Waleed Farag
There is a quote attributed to Mark Twain that sums up Waleed Farag’s career: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Farag—a faculty member in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences and the director of the IUP Institute for Cyber Security—enjoys every aspect of what he does. Learn more about him in this week’s installment of Meet Our Faculty.
What is it about the computer science field that initially drew you in—and ultimately keeps you interested?
Computer science is a fascinating field. Perhaps the most important aspect that drew me to it and kept me interested is the satisfaction you gain from being able to design, implement, and customize solutions to real-world problems, thus having a positive impact on your society.
Why do you enjoy teaching in this discipline?
Teaching has been my lifelong endeavor that, even after many years, I find thrilling, enlightening, and rewarding. I strongly believe that teaching is a noble profession, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to educate the next generation of professionals in my field.
I can still recall my interview at IUP and being asked, “Why are you interested in our department with such a heavy teaching load and no graduate program available?”
My straightforward and instantaneous response was simply, “Because I enjoy teaching.”
What advice would you give students about how to succeed in college?
The short advice is to be passionate about what you study and do your best to explore your field further and build on what you have learned in the classroom. Specifically, join clubs, participate in activities, and work with faculty on their research projects and grants.
Tell us something most of your students may not know about you.
I grew up in Egypt and have bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering.
Also, last year, my work was acknowledged by President Driscoll with a one-of-a-kind award, Raising the Research Profile of IUP, in recognition of securing the largest grant in IUP history, the PC4A Project.
Moreover, last year, I also received the IUP Senate Distinguished Faculty Award for Research, the most prestigious research recognition at IUP.