Abdel-Salam G. Abdel-Salam, the recipient of ASQ’s Richard A. Freund International Scholarship for 2009, proclaims a long-time love of mathematics. "I was hoping to be a professor of mathematics," he says as he describes the path his career has taken. Along the way, he developed interests in statistics and quality control, and came to appreciate the opportunities to apply his mathematical interests to real-life applications.
Abdo, as he is known to his friends, became excited by statistics while studying for his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Cairo University in Egypt. A friend in Egypt, who had graduated from Virginia Tech University, recommended the Virginia school as a place for Abdo to continue his studies. Abdo arrived at Virginia Tech in 2005. In 2006, he earned his second master’s degree, and this winter he completed his doctoral studies and received a Ph.D. in statistics.
Course work with Virginia Tech professors got Abdo excited about quality control. His research is in the area of profile monitoring and on determining the presence of outlying profiles in a statistical process using nonparametric and semiparametric regression modeling techniques.
"I totally enjoy statistics and especially quality control," Abdo says, and he appreciates how quality control allows for the integration of various techniques for problem solving. "In quality control you will be able to apply the theory to real life, to real problems," he observes.
While at Virginia Tech, Abdo has applied his skills as a senior consultant in the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis. He has been lead consultant on more than 70 statistical consulting projects.
Abdo lives with his wife and three children in Blacksburg, VA. He is teaching three courses at Virginia Tech and working to publish research papers as he plans the next phase of his career.
His goal is to be a full professor at Cairo University or another top university. "To be a professor at university is my dream," he says. The Freund Scholarship is helping him realize his dream. "I’m so happy and honored to be selected as a recipient of the Richard Freund Scholarship," he says.
A teaching position is awaiting him at Cairo University, although he has not ruled out staying at Virginia Tech if the opportunity arises. He says his children, the oldest in fifth grade, would like that.
About the Freund Scholarship
The Richard A. Freund International Scholarship honors the memory of Richard A. Freund, a past president of the American Society for Quality (1972–73). Freund was recognized internationally for his contributions to quality, international goodwill, and tireless scholarship. During his 34-year career with Eastman Kodak Company, he played a key role in molding the direction of its quality effort.
Awarded annually for the past 12 years, the scholarship supports a candidate’s graduate study of the theory and application of quality control, quality assurance, quality improvement, and total quality management. It covers the engineering, statistical, managerial, and behavioral foundations of those fields. The scholarship is offered to members and nonmembers worldwide. Study may take place in one’s own country or in another country.
The annual scholarship is funded through a gift of $100,000 that was made to ASQ by Freund’s widow, with instructions that ASQ shall administer it. Scholarship applications are received no later than April 1 of each year, with the award being made by June 1 of each year. The approximate amount of the yearly award is $5,000.
The scholarship is given to a student who is planning to enroll, or already is enrolled, in a master’s degree or higher level program that focuses on quality engineering, total quality management, quality control, quality assurance, quality improvement, or a similar quality emphasis at any university or college. Candidates must provide documentation they’ve been accepted into an appropriate program. Deadline for applications is April 1 of each year.