My Motherland is Egypt. I was born in Port-Said at the northern end of the Suez Canal, grew up in Alexandria; then known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean. No wonder I have opted for Hawaii a locus for my professional career! After completing my Ph.D. (in Soil Science with a Water Science/Irrigation option) from the University of California at Davis and a Post-Doctoral year on basic research at U.C. Riverside; I accepted a faculty position in the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1965. After 40 years of rewarding service which included sabbatical leaves in Australia, India, Egypt and Switzerland; several high value awards for competitive International Extramural Grants (most famously from USAID to partner with Iraqi universities after the 2003 invasion); leading the founding of a new department at UH (Natural Resources and Environmental Management, with an interdisciplinary scientific and educational mission); forming a new global scientific/professional society (International Soil Conservation Organization in which I still serve as Coordinator of the Board of Directors), receiving the first Distinguished Researcher award by my college (CTAHR) in 20004 , receiving an excellence recognition from Gamma-Sigma-Delta, the Honor Society of Agriculture, election as Fellow by Soil and Water Conservation Society and the American Society of Agronomy, and an Honorary Lifetime Membership by the World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC);  I “formally” retired in 2005. I hosted several international conferences of these societies and others in Hawaii. Perhaps the most satisfying achievements were to publish widely on fundamental soil attributes, behavior and overarching management issues, especially land degradation and conservation in tropical environments. The outcome: 5 books including the first dealing with soil erosion in the tropics, 150 scientific papers and book chapters; and guiding about 20 students, mostly from Asia and the Pacific region, to successfully complete their M.S. and PhD degrees. Many have assumed leadership positions in their home countries. I must credit Hawaii as a wonderful place, offering great opportunities for natural scientists who wish to capitalize on greatly diverse ecological settings lying within close proximity of one another.

I earned my U.S. Citizenship in 1971, was introduced to Rotary by UH colleague Charles Weems in 1998, and have served the RCH Sunset as Foundation Chair (2001-2002) , Club Service Director (2003-2004), President when my team earned Club of the Year title for large clubs (2006-2007) and most recently as Vocational Director last year. I credit fellow Rotarian Liz Kane as a highly, well versed Rotarian who preceded me as Club President, of being a wonderful mentor on my Board of Directors. She easily earned that year’s Thorn-in-My-Side Award for the first and last time in our club’s history. As an extension of my professional interest, I led a number of outdoor community service projects focusing on water quality, environmental enhancement and natural resource conservation; most famously to the UH Lyon Arboretum; and have joined both WASRAG and ESRAG action groups. With support from our wonderful club, I have secured a Global Grant to partner with the Rotary Club of Limbe for  protecting water resources in Malamulo, Malawi.

My wife, Charlene and I have 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 4 great-granddaughters. Shortly, we hope to celebrate our sixtieth wedding anniversary.