Dr Takoi K. Hamrita is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering of the University of Georgia at Athens. She is credited with having developed innovative approaches to teaching microcontrollers and conducting research programs in artificial intelligence. In addition, Dr Hamrita was the genesis of the UGA-Tunisia Educational Partnership, Considered by many as a model for international collaboration.

On January 25, 2007, the passionate academic and dedicated community servant took time out of her busy schedule, and graciously agreed to do an online/telephone interview for the Tunisian Community Gazette.

TCG: Let’s start at the beginning. When did you first come to the US?

-TKH: September, 1984.  

-TKH: We’re originally from Kalaa Khebira. I grew up in various parts of Tunisia and my family lives in Sousse.

TCG: Give us a quick history of your professional career.

-TKH: I received my B.S., M.S., and PhD (1993) in Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech.  Then I worked as a Post Doc at Tech and as Adjunct Professor at Mercer University for one year, and became a professor at the University of Georgia in 1995.  My work with Tunisia began in 2002.

TCG: As part of your engineering work, you’ve made advances in poultry production.  Could you go into more detail?

-TKH: One of the things that attracted me to my position at UGA is that I get to apply my electrical engineering background to biological and agricultural systems, both new and interesting applications for an electrical engineer.  Poultry is a very big industry in Georgia, and due to heat stress, farmers lose large numbers of birds every summer.  My work in poultry aims at reducing loss from heat stress through a smart system in which miniature transmitters embedded under the chickens’ breast bone are linked with a computer that regulates environmental conditions in the poultry house according to birds’ physiological needs.  In a way, this system acts as an intelligent assistant to the farmer and helps the birds “talk” and “ask” for favorable growing conditions.   

TCG: Tell us about the UGA-Tunisia Educational Partnership? How did it come to be? 

-TKH:  The partnership has been brewing in the background for a very long time, and is rooted in my strong desire to keep in close touch with my roots.  When I was a student at Tech, one of my professors from Europe created a GA Tech electrical engineering program in France and I was very inspired by that.  Over the years, I made efforts to seek networking opportunities in Tunisia.  As a student and as a faculty member, I have tried to embrace a bigger picture than the one dictated by traditional engineering boundaries.  Designing a program that brings together people from diverse backgrounds to contribute to education reform in Tunisia, while advancing UGA’s globalization efforts seemed like a natural next step in my career.    

TCG: What issues does the UGA-Tunisia Partnership address and what are some of the partnership’s successes?

-TKH: The number of students in Tunisia’s higher education system is currently 300,000 and is expected to reach 500,000 by the year 2010.  One of the highest priorities of our partnership so far has been to support Tunisia’s efforts in meeting this burgeoning student population through development of e-learning programs around the country.  Our partnership with the Virtual University of Tunis (UVT) has contributed to a national network of e-learning experts, a significant number of online degree programs, courses, and modules.  Recently, alumni from our program have established a national e-learning association in Tunisia.  This core group of experts will continue to expand Tunisia’s capacity in e-learning by training peers and developing innovative online courses and degree programs. 

Another aspect of our partnership focuses on creating opportunities and programs for strengthening the relationship between Tunisian higher education institutions and the community, so that the university plays an active role in solving societal problems.  This past summer we introduced a new pilot concept/project that brought together multidisciplinary teams of students from UGA, University of Sousse, Lycee Pilote of Sousse, and elementary schools in the area to address social and civic engagement themes through art.  The creativity and synergy that took place during this summer program was very inspiring, and the pilot promises to become a model for other Tunisian institutions to collaborate through artistic creation to enrich our youth while fostering civic engagement and strengthening links between the three layers of education. 

Overall, our partnership has primarily been about capacity building and human resource development.  So far, we’ve been fortunate to have hosted many exchanges involving over 100 individuals from both countries (including faculty, staff, administrators, university leaders, students, government officials, and diplomats) and several workshops involving participation of hundreds of individuals.   

TCG: How has your engineering background shaped your work with the UGA-Tunisia Partnership?

-TKH: Engineering gave me the skill set to think, analyze, strategize, learn and adapt, and the confidence to apply a systems approach to a project where the system is predominantly human.  Building bridges between people and organizations is no different than building physical bridges.  Both require careful planning, a structurally sound design, careful selection of material, and a close study of the grounds on which the bridge would sit. 

TCG: What have your experiences living in both the US and Tunisia brought to this project?

-TKH: Being fully aware of what both partners bring to the table academically and socially enabled me to identify opportunities and shape this program in a way which capitalizes on the strengths of both partners while allowing them both room to learn from each other and grow. 

TCG: We appreciate you taking the time for this interview. One final question:  You set a high example for the Tunisian American community; what message would you like to end this interview with.

-TKH: Being able to contribute to one’s local, national, or global community is a privilege and a gift that enriches one’s life beyond expectation.  I am inspired by the Tunisian Community Center and its mission and appreciate the opportunities it provides all of us to stay connected with each other and with our roots. 

[More information on Dr. Takoi Hamrita’s work can be found at www.Tunisia.uga.edu and http://interests.caes.uga.edu/eai/takoi.html.]