"Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient"

For Mohammed Fawzi Kharroub, university has been truly life changing. 

Born and raised in the small village of Al Taween in Fujairah, Kharroub graduated summa cum laude from AUS with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in mechatronics. Soon, he will be joining the graduate program in intelligence systems, robotics and control at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to focus on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

“Graduating from AUS is an acknowledgment of my success in overcoming all challenges I had faced over the past few years. It is a commemoration of the academic, personal and professional growth and progress I have achieved. AUS provided me with the tools, opportunities, support and expertise that now allows me to independently navigate the world and continue to make progress,” said the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship recipient. 

Kharroub took it upon himself to live his university life following the motto “pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient.” This is why he made sure to start making the best of his AUS experience by getting involved in student activities, community service and research from his very first semester. 

He started off as the sports coordinator with the Student Filmmaking Club then moved to become the treasurer of the Physics Club for a year. Kharroub later decided to focus on extracurricular activities that were related to his field. He joined the IEEE SIGHT AUS Chapter as the representative of the electrical engineering program, and the IEEE Student Branch as a student officer. Soon, he was elected chairperson for both organizations. 

“Participating in clubs benefited me in various ways. I became better at teamwork and team management. I honed my networking skills, which were very useful in my courses especially that I usually assumed the leader role in group projects. Working with student clubs taught me what is it like to be a part of an organization and how to climb the ladder to reach positions of leadership. I was also an active team leader in the Student Leadership Program where I helped multiple new students in their transition from high school to university life,” he said. 

Kharroub also possessed a volunteering spirit and continuously sought to give back to the community and promote social change. Since joining AUS, he completed more than 200 hours of volunteering.  Some of the dear projects he worked on was Flowers without Branches, where he was project leader.  

“This project was sponsored by the IEEE SIGHT steering committee in the US. We aimed by working with orphans and underprivileged students to inspire them to join the STEM fields by teaching them programming and microcontrollers,” he recalls. 

Kharroub also sought to enrich his professional and research experience through multiple working opportunities during his time at AUS. For three consecutive years, he interned with various companies including Mashreq Bank; Danway LLC as an electrical panel distribution and control intern; Engineer Adnan Saffarini Office as mechanical, electrical and plumbing intern; and Exponent Technology Services as a research and development intern. 

He also worked as a student assistant at the AUS Library and as a research assistant with the Department of Electrical Engineering in control systems. 

“I consider academics one of the most important aspects of my life. I am passionate about learning and my work has been well-recognized. For example, I was featured on Pulse95 Radio for my senior design project, which is an assistive exoskeleton for the elderly. And I hope in the coming years that I get involved in more academic research, and perhaps one day benefit humanity. When that happens, my life would be full of meaning,” said Kharroub. 

The entrepreneur is also hoping to continue developing his 3D-printing startup Azure3DP. 

Kharroub said: “We are pursuing an innovative approach to tackle the physical limitations of 3D printing technology to achieve a more sustainable future. Without a doubt, AUS continues to help significantly in my entrepreneurial pursuit. My four-year journey was definitely not static. Just as it was filled with sleepless nights, doubts and confusion at times, it was also full of valuable opportunities, self-exploration, great memories and friendships. All these experiences have undoubtedly shaped me and made me the person that I am today. I can confidently say that I am proud of how far I’ve come. I am incredibly grateful to the university, and I will always be a proud AUSer.”