Optiwave News
No organization better reflects its international blend of employees than Optiwave. From Brazil to Poland, Optiwave team members are a united group ready to take on the next challenge. But for one employee, the challenges grew larger than she could have ever imagined.
Dr. Sawsan Majid worked as a valued senior support engineer at Optiwave for a number of years. That life changed in 2001 when the war in her native country, Iraq, took precedence. Although Sawsan had been living in Canada for twenty-five years, she felt a need to return to her war torn nation in an effort to help with the rebuilding efforts.
Without any idea of what was to be expected, Sawsan moved back to Iraq in 2003, and accepted an academic position at the Informatics Institute for post graduate studies in Baghdad. “I was asked to create a course on fiber optic systems with a specialty in communication networks,” Sawsan notes. “I was impressed with the quality of graduate students as they had a real interest in the subject.”
Sawsan contacted Optiwave in late 2005 to find out if simulation design tools could be made available to the students in an effort to help with their M.Sc thesis work. “We received an email from Sawsan in Iraq, and were amazed to learn about her teaching efforts and dedication to these students,” remarks Richard Rambaran, Director of Sales and Marketing.
“Here’s someone that wants to give a quality level education to students, even if its in the middle of a war zone. We couldn’t refuse her request to sponsor licenses to meet their needs.”
With Optiwave software in place in Iraq, students were able to complete and publish their thesis work; resulting in sponsored research initiatives outside the country. Due to the recent escalation of violence in Baghdad, Sawsan relocated her work in the north of Iraq at Koya University, where she is currently supervising the creation of a modern photonics lab which will be supported by Optiwave. “I am convinced of the importance of having a photonics lab in Iraq. The world needs to see we are moving forward in a positive direction.”