Meet our graduate students and alumni . . .
Rula Allaf
Industrial Engineering
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I am originally from Jordan, a small country within the Middle East Emerging markets, where higher education has become a norm. Growing up in Amman, the capital city of Jordan, I attended private schools and received my International Baccalaureate high school diploma from Amman Baccalaureate School. There, I had the privilege of studying different international education programs and of having dedicated teachers from different countries. Having been awarded a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in mechanical engineering from the Jordan University of Science and Technology in 1997, I worked as a designer and an internal quality auditor in the mechanical design unit at the Royal Scientific Society for two years; after which my parents started encouraging me to get a postgraduate degree. I took this challenge and successfully received my master's degree in industrial engineering from the University of Jordan in 2003 with an honor degree. In 2004, I became a full time lecturer in the industrial engineering department at the University of Jordan. There I discovered my passion for teaching. Amid efforts to become a specialized instructor, researcher and consultant, I applied to Fulbright for a graduate study scholarship. After a year of tests and interviews, I was nominated one of the 15 recipients of Fulbright grants from Jordan. | |
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I took my first semester (fall 2006) at Auburn University-Alabama, where I was awarded a teaching assistant position and tuition waiver. Later in spring 2007, I transferred to the Industrial Engineering Department at Texas Tech University, where my passion for design and manufacturing marked the starting point of my research with Dr. Iris Rivero, my dissertation chair, in the area of nanotechnology Dr. Rivero generously gave me the opportunity to join her Manufacturing and Design Research Group, which researches the characterization, modeling, design and manufacture of novel materials for their utilization in several applications, such as aerospace, automotive, and biomedical applications. I completed two summer independent study courses that introduced me to nanotechnology advanced topics in carbon nanotubes and x-ray diffraction nondestructive testing techniques. |
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Then my plan of study was devised to give me the proper scientific and technical background. I have learned sophisticated scientific characterization techniques; I was fortunate to learn and work on electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and powder x-ray diffraction. I finished my course work requirements and successfully passed my qualifying exam in December 2008 and now I am a Ph.D. candidate. I have been working as a research assistant on the NASA funded research project "Characterization of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) for Structural Space Applications". I focused my research efforts on the study of SWNTs characterization and the statistical design of experiments for establishing the correlation between production conditions and SWNTs quality, with the main objective of optimizing the SWNTs production. My participation in this research contributed in boosting my level of knowledge and education. The hands-on experiences with the electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy instrumentation have improved my understanding and appreciation of these characterization techniques. My dissertation project will be derived from these research efforts focusing on characterization of SWNTs. As a graduate student at Texas Tech, I managed to achieve many academic accomplishments, scientific and professional growth. I proudly say that my research capabilities have bloomed after joining Texas Tech. I was honored to join International Golden Key Honor Society in September 2007 and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in April 2008. I also had the chance to interact with a multicultural society; having classmates from all around the world. I have been highly privileged by Fulbright, the Industrial Engineering Department and Dr. Rivero for financial support to complete my studies at Tech. I was generously honored with the Fulbright scholarship for two years (8/2006-7/2008), a $1,000 competitive scholarship for spring 2007 and another for the (2007-2008) academic year, a Study Abroad competitive scholarship for fall 2008, and a research assistantship from Sep. 2008 till Sep. 2009. I look forward to transfer my knowledge and experience to future engineers; to contribute to the knowledge base and professional practices in nanotechnology through conducting research projects, and to providing consultancy and guidance to the industries and organizations in Jordan. |
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