Capitol Tech Department Chair Hashem Tabrizi looks to the future of STEM careers
November 4, 2019“As a graduate, Capitol Technology University is my university – I will do anything in my power to see these students succeed,” says Capitol Tech alum, faculty and department chair, Professor Hashem Tabrizi. He’s
Professor Tabrizi earned his B.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology from Capitol Tech in 1985 – though, this was hardly the end of his time on campus. Today, Professor Tabrizi says, “I’m excited to be chairing the first baccalaureate degree program in unmanned and autonomous systems in the state of Maryland.” He teaches courses in computer science, electrical engineering and unmanned and autonomous systems.
He has long since been an advocate for Capitol Tech students and their cutting-edge work. He proudly describes that each and every one of the electronics courses includes hands-on learning components, including labs and design projects. “It’s our greatest advantage. Employers know that they’re getting tech-savvy and experienced professionals when they hire our students,” he says.
Capitol Tech programs build skills that make for tomorrow’s technology leaders. Professor Tabrizi adds, “Students learn here that their job search begins long before graduation.” He encourages his students to be outgoing and proactive when it comes to internships and job opportunities. He also does his part by ensuring that Capitol Tech curricula address employers’ needs. Capitol Tech faculty ask employers, “what are you looking for?” Then, they bring these thoughts to meetings. “If we’re missing anything, we’re going to add it to our curricula, add it to our programs. We make sure that our students meet the requirements and expectations of potential employers,” he says.
“We design and redesign courses. There are courses that we’ll start from scratch because of new programs or we just develop entirely new courses.” This is how Capitol Tech provides up-to-the-minute technology education and experience. This is also a way to respond to student feedback and market demands, in addition to the needs of employers.
As the Department Chair of Capitol Tech’s newest program, Unmanned and Autonomous Systems, Professor Tabrizi is leading the University’s efforts to provide cutting-edge STEM education. He adds, “it’s a relatively new field. And in the state of Maryland, we’re the only four-year college offering this program.”
Albeit a relatively new field, Unmanned and Autonomous Systems is growing rapidly and transforming our economy across sectors. The field has countless applications spanning military drones, Ubers, devices for disaster response and more. Professor Tabrizi adds, “we’re talking about driverless vehicles and drones that we can use on the surface of water or deep down in the ocean’s depths where nobody can go. We’re talking about rescue missions because we can send drones places that are otherwise too dangerous.”
Technology largely dictates what’s in store for us tomorrow. While he notes that it’s not an exact science, Professor Tabrizi feels that monitoring technology growth and the job market is what allows us to predict the future, at least to some degree.
“Technology is inevitable. We cannot live without it,” he adds. While Professor Tabrizi recognizes that some people may be apprehensive about technology, believing that it will take jobs away, he feels that in the long run, technology will create more jobs. It’s just a matter of being prepared for what’s next. By watching trends and new market demands, we can see places where technology will give rise to new industries, professions and needs.