Architectural Engineering Welcome Ceremony - MS Teams (Spring 2021-2022)

Sarah Shihabi
Jan 26, 2022
2 min read

The Architectural Engineering Welcome Ceremony took place on Tuesday, the 18th of January at 6:00 pm over the AED channel on MS Teams.

The event included the following:

The first half was an introduction to the architectural engineering department presented by Tala Al Waly, a senior student at the university and President of the Sharjah Architectural Student Association. The segment was targeted towards both senior students that are expected to graduate by the end of the year and freshmen, highlighting the difference between an architecture and an architectural engineering degree.

When enrolled in an architectural engineering program such as the program at the University of Sharjah, not only do you get to take architectural design studios and study history of architecture. You also get to study architecture from a construction and engineering perspective. Relevant courses at the department include Building Construction I & II, Fundamentals of Structural Analysis, Reinforced Concrete Design, Structural Steel Design along with various physics and math-based courses. These courses have helped fulfill the necessary requirements for the program to acquire the ABET accreditation (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). Accreditation is important because it ensures a program has a satisfactory level of requirements to prepare students for careers in the industry across the world. It gives students a strong educational background which puts them at an advantage when they are applying for a master's degree or a job in the future.

Next, it was followed by a discussion of possible graduate career opportunities. The architectural engineering program at the University of Sharjah prepares students to work in a variety of fields beside architecture such as urban design and project management. Master’s degree options include but are not limited to landscape design, urban design, and interior architecture.

There was a discussion of portfolios, the material to include, and their role in communicating and showcasing your skills.

Throughout the program, students will also develop a variety of skills that will be beneficial for their careers in the future and help them stand out as architectural engineers including research, computer-aided design, public speaking, project management, and teamwork.

A discussion of the study plan at the architectural engineering department included a brief description of each design studio the students take throughout the years. It emphasized the fundamental skills like architectural drafting and model making that students learn at the early stages, carry over to their senior design course, and all the way into the workforce.

It also featured important design tools, software packages, and their use.

The second half introduced the Sharjah Architectural Student Association (SASA):

The segment presented past events organized by the team and introduced the team members. "Our aim is to reach out to students, help them excel at their studies, and provide them a variety of extracurricular activities," said Jamilah Bahbouh, the SASA Vice President.

The event concluded with words of encouragement from Dr. Sumana Hossain, Dr. Ahmad Sukkar, and Dr. Ahmed Abdeen that urged the students to get involved in the extracurricular activities, keep in touch with their academic supervisors, and reach out to the Sharjah Architectural Student Association for help or advice.