AUS launches first international chapter of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

To recognize academic excellence of the top performing students and alumni, American University of Sharjah (AUS) has launched the first international chapter of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. 

Founded in 1885, Tau Beta Pi has been a symbol of excellence in engineering education for over a century. Tau Beta Pi currently has 255 active collegiate chapters in the United States. Members of this organization can benefit from leadership and professional development opportunities, as well as lifelong involvement across all engineering disciplines. 

A couple of AUS faculty members hold membership in this prestigious society including Dr. Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS and member of the Oregon Alpha collegiate chapter, Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of AUS College of Engineering (CEN) and member of the Michigan Eta collegiate chapter, Dr. Lotfi Ramdan, Associate Dean and member of the Florida Alpha collegiate chapter, Dr. Imran Zualkernan,  Head of Computer Science and Engineering and member of the Minnesota Alpha collegiate chapter, and Dr. Ghaleb Husseini, Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering and member of the Utah Beta collegiate chapter.

The installation ceremony of the AUS Tau Beta Pi chapter, United Arab Emirates Alpha, was held at AUS campus on March 3, 2024, where 65 initiates, including 18 alumni were initiated into Tau Beta Pi. Attending the ceremony were Dr. Aloul, Dr. Zualkernan, Tau Beta Pi representatives from the United States, including Menna Youssef, Past Executive Councillor and President; Stacey Forkner, Director of the District Program; Curt Gomulinski, Executive Director; Russell Pierce, Past Executive Councillor (Board of Directors Member); and George Youssef, Past Executive Councillor, along with AUS faculty, staff and students.

"The establishment of Tau Beta Pi at AUS is a pivotal component of our 'Reward' initiatives for students. Our objective is to celebrate excellence on both local and global scales through participation in esteemed international honor societies. By highlighting the impactful contributions of Tau Beta Pi members, we aim to provide our students with invaluable opportunities to connect with leading engineering peers in the United States, while inspiring others to pursue recognition. The distinction of being the inaugural international chapter underscores the exceptional caliber of our student body and further enriches the array of honor societies within each undergraduate program," said Dr. Aloul.

"We believe that like the Engineering Honor Society that preceded the Tau Beta Pi chapter, the new chapter will continue to represent the needs and aspirations of our top performing engineering students and address critical issues relevant to this very special group of individuals. Being a member of Tau Beta Pi will also enable our students to collaborate with the other 256 chapters and hence help expand their horizons,” said Dr. Zualkernan.

”Tau Beta Pi is thrilled to welcome the students and alumni of AUS as the charter members of our first international chapter, the United Arab Emirates Alpha Collegiate Chapter. The inspection committee from a year ago and the members of the installation team this year were very impressed with the outstanding facilities and education offered by AUS to engineering students and the enthusiasm and excitement about bringing Tau Beta Pi to campus. We look forward to recognizing and supporting the outstanding engineering students at AUS for decades to come,” said Gomulinski.

With this achievement, the AUS College of Engineering reaffirms its commitment to empowering every individual within its community to unlock their full potential and deliver impactful contributions to the field of engineering. To know more about the college, visit www.aus.edu/cen.