Alumnus credits AUS faculty for post-university success

Since completing his undergraduate degree at American University of Sharjah (AUS) in 2010, Dr. Mohamed Wehbi’s career has seen him realize great heights in both academia, government and private enterprise.

Not long after completing his studies at AUS, the civil engineering graduate embarked on a Master of Science in Road Engineering and Management at the University of Birmingham, UK. After completing his master’s studies with distinction, he entered a PhD program at the same university, where he specialized in railway infrastructure.

Dr. Wehbi’s academic achievements were recognized by what was at the time known as the government-operated British Rail (now Network Rail), who offered him a position while he was still studying as a PhD student. After a short period as a track bed engineer, Dr. Wehbi was promoted to senior designer, leading the organization’s track bed innovation division and supervising a number of research and development projects. During his six years of service at Network Rail, Dr. Wehbi continued his academic endeavors, publishing a number of articles in peer-reviewed journals.

More recently, Dr. Wehbi’s career has taken him to the private sector, working for Geobear Global as technical director. In this role, Dr. Wehbi is responsible for expanding the company’s soil stabilization technology and technical capabilities, making it a worldwide market leader in the field. He is tasked with the challenge of providing cost-effective and sustainable engineering solutions to clients across the many sectors of the construction industry.

Dr. Wehbi credited AUS for preparing him well for the successful career he has enjoyed: “AUS prepared me at all levels and provided me with the tools to succeed in my professional career. From excellent technical knowledge, to effective verbal and written communication skills, my AUS education has been invaluable. Most importantly, AUS provided me with great role models. Its excellent faculty members inspired me to undertake postgraduate education, which has led to me being where I am today.”

So what advice does Dr. Wehbi have for current university students? For Dr. Wehbi, there are no limits to what students can achieve if they have the requisite commitment. He tells students “not to be afraid to aim high and self-reflect on their achievements” According to Dr. Wehbi, most important is that students “should always identify their competency gaps and address them throughout their academic and professional development.”

AUS is among the top 200 universities globally and ranked number one (tied) in the UAE for civil and structural engineering, according to QS World University Subject Rankings (2021). For more information on the civil engineering programs at AUS, visit www.aus.edu/cen/department-of-civil-engineering.