• Year of doctorate: 2013
• Subject: Mining Engineering
• Current occupation: Assistant professor
• Current employer: Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo, Egypt

Doctoral Studies

• In Freiberg I have learned for life:

In our countries and our culture there is a famous aphorism (wisdom), which says: “Traveling has seven benefits”. In fact, I found in Freiberg more than this figure. 🙂

• That has been my field of research:

Development of an Integrated Mining and Processing Optimization System

• This is put on my doctoral hat/mortarboard:

computer software, data management and simulations, statistical analysis, field trips with institute staff, brainstorming

• If I were a Ph.D. student again, I would …

do more effort to make a scientific link between my research center in Egypt and TU Bergakademie Freiberg. And to do more effort to teach the international students at the Bergakademie.

University

• This is very special for me about the Bergakademie:

For me and my family (wife and three kids), it was very special and interesting to attend the yearly family meeting day in our Mining Institute, where you can enjoy all of these: recognize each others, playing, quiz, music, competitions, barbecue …

• My „good soul“ at the university:

Surely, my academic supervisor Prof. Dr. Carsten Drebenstedt.

• Whenever I think about Freiberg, I think of …

the calm, beauty, ancient and historical memories laying over huge and old mines.

And then …

• For the future I wish:

I wish to visit TU Bergakademie Freiberg in the upcoming days, and for the university itself I wish to be one of the top ten universities all-over the world.

• Year of doctorate: 2012
• Subject: Environmental Engineering
• Current occupation: Assistant Professor
• Current employer: University of Sfax, Tunisia

Doctoral Studies

• In Freiberg I have learned for life:

No matter how much clouds darken the sky, the sun will shine again.

• That has been my field of research:

Remote sensing and modelling for land degradation

• This is put on my doctoral hat/mortarboard:

A satellite and the earth

• If I were a Ph.D. student again, I would …

do my best to stay in Freiberg.

University

• This is very special for me about the Bergakademie:

My friends (Dr. Adam Szulc, Remy Lefeuvre, Dr. Heni Ben Amor) and the “Länder-Stammtisch”

• Whenever I think about Freiberg, I think of …

the nice-funny time in the Mensa and also of the Obermarkt and the Untermarkt.

And then …

• For the future I wish:

TU Bergakademie Freiberg one the eleven elite “Universities of Excellence”. And I wish to come back to Freiberg.

• Year of doctorate: 2012
• Subject: Hydrogeology
• Current occupation: Managing Director
• Current employer: Relief International Organization

Doctoral Studies

• In Freiberg I have learned for life:

Socially: A new culture and the fascinating history of the city.

Scientifically: The practical approach of delivering the good practice of authentic scientific research.

Personally: Have friends and colleagues for a life time.

• That has been my field of research:

Groundwater investigation and modeling for the western desert of Iraq. Highlighted three areas: Watershed assessment using remont sensing tools, field experiment of recognize geological setting by pumping test and delivering a numerical model.

• This is put on my doctoral hat/mortarboard:

computer, wadi in the desert, field car 4X4, diver (refer to the Scientific Diving Center, which I was a team member in TU Bergakademie Freiberg), active volcan (refer to Italy field work of Scientific Diving work), fishes

• If I were a Ph.D. student again, I would …

do almost everything the same way like I did before. 🙂 The only thing I would missed is to finalize the project of exchange materials between Iraq and the wonderful museum (terra mineralia).

University

• This is very special for me about the Bergakademie:

The Bergakademie is an unconventional academic institution not limited for teaching special scientific methods, rather it gives you a system thinking that valid for any challenge in life. It also has the cultural spirit and finger print that hard to be forgotten.

• My “Good Soul” (most important person) at the university:

The memories and experiences are teremendous to discribe in couple lines, however I always feel that part of me has been left there between the streets of and the rich history of the academic city. I believe I was a good bridge between two nations.

• Whenever I think about Freiberg, I think of …

plenty of nice memories flashing, the journey there was a remarkable in my river of life. I remember my traditional mining uniform that I ware during my defense when I was surprised by the committee.

And then …

• For the future I wish:

One of my remarkable achievement is the academic project GRI , for 7 years over 300 Iraqi and German academics have been benefited from the different projects. I wish to keep the relationship between TU Bergakademie Freiberg and academic institutions in Iraq active.

• Year of doctorate: 2010
• Subject: Geoinformatics/Remote Sensing
• Current occupation: Senior Manager for Climate, Forest and the Ocean
• Current employer: World Resources Institute (WRI Indonesia)

Doctoral Studies

• In Freiberg I have learned for life:

It was really exciting, as I learnt a lot of new things, and be an independent scientist. Also, I enjoyed the city a lot, although small, but it is really nice. Therefore, my family and me lived in Freiberg until late 2019, before we decided to go home.

• That has been my field of research:

On estimating forest carbon biomass in tropical forest of Indonesia using earth observation data and quantitative models.

• This is put on my doctoral hat/mortarboard:

Keyboard, hard drive, satellite, maps

• If I were a Ph.D. student again, I would …

go for environmental science or biology study, as these may give me more opportunities to live and research under forest canopy. I love being in the forests. 🙂

University

• This is very special for me about the Bergakademie:

The university gives me not only a new perspective in live, but it gives me a chance to grow as an independent scientist, and on a top of that a lovely place to live for my family for more than a decade.

• Whenever I think about Freiberg, I think of …

a second hometown after my home country….I will surely be back there one day.

And then …

• For the future I wish:

That I will continue to visit Freiberg regularly, and see how the town is growing older with me. I will certainly keep the connection with TU Bergakademie Freiberg professors and friends.