LAU Alumnus Emile Naous: Soon-to-Be Aerospace Engineer
Developing aircraft and spacecraft is no easy field to enter or succeed in. Nevertheless, LAU alumnus Emile Naous is thriving in his journey to become an aerospace engineer. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin’s (UT Austin) Aerospace Engineering program, where he is part of a top-10 nationally ranked program that sees graduates go on to become engineers, scientists, inventors, astronauts, administrators, and leaders in the field of aerospace engineering.
“The skills that I acquired from LAU are helping me tremendously in my graduate degree,” says Naous, who attributes much of his success to his formative years at his alma mater, which he graduated from in 2019 with a BE in Civil Engineering.
While at LAU, Naous dedicated his time to academic excellence, extracurricular activities, and gaining internship experience – that together helped him land a prized-spot at UT Austin and set him on track to reach his dreams.
“LAU helped me turn my interest in physics to a passion for engineering innovation,” explains Naous, who hopes to have a career in academia and research in order to contribute to the body of knowledge on engineering.
He is well on his way to accomplishing his dreams given that he both works and studies at UT Austin’s Aerospace Engineering graduate program, and is applying the skills, values, and knowledge instilled at LAU to complex and important research areas.
“I am a graduate assistant at UT Austin, as well as a member of a research group that is considered a pioneer in the development of the technology for offshore oil and gas exploration and production. My research is motivated by practical problems faced by the offshore pipelines industries,” Naous says, who asserts that LAU provided him with the theoretical, computational, and experimental background that he needs in his current role.
On LAU’s Dean of Engineering’s Distinction List for much of his student career, Naous balanced his academics with extracurricular activities. In fact, he highlights his participation in Model United Nations (MUN) as one of the most rewarding experiences he had at the institution. He was also a passionate and active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) club. In addition, Naous managed to complete an internship at the prestigious Dar Al-Handasah.
“I believe that LAU positioned me very well to get into UT Austin. Many programs at LAU are accredited by the same agencies that certify American universities and the high-quality education that my alma mater offered is now gaining international recognition,” explains Naous, who also says that his LAU education is equivalent in quality to that of his colleagues and peers at UT Austin, who also graduated from very highly ranked universities from around the world.
As Naous prospers as both a graduate student and graduate assistant in the incredibly competitive and complex field of aerospace engineering, he hopes to expand his expertise and continue his education in the same field. For now, he is enjoying his journey and success – and traces it all back to LAU, not only for the academic excellence it provided him with, but for the lasting connections and relationships it fostered.
“At LAU, I met some of the smartest people I know, some of the most inspiring professors and, most importantly, some of my closest friends. This network of relations along with the world-class education we received make the LAU experience truly remarkable,” says the soon-to-be aerospace engineer.