AgThegie Platform Volume 3, Number 4 Summer 2007 Getting settled in TAMUQ moves into the new Engineering Building CAMPUS SCENE The interior of the new TAMUQ Library offers fascinating perspectives and architecture. Aggie Platform The Aggie Platform welcomes your information on events and articles for future issues. Email us at: [email protected] Photo credits: Khalid Hassiba ’09 Dr. Mark H. Weichold, Dean and CEO Brady Creel ’03 John Samples Published by Husein Sayed The Office of Public Affairs Texas A&M University at Qatar PO Box 23874 Doha, Qatar Telephone: +974.423.0045 Email: [email protected] Aggie Platform Joint Advisory Inside this Issue: Board Members Fathy Saoud, Ph.D. TAMUQ News .............................................................2 Member of Qatar Foundation Board of Directors A new home and a new video. Learn more about TAMUQ’s new Higher Education Advisor, Qatar Foundation Chair recruitment video. David B. Prior, Ph.D. Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Library Reaches Out ...................................................4 The University of Texas System In line with the university’s mission of teaching, research and service, Vice Chair TAMUQ Library offers services for the local community. Misnad A. Al-Misnad Director, Getting Settled In .......................................................6 Ras Laffan Industrial City TAMUQ student workers played a big role in the move to the new Ahmad Hasnah, Ph.D. Director of Academic Affairs, Engineering Building. Qatar Foundation Research & Innovation ............................................ 10 G. Kemble Bennett, Ph.D. Dean of Dwight Look College of Engineering, TAMUQ has tapped the local resources to offer workshops and Texas A&M University training for students and faculty. Vice Chancellor of Engineering, The Texas A&M University System Liberal Arts in the Equation ................................... 12 Charles Bowman, Ph.D. West Point students spent a summer course at TAMUQ. Find out Dean Emeritus, TAMUQ Retired CEO, BP America more about their experience in Doha. Professor Emeritus of Petroleum Engineering, Texas A&M University Student News & Views ............................................ 14 Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian Check out end-of-the-semester student activities, including Student Founding Director, The James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Body Government election results. Rice University, USA Jointly Appointed Independent Member Faculty and Staff News ........................................... 17 Tidu Maini, Ph.D. Around Education City ............................................ Pro Rector, Development and Corporate Affairs, 19 Imperial College of Science, Technology TAMUQ and other Education City universities have a new neighbor, and Medicine, UK Jointly Appointed Independent Member the Faculty for Islamic Studies. Robert Gordon Moore, Ph.D. Professor and Head of Chemical Engineering, University of Calgary, Canada Jointly Appointed Independent Member Getting Settled In 6 Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, Ph.D. Vice President for Education, Qatar Foundation Ex-Officio Member Mark H. Weichold, Ph.D. Dean and CEO, Texas A&M University at Qatar Ex-Officio Member Thomas Taylor Interim Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration, Texas A&M University at Qatar Associate Vice President for Finance Emeritus, Texas A&M University Secretariat Summer 2007 | 1 TAMUQ NEWS First book placed in new TAMUQ Library On a recent trip to Doha, Dr. Colleen Cook, Texas A&M dean of libraries, placed the first book on the shelf in the new TAMUQ Library. When planning the move to the new engineering building, TAMUQ Dean Mark Weichold and Ms. Carole Thompson, director of TAMUQ Library, invited Dr. Cook to participate in this important milestone for the campus. The days following the placement of the first book were filled with readying the library for its first patrons. With most students away for the summer, visitors to the library have included local engineering and education professionals. (See more on Dr. Colleen Cook, dean of Texas A&M University libraries, places the first book in page 4 about TAMUQ Library Services.) the new TAMUQ library during a recent trip to Doha. During her visit, Dr. Cook received a briefing from Qatar central library for the Education City community, set to Foundation administrators on the plans for an Education open in the next couple years, while each university will City central library. Qatar Foundation will operate the maintain a library specific to its academic program. “Experience Aggieland” video released TAMUQ recently released a new promotional video to showcase Aggieland in Education City. The video was cut from footage shot at TAMUQ during the spring semester and features a couple dozen Aggies who discuss their experiences at TAMUQ. The video also highlights faculty and their research — and the unique one-to-one mentorships faculty can provide their students. The video is available in QuickTime and RealPlayer formats at http://www.qatar.tamu.edu/about_video.aspx. 2 | TAMUQ Aggie Platform TAMUQ NEWS TAMUQ student, staff and faculty awards Awards were presented to students, staff and faculty at the annual end-of-year ceremony held at The Ritz-Carlton Doha. The STAR staff award and the Buck Weirus Spirit Award were new additions to the presentations this year. Congratulations to all the recipients! TAMUQ Service, Team work, Attitude and Responsibility (STAR) Award Shannon Estrada, Senior Academic Advisor Abir Raslan, Senior Administrative Coordinator, Academic Affairs Dean’s Meritorious Service Award Desi Burns Porter, Assistant Director of Public Affairs Norma Haddad, Director of Public Affairs Bashar Hasna ‘07 received the inaugural Buck Weirus Spirit Award Gwen Lucas, Project Development Coordinator at TAMUQ for making a positive impact on the Aggie community. Carol Nader, Public Affairs Assistant The award has been presented on the main campus since 1982. Susan Williamson, Qatar Support Office Director Dean’s Award Class of 2007 Class of 2009 Lulwa Al-Maslamani Hazem Abdel-Moati Hessa Al-Missned Laith Abuhantash Sara Al-Saadi Tausif Ahmed Suha Al-Sulaiti Karim Farhat Aisha Al-Wadaani Ali Hasiri Hamad Bin Shamlan Khaled Hassiba Megha Mohan Amira Redissi Yousef Murad Mehrnoosh Saneifar Class of 2008 Class of 2010 Saoud Al-Mannai Mahmudul Alam Nasser Al-Neama Mohammed Al-Khori Aly Anany Hasnaa Al-Qahtani Emily Yates, who works closely with all the student organizations Amine Bouras Talal El Awar at TAMUQ, presented this year’s Student Organization of the Year Ali Dashti Wajih Idriss to the 12th Man Club President Hussein Jichi ‘09 (left) and Vice President Omar AlAref ‘09 (right). Ameer Khader Misam Jaffer Safa Naufal Sally Nicola Buck Weirus Spirit Award Dina Nicola Marwa Qaraqe Sponsored by The Association of Former Students Ahmad Talfat Bashar Hassna ’07 Student Writer Awards Sponsored by Liberal Arts Program 12th Man Award English 104 Quill Award, Composition and Rhetoric Hussein Jichi ’09 Abdalla Anany ’10 English 210 Quill Award, Technical Communication Leadership Awards Ahmed El-Sanadedy ’08 Class of 2007: Bashar Hassna Class of 2008: Ameer Khader SBG Dedicated Faculty Award Class of 2009: Hussein Jichi Dr. Mashaad Fahes, Petroleum Engineering Class of 2010: Sally Nicola SBG Staff Appreciation Award Student Organization of the Year Award Desi Burns Porter, Assistant Director of Public Affairs 12th Man Club Summer 2007 | 3 Library reaches out to the community Library Services: Seniors get a head start at Al Bayyan Educational After the Texas A&M University at Qatar Library opened Complex for Girls in September 2003 as one of the first academic libraries The Al Bayyan School for Girls requested use of the in Education City, its reputation for service grew steadily. library for its junior and senior students to learn research Fulfilling its strong commitment and mission to support skills for special projects. A very successful relationship teaching, research and community needs, the library has was created between Principal Public Services Librarian attracted nearly 200 into the library seeking information for Suzanne D. Gyeszly, and the teachers and girls, resulting professional and personal interests. Aggies living in Qatar, in Mrs. Gyeszly visiting the school several times and in faculty and students from other Education City programs, turn, hosted visits by students during their senior year. researchers from Qatar University and scientists from local Perhaps it’s no coincidence that nineteen of those senior industries draw on the services of the library and its staff girls are starting as freshmen in August as members of of information professionals. While community members the Class of 2011. can browse and check out the collection of print resources on engineering topics, the majority of interest is in the Assistance to researchers, teachers and scientists of many electronic resources licensed through the University the Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs Libraries System. Two local schools stand out as special Teachers from the Shafallah Center for Children friends of the library. with Special Needs use the Texas A&M University at 4 | TAMUQ Aggie Platform Qatar Library to find the latest tools and techniques reading of all materials, borrowing of up to five books for for improving the quality of care and education for the two weeks without renewal, and assisted reference and children at the Center. Research Director and Former research services by professional