With a published research paper and a first-place finish at a major research competition under his belt, Mohamed Samy Abdallah ’21 made waves as an undergraduate. Now pursuing a PhD in applied physics at Harvard University, Abdallah is developing machine learning models to accelerate and improve computational techniques for material discovery and engineering.
What drives Abdallah’s passion for research, and how did his early achievements take him from AUC to Harvard?
“I started my research career at AUC,” said Abdallah, who double majored in physics and mechanical engineering, and minored in mathematics.
The research opportunities offered by AUC struck Abdallah as exceptional, from research assistantship to work-study programs. “I feel privileged to have had a lot of research experience at AUC,” he said. “It’s usually hard to do high-quality research at the undergraduate level, but AUC had this institutionalized system of allowing students to do so.”
The formative benefits that Abdallah enjoyed during his time at AUC don’t stop there. “In my junior year, I traveled to the University of California, Berkeley as part of AUC’s summer abroad program. Because AUC’s Undergraduate Research Program funded our research trips, I was also able to participate in an international robotics competition in California one year later,” said Abdallah. “Both experiences empowered me and inspired me to study and travel abroad.”
“It’s usually hard to do high-quality research at the undergraduate level, but AUC had this institutionalized system of allowing students to do so.”
At graduation, Abdallah was awarded the President’s Cup and the Mohamed El Beleidy Academic Award. “The fact that I did a double major in physics and mechanical engineering at AUC led me to where I am now.”
At Harvard, Abdallah is still working in the fields of physics and engineering — a close mirror of his undergraduate studies. “That’s part of the reason why I’m an applied physics student now; AUC shaped my career.”
After graduating from AUC, Abdallah joined École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland to pursue a Master of Science in physics. There, he excelled in his studies, winning the Gilbert Hausmann award for the best master’s thesis in the fields of physics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. He also gave the physics section graduation speech.
Abdallah is grateful for the opportunity and guidance provided to him by his AUC faculty mentors. “I worked under two different supervisors as a research assistant, including [Associate Professor] Mostafa Youssef. He’s the one who made me love this field,” he said.
“That’s part of the reason why I’m an applied physics student now; AUC shaped my career.”
A young student at the time, Abdallah didn’t know much about the research process. Youssef introduced him to that world, taking him through the research and even publishing a paper together. “Professor Mostafa Youssef was one of my greatest influences,” Abdallah said.
While at AUC, Abdallah also worked with Associate Professor Ahmed Hamed, who studies high energy physics as a collaborator of the STAR experiment at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “High-energy physics is still a very interesting field for me, and it was an important part of my research career to be a part of such a huge experimental undertaking,” he said.
“At some point I would love to come back to Egypt,” said Abdallah. “Living abroad and studying abroad is a great privilege, but so is being a researcher in my home country.”
“Since I was little, I wanted to explore the world; however I never got the chance until the study-abroad program popped up in my emails,” said computer engineering junior Seif El Ansary. By the following semester, he found himself in Ireland as an AUC exchange student.
El Ansary chose to study at Trinity College Dublin because of its diverse selection of computer science courses and reputable history. “Trinity College has produced many excellent minds that have gone on to change the world for the better,” he said. “It is by far the most prestigious university in Ireland." There, El Ansary found the education system to be more theoretical, complementing his experience at AUC.
While in Ireland, El Ansary became more sociable and traveled across the entire country, discovering “majestic” sites that revealed Ireland’s deep history and love of culture. “Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and Irish folk are the friendliest people I have ever met,” said El Ansary.
“Since I was little, I wanted to explore the world; however I never got the chance until the study-abroad program popped up in my emails.”
The extensive greenery and farm animals populating the countryside stood out to El Ansary during his domestic travels, and his favorite memories in Dublin consist of exploring the city by night with his study-abroad friends.
He additionally grew an appreciation for the country’s history, which taught him about the perseverance of Irish people: “They were fighting oppression from the British for hundreds of years, fighting for freedom,” he said.
Similarly, El Ansary was surprised by the expressive nature and activism of students in Ireland, protesting local issues such as housing and broader global affairs. “Students were protesting weekly for Palestine," he said. El Ansary also noticed that fashion — from clothing to tattoos — was more expressive and flashy than what he sees in Egypt.
“AUC’s strong computer engineering courses helped me grasp the complex topics that were taught in Ireland.”
While El Ansary learned much from his peers in Ireland, with their varying cultural backgrounds, AUC helped prepare him for the new social scene he encountered abroad. “While at AUC, I met people of different nationalities and backgrounds, and this increased my confidence exponentially," he said.
The University also eased the transition for El Ansary by giving him survival tips and suggestions on how to make friends. Academically, “AUC’s strong computer engineering courses helped me grasp the complex topics that were taught in Ireland.”
Ultimately, El Ansary was able to fulfill — or at least begin — his childhood dream of discovering the world. “The study-abroad experience opened my eyes to an entirely new world that I didn’t even know existed,” he said.
