Laith S. Al-Faqih

Department of Civil, Construction andP.O Box 864749

Environmental EngineeringTuscaloosa, AL35486

College of EngineeringUSA

The University of Alabama+1-205-886-5211 (Cell)

Tuscaloosa, AL35487-0206, USA+1-205-348-5525 (Office)

Academic Background

Ph.D.College of EngineeringThe University of Alabama

Major: Environmental EngineeringTuscaloosa, AL, USA

Minor (1): Water Resources

Minor (2): Management Information Systems (MIS)Expected: May 2007

M.S.College of EngineeringThe University of Alabama Major: Environmental Engineering Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

Title: “Investigation of a new peat based media for

the removal of heavy metals from wastewater”2004

B.S.Faculty of Engineering and TechnologyUniversity of Jordan

Major: Civil EngineeringAmman, Jordan

Project: Construction Management1999

Relevant Coursework in PhD and MS

International Urban Water Systems, Homeland Security Implications for America’s Future, Introduction to MIS, Database Management, Research Seminar on Aging Infrastructure Systems, Construction Site Erosion, Bahamas Field Stream Restoration, Hydrology, Environmental Modeling, Open Channel Flow, Statistical Analysis for Environmental Engineers, Experimental Design and Field Sampling, Hydraulic Time Series, Hazardous and Solid Waste Management, Air Pollution Control Engineering, Geographic Information System (GIS), Stormwater Management, Waste Containment Facilities and Subsurface Remediation

Language Skills

English, Arabic, French, Italian, German

School Achievements

  • Passed Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam in 2005
  • President of the Black Warrior Environmental Association (BWEA). It is a student chapter of Alabama Water and Environmental Association (AWEA) and Water Environment Federation (WEF), 2005-present
  • President of Alabama Water Resources Association (AWRA) student chapter, 2005-2006
  • Vice President of Design for Engineers Without Borders (EWB) student chapter, 2005-2006
  • $500 Scholarship from EWB-USA (2006 Conference in Houston, Texas)
  • Final Nominee by the Dept for the Graduate Council Fellowship Nominations ($19,000) in 2003 at The University of Alabama. This fellowship is one of the most highly recognized awards for students at the university and only one student from each department is nominated based of merit.
  • Assistantship from the AgingInfrastructureSystemsCenter of Excellence (AISCE)
  • Assistantship from Vice President of Research at The University of Alabama

Research Experience

  • AgingInfrastructureSystemsCenter of Excellence (AISCE) University of Alabama Dr. David Hale June 2004-Present

Lead Research Assistant at the center. I am currently investigating the common means of forecasting the effects on performance that occur overtime, and defining mitigation and sustainability strategies. These projects involve a variety of infrastructure systems including environmental, roads, bridges, and pipelines. I have been with the AISCE from its inception in 2004 and have helped it to grow to a multi-million dollar interdisciplinary research center.

I have lead teams of faculty, doctoral, masters and undergraduate students whose home departments include engineering and business.

  • Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Department University of Alabama Dr. Rocky Durrans January-May, 2005 I was a Research Assistant on “Coupling of PnET-II3SL and SWAT for modeling the combined effects of forests and agriculture on water availability in integrated analyses of global climatic change”. I conducted the literature review and studied the biological adaptation for project. I submitted a report to the research group with recommendations on the future steps. This project was funded by the National Institute for Global Environmental Change.
  • BahamasEnvironmentalResearchCenter (BERC) Andros Island, Bahamas Dr. Albrey Arrington and Margo Blackwell May 17-29, 2004 Assessed 10 hydraulic structures/estuaries on AndrosIsland and submitted a report to the local municipalities. The structures were facing a serious aging problem, where no maintenance has been performed on them. The estuaries were facing a serious ecological problem, where parts of the estuaries were blocked, which affected the flow of water and consequently the eco-system in the estuary.
  • Chemical Engineering Department QueensUniversity at Belfast, Northern Ireland Dr. Pauline Johnson and Dr. Stephen Allen May-July, 2003

Ran the isotherm and kinetic experiments for M.S. project

  • Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Department University of Alabama Dr. Pauline Johnson January-August, 2002Team member of the “Innovative Metals Removal Technologies for Urban Stormwater” project. It was funded by Water and Environmental Research Foundation (WERF).
  • Unit of Waste Management Bauhaus University, Weimar, Germany Dr. Habil Bidlingmaier July-September, 1999

I was a training engineer at the Unit. I assisted in lab scale experiments that studied the use of chicken waste in the degradation of plastics. I worked on a Waste Management project that dealt in the rehabilitation of an old landfill and designing a new one according to EU standards. I helped in collecting environmental and water information about Middle East countries to be added to the data base of Knoten-Weimar.

Research Achievements

  • The stream restoration assessment on Andros Island, Bahamas, was presented to the local municipalities to take action towards restoring these estuaries.
  • In 2006, The Bahamian Ministry of Work stopped a road construction project that dams an estuary by using the report that was submitted to BERC in 2004.
  • The Waste Management project (Rehabilitation and Construction of new landfill) that was developed at Bauhaus University is currently taught as an example project in Project Management courses of the German association of Project Management and in courses of Bauhaus-University.

Publications

  • Al-Faqih, Laith, Robert Pitt, David Hale, Pauline Johnson, 2006, “Decision analysis applications for the sustainability of global urban water resources and drainage systems”, WEFTEC conference publication, Dallas, TX.
  • Al-Faqih, Laith, Fall 2006, “University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa - Environmental Engineering Students Take the Lead in the SYPC Campaign to establish WEF Student Chapters Throughout Alabama”, The WAVE magazine, WEF.

Interests

Decision analysis, Infrastructure systems, Environmental systems, and Water and drainage resources

Presentations

  • “Decision analysis applications for the sustainability of global urban water resources and drainage systems”2006, WEFTEC, Dallas, TX October 21-25, 2006
  • “Coupling of PnET-II3SL and SWAT for modeling the combined effects of forests and agriculture on water availability in integrated analysis of global climate change” at 2005 NIGEC Conference, Oak Ridge, TN. May 16-17, 2005
  • “Heavy Metals Capture From Wastewater Using Pelletted Peat Media” at AWRA conference, Perdido Beach, AL. September 9-10, 2004

Work Experience

  • Saueressig Jordan Amman, Jordan Quality Management Representative September 2000 – January 2002
    The company is a German-Jordanian joint venture. The parent company is located in Vreden, Germany.I studied, implemented and helped in the knowledge transfer of the requirements of the parent company to run the facility according to the German Standards. I attended various workshops on ISO 9001:2000 and 14000 quality and environmental management systems and implemented them at the facility. The facility in 2002 participated in a highly recognized national award, King Abdullah II Award for Excellence; and I was appointed as the officer. I implemented the requirements of the award at the facility, which is based upon Total Quality Management (TQM). I wrote the documentation and submitted it to the committee.
  • Management Systems and Dispute Resolution (MSDR) Amman, JordanTrainee Engineer March – September 2000
    I conducted schedule analysis for delay claims in which the company was involved. I studied the schedules and correspondences of the different parties and found documents that support the claims of our clients.

Work Achievements

  • Saueressig Jordan won First Place in the award.
  • Saueressig Jordan became ISO 9001 and 14000 certified

Teaching Experience

  • The University of Alabama, Mechanical Engineering Department. Teacher of Drawing 100 at the College of Engineering Fall, 2006

I am teaching around 140 students basic concepts of technical engineering drawing.

  • The University of Alabama, Engineering Math Advancement Program (EMAP) for High school students, Teaching Assistant June-July, 2006 and 2005

I instructed the environmental engineering laboratory in order to introduce high school students to environmental engineering. The students were so excited about that experience and they gave very positive feed back in their evaluations. Many students wanted to major in the program at the university.

  • The University of Alabama, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Introduction to Environmental Engineering Lab. Instructor. Spring and Fall, 2004

I taught Junior and Senior students at the department basic environmental laboratory concepts and methods. The feedback about my teaching was positive and it was a good learning experience for them.

Teaching Achievements

  • At the 2004 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) regional conference at The University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida; I coached a group of students from my lab to participate in the environmental competition. The students won 3rdplace in the environmental competition.

Attended Workshops and Seminars

  • Watershed Modeling System (WMS): The Water & Environment Research & Study Centre & UNESCO Cairo Office, Amman, Jordan. July 2-9, 2002
  • Workshop on Resources Management, at Nuqul Group, Amman, Jordan. October 15, 2001
  • Environmental Management System (ISO 14000) Awareness Session. In house training, Saueressig Jordan. Amman, Jordan. September 25,2001
  • Workshop on Process Management, Nuqul Group. Amman, Jordan. September 23, 2001
  • Workshop on Strategic Planning, Nuqul Group. Amman, Jordan. August 20,2001
  • Workshop on "ISO 9001:2000" Quality Management System and its requirements. In house training, Saueressig Jordan. Amman, Jordan. August 14, 2001
  • Training courses on the production and management systems that are implemented at the mother company in Germany, to implement them in Jordan. Saueressig, Vreden, Germany. [October 17 - December 18, 2000] & [May 27 - June17, 2001]
  • Workshop on Negotiation Skills, presented by The Business Communications Unit at The British Council in Amman, Jordan. June 5-6, 2000
  • Course in “Managing & Controlling Projects with Primavera Project Planner forWindows”. Amman, Jordan. November 27– December 21, 1999

Special Skills

  • Primavera Project Planner
  • Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Front Page)
  • Minitab
  • GIS – Arc Map software
  • Various environmental and water software: Environmental Modeling STELLA, Basic knowledge about WMS (Watershed Modeling System), SLAMM (Source Loading and Management Models), HELP model (Hydraulic Evaluation of Landfill Performance)
  • Oracle SQL*Plus

Professional Associations

  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • Alabama Water Environmental Association (AWEA)
  • Water Environment Federation (WEF)
  • Alabama Water Resources Association (AWRA)
  • Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
  • Jordanian Engineering Society
  • Institution of Civil Engineers (Australia)