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1. The Egyptian Connection |
by John Gagnon, promotional writer
Two Tech professors this year unknowingly crossed tracks in Egypt, of all places.
Leonard Bohmann, associate dean of engineering, made the trip in March, and Nasser Alaraje, of the School of Technology, went there in July.
Both helped with an accrediting review at Assiut University in the city of the same name, which, with a population of 3.2 million, is the capital of Upper Egypt, located 240 miles south of Cairo, halfway between Cairo and Aswan.
Neither Bohmann nor Alaraje knew of the other's travels. When Alaraje arrived at Assiut and found out Bohmann had been there three months earlier, he was astounded. "Amazing," he says. "I couldn’t believe it."
Alaraje evaluated Assiut University's program in computer and systems engineering, and Bohmann evaluated its program in electric power.
Assuit University, founded in 1957, has 14,000 people in the engineering program and a total enrollment of 80,000. A bachelor's degree entails a rigorous five-year regimen.
The accreditation work there was an intensive, three-day job for both of them. Their guidelines were set forth by an accrediting agency for the region. They addressed student aid, the graduate program, facilities, faculty accomplishments and outreach, course work, materials, laboratories, library, classrooms, collaboration with industry, and administration.
It will prove to be a three-step process: findings, recommended correctives, and then reevaluation in six to nine months.
Both say the resources at the Egyptian school fall far short of American standards. "I was impressed with how much they can do with the minimal resources they have," Alaraje said. "I agree," Bohmann says. "The only way they can do that is with a very dedicated staff."
Both Alaraje and Bohmann are program evaluators for ABET, a US accrediting agency. For both, this was their first international review.
"This is good for Michigan Tech," Alaraje says--"to have your name recognized internationally, not just across the US."
Bohmann linked up with Assiut in a circuitous way. A professor there, who was a visiting professor at Tech in l983-84, had an association with Dennis Wiitanen in electrical engineering, whom he approached about the assessment. Wiitanen steered the man to Bohmann. Alaraje was approached through a faculty member at Assiut who used to work at Tech.
The language of instruction in Egypt is English. Bohmann came away from the work a bit sheepish. "It always amazes me," he says, "when I go someplace and don't know the language and everyone knows my language. Somehow that doesn't seem appropriate."
The trip was a chance for him to see a part of the world he'd never been to, so he extended his stay to visit the Valley of the Kings, Luxor and the temple of Karnak. He says he was treated respectfully as an academic and pleasantly as a tourist.
For Alaraje, it was almost a return home. He is a native of Palestine who has been at Tech since 2005. He has been to Egypt before but took time on this trip to enjoy Cairo. He couldn't visit his family in Palestine, though, because the border was closed. |
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2. What’s Happening This Week in Athletics |
Wednesday, Sept. 9
Huskies Drive Time, 7:30-8 a.m. on WKMJ Mix 93.5 FM
Friday, Sept. 11
* Volleyball at Lake Superior State, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12
* Women’s Tennis hosts Saginaw Valley State, 11 a.m.
* Football at No. 23 Ashland, 1 p.m. (Live on WKMJ Mix 93.5 FM)
* Cross Country at Laker Invite, 1 p.m. (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.)
* Volleyball at Saginaw Valley State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 13
* Women’s Tennis hosts Northwood, 10 a.m.
All times Eastern. Home events in italics.
Last Week’s Results
Football (0-1, 0-1 GLIAC)
Sept. 5--at Hillsdale 37, Michigan Tech 35
Volleyball (2-6, 0-0 GLIAC)
All matches at Sharks Classic (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)
Sept. 4--Michigan Tech 3, Palm Beach Atlantic 2 (30-32, 25-17, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12)
Sept. 4--Lynn 3, Michigan Tech 2 (24-26, 25-20, 25-27, 25-9, 15-12)
Sept. 5--Michigan Tech 3, Barry 2 (25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 16-25, 15-4)
Sept. 5--No. 16 Nova Southeastern 3, Michigan Tech 1 (25-19, 17-25, 25-16, 25-18)
Cross Country did not compete.
Top News of the Week
Volleyball Gains First Two Wins of 2009
First-year head coach Orlando Gonzalez picked up his first two wins as Tech's skipper at the Sharks Classic in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The Huskies won 3-2 decisions over Palm Beach Atlantic and Barry. Tech will begin its 2009 GLIAC schedule Friday, Sept. 11, at Lake Superior State.
Football Nipped by Hillsdale
Michigan Tech couldn't keep its string of wins in close games alive in a 37-35 setback at Hillsdale Saturday, Sept. 5. The Huskies had won their previous six games decided by five points or fewer, including five last year. Tech's record in GLIAC openers over the last 12 years now stands at 10-2.
Women's Tennis Opens Saturday
Women's tennis opens its 2009 season Saturday, Sept. 12, vs. Saginaw Valley State. The match is the first of eight regular season tilts this fall for the Huskies. All are GLIAC contests. |
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3. Skating Academy Registration Set |
The Copper Country Skating Academy registration night for the 2009-10 season is from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 10, in the Blueline Room at the John MacInnes Ice Arena.
Meet with coaches, sign up for your volunteer hours for the season and check out the CCSA apparel.
The season begins Sunday, Sept. 20.
New this year: free skating from 7 to 8 p.m., Sept. 10, for all registering skaters and any USFS/ISI members, including parents and basic skills skaters.
If you are not able to make it and still want to register this year, contact Jess Maki, CCSA president, at jmmaki@mtu.edu . |
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4. In the News |
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Nancy French, a senior scientist and remote sensing expert at the Michigan Tech Research Institute in Ann Arbor, was quoted in a news feature on wildfires on the Arctic tundra in the international scientific journal Nature. |
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5. Library's Research Help Desk Moved |
The library research help desk, which provides personal professional assistance, is now located on the first floor of the facility.
Starting Sunday, Sept. 13, and continuing through the end of the fall semester, librarians will provide this service on the following schedule:
Sunday: 6 to 10 p.m.
Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m., and 6 to 10 p.m.
Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.
The desk will not be staffed Thursday and Friday evenings, nor on
Saturday.
Research assistance is also available by telephone at 487-2507, by email at reflib@mtu.edu , or by visiting the "ask a librarian"page at: www.lib.mtu.edu .
For more information, contact Carol Makkonen at 487-2500. |
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6. Wisconsin Scholar to Speak at ME-EM Seminar |
The ME-EM Graduate Seminar presenter for Thursday, Sept.10, will be Professor Wendy Crone from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her presentation is "Bioactive Polyurethane Copolymers: Hemocompatibility, Mechanics, and Medical Device Applications."
The talk will be at 3 p.m. in MEEM 112. |
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