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AAAEA - IL
Newsletter
JANUARY
2009 | |
Dear Member,
This newsletter is a reflection
of the association and all that is being done.
In addition, the contribution from our members is
greatly needed and appreciated. We would like to
thank Amro Kudssi for his contribution to this
issue. He has provided us with the technical
article. Please remember that this newsletter
belongs to all members. Your help in making the
newsletter a better one is needed. You can contact
us through e-mail: aaaea@aaaea.org
Newsletter
Committee:
-Raghad Adeis-Dahhan
-Jamal Grainawi
-Luai
Abu Hilal
-Bilal Masri
-John Romi
-Nabeel
Aldrees
Sincerely,
Raghad
Adeis-Dahhan |
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Dear
Amro,
As we start our thirteenth year, we are
realizing more opportunities as well as
challenges. This is normal for a dynamic
association like ours.
The opportunities are a
direct result of maturity, and fresh new blood in
the association which is taking the responsibility
to move our programs and come up with new
ideas and better ways of doing
things.
Our board this year may be
the youngest board I remember. These new members
to the board have demonstrated commitment and
support to the AAAEA we should all be proud
of.
Our local newsletter has been covering our
activities better than ever, and with the
leadership of Raghad Dahhan, and the talent,
commitment and support of John Romi (new member
and producer of the newsletter) the newsletter is
more attractive to read. Your contribution would
be great also.
AAAEA has been working
with firms to establish relations, where we can
identify areas of partnership to benefit our
members, and to assist these firms. This work will
expand in the next few months.
This month, we
have started the EIT, ACT, tutor math and held a
seminar at UIC. Most of these programs will
continue for the next 2-3 month on a weekly basis,
and hope the new younger leadership will replace
the older one in these programs this year.
Some
of the challenges are the standard ones, such as
maintaining the membership and expanding it,
keeping members involved, and come up with more
ideas to serve our members.
With the economy
the way it is, AAAEA and its members are required
to work harder to assist every colleague to land a
job. Also, I call on AAAEA to examine the
opportunities with the green technology and how
AAAEA can assist its members to take advantage of
these opportunities. We need your
ideas.
In conclusion, without your
involvement, this association would not have
reached where it is now. I thank you for your
support, and ask you to be more involved in your
AAAEA. Also, I call on all Illinois chapters to be
more active and to serve their membership to the
best they can.
I invite you to make this
year a great year for AAAEA and its
members.
Regards,
Bilal
Almasri
Founding President
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AAAEA - Student Chapter -
Event Review
Name of Event: Structural Engineering
Opportunities
Type of Event: Panel
Discussion
Date: 1/15/09
Location: University of Illinois at Chicago
Campus
Summary: Thursday January 15, 2009, the AAAEA
hosted a Q&A Panel Discussion about structural
engineering opportunities. Two guest speakers,
both professionals working in the structural
engineering field, Dr. Ahmad Hammad - specialized
in bridges and Dr. Mustafa Mahamid - specialized
in buildings, were scheduled to come in to talk to
students and share their knowledge and experience
regarding the market for structural engineers.
Unfortunately, Dr. Hammad was unable to make it
and had to cancel last minute. However, Dr Mahamid
conducted the discussion talking briefly about
bridges and extensively about his area of
expertise - buildings. There was a turnout of
10-15 students, mostly undergraduate civil
engineering majors, but also ranging to graduate
students both at the Master and PHD levels. The
audience consisted of both Arab, and non-Arab
students. Many topics were covered in the
discussion including the types of work structural
engineers are doing in the current field, what
structural engineers are expected to know, what
qualities prominent companies are looking for from
potential structural engineering employees, what
the current market is looking like in the
structural engineering field, and how the local
structural engineering field is being affected by
the current economical situation. The event was
conducted in an open-end manner where the students
were encouraged to interrupt and ask any questions
at anytime. This resulted in a great way for
students to obtain answers to any uncertainties
they might have had, and even for the students to
possibly contribute in answering the questions of
their fellow peers and colleges.
Kevin
Mesyef
President AAAEA - Student
Chapter
University of Illinois at
Chicago | |
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Career
Opportunity
Raed (Ray) Milhem
(Motorola VP/GM) is co-hosting a Career Leadership seminar in
Schumbaurg on Sat.Feb.7th with Carl Schumacher. Pat Canavan
(Sr.VP @ Motorola) will be the Keynote speaker. The Seminar
will address many career related issues such as: creating a
marketable Resume, interview skills, leadership, Management
skills, how to expand your network and other career-related
issues.
AAAEA members will receive 20% off.
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Essay / Poster
Contest:
AAAEA is extending the contest deadline to January
20th, 2009 (Tuesday 5 pm.). Please submit the
Essay + Poster and the Entry Form no later than 5 pm on
Tuesday 1/20/09. Please forward to friends and relatives
and encourage them to submit.
The Essay/
Poster Contest is sponsored by AAAEA and is open to all
students in the 3rd through 8th grades in the Chicago land
area schools. Students submit an essay and a poster
about an engineer that they admire or have made an impact on
their life. The essay should explain who the engineer is
and why the student admires this engineer. The poster
should depict some aspect of the engineer and the engineer's
accomplishment. The purpose of the contest is to
stimulate students to consider careers in engineering by
fostering interest in engineering through research, essay
writing, creating a poster and interacting with engineers.
Click here
http://www.aaaea.org/Events/eWeek09/eWeek09.htm for
a registration form. For more information, visit our website
at www.aaaea.org our e-mail us at aaaea@aaaea.org.
Regards,
Jamal Grainawi, P.E., S.E.
AAAEA Chairman
Please see the following
links:
Essay-Poster Contest
Announcement and Rules
Essay-Poster
Contest Entry
Form |
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Community
Corner
- Help with AQSA School Science Fair Judges 1-29-09:Aqsa
School, a private school in Bridgeview, will be having its
annual science fair on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, from 8:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We are in need of qualified judges
for that day. We always look forward to the feedback
and the students benefit so much from the experience and
background of knowledgeable judges. We would greatly
appreciate it if you could participate in this year's
science fair. This would be such an invaluable service
that our school would appreciate. We would be so
thankful for your help in the success of our fair. If
you have any questions please contact Khalida Baste
at:
08-598-2700 or e-mail kbaqsa@yahoo.com
Sincerely
Yours,
Mrs, Khalida Baste
Principal
- Families in need for you support in Chicago: I have
noticed that a few of our clients are in need in of
furniture. If you or anyone you know is willing to donate
furniture that is not being used please let me know. Also, a
family with children is in need for blankets and pillows and
household items. Let me know if you can provide anything, it
will be appreciated greatly!
Aysha
Shalabey
Arab American Family Services
9044 S.
Octavia
Bridgview, IL 60455
708.599.2237
- Career day at Universal School: Universal is
hosting a career day on Friday 1/30/09.They need two
engineers from 8am-noon.Can you help? If you can,
please send an e-mail to this address: bdahleh@yahoo.com
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Activity Commeettie
Network
Luncheon
Date: Saturday, February
28, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Place: Arab
American Family Services (AAFS)
The new purchased center at
9044 S. Oktavia, Bridgeview Il 60455
708-599-AAFS
Cost:
Topics: $10.00-Lunch will be
served
1. Introducing the AAFS to AAEA members. The
AAFS' provides services to many Arab American families and
individuals "who far too long have suffered tremendously...
AAFS addresses the countless social and economic barriers that
face the growing population of Arab-Americans".
2. A
business owner meeting will be held in the second half of the
meeting
Reservations: (312) 409-8560
(Voice Mail)
(312) 719-3896
Mr. Hasan Algholeh,
PE
President
630-983-9819
Dr. Nabil Refai,
PMP
Activity
Chairperson |
Arab American Family
Services (AAFS)
held an open house on Wednesday 1/14/09 at
the new location 9044 s Octavia,in
Bridgeview.
In spite of the very cold weather on that day,the event
was well attended.
Bilal Almasri of the AAAEA community liaison,attended
the event,in addition to other associations and members of the
community.AAFS is about 7 years,and AAAEA has been working
with them over the last 7 years to assist our
community.
Best wishes to AAFS,and congratulations on their
accomplishments.
Bilal
Almasri |
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IT
Committee
 The IT committee held its first
meeting on Sunday 1/18/09. Amr Kudssi(chair), Mahmoud Aldabe,
John Romi, and Bilal Almasri members.
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The
committee has identified the admin. site modules and the
public site modules.
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Committee is evaluating the web hosting.net to
host.
Time
line was established as follow:
1-Business
rules completion
1/21/09
2-Code
writing completion
3/1/09
3-Testing completion
4/1/09
4-Punch
list completion
5/1/09
5-Information migration to start on May 1,2009.
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Education
Committee
1. EIT/FE Review
Course
AAAEA will offer the following EIT/FE
Classes. The classes will be held at the University of
Illinois -Chicago (UIC) campus. The classes are designed to
help you prepare for the April 25, 2009 Exam. Members are
encouraged to register for the classes and the exams.
2. ACT Review Course
This year the ACT review class started on January 17,
2009 and will continue on until March 28, 2009. Classes are
being held at Universal School in collaboration with Aqsa
School. The four ACT topics, Mathematics, Science, English and
Reading, will be reviewed and studied along with sample tests.
We would like to wish our students the best of luck.
We
also would like to thank our volunteers for all of their
help. Our volunteers have chosen to take time out of
their busy lives in order to help our kids to advance.
We would like to acknowledge our volunteers which include: Mr.
Bilal Almasri, Ms.Sandy Abdallah, Ms. Ruba Abo Zir, Dr.
Soliman Khudeira, Dr.Gaffar Kazkaz, Ms.Raghad Adeis-Dahhan,
Dr. Ahmad Hammad, and Mr.Basman Dahleh. Thank you for
volunteering; your effort is really appreciated.
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Member's News
ALF MUBROOK/Congratulations to Mark
Bendok on his recent promotion to a project manager.
This promotion is a reflection of his professionalism,
dedication and hard work.
AAAEA is glad for you, and wish
you and the family the best.
Congratulations to our colleague Ghaffar
Kazkaz on being a grandfather for the second time.His
daughter Rana and her husband Anas Khalaf have their new
baby girl Zayn on 12/27/09.Baby and mom are doing fine....ALF
MUBROOK
Mubrook to our colleague Mahmoud Aldabe
on his promotion to MIS director in Benesch.It is well
deserved and a result of the hard work and didication.
Best of
luck |
Technical Article: Nanotechnology
Introduction
Manufactured products are made from atoms.
The properties of those products depend on how those atoms are
arranged. If we rearrange the atoms in coal we can make
diamond. If we rearrange the atoms in sand (and add a few
other trace elements) we can make computer chips. If we
rearrange the atoms in dirt, water and air we can make
potatoes.
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Interview with Najla
Baeshen
Please introduce yourself 
I am from Saudi Arabia and
have been in the United States for many years. I
received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of
Mississippi and am currently pursuing an M.S. in Civil
Engineering from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Currently, I am working as a Civil Engineer with the URS
Corporation.
Read full interview
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Cool Bridges
Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge, Sao Paulo,
Brazil.
Opened in May 2008,
the Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge is a stunning
x-shaped cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Pinheiros River
in Sao Paulo . Its design is unique in that the 2
curved decks of the bridge cross each other through its
x-shaped supporting tower, an illuminated structure that
stands 450ft tall and has attached to it 144 steel
cables.
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