2019-2020 Executive Board Members
Ahmed Soliman
President
ACI student member Ahmed Soliman, is a Ph.D candidate in Civil Engineering department at the University of Manitoba. His thesis focuses on cold weather concreting and how to extend the construction season in Canada. He received his M.Sc and B.Sc. degrees from Cairo University. His master thesis was on the effect of using nano-silica on the mechanical, physical properties and the microstructure of concrete under severe conditions.
Soliman worked as a research assistant in the National Research Centre of Egypt which is considered to be one of the biggest research centers in the middle east. Moreover, He worked as a structural design engineer for two years.
Soliman has been awarded the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF), Gordon P. Osler Graduate Scholarship and the International Graduate Student Scholarships (IGSES) and (IGSS) based on his academic excellence. He is the former President, Director and Vice president for ACI Manitoba Student Chapter.
Ahmed Azzam
Vice president
ACI student member Ahmed Azzam, a Ph.D candidate in Civil Engineering department at the University of Manitoba. His Research focuses on fiber reinforced cementitious composites and its application in infrastructure such as pavements. He received his M.Sc and B.Sc. Degrees from Ain Shams University. His master thesis was on the utilization of limestone quarries powder in the production of self-compacting concrete. Azzam worked as a lecturer assistant in Ain Shams University. Moreover, He worked as a structural design engineer for three years at Engineering Consultant Group and other structural consulting offices .
Azzam has been awarded the International Graduate Student Scholarships (IGSES) and (IGSS) based on his academic excellence.
Sakher H. Ghanem
Treasurer
Sakher H. Ghanem is a 5th year Civil Engineering student. This is his second year as an executive in the ACI student chapter; he was the Vice President 2018 - 2019. Sakher is looking forward to continuing taking part in the student chapter's activities and responsibilities in order to help improve the student chapter and to learn more about concrete and materials in general. Sakher is interested in the concrete mix design and production. Sakher hopes to be able to research and work in materials related fields.
Anetta Los
Secretary
​Anetta is a third year Civil Engineering student at the University of Manitoba. This is her first year as a member of the American Concrete Institute Student Chapter at the U of M. She spent four months working with Flatiron Constructors on the Glenmore Dam Infrastructure Improvements in Calgary, Alberta, where her responsibilities included quality control of concrete mix, and concrete placement, among other things. She is interested in sustainable concrete applications and further integration of sustainable construction practices in general. Her other interests include sailing, cross-country skiing, and rock climbing
Susana Hernandez Brito
Director
Susana Hernandez Brito is a M.Sc student in Civil Engineering department at the University of Manitoba. Her research focuses on the reinforcing bar connection of precast/prestressed hollow-core slabs to steel or masonry supports. She received her B.Sc. Degree from the Technological University of La Habana in 2016. She worked as a research assistant for two years at ENIA Laboratory which is considered one of the top investigation centers for construction materials in Cuba. This is her first year as a member of the American Concrete Institute Student Chapter at the University of Manitoba where she expects to contribute to the development of the student chapter.
Cole Friesen
Director
Cole is in his final year of his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. This is his first year as an executive member of the American Concrete Institute Student Chapter at the U of M. He has spent the last two summers working for Hatch Ltd in their structural department, where his responsibilities included performing stability analyses on concrete dam structures, inspecting concrete forms and repairs, and assisting in the structural design of steel and concrete structures. His other interests include canoeing, sports, and playing guitar.
Matt Allen
Director
Matt is in his final year of his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. This is his second year in the ACI student chapter and first year as an executive. He has completed four co-op work terms with a focus on concrete in industry, with his previous two summers in the structural group at Dillon Consulting. The focus of his undergraduate thesis is on eccentric transverse post-tensioning of precast/prestressed concrete box girders. In his spare time, he enjoys playing rec league hockey, softball, and watching football.
Matt was the recipient of the 2019 ACI Manitoba Chapter University of Manitoba Scholarship based on his academic and industry excellence
Mohamed Bassuoni
Faculty Advisor
ACI member Mohamed T. Bassuoni, PhD, P.Eng., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He has been the ACI U of M Student Chapter advisor since 2013. He has research expertise in the areas of advanced cementitious materials and durability of concrete, with particular emphasis on the performance of concrete under extreme temperatures and conditions, and advent of innovative solutions to mitigate technical limitations of field concrete. He has trained highly qualified personnel and produced more than 65 technical publications in these areas with transfer of knowledge to various technical and public organizations. Dr. Bassuoni is an active member in technical and code committees for concrete including the ACI Committee 201 (Durability of Concrete) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A23.1/A23.2 (Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction/Test Methods and Standard Practices for Concrete).