SPE chapter named outstanding student chapter for fourth year in a row
Published Oct 10, 2018The Texas A&M University at Qatar chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has been named an Outstanding Student Chapter for the fourth year in a row.
The award recognizes SPE student chapters with exceptional programs in industry engagement, operations and planning, community involvement, professional development and innovation. Texas A&M at Qatar received the award at SPE’s Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in Dallas.
SPE president Abdullah Shaat, Class of 2019, said, “We have won this award for four consecutive years because of the great effort we have put in. Each year we take all our events a step further and we try to be innovative in the ways we engage the Aggie community in our activities. We always have technical and non-technical events that help us achieve our mission.”
The chapter also relies on support from the branch campus and its Petroleum Engineering Program to continuously strive to get better. Texas A&M at Qatar places a great emphasis on involvement in student organizations such as SPE, which gives students experience in leadership, management and planning, which are essential skills needed for success in the workplace. Some of the events included barbecue lunches, soccer match screenings, fun-filled quizzes on the oil and gas industry, and industry-sponsored workshops and lectures.
Shaat said, “Texas A&M at Qatar provides us with great opportunities, including attending the ATCE each year, to expand our knowledge in the technical aspects of the oil and gas industry, as well as the social aspects. The conference was a great opportunity to network with well-known figures in the oil and gas industry. We will continue working hard and we will always aim to win this award and to be recognized internationally out of the more than 400 student chapters around the world.”
The SPE’s success did not happen overnight, Shaat said, recognizing last year’s president, graduate Mohamed Al Balushi, Class of 2018. Al Balushi was responsible for some of the events that helped Texas A&M at Qatar win the outstanding student chapter award this year.
Al Balushi said, "I feel as though the reason why we continue to win the award is down to the people that make our chapter what it is today. The commitment, devotion and passion so many of the student members and petroleum engineering staff hold toward the organization has been nothing short of remarkable over the past few years.”
He continued, “The society has typically managed to excel in almost every operational aspect. While we prided ourselves on the catered events and the entertainment we provided, what we most cherished and valued was and will always be the students and assisting them in their personal and professional growth. I believe we’ve won the award four years in a row because of that focus.”
Dr. Mahmood Amani, associate professor in the Petroleum Engineering Program and SPE adviser, said, “The SPE’s success encourages other students to join and to keep the tradition of excellence going. They work hard to put together these events, but when they graduate, they will realize they learned a lot about the oil and gas industry and they’ve made these incredible industry connections that will serve them for the rest of their professional lives.”
