NEDEA

NED Engineers Association of Greater Chicago NEDEA

When fellow NEDian Asim Zuberi (BE Mech, 1991) suddenly passed away in 2013, Asim’s friends (NEDians and others), led by then-Chairman Syed Naeemuddin decided to do something to keep his name alive. They raised $ 5,000. Naeem talked to NED ALEF, who after talking to Dr. Afzal Haque, then Vice-Chancellor, came back with the idea of setting up a 3-D Printing Lab at NED. The cost, however, was $ 10,000.00. No problem. Naeem found the money for NED ALEF.

Thus the 3-D lab was opened in January of 2016. No one had even thought about the far-reaching effects this lab would have. Last year, Bionics, a prosthetics provider, in collaboration with Xplorer 3D (3D printer manufacturer) and Viscous. co (3D printer retailer) using the Xplorer 3D printer stationed at the NED’s MakerStudio (a 3D Printing Facility) provided a child with a 3D printed hand. Mir Bayyaan Baloch, a five-year-old boy, is the first Pakistani child to receive such treatment. Mir was born without a right hand, but the companies involved, have given him an artificial hand that allows him to do everything other children can do. Bionics printed the unlimited Arm. They then adjusted the device to fit the boy’s arms!

NEDEA’s journey began in August 1995. A handful of NEDians participated in the Pakistan Day Parade at Warren Park, Devon Ave, Chicago. The group decided to arrange a picnic for the NEDians residing in the Chicago Metropolitan area. The picnic was arranged at the Forest Preserve in Kane County. After the success of the picnic, NEDians decided to arrange a meeting to establish an Association. The first meeting was held in December 1996 at Shabbir Hassan’s basement in Carol Stream, IL. Many of the attendees did not even know each other – they were from different disciplines and different batches. However, that ‘NED feeling’ was the common connection shared by all of them. They decided to formalize that connection and formed the NED Engineers Association of Greater Chicago (NEDEA), to include Chicago and its suburbs, Southern Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana. Thus was established the first NED Alumni Association in North America – NEDEA.

The founding Members of NEDEA were: Mohammed Shabbir Hassan, Afzaal Hafeez, Tanweer Mallick, Khawaja, Nizamuddin, Imtiaz Rehman, Khairulbashar Siddiqui, Farhan Siddiqui, Arshad Ansari, Rehan Wahab, Mohammad Naeem Khan, Shamshad Wali, and Syed Naeemuddin. NEDEA Board Of Directors 2017-18 consists of Nafis Hyder (Chairman), Rashid Hussain, Tazeen Akhtar, Khurshid Huda, and Fazal Mahmood.

NEDEA is a 501C-7 (Not-for-Profit) Organization, registered in the State of Illinois. Today the organization has 150 members and is growing. It regularly arranges family picnics in the summer and dinner in the winter. The annual dinner also serves as a General Body meeting. Besides this, NEDEA has arranged educational seminars, Iftar parties, cricket matches and has participated in Pakistan day parades. NEDEA has, over the years, also established and maintained contact with the Alma Mater in various capacities, including providing scholarships and technical and material assistance from time to time. NEDEA has also participated in raising funds for relief efforts for victims of natural disasters in Pakistan.

NEDEA is a member of the Illinois Engineering Council. It has also collaborated with the Arab American Association of Engineers and Architects (AAAEA).

NEDEA was the host of the NED 2010 Chicago – 6th International Alumni Convention and the leader in the establishment of NED International Alumni Network of North America (NEDIAN-NA), of which it is a Charter Member. NEDEA is a staunch supporter and well-wisher of NED Alumni Associations in all parts of NA. We extend our heartiest congratulations to NEDIAN-NA, our umbrella organization, and NEDians in Michigan for hosting NED 2017 Michigan – 13tth International Alumni Convention.