CEE graduate student Abdulgafar Sulaiman talks about ongoing research efforts at Illinois Center for Transportation’s Advanced Transportation Research and Engineering Laboratory, fun summer activities and aspirations for Fall 2021 in this Q&A.
Abdulgafar Sulaiman, doctoral student
Q: What have been some of your best memories from the summer break?
A: “Going kayaking at Kickapoo (State Park) with the ASCE T&DI members. I also plan to go to Chicago and Indianapolis at some point. I am also taking some very good machine-learning courses online during the weekend, and it’s been interesting.”
Q: How does it feel to be back in the swing of things this semester?
A: “It feels really good. I resumed last fall, and I missed all the resumption activities I was looking forward to when applying to (the) U of I, especially Quad Day. I’m hoping it’s in person this year. So it’s really good. I got to play ball at the turfs and watch the EUROS (The Union of European Football Association’s European Championship) with friends at the Union.”
Q: What are you working on at ATREL?
A: “We are working on optimizing the use of local Illinois aggregates in stone mastic asphalt. SMA requires high quality and strong aggregates that we import from other state. We are studying the use of local aggregate to improve our roads while reducing the impact on the environment.”
Q: What do you hope to achieve this semester?
A: “I hope to take and pass my qualifying exams, work and learn more on asphalt binder and start to think towards thesis ideas.”
Q: What advice do you have for your peers in getting through the semester?
A: “To plan well and start early.”