Dr Dara W Childs(left) presenting a certificate to a course participant.

DOHA • Texas A&M University at Qatar's (TAMUQ) Mechanical Engineering Programme hosted a three-day course entitled "Rotordynamics of Turbomachinery."

Dr Dara W Childs, Jordan Chair and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University's main campus in College Station, Texas, presented the course aimed for practising engineers and users of turbomachinery and pumps. Professor Childs is also the director of the TurboLab located at the University's main campus.

The three-day course provided in-depth insight to the world of turbomachinery as well as presented practical case studies that can be applied in Qatar. Twenty-nine local engineers attended the course representing Qatar Petroleum, Qatargas, RasGas, and General Electric. In addition to the practical knowledge that can be applied immediately into their daily work, course attendees earned continuing education credits.

Topics covered included vibrations, rotordynamics, structural dynamic modeling, fluid film bearings and other reaction elements, bearing damping devices, modeling stages, and modeling and analysis of a real rotor, liquid seals and pump rotordynamics.

The short course organizer, Dr Alan Barhorst, programme coordinator for the Mechanical Engineering Program at TAMUQ, was pleased with the response to the short course and proud that Texas A&M at Qatar can offer such courses to the Doha community.

Dr Barhorst commented that "Prof. Childs hopes to establish a continuing relationship with the local rotating equipment engineers and vendors and the Mechanical Engineering Program at TAMUQ looks forward to hosting short courses in the future to support the professional development of local engineers."

Texas A&M University, recognized as having one of the premier engineering programmes in the world, has been offering accredited undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering at Qatar Foundation's Education City campus since 2003.

In addition to engineering courses, TAMUQ provides supporting classes in science, mathematics, liberal arts and the humanities. The curricula offered at TAMUQ are identical to the ones offered at the main campus in College Station, Texas, and courses are taught in English in a co-educational setting. The reputation for excellence is the same, as is the commitment to training engineers equipped to lead the next generation of engineering discovery.