Why am I So Proud that Florida Tech is an Internationalized University?
by T.D. McCay, Ph.D.
Editor’s Note: Dr. McCay recently returned from a trip to the Middle East where he visited with Florida Tech alumni and explored new partnerships for the university.
Well, when I look out my window on the 22nd floor of Emirates Tower in Dubai I am reminded. The tallest building in the world is in full view, along with enough construction cranes to build Disney World and Universal all at once in probably less than a year. What does that have to do with us? Well, we have degrees in construction management, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, etc. Several of our graduates are already over here contributing. How are they going to power all this? Well they are planning on several nuclear plants to come on line in the next 10-15 years. That is one of my jobs while I am over here, setting up a nuclear engineering concentration in Abu Dhabi. The CEO of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Mohamed Al Hammadi, just happens to be a Florida Tech graduate. Oh—and this expensive hotel where I’m staying? Don’t worry—I’m a guest of the Minister of Higher Education, and this is where he put me!
