Alpha Eritrean Engineers Magazine 2015 February Issue

AEEC | October 2011 1

Alpha Eritrean Engineers Magazine FEBRUARY 2015

VOL 6 NO. 1

THE ROLE OF ICT AND SOFTWARE IN ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

CONVERSATION WITH Dr. MEDHANIT

DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

LIST OF ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITIES

AEEC e

AEEC was gathered

for Display

Technology Trend

presentation on

Sunday October 26th

at MLK located in

Oakland CA

AEEC | February 2015 1

CONTENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS

THE ROLE OF ICT AND SOFTWARE IN ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

BY DR.YONAS MERESSI &

DR. MUSIE BEYENE

CONVERSATION WITH DR. MEDHANIT

BY ALPHA & DR. MEDHANIT

DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

BY AMANUEL GEBREBRHAN

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

BY YOSIEF WOLDEMARIAM

& FILIPOS ABRAHAM

EDITORS

SEBLE GEBREMEDHIN, M.S. IN PSYCHOLOGY

DR. ADIAM WOLDEGERGISH, PH.D IN

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

SAMUEL FESSEHAYE, B.A. IN

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

FILIPOS ABRAHAM, M.S, IN

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING AND

YOSIEF WOLDEMARIAM, B.A. IN

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING


A Message from one of the editors

I want to wish you a wonderful beginning of 2015 and I hope the remainder of the year

will be fruitious for all. As one of the editors, I have had the privilege of assisting and

supporting one of the founders, Yosief Woldemariam and the entire editors, in any

capacity so that AEEM magazine is a success. Since its inception, I have seen this

magazine evolve over time not only in the way it presents its articles but also the

number of people from around the world reading it. Knowing that individuals are

reading these articles is very exciting and rewarding as well as seeing its success grow. I

believe this magazine not only has attracted engineer readers but it also has appealed to

professionals in related fields of expertise such as mathematics, physics, chemistry,

biology, computer science and other related field. In reading many of the articles, as a

novice and not being in the field of engineering, I have observed my knowledge increase

in understanding what engineering means, what it does and its impact in our daily

lives. Not only does it have specific classifications but also it closely tie into and weaves

with other fields of expertise.

Engineers who contribute in writing articles for AEEM have various levels of academic

education. Each of the contributors come from a different expertise or background,

educational experience and live in many parts of the world such as Malaysia, Abu Dhabi,

Eritrea, London, California, Maryland and some other states. That is why, I believe, this

online magazine is efficacious. For me, I hope that these articles not only reach those

that have completed their education and are in the engineering working world but also

individuals who are in high school and college students and have goals of becoming

future engineers. Awareness, knowledge, education and empowerment is so powerful

that as an online magazine I encourage readers and contributors when they are reading

the magazine to share it with others, especially with those still continuing their

education.

As one of the contributing editor I look forward in continuing to read and support this

magazine. This magazine not only provides awareness in the vast array of knowledge in

the field of engineer but it also posts job opportunities, recognize individuals who are

contributing both professionally and socially and allows readers to post their views. I

want to say continue enjoy this edition of Alpha Eritrea and keep sending in your

articles.

Sincerely yours,

Seble Gebremedhin

The Success of

Teamwork

Coming together is a

beginning.

Keeping together is

progress.

Working together is

success.

~ Henry Ford~

EDUCATION

IS THE MOST

POWERFUL

WEAPON

WHICH YOU

CAN USE TO

CHANGE

THE WORLD


The role of ICT and Software Industry in Economic

Transformation and Good Governance

YM Gebremichael and M Beyene

Abstractit is nearly impossible to

imagine our lives without the information

and communications technologies (ICT)

we have come to take for granted, i.e.

smart phones, tablet devices, laptops,

desktop computers and in particular the

infrastructure that is the Internet. While

the impact of these technological

advances may be hard to quantify, the

effective usage of these as technologies

for information processing and

communications has undoubtedly

transformed societies. Indeed many countries have identified ICT as a

key ingredient for economic growth and social transformation not only

through industrial output and increased productivity but also through

gains in administrative efficiency and its role in effective governance. As

commoditization of software and cloud computing becomes

increasingly wide spread, this paper explores the potential impact of

ICT and the software industry on fundamental economic transformation

and good governance in developing countries in particular. It further

looks at how the necessary environment and the required skills can be

created through strategic government interventions on building the

required infrastructure and educational systems.

I. INTRODUCTION

he last 20 years have been characterized by an

information revolution driven by advances in software

and computer technology. Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) is used to broadly describe a cluster of

technologies (software and hardware) used for gathering,

storing, processing and communicating information

electronically. The advances in ICT have facilitated

economic growth through knowledge distribution and

interaction via formal and informal computer and

communication networks. Here ICT, both as a product and

as an enabling technology, has impacted various economic

sectors such as education, health services, industry,

governance and others. This trend will continue into the

future where almost no part of our daily life will be

unaffected by the pervasive nature of software and

hardware technologies. While this may be the case, it is

important to realize that the technologies in themselves are

not transformational. The socio-economic context of their

application is a decisive factor in the impact of the

technologies (Pruulmann, 2006).

II. ICT AS AN ENABLING TECHNOLOGY

The advances and fast paced changes in networking

technologies and the penetration of the Internet has

revolutionized how economies interact with each other and

do business. As an integral component of ICT, software is a

key driver of economy in the developed world. It has

allowed systematic manipulation of data for better insight

and generation of knowledge. Indeed software has become

the prime industrial differentiator and a platform for

innovation, as such governments in Europe are realizing the

strategic importance of software as a key enabler in the

face of competition from emerging markets.

In the following sub-sections, the paper looks at the impact

of ICT and software as an enabling technology on

education, industry, eGovernment and social media.

A. EDUCATION

Education is one of the key pillars for the socio-economic

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growth of a country. It is widely recognized that the

effective and creative use of ICT in education can facilitate

universal access to education, improvement on the quality

of delivery and more efficient management and

administration of education. ICT in education has raised the

capacity of generation and accelerated diffusion of

knowledge. This has led to Knowledge and information

societies (Krystyna Grniak-Kocikowska 2007) which in

turn has led into the concept of a knowledge based

economy (KBE). For the purposes of this article, a KBE is

defined as an economy in which the production,

distribution and exploitation of knowledge and information

play a leading role in the creation of wealth. A KBE, first and

foremost, is driven by a work force that is highly skilled,

where a large and growing proportion of the workforce is

engaged in generating and processing information as

opposed to more physically tangible production output. In

such societies, computer literacy and access to network

facilities are as basic requirements as traditional literacy.

Furthermore, rapid changes in information technology is

making educated labour with a range of skills or types of

knowledge more valuable, and the need for continuous

learning and developing competencies in new technologies

even more critical.

ICT technologies such as computer based training (CBT),

webinars and online lectures have transformed the

traditional classroom experience into one that is accessible

universally over wider geographical location and on

demand. This has brought huge benefits not only in

overcoming the instructor to student ratio of the traditional

classroom setting but also enabled self-paced learning

which in many cases is a much more efficient process of

knowledge assimilation. ICT has also enhanced learning

through interactive tools e.g. online homework and

discussion forums. Additionally simulation packages for

modelling complex scientific experiments and various

physical processes are replacing traditional bench top

instrumentation leading to better understanding of the

theories and principles at much lower cost by creating

virtual laboratories.

ICT has enabled information (previously in printed books

and scientific journals) to be readily available for sharing

through smart devices, e-libraries and the Internet at a

much lower cost. By its nature, ICT is a fast paced

technology and so printed material on the subject itself

becomes obsolete in a very short space of time, ICT makes

knowledgebase on new technologies available for

consumption almost instantly. This has significantly

accelerated diffusion of knowledge and thus improved the

standards of education and research.

B. INDUSTRY

Economies in developing countries are mostly built on

light industrial manufacturing output and export of raw

material. In the drive towards KBE, knowledge becomes a

primary resource in production by adding value to raw

produce or enhancing/replacing capital and labor intensive

processes and thus creating value added production. This

value addition is an intangible asset with substantial

benefits. ICT has also enabled industries to increase their

production through efficient and fast processes, improve

their products through better analytical tools, designs and

quality control at reduced environmental cost. As

sophisticated machines replace human labor, ICT has aided

the provision of better working conditions in hazardous

environments such as mining, chemical processing, nuclear

plants etc. ICT is critical in developing KBE by creating

enabling environment for industrial innovation and

attracting foreign investment in many growth areas as well

as expanding international trade by facilitating distribution

channels for industries to sell their products and services to

a much wider customer base as well as making 24 hour

banking services available.

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C. THE EGOVERNMENT

Government institutions can benefit significantly from

effective use of ICT technologies to provide efficient,

accountable, transparent and economically viable services.

The digital interaction between governments and citizens or

between government agencies is referred to as

eGovernment. In such governance, ICT improves the

relationship between the government institutions and their

constituencies in service delivery promoting social equality

and democratic inclusiveness. In particular rural

communities, where government services may not be easily

accessible either due to lack of effective transportation or

other bureaucratic systems, governance can benefit greatly

through use of ICT. The transparency and good governance

which comes with properly implemented eGovernment

systems, where information required to make decisions is

readily available has the potential to reduce corruption and

attract foreign investment leading to greater economic

growth.

D. SOCIAL MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT

The term social media refers to web applications that

enable people to communicate and share information.

Some examples of social media include Facebook, Twitter,

and YouTube, LinkedIn blogs, discussion forums, chat rooms

and wikis. Most of these technologies did not exist 15 years

ago, indeed they are still evolving not only due to the

advances in ICT but also as a direct result of the way we

have come to use them. While their impact is yet to be fully

felt, the potential for these technologies to promote

informed citizenry and civil organization, with profound

implications for democratic participation, is clear.

Increasingly social media has been used to great effect in

providing up to date information in emergencies and

disasters facilitating communication in organizing

assistance, issuing early warnings, pictorial reporting of

damage and general situational awareness. The relief

efforts to support Haiti following the 7.0 earthquake that hit

Port-Au-Prince in January, 2010 can be cited as an example

here.

ICT has impacted entertainment by enhancing the different

ways in which we spend our leisure time. With the use of

these technologies not only have the ways in which we

entertain ourselves dramatically increased but also access

to the digital content (music, movies, games etc.) has been

become free or at much reduced cost for a wider audience.

The popularity of entertainment technology has spawned a

gaming industry that is now a multibillion dollar industry

which has created a huge number of highly skilled jobs

worldwide. The industry also has a skill and product feed-off

effect to other industries. While there are claims that digital

entertainment such as games promote physical inactivity,

there is no natural causal relation and, like any human

activity, there is plenty of scope for benefiting from good

practice and habit.

III. SOFTWARE AS A PRODUCT

Today software permeates every aspect of our lives, from the

news, social media, e-commerce and government websites we

visit multiple times in a day to the sophisticated office tools and

programs that many of us use for work on a daily basis. Indeed

each of us interacts with and consumes thousands of lines of code

written by other people whether it is paid for or freely available.

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There are several key industries and processes which heavily rely on software technologies and intelligent hardware systems for their competitiveness, productivity and the quality of service they provide. These include, among many others, the defense industry and communications infrastructure, industrial products ranging from medical instruments to home appliances, government institutions, research programs, education, social services and others. In addition software itself, as an industry in its own right, is relatively low investment, environmentally friendly and high growth industry with huge export potential. The software industry potentially offers developing countries the opportunity to compete at the highest level with much less investment when compared to traditional industries as shown in some Asian tiger economies. Here it is important to differentiate low skill outsourced activities, such as call centers, that have little impact on long term economic growth from skilled software industries. Increasingly, new and existing critical infrastructures will depend on software (embedded systems and Internet services). In such critical software, non-functional requirements such as reliability, security and availability will become more crucial (ISTAG 2012). To effectively exploit this trend, economies need to produce highly skilled work force with the appropriate technical skills.

IV. ICT AS A SERVICE

Many organizations of various sizes are becoming conscious of the value of using computing resources remotely and are thus adopting cloud services. Cloud computing is a phrase used to describe different modes in which computing resource (hardware and/or software) is delivered as a service over a network. The service relies on sharing a pool of physical and/or virtual resources, rather than deploying locally. In general, cloud services are offered in three modes: Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). SaaS refers to the software delivery model in which applications are hosted remotely and accessed through the Internet. Many web applications such as web emails, social media and other enterprise applications are delivered this way. IaaS on the other hand refers to the virtualized computing infrastructure accessed as a service through a network, e.g. storage spaces, networking components, servers etc. The resource is pulled from a pool of servers distributed across data centers under the providers control, the user is then granted access to this resource in order to build their own IT platforms. PaaS is an extension of IaaS. In addition to the fundamental computing resource supplied by the hardware in IaaS, PaaS also includes the software and

configuration required to create the platform on which clients can build their applications over the internet. This service can be customized with features that meet individual user requirements. Web hosting services belong to this category. One of the key characteristics of cloud computing is the flexibility that it offers. The service is able to adapt and scale to changes in response to demand. It also provides the ability to lower expenditures by not having to invest in purchasing and maintaining hardware and software. Such resource sharing allows multiple customers to use the service and share the payload, reducing the tasks at the customers end. In addition, cloud computing can lead to reduction in staff headcounts in the hardware or platform maintenance. Enterprises can use the freed-up resources in other productive activities. With the growing number of web-enabled devices used in today's business environment (e.g. smartphones, tablets), cloud computing makes access to data even easier. Sharing data and resources makes collaboration and communication more efficient and thus simplifying the development process for teams working across geographical locations.

V. CAPACITY BUILDING AND THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT

Governments, in developing countries in particular will

require acknowledgement of the fact that technical

progress, generation and accumulation of knowledge are

critical in the drive towards a knowledge based economy.

Of key importance here is the role of ICT in the distribution

of knowledge, gains in administration efficiency and the

long term economic growth. To take advantage of this,

consistent and predictable government policies are

required in relation to commitment in the use of the

technology and also make the required investment

available for the proliferation of ICT technologies. The

priorities must lie in the following:

A. EDUCATION AND HUMAN CAPITAL

As generation, storage and access to data becomes easier

and less expensive, the skills and competencies relating to

the profitable use of the data become more crucial. The

workforce will require both formal education and the

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mental dexterity to continuously acquire, select and apply

new theoretical and analytical knowledge and skills to

extract useful information from vast stores of

heterogeneous data. Therefore education and continuous

life-long learning and training are central to the KBE,

enabling tools for individual and organisational

advancement.

Producing graduates to fill the jobs created in the

knowledge based economies requires an education system

that is able to cater for this growing demand. Traditionally,

the schooling system has always placed importance in

mathematics and languages such as English as core subjects

to be taught from an early age. In order to meet the

demands of the future and drive knowledge based

economies, the schooling system should include ICT as a

core subject aimed at generating future graduates who

have strong IT skills (irrespective of their chosen academic

stream). In the UK for example, the year 2014 has been

labelled as a year of code in which coding is introduced

to the school timetable for every child aged 5-16 years old,

making the UK the first major G20 economy to implement

this on a national level. This alone is not enough, in

addition, ICT skills must be taught past this level

systematically and teaching methods have to change and

utilise innovative ICT technologies to meet the needs of

students and employers.

B. COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION

Universities are central to educating and training the

workforce for KBE. Recognizing the diffusion of knowledge

is just as important as its creation, thus collaboration

between educational institutions and industry must be

facilitated. Such collaborations provide opportunities to

increasing the relevance of a Universitys education and

provide a means for efficient transfer of economically useful

knowledge and skills required in industry. Although it may

be possible to argue that industrial collaboration may lead

to academic research centers diverting their resources from

fundamental research seeking immediate returns, some of

the most important scientific insights have come from

solutions to actual industrial problems. It is therefore

important for higher educational institutions and academic

establishments to find a balance between close

collaboration with industry (for economic as well as

innovative purposes), and their essential role in

fundamental research and education. Here there is a role

for technology parks to act both as catalysts for growth of

high-tech industries. As well as creating the clustering effect

where concentration of technology and experts can lead to

efficient knowledge transfer, the parks can also promote

professional training and skills development. Technology

degrees and vocational courses must incorporate

mandatory work placement into their programs so that ICT

students in particular can gain important insight into a

practical working environment before they graduate.

C. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Productivity gains through the use of technological changes will

necessitate training of the work force in the use of new

technologies and organizational flexibility in adopting new

technology. Here it is important to stress the need for

government policies that place more emphasis on upgrading

human capital through promoting access to a range of skills and

providing the enabling conditions for organizational change to

maximize the benefits of technology for productivity.

D. THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE

Access to broadband communications system has been viewed

as a consequence of economic growth and thus given a lesser

priority in developing countries. This is not only inaccurate but

also a huge hindrance to the desired socio-economic

transformation. Modern telecommunication infrastructure

must be viewed as a cause and stimulant of socio-economic

development. It is also by far the most critical physical

infrastructure in developing a KBE. As an infrastructure, the

importance of this network must be viewed on equal

footing with building roads, bridges, railways and electricity

provision. Broadband network creates an enabling

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environment for knowledge transfer, innovation and

provision of efficient eGovernment services. It will also

enable businesses and utility industries to provide cost

effective services by facilitating e-commerce and accurate

data collection. Additionally this technology will make

interactive education systems accessible. Key to this is

investing on robust terrestrial fiber optic communication

infrastructure for high bandwidth communications system.

This network can be readily connected to the global

submarine fiber optic communications network for fast

Internet services aiding collaborative research, expansion

of international trade and attracting foreign investment in

many growth areas.

VI. CONCLUSION

Advances in ICT, in the developed world in particular, have

transformed the way we consume government services, learn as

well socialize and interact. It has provided transparency, improved

accountability and efficiency in governance. ICT has made instant

business transactions possible across wider geographical

locations. Education is one area where ICT continues to impact

greatly not only in the transmission and sharing of information

but also in the way education provision and delivery is aided by

modern ICT technologies. ICT devices are increasingly becoming

more and more powerful, increasing information sharing,

processing and knowledge diffusion. It is estimated that over 50%

of GDP in the major economies is now knowledge-based. This is

bound to rise with the commoditization of software and the cloud

computing infrastructure where the ICT services provided are

considered basic utilities in par with electricity and water. Against

this background, economies will need to enhance their

educational systems to produce a highly skilled workforce with

the appropriate technical skills by exploiting new developments in

ICT.

REFERENCE

[1] Krystyna Grniak-Kocikowska, (2007),"From computer ethics to the ethics of global ICT society", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 25, Issue 1, 2007, pp. 47 57.

[2] Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt, (2006) Exploring Social Theory as a Framework for Social and Cultural Measurements of the Information Society, The Information Society: An International Journal, Vol 22, issue 5, 2006, pp. 303-310.

[3] John C. Bertot, Paul T. Jaeger, Justin M. Grimes, Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-government and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies, Government Information Quarterly 27 (2010) 264271.

[4] ISTAG, Toward a Strategic Agenda for Software Technologies in Europe, 2012.

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ALPHA ERITREAN ENGINEERS MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE

9


First of all, I would like to thank you for sharing the June issue of Alpha Eritrean

Engineer's Magazine. I would like to sheepishly confide with you that it was my

first time hearing about it.

Let me tell you my impression about it: it is beyond words for me to express my

admiration. I perfectly understand the amount of hard and consistent effort that

was put in it- starting from net-working, maintaining and developing the

commitment among devoted Eritrean engineers and finally putting it all together

in a journalistic style with substance and quality presentation: Eritrean

Engineers Magazine - a pioneer of its own. It is quite an achievement and speaks

for itself.

I simply want to say I am proud of you guys and keep going!!!

Senait Amanuel, Structural engineer Brain experience on Days in a month question: Some months have thirty (30) days and some months have thirty-one (31) days. How many months have twenty-eight (28) days? Please send your response to [email protected]

ALPHA ERITREAN ENGINEERS

Comments & Suggestions

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First and foremost we would like to thank you for accepting our invitation for this conversation and your participatory time with Alpha.

Alpha: Would you briefly tell us about yourself?

Dr. Medhanit: My name is Medhanit W. Bahta a daughter of Woldeghiorghis Bahta and Hiriti Berhane. I was born in Asmara. My educational

background is in Chemistry with an emphasis in Medicinal and Organic Chemistry. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, I worked at the National Cancer Institute, NIH as a postdoctoral fellow where I was involved in the gram scale synthesis and drug discovery techniques such as

Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) studies. I am now employed under US Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner in the chemical art unit. As a patent examiner, I review patent applications if they comply with the basic rules and legal requirements, as well as research the subject matter claimed in a patent application. I then determine the patentability of the claimed subject matter.

Alpha: Where did you grow up and what were your experiences growing up there?

Dr. Medhanit: I grew up in Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea. Asmara is a beautiful city that is blessed with tranquility and it is the city where I always felt safe going anywhere and anytime. The weather is ideal with its beauty and the friendliness of its people. The city is rich in its architecture with Italian colonial area. Going to Italian school and learning the rich Italian history has taught me to appreciate every detail of Asmaras infrastructure, wide streets, piazzas and coffee bars.

Alpha: You are the youngest in your family and

what was it like to be the youngest of the family?

Dr. Medhanit: Yes, I am and I consider myself one of the luckiest person to be part of such a wonderful family. I am much younger than my siblings and grew up under the wings of each one of them. I grew up spoiled and everyone in the family looked out for me. I was always the baby to my family but I was taught success has no limit. I have learned a lot from each of my siblings and who I am now is because of my family.

Alpha: Which college or university did you go to? Dr. Medhanit: I received a B.Sc. in chemistry from the University of Asmara and then I worked as a teaching assistant for a year at the same university under the department of chemistry. I was then offered graduate-research assistantship position from the University of Tennessee and obtained Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. The research I conducted in graduate school focused on the total synthesis of naturally occurring product analogs, specifically called hydramycin. These natural products are known to have anticancer and antibacterial activities which are isolated from fermentation broth of Streptomyces violaceus. Because of its insufficient occurrence and the challenges related to its isolation, there was a need to synthesize this compound and its analogs.

Therefore, part of my project focused in making this compound. The synthesized analogs are submitted to the National Cancer Institute and are being tested against the 60 cell lines for their anticancer activities. Part of my other project during graduate school was the creation of Nano-patterned Glycoarray surfaces for the introduction of ligands and carbohydrates. This project was to help better understand the interaction among the closer clusters of

CONVERSATION WITH Dr. MEDHANIT

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glycoconjugates that make up the eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell surface complex.

Alpha: Tell us what you liked and disliked the most during college life and what have you learned other than what the institution teaches you?

Dr. Medhanit: I was able to break the wall that kept me in my comfort zone and had the opportunity of meeting new people with diverse background. Thus, in terms of meeting new people, it was easier in college than say, high school. I learned about different cultures and traditions and embraced them. I came to US in 2002 and that is when I started living away from my parents. It was hard the first two years because of the cultural shock, but I was able to meet good friends who helped me in every way to adjust. Those people are special in my life and after 10+ years, we are still friends. Throughout the years, I learned how to be independent and my social skills greatly improved while in grad school. I have built strong friendship with colleagues and/or college friends from different parts of the world and it is now very easy for me to make friends from any culture.

Alpha: What are your best memories of University of Asmara?

Dr. Medhanit: I would not call it best memories at the time when students had to share one book among the whole class and when most of the time there were no books because the professor had the only book in his/her possession. However, looking back at that experience now, I would consider it as one of the best memories because those challenges helped me fight to be successful without making excuses. I am sure each one of us who went through similar challenge counts their blessings when he/she comes to US where there is every kind of resources. Being educated at the University of Asmara has taught me that success is having the will regardless of the surroundings and challenges.

Alpha: Would you please share how you came to US?

Dr. Medhanit: After I graduated from University of Asmara and during the year I was working as a teaching assistant at UA, I started applying for assistantship to get into a graduate school program. I still remember the extent of time I was at the internet cafes applying to different universities. My main focus was Organic Chemistry and my search was specifically on the research group that was focused on synthetic chemistry. University of Tennessee was among the universities I applied where I got admitted for full-time graduate school program and I received tuition support through teaching-research assistantship.

Alpha: Did you have this ambition to go all the way in getting your PHD early on while growing up in Asmara or you while applying for graduate school in America? Also how long did it take you to fulfill your dream?

Dr. Medhanit: To be honest with you, I had ambition to go to graduate school, but I never saw myself coming this far. It took me five years to get through graduate school and after that I was accepted as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). I worked with a great boss, Dr. Terrence Burke. I joined his lab with my synthetic chemistry background and he gave me the opportunity to work on great projects as a Medicinal Chemist where I also learned the biological part of my project through extensive collaboration. The research at NCI focused on the SAR approach to synthesize small molecules having inhibitory activity towards Yersinia pestis protein tyrosine phosphatase. This enzyme is secreted by the Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic plaque. My original goal was to go to pharmaceutical industries, however, I switched gear and became interested in other challenges such as working at either Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), where

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both agencies provide a healthy work life balance. Part of the decisions that made me join PTO was after I had my first daughter. I would not change my time at NCI, however, working in the lab for long hours and trying to spend time with my family was very challenging. I am now perfectly happy working at PTO and like the fact that I get to learn different inventions regardless of its own challenges.

Alpha: Your parents must be delighted to have a PHD in the family?

Dr. Medhanit: Yes they are. My father lost his father when he was six years old and he had a tough upbringing. His mother was a hard worker but he and his older brother grew up poor. He was forced to quit school at an early age to support himself and his family. As his dream was always about education, he managed to reach middle school by going to night classes after work. He also obtained a certification in radio telegraphy and diploma in English language. On the other hand, my mothers upbringing was different than my fathers. She was a competent student and reached 6th grade. However, in her time, there was pressure of getting married at early age and she was also forced to quit school, my father and my mother were never happy that they did not get to complete their education. Since circumstance did not allow my father to work with his qualifications, he went into business and started from scratch because he did not want his family to struggle the way he did. My father is very proud because his kids completed their education that was taken away from him and that was missing in his life.

Alpha: Are you currently married?

Dr. Medhanit: I have been happily married to a very wonderful man, Solomon, since 2008. I learned a lot from him, he taught me how to find the silver linings in every challenge I have encountered as a graduate student, researcher and a mother. He teaches me to be myself and when I see his approach to succeed in his career, Dr. Seusss quote always comes to mind

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind dont matter and those who matter dont mind. He believes that one can achieve any goal that he/she decides upon without limitation and without seeing the world from a linear perspective. We both share a (3) year old daughter and (18) year old twins. Raising kids and working full time has its own challenges, but I am blessed to have a beautiful family with whom I enjoy every minute.

Alpha: How do you juggle both family and profession?

Dr. Medhanit: Its never easy being a mom trying to juggle a full time job with family life especially because my husband travels a lot. My mother has been on my side to help me. The key is to be able to focus, organize, use time effectively and give undivided attention to work during work time and to family during family time.

Alpha: Have you done any bioengineering research?

Dr. Medhanit: I have never done any bioengineering research, however, I have attended several discussions involving the discipline. From my perspective, bioengineering research has recently become one of the greatest disciplines in improving human lives.

This discipline is focused on manipulating and observing living system on any scale ranging from genes, RNA, proteins and enzymes to cellular and

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tissue engineering where it helps understand fundamental biological processes.

Alpha: How many articles in a magazine have you read?

Dr. Medhanit: I have read all the articles that AEEM has published and I look forward to reading more.

Alpha: What do you think of AEEM and would you tell us the importance of AEEM magazine?

Dr. Medhanit: I personally think it is a way of sharing great experiences, that is, how each individual took a specific path to success. I think AEEM gives hope to young Eritreans who are in the process of achieving their goal to success. AEEM can be used as a source of information to these young Eritreans and a way to network with people who already achieved a successful career.

Alpha: What is your impression of the engineers articles you have read so far?

Dr. Medhanit: I am really impressed of the different engineering disciplines I have learned so far, even though my background is different. I thank the talented and enthusiastic professionals who took their time in sharing the details of their work. I am really proud to learn how many Eritreans are effectively using the limitless opportunities that this country provides and be part of the global improvement in general. The articles will help create a culture that drives success among young Eritreans. I thank everyone of AEEM who took the initiatives in publishing this wonderful magazine.

Alpha: Thank you Dr. Medhanit for being part of AEEM and we are proud of you for receiving the Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) and a Collaborative Project Award (CPA). And also publishing at the Nature Protocols, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, ChemMedChem, etc.

~ Dr. Medhanit Bahta

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Bringing the best and the brightest together

Hard to reach doesnt have to mean hard to do


EN

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AEEC

The planTing of a Tree, especially one of The long-living

hardwood trees, is a gift which you can make to posterity

at almost no cost and with almost no trouble, and if the

tree takes root it will far outlive the visible effect of any

of your oTher acTions, good or evil. ~ George Orwell

Eritrea purely magnificent

ever greener trees of asmara !

choice!


ALPHA ERITREAN ENGINEERS COMMUNITY

When we get too caught up in the busyness of

the world, we lose connection with one another

and ourselves. Never lose sight that we are

better when connected

16


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PRESENTATION ON DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Introduction to

Displays and How

LCD and OLED

based displays

work.


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Recent display devices

from Apple with higher

resolutions, higher pixel

density, thinner, and lower

power consumption.

Introduction to

Displays and How

LCD and OLED

based displays

work.


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Display trends

throughout the years.

From CRT TV in 1922

up to present time of

LCD and OLED based

high resolution displays

Table1. Different

generation of I-phones,

increase in resolution

and pixel density lowers

power consumption and

increases battery life.

Table2. Shows major

Display Manufacturing

leaders across the world


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Flexible displays

for different

applications.

Flexible and foldable

displays for medical

use and other

applications


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Reference of

Materials used in the

this presentation

BE PART OF IT

IT CONNECTS

IT INFORMS

IT SHARES EXPERIENCES

AEEC


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AEEC

. Sense of humor from engineers prospective

www.baris.typepad.com/time_to_laugh

Engineers and designer of the human body

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible

designers of the human body. One said, "It was a mechanical engineer. Just

look at all the joints." Another said, "No, it was an electrical engineer.

The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections." The last

one said, "No, actually it had to have been a civil engineer. Who else would

run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?"

~ ~

A Mathematician and an Engineer

A mathematician and engineer are sitting in a bar when the bartender walks up and

tells them, "The woman in the corner fancies both of you. One of you should go and talk

to her, but every step you take will only halve your current distance to her." The

mathematician says, "Well, I guess that's not going to happen then." He pays his tab

and leaves, the engineer stands up and takes a few steps when the bartender says to

him "You do realize you will never reach her?" The engineer turns to the bartender and

replies "Yeah, but I'll get close enough for practical applications."

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AEEC


Current Job Opportunities Companies or Government Jobs Location & Number Closing Date

Mechanical & Structural Engineering

http://jobs-boeing.com/california/mechanical--structural-engineering/jobid6803406-mech-sys-design--anlys-engr-1-_-2-jobs

Mechanical & Structural Engineer 1500001601en, Long Beach, Ca

Open Until Filled

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Mechanical & Structural Engineer 1400004922en-1, Long Beach, Ca

Open Until Filled


Mechanical & Structural Engineer 1400004922en-2, Seal Beach, Ca

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Mechanical & Structural Engineer 1400007327en, Long Beach, Ca

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Production Review Engineer

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Production Engineering Engineer 1400002488en, Seal Beach, Ca

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Open Until Filled

Software Engineering

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Software Engineering 1500003221en, Pleasanton, Ca

Open Until Filled

http://jobs-boeing.com/california/software-engineering/jobid6685319-software-engineer-level-1_2-jobs

Software Engineering 1400016857en, Huntington Beach,

Ca Open Until Filled

http://jobs-boeing.com/california/software-engineering/jobid6685314-software-engineer-level-3_4-jobs

Software Engineering 1400016813en, Huntington Beach,

Ca Open Until Filled

Structural Engineering

http://jobs-boeing.com/california/mechanical--structural-engineering/jobid6159495-structural-analysis-engineer-3-jobs

Structural Engineering 1400005173en-2, Long Beach, Ca

Open Until Filled


Authors

YONAS MERESSI [email protected] received his B.S. in Electrical, Electronics & info engineering and Ph.D in Polarimetric fibre optic sensor systems from City University of London. Currently, he is employed at California Department of Transportation, Caltran.

MUSIE BEYENE [email protected] received his B.S. in MSci in Mathematis and Physics from University

College London and his PhD in Computational Atomic and Molecular Physics from the University of Durham in the

UK. Currently he works as a Senior Lecturer at Icon college of Technology and Management and as a freelance web

applications developer.

MEDHANIT BAHTA [email protected] received her BS in chemistry from the University of Asmara and obtained graduate-research assistantship position and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Tennessee.

Currently employed under US Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner in the chemical art unit

AMANUEL GEBREBRHAN [email protected] received his BS and MS in Pharmaceutical and material

Sciences in Europe. Currently he is working with Honeywell as a Sr. Scientist/Engineer in Silicon Valley, California.

He is also an inventor of 3 granted U.S patents and 2 pending patents in the field of Semiconductor and

Display.

If you need an updated information, discussions or got an Engineering experiences that you want

share your knowledge or ideas with your fellow professionals.

You will find us on www.linkedin.com/groups/Alpha-Eritrean-Engineers-Community

To read without reflecting is

like eating without digesting.

~Edmund Burke

Alpha Eritrean Engineers Magazine 2015 February Issue

Documents

Transcript of Alpha Eritrean Engineers Magazine 2015 February Issue