The methods with which we teach and train water operators have evolved as the world changes around us, but one thing hasn’t changed: It takes skill and effort on the parts of both the teacher and learner to ensure the most effective possible training. In this episode, we chat with Ramzi Mahmood of the Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento, about what he’s learned from his years of teaching and the future of operator training.
Topics Discussed
- Meet Ramzi Mahmood
- Ramzi’s Water Hero: Dr. Ken Kerri
- Sac State Training Programs and Manuals
- Challenges in training water and wastewater professionals
- The effort it takes to learn and teach
- How to deal with the different ways people learn
- Trainer certification
- Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento
“There’s this responsibility on the operator’s side, but there’s also responsibility on us to make it effective — meaning you have strategies to help operators learn.”
Ramzi Mahmood
Go Further
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About the Guest
Ramzi Mahmood is a civil engineer and the Director of the Office of Water Programs at California State University, Sacramento; a position he has held since 1997. Dr. Mahmood is also a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Sacramento State and served as the chair of the department from 2003-2012. Prior to joining Sacramento State, he spent ten years working in the private sector and with the California state government. Dr. Mahmood earned a BS in civil engineering at the University of Baghdad and three graduate degrees at Utah State University, Logan: an MS in environmental engineering, an MS in mathematics, and a PhD in environmental engineering. He is also a graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Management Program. An avid fan of soccer and the English Premier League, his favorite club is Arsenal F.C.