A CAREER JOURNEY IN ENGINEERING
Egyptian engineers are not as qualified as before

skill-link.com's weekly online magazine "Interest Zone" is dedicating a series of articles to cover Arabs who elected the route of emigration and living in the West. The aim is to present what motivated them to make such a move, their achievements, the challenges they faced and their advice to those willing to follow the same path.

In this issue, we have interviewed Dr. Yousri El Kassabgi. Egyptian born and raised, he is Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of Graduate Studies at Texas A & M University in Kingsville, Texas. Dr. El Kassabgi graduated from Alexandira University in 1970 with a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, obtained a Masters from the University of Waterloo (Canada) in 1978 and his Ph. D. from the University of Houston (USA) in 1986, both in Mechanical Engineering.

Elkassabgi's career has focused on Thermo-Fluid and energy related research. He conducted experimental and theoretical research in the areas of phase change heat transfer, air conditioning and refrigeration. He started his career in Egypt in the early 1970s working for public sector company Rakta as a thermal power plant engineer. He later worked as a research assistant in the University of Houston, Tennessee State University and the University of Waterloo before joining Texas A & M University since 1987.

Dr. El Kassabgi also acted as the Director and founder of the Industrial Assessment Center IAC, (formerly the Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Center) at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He also acted as a reviewer for the United States Energy Department (DOE) for the NICE programs (a competitive programs for energy conservation sponsored by the government). Dr. El Kassabgi conducted workshops on energy conservation to most State of Texas Utility Companies. He also conducted energy conservation workshops in the State of Qatar, Bahrain, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is a registered Professional Engineer with the State of Texas.

Interest Zone (IZ): What made you go to the US in the first place?

Dr. El Kassabgy: I left Egypt in 1974, at that time Egypt did not experience an economic crisis as it does today or soon after my departure. I left because I felt a need for personal development technical wise, and to seek higher education (graduate studies). Also, a big factor was that the immigration door was open to USA and Canada.

(IZ): How did you career progress over the years?

Dr. El Kassabgy: Initially I got a job in a plastic company in Toronto, Canada for six months, after that I joined the university of Waterloo for a Masters program in Mechanical Engineering. I then moved to Mississippi State University for a Doctoral Degree, then transferred to the university of Houston and completed my degree ( Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering) there. Once completed, I worked as an assistant professor at the University of Houston-downtown campus, then moved to The Texas A&M University-Kingsville as assistant professor and got promoted to a full professor and director of graduate study, and I am still there.

(IZ): What were the main challenges you found there as an Egyptian in the worlds of academia?

Dr. El Kassabgy: As an Egyptian there were no challenges, but as a foreign student, the challenge was to perform well in examinations and prove the worthiness of our education back home (college and public schools).
As for being a professor, the challenge was to conduct high level research or other wise you do not get tenured (getting a permanent position) and hence one has to leave his position with the university, but that applies to every body not only foreigners. Of course everything else being equal the foreigners are more vulnerable for termination than native people.

(IZ): With your current exposure, how would you describe the Egyptian university education system in general and with regards to mechanical engineering in particular?

Dr. El Kassabgy: The Egyptian education system was excellent, as I experienced it in the late 1960's but now, I do not know. I am afraid that we are not as good as we used to be. There is plenty of competition form other countries (Asia and Arab). I am afraid that our new graduate engineers are not as qualified as other Asian nations and that will hurt our abilities to find them jobs in other Arab countries. We are losing the competition. Our universities need to change.

(IZ): Any words of advice for someone interested to pursue a similar career path to yours?

Dr. El Kassabgy: Yes, they should be good in English first, they should concentrate on learning English during college study, they should consider learning English as part of their must education, they should give it a priority over their actual engineering studies. Then take the TOEFEL examination (test for English for foreigners) and take the GRE (graduate record examination) and contact universities all over the USA. There are many Egyptian professors who would like to help Egyptian students get admitted to their schools, but they must take the TOEFEL and GRE first. And it is easy to get good scores on these examinations if the student starts early (say after finishing high school or secondary school).

(IZ): Do you have any regrets?

Dr. El Kassabgy: No, the only regret is being away from Egypt.

(IZ): Are you considering moving back to Egypt at some point in the future?

Dr. El Kassabgy: Yes, I am planning to stay in Egypt during summer (that is 3 months+) and one month in December, and keep my job here as may be part time, but moving back to Egypt and work full time that is not planned.

The "Interest Zone" is very grateful to Dr. Yousri El Kassabgi for the time and attention he has dedicated to this interview.