the Council of Arab Organizations (consist of 13 organizations) in Chicago
Bilalrsquos objective for NAAAEA is contribute to the credibility and improve the sustainability of this young organi-
zation in addition to create and connect local chapters in different states to optimize possibilities that will ulti-
mately benefit the associationrsquos members and Arab American community
Bilal believes that our strong aspirations create and enhance our possibilities
Hiyam Zayed Wakeem Executive Vice Pres-
ident
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 manage-
ment 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 essen-
tial role in creating the scholarship program Hiyam served in the capital area
chapter as the education committee chair activities committee chair and ex-
ecutive board vice president In November 2012 Hiyam was elected to serve
in the capacity of vice president of the national executive board
Hiyamrsquos objective is to connect Arab American professionals on the local and national levels to optimize services
and possibilities for the associationrsquos members
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 cur-
rently serving as VP and Chief Structural Engineer at Parsons Brinckerhoff
Jamal has over 28 years of experience in Transportation and Structural Engineer-
ing
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 visit-
ing local schools participating in the E-Week Expo judging school competitions
at the state science fair judging the IIT international Bridge Building Competi-
tions and overseeing the AAAEA PosterEssay Contest that he founded
Jamal joined AAAEA since its inception in Chicago in 1996 He served the association in the capacity of Education Commit-
tee 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
Jamalrsquos 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 be-
ing proud of the prestige it carries
Maha Alsadi Executive Board Secretary
Maha is a senior software engineer at Motorola Solutions Inc She holds a Bach-
elor 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 Womenrsquos 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 incep-
tion in 2007 until 2012 Maha currently serves as the treasurer of the AAAEA-
Florida chapter in addition to her role as a Secretary to the National executive
board
Maharsquos objective is to grow the FL chapter and connect Arab American profes-
sionals across the country to build a stronger community
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hani Mayzouni Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing and Computer Science MBA and MS in Software Engineering His profes-
sional 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 Ameri-
can professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young genera-
tion to enter the field of Science and Engineering
Hanis objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our mem-
bers 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 Construc-
tion 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 manage-
ment 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
Dinarsquos goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Member-
ship 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 pub-
lic sectors Currently Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff Dallas office Hosamrsquos 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
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sec-
tors 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 nation-
al 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 Recent-
ly he served as the President of the Council of Arab Organizations (consist of 13 organizations) in Chicago
Bilalrsquos objective for NAAAEA is contribute to the credibility and improve the sustainability of this young organi-
zation in addition to create and connect local chapters in different states to optimize possibilities that will ulti-
mately benefit the associationrsquos members and Arab American community
Bilal believes that our strong aspirations create and enhance our possibilities
Hiyam Zayed Wakeem Executive Vice Pres-
ident
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 manage-
ment 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 essen-
tial role in creating the scholarship program Hiyam served in the capital area
chapter as the education committee chair activities committee chair and ex-
ecutive board vice president In November 2012 Hiyam was elected to serve
in the capacity of vice president of the national executive board
Hiyamrsquos objective is to connect Arab American professionals on the local and national levels to optimize services
and possibilities for the associationrsquos members
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Members
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 cur-
rently serving as VP and Chief Structural Engineer at Parsons Brinckerhoff
Jamal has over 28 years of experience in Transportation and Structural Engineer-
ing
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 visit-
ing local schools participating in the E-Week Expo judging school competitions
at the state science fair judging the IIT international Bridge Building Competi-
tions and overseeing the AAAEA PosterEssay Contest that he founded
Jamal joined AAAEA since its inception in Chicago in 1996 He served the association in the capacity of Education Commit-
tee 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
Jamalrsquos 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 be-
ing proud of the prestige it carries
Maha Alsadi Executive Board Secretary
Maha is a senior software engineer at Motorola Solutions Inc She holds a Bach-
elor 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 Womenrsquos 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 incep-
tion in 2007 until 2012 Maha currently serves as the treasurer of the AAAEA-
Florida chapter in addition to her role as a Secretary to the National executive
board
Maharsquos objective is to grow the FL chapter and connect Arab American profes-
sionals across the country to build a stronger community
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hani Mayzouni Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing and Computer Science MBA and MS in Software Engineering His profes-
sional 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 Ameri-
can professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young genera-
tion to enter the field of Science and Engineering
Hanis objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our mem-
bers 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 Construc-
tion 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 manage-
ment 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
Dinarsquos goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Member-
ship 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 pub-
lic sectors Currently Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff Dallas office Hosamrsquos 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
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 cur-
rently serving as VP and Chief Structural Engineer at Parsons Brinckerhoff
Jamal has over 28 years of experience in Transportation and Structural Engineer-
ing
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 visit-
ing local schools participating in the E-Week Expo judging school competitions
at the state science fair judging the IIT international Bridge Building Competi-
tions and overseeing the AAAEA PosterEssay Contest that he founded
Jamal joined AAAEA since its inception in Chicago in 1996 He served the association in the capacity of Education Commit-
tee 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
Jamalrsquos 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 be-
ing proud of the prestige it carries
Maha Alsadi Executive Board Secretary
Maha is a senior software engineer at Motorola Solutions Inc She holds a Bach-
elor 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 Womenrsquos 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 incep-
tion in 2007 until 2012 Maha currently serves as the treasurer of the AAAEA-
Florida chapter in addition to her role as a Secretary to the National executive
board
Maharsquos objective is to grow the FL chapter and connect Arab American profes-
sionals across the country to build a stronger community
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hani Mayzouni Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing and Computer Science MBA and MS in Software Engineering His profes-
sional 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 Ameri-
can professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young genera-
tion to enter the field of Science and Engineering
Hanis objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our mem-
bers 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 Construc-
tion 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 manage-
ment 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
Dinarsquos goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Member-
ship 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 pub-
lic sectors Currently Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff Dallas office Hosamrsquos 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
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hani Mayzouni Executive Board IT Officer
Hani is an IT Leader with a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing and Computer Science MBA and MS in Software Engineering His profes-
sional 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 Ameri-
can professionals will build a strong community and encourage the young genera-
tion to enter the field of Science and Engineering
Hanis objective is to have a chapter in each state and have an impact via our mem-
bers 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 Construc-
tion 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 manage-
ment 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
Dinarsquos goal in joining the National Executive Board is to assist with the Member-
ship 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 pub-
lic sectors Currently Hosam is a lead Geotechnical Engineer with Parsons
Brinckerhoff Dallas office Hosamrsquos 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
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Hosam was also active in other organizations and hold offices on their boards such as Texas Society of Professional Engi-
neers 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 bachelorrsquos degree in Civil Engineering
(Tishreen University Syria) and MS amp PhD degrees in Civil Engineering
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Dr Haikals research focuses on de-
veloping 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 Scholar-
ship 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 Engi-
neering 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 Haikalrsquos objective is to connector the AAAEA student members with Arab American professionals to optimize their op-
portunities
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 news-
letter Aymanrsquos objective is to create chapters in area where is no current presence of
AAAEA within the US and Canada
Meet the New AAAEA National Board Membersndash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 volun-
teered their time and efforts in order to provide you with the uninterrupted monthly Al-
Muhandes publication since 2007 A special ldquothank yourdquo goes to Maha Alsadi and all
those responsible for their dedication and responsibility during the first 6 years of AlMu-
handes
Now we are at a new stage where we want to go to the next level We are introduc-
ing with this January publication a completely new design in a PDF format that will en-
able 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 almuhandesaaaeaorg
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 col-
leagues 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 or-
ganizations
Finally please share our joy by providing us your chapter news and information an-
nouncements and events or simply a good piece of information that would fit our pub-
lication Please spread the news about AlMuhandes so we have more people interest-
ed in reading the publication and therefore contributing to it
Thank you
Ayman Alamy Publication Chair
Welcome New Publication Committee
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
WordPressreg content management system The fifth generation web-
site has lots of new cutting edge features that encompasses all asso-
ciation 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
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 confir-
mations and automatic membership renewals
Ability to comment on all website content such as articles technical sessions pic-
nics events announcements and even comment on photos
Social networks integration so members can share a story or ldquoLikerdquo an article on
their Facebook wall LinkedIn Twitter or YouTube
Online Business Directory for membersrsquo 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 loca-
tion 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-
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Website
A L M U H A N D E S
Amr Kudssi
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 non-
trivial 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 extensibil-
ity and the wide range of adoption in the market WordPressreg has over 180000
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
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
The Fifth Generation National AAAEA Websitendash Continue
A L M U H A N D E S
Preview of
the new
National
web site
under
construc-
tion
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
AAAEAndash National Conference 2013 News
P A G E 1 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Dallas Texas will host the 2013
AAAEA National Conference
Tri-State AAAEA Upcoming Event
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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
( httpraedsbeitcom ) DE Engineering Management 2008 - Southern Methodist University
MS Software Engineering 2003 - Southern Methodist University BE Mechanical Engineering 1998 - American University of Beirut
Saturday February 9 2013 1130 am to 1230 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 elimi-nating not only defects in products and services but other forms of waste inventory processing waiting motion transporta-
tion 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 Muumlller (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 Httppeoplesmuedumsa 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 Dal-
las Area The class was to teach staff and Kids on Basic computer skills Dr Sbeit is married to Sara Khayat and a
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
BALTIMORE MD (January 7 2013) mdash Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake an-
nounced the appointment of Department of Transportation Director Khalil Zaied
as deputy chief of operations in the Mayorrsquos Office In this role Deputy Chief
Zaied will coordinate a portfolio of operational City agencies including the De-
partment of Transportation the Parking Authority of Baltimore City the Depart-
ment 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
ldquoMr Zaied is an outstanding public servant and committed to improving the quali-
ty of essential services for the publicrdquo said Mayor Rawlings-Blake ldquoHis expertise
and knowledge will improve oversight transparency and service delivery of our
operational agenciesrdquo
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 work-
ing 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
ldquoI am looking forward to working with the employees of many agencies to make them more effective and effi-
cientrdquo 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 Bachelorrsquos Degree in
Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Arab American Association of Engi-
neers 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
Baltimore Mayor named Khalil Zaied Baltimores (deputy Mayor of operations)
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 ndashand an armndash 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 Drexelrsquos 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 Ohrsquos
team is looking at how UAVs might interact with objects at or near ground
level The grouprsquos research focuses on developing what the NSF calls
ldquoMobile Manipulating UAVsrdquo ndashwith 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 agri-
cultural handling
ldquoThese types of aircraft will advance field service robotics for things like
search and rescue and disaster mitigationrdquo Oh said ldquoIt 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 weldingrdquo
The three-year $649999 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 UAVrsquos lateral and lon-
gitudinal movements Using the data gained from the gantry testing Oh hopes to eventually build a working prototype
ldquoLike all things that fly you want to make sure they donrsquot crash and as this type of flying robot starts manipulating things in its
environment it can often destabilize the vehiclerdquo Oh said ldquoThis is a very challenging design problem that nobody else has ever
really attackedrdquo
Within Reach Drexel Engineers to Add Arms and Hands to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sup-
porting you throughout your college years and beyond
AAAEA is a professional non-profit non-religious and non-political organization that was es-
tablished 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 addi-
tion 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 pro-
gram 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 lead-
ership 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
Letter from AAAEA-Chicago to our Students in Illinois
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Time Classes will be held 600pm-900pm 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 (Alkhatibpbworldcom) by February 15th 2013 AAAEA (The Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects) amp 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
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 alkhatibpbworldcom before February 15th 2013 -SPACE IS LIMMITED- For all other information or questions please contact Hussam Alkhatib YMG PE Exam Review Director (c) (708) 845-6363
alkhatibpbworldcom
Remember to register with NCEES one month prior to your exam
PE Exam Review Course (ASCE YMG amp AAAEA)
A L M U H A N D E S
COURSE SCHEDULE
Day Date Topic Instructor Tuesday 2192013 Introduction to class and the exam Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Thursday 2212013 Transportation Dr Zongzhi Li PE Tuesday 2262013 Transportation Study Group Tuesday 352013 Water Resources and Environmental Paul M Kanellopoulos PE Thursday 372013 Water Resources and Environmental Study Group Tuesday 3122013 Geotechnical Dr Krishna R Reddy PE Thursday 3142013 Geotechnical Study Group Thursday 3212013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 3262013 Surveying ConstructionEconomics Study Group Thursday 3282013 Structural Dr Soliman Khudeira PE SE Tuesday 422013 Structural Study Group Break Until the Exam Time Friday 4122013 PE EXAM
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 sev-eral 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 or-ganization 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 as-sociates 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 6152013 (and wel-come summer 2013) on 762013 (to celebrate Independence Day) on 8172013 (to bid farewell to summer 2013) and on 912013 (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
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Topic ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Triandafilou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE
On Wednesday January 9 2013 AAAEA-IL hosted a technical dinner seminar at the University of Illinois Chica-
go Camous The focus of the seminar was a presentation on ldquoUnderwater Bridge Inspectionrdquo by Nick Trianda-
filou PE SE and Brian Dilworth PE both experienced bridge and marine structure inspectors and design-
ers from Collins Engineers Inc The presentation emphasized how bridge inspection is critical to maintaining
our nations 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 nations bridges
For information regarding future technical presentations and conferences offering professional development
credit or for individuals or companies interest-
ed in presenting at one of the AAAEA events
please contact Kevin Mesyef at educa-
tionaaaeaorg
Best Regards
Kevin Mesyef Education Committee Chair AAAEA-IL
AAAEA-IL January 2013 Dinner Seminar
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 presi-
dent visited the Illinois Institute of Technology and met with the newly formed chapter of
AAAEA on IITrsquos 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 ar-
chitecture students currently at IIT During the meeting Mr Almasri spoke on behalf of the
AAAEA organization and briefly talked about the organizationrsquos beginning as well as the bene-
fits of being an active member Even more impressive was the discussion of the AAAEArsquos vi-
sion 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 con-
nect 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 posi-
tions 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 op-
portunity 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 en-
tire delegation of AAAEA for taking the time to visit our school and share their professional ex-
perience with the tal-
ented and motivated
students on our cam-
pus
Ahmad Jawad Khalil
President of ASME IIT
AAAEA- IIT- Forming
Committee
AAAEA IIT Chapter
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 3 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
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 plan-
ning to be on February 14th 2013 at 1250pm to 150pm 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
AAAEA student chapter at IIT-Chicago
Chapter has been APPROVED
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 4 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 5
2013 AAAEA-Chicago Aactivities Schedule
AAAEA-IL 2013 HAFLA Date
Sat March 23rd 2013
Time 500 PM to 1000 PM
Place
Belvedere Chateau 8055 W 103rd st
Palos Hills IL 60645 Register httpwwwaaaeaorg
Questions and Information 312-409-8560 (Voice Mail) E-mail aaaeaaaaeaorg
Cost $50
ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER
Click to here to see details
Hafla Announcement 2013
Sincerely
Activity Committee Chair
AAAEA-IL
1 Annual Hafleh on Saturday 32313 2 Picnic1 on 6152013 3 Camping starting Friday672013 to Sunday 692013 4 Picnic 2 on762013 5 Picnic 3 on 8172013 6 Picnic 4 on 912013 7 Semi Annual Meeting on Thursday 10172013
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 6 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminar
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 7 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
Campus Information
Map httpwwwuhedumaps
Parking httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
Directions httpuhedumapsbuildingsshort_name=D3
AAAEA Texas- Houston Chapter in collaboration with the University of Hou-ston AAAEA Students Chapter invite you to join the first educational seminar in 2013
The title of the seminar is Introduction to Quality Management - ldquoSystem for Major Capital Projects Executionrdquo
Our guest speaker is Mohan Sharma BE ME MBA Global Quality Assurance Team Manager Chevron Energy Technology Company
When January 30 2013 (700 PM ndash 800 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) httphouaaaeatxorg (Houston Chapter) httpdfwaaaeatxorg (DFW Chapter) httpwwwaaaeaorg (National AAAEA)
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 8 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
For CAMPUS PARKING MAP
httpwwwuhedumapsmap-parking-routes
AAAEAndash Texas Education Seminarndash Continue
For CAMPUS MAP
httpwwwuhedumaps
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 2 9 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Our AAAEA Members
Please share with us any career job fair scholarship in-ternship etc opportunity either within USA or Middle East We would like to share it with our members Please email Career Committee at careercenteraaaeaorg
Thank you very much
Hosam Salman
A L M U H A N D E S
NOTE from AAAEA -TEXAS
Notes from AlMuhandes
All news and articles must be e-mailed to al-
muhandesaaaeaorg 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 AlMu-
handes to all their members
Please send your feedback about the new de-
sign to almuhandesaaaeaorg
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 0 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
Arab American Association of Engineers amp 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 envi-ronment 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 Further-more 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 andor 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 membershipaaaeadccom to update our records We apologize for the inconvenience
A L M U H A N D E S
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 1 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapter
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 2 V O L U M E V I I I S S U E 1
A L M U H A N D E S
AAAEAndashTexas Kickoff meeting for Austin Chapterndash Continue
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 3
Interview of the Month 1 Please introduce yourself education back ground and
family
My name is Hiyam Zayed Wakeem My familyrsquos hometown
is Sielet el daher (A village near the town of Jenin Pales-
tine) 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)
I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technolo-
gy (PSU) Master of Engineering Science (PSU) and MBA in
Marketing (York College of PA)
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 So-
lutions 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 agrave Member of Education Committee member of Activities
Committee
2011 positions agrave Co-Chair of Education Committee Chair of Activities
Committee
2012 position agrave Vice President of Capital Area Chapter
3 Please provide us with some information in regard in your
role in the education committee amp scholarship committee in
DC
In 2010 I served on the Education and Activities committees My respon-
sibility was to establish a scholarship program for the Capital Area chapter
to encourage young Arab American students to pursue engineering pro-
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiy
am Z
aye
d W
ake
em
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
P A G E 3 4
Interview of the Monthndash continue
grams I cooperated with the chapter president at the time to establish
the criteria requirements and the marketing plan to promote the pro-
gram
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 Education committee establish PDH credit hours recognized
by the states of MD VA and Washington DC for seminars sponsored by
the Capital chapter
I helped the Activities Committee in leading the planning all social events
In 2012 I served as Vice President on the Association Capital Area chap-
ter
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 pro-
cess to start by introducing the nomineesrsquo credentials prior to the confer-
ence so that the members have sufficient time to know the nominees be-
fore voting
5 What do you think of Almuhandes and do you have any sug-
gestions
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 them-
selves to our association members
A L M U H A N D E S
Hiyam
Zayed
Wake
em
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
Picture of the Month
AAAEA is a non-profit organization working to help its 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 for-
warded to almuhandesaaaeaorg
All news and articled must be e-mailed to almuhandesaaaeaorg by the 16th
of each month in order to be published by the end of that month
Cowboys Stadium with retractable roof in Arlington Texas
