AUS hosts captivating TEDx talks on leadership, resilience and growth

American University of Sharjah (AUS) welcomed back the TEDx stage with a program that moved past easy definitions of achievement and into the qualities that actually sustain it. Hosted by the AUS Department of Mechanical Engineering, the TEDx event, held under the theme “Path to Success: Attributes and Beyond,” brought together more than 350 attendees from across the AUS community and the wider professional ecosystem.

The lineup featured leaders from industry, entrepreneurship and the space sector, each offering a distinct lens on growth, decision-making and resilience. Dr. Hamid Haqparwar, CEO of Arabian Gulf Mechanical Centre LLC (AGMC), delivered “The Day I Was Wrong.” Dr. Hamid Haqparwar explores how repeatedly and openly being wrong becomes the path to better decisions, better leadership, and better outcomes. Hussein Shoukry, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa at Siemens Energy, presented “From Contributor to Leader: Shifting your Mindset for Success.” Tamara Dokmaji, Business Development and Specification Manager, GCC at Henkel Adhesives Technologies, spoke on “Give Yourself Permission to Fail,” highlighting the role of setbacks in shaping confidence and competence.

Photo caption: Tamara Dokmaji, Business Development and Specification Manager, GCC at Henkel Adhesives Technologies.

The program also spotlighted high-performance teamwork in complex missions. Mohamed Al Salami, MBRSC Liaison Lead to NASA Johnson Space Center (Gateway Program), delivered “To Reach the Moon, We Compete; To Stay, We Collaborate,” reflecting on what it takes to succeed in multi-stakeholder environments. Ramy Nazzal, Co-Founder and COO of Gruntek Energy Solutions, closed with “Life Lessons: The Road to Entrepreneurship,” sharing insights into persistence, risk and building momentum.

“Today’s engineering students are tomorrow’s energy leaders in our region. The real shift in leadership is moving from being the standout performer to building standout performers around you—redefining your impact through the outcomes of others. The future of the energy industry will depend not only on technical excellence, but on leaders who multiply talent, think long-term, and take responsibility beyond themselves,” said Hussein Shoukry, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa at Siemens Energy.

“Events like TEDx strengthen what we want engineering education to be: rigorous, relevant and deeply human,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of the AUS College of Engineering. “When students hear how professionals think under pressure, learn from failure and lead through uncertainty, they gain something no textbook can provide—clarity about what excellence looks like in real life and what it demands day after day.” 

Dr. Mamoun Abdel-Hafez, Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at AUS, said the theme was designed to connect achievement to character and long-term habits. “Success is often discussed as an outcome,” he said. “This TEDx was about the attributes behind the outcome, discipline, adaptability, courage and collaboration. We wanted students to leave with practical reflections they can apply immediately, whether they’re preparing for internships, leading projects or shaping their own paths after graduation.” 

"Securing the license and organizing the “Path to Success” event was a big effort. Seeing students inspired today made it all worthwhile,” said Wasim Almasri, Mechanical Engineering Lab Instructor at AUS and TEDx License Holder.

For mechanical engineering student Omar Alameer, the value of TEDx was in hearing real stories behind professional success, not just the headlines.

“The event was very interesting and insightful. I was originally very excited when I read that Dr. Hamid Haqparwar was one of our guest speakers. Being a car lover, I’m very up to date and involved with his company, AGMC, so it was interesting to hear from him and learn from his expertise,” he said.

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