Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering professor appointed to ABET accreditation board

Samuel Ameri, petroleum and natural gas engineering chair and professor.

For those seeking a higher education, selecting an accredited program ensures that a quality education will prepare them for the future workforce. In the engineering industry specifically, engineering schools and colleges are evaluated by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, which selects the programs that receive accreditation.

Story by Tara Heffernan, Multi-Media Specialist  

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

ABET reviews colleges and university programs for quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. ABET continues to provide world leadership in assuring quality and in stimulating innovation in applied science, computing, engineering and technology education.

Samuel Ameri, petroleum and natural gas engineering chair and professor in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources has been appointed to serve on the ABET Board of Delegates to enforce accreditation standards.

Ameri has a long history of service to West Virginia University, the Statler College, the petroleum and natural gas industry and the state of West Virginia. Ameri’s most recent appointment to ABET by the Society of Petroleum Engineers is for a term beginning November 1, 2022.

The ABET Board of Delegates and its four area delegations, applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering technology, are responsible for approving accreditation policies and procedures, general criteria and the organization of its accreditation commissions.

During his career, Ameri has served ABET in various capacities: as a previous member of its board of directors and delegates, as a program evaluator and, most recently, on the ABET Global Committee for Accreditation. Additionally, he has served as a member of the organization’s finance and budget committee and on its nomination committee. His service to the accreditation organization spans more than a decade.

“I was honored to be asked to serve in this capacity and look forward to working closely with my fellow board members in the years ahead ensuring that the important work of ABET continues well into the future,” Ameri said.

He added that working with ABET aligns with his policy and vision to ensure all students continue to study in a stimulating, innovative and high-quality environment in order to gain the best engineering education possible.

“This is the same kind of environment we are committed to sustaining at WVU,” Ameri said, “And I am encouraged that I’ll see, first-hand, this kind of student development strategy replicated in other programs.”

"Chair Ameri’s dedication to student learning and assessment has led the PNGE department to successful accreditations over the years,” said Robin Hissam, Statler College Associate Dean of Academics and Student Performance. "Serving on the ABET Board of Delegates will allow Professor Ameri to help guide the future of accreditation. The Statler College is lucky to have him as a resource on assessment.”

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