[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 127 (Monday, July 24, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ABDUL NOOR

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. ABIGAIL DAVIS SPANBERGER

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 24, 2023

  Ms. SPANBERGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Abdul Noor, 
winner of a Black Engineer of the Year Award.
  The youngest of four siblings and the son of a single mother, Abdul 
and his family faced many challenges in his youth. Abdul was born in 
Pakistan after his mother made the difficult decision to leave her home 
in search of a better life for her family. At the age of three, Abdul's 
mom relocated her family to Idaho with the help of a refugee 
organization. They eventually made their way to Virginia in search of 
opportunities for their family.
  Growing up, Abdul was an active learner--he played baseball, swam, 
practiced martial arts, and participated in clubs where he learned 
about computers and robotics. Throughout his high school career, Abdul 
served as the president of his high school Red Cross chapter, organized 
toy drives, and was an active volunteer in the community. His love for 
the medical field stems from his mother's career as a pediatrician, 
which she sacrificed to give her children a better life. Abdul credits 
family meal conversations with his mom and sisters for sparking his 
interest in the biomedical engineering field and helping steer his 
college career. After graduating from high school, Abdul attended 
George Mason University where he focused his undergraduate studies on 
biomedical engineering. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2020, was 
awarded the Chairman's Award, and was also class speaker.
  After graduation, Abdul joined MITRE as an Associate Biomedical 
Engineer after having interned with them his junior year of college. As 
a member of the MITRE team, Abdul continued to learn and grow and 
excelled on projects due to his ability to adapt and learn quickly. In 
addition to his work at MITRE, Abdul is the CEO of Rune Innovations 
Inc., a medical device startup he founded with the goal of designing, 
patenting, and marketing surgical airway management devices for use by 
medical professionals. Abdul and the Rune team have since developed a 
patent-pending device called the Sliding Jaw Thrust Device (SJTD) which 
would allow a medical professional to clear a patient's obstructed 
airway by mimicking the jaw thrust maneuver. Abdul's leadership was 
invaluable in navigating the process of creating and applying for a 
patent for this technology.
  Abdul's commitment to biomedical engineering and professional growth 
is admirable. His strong work ethic has led him to be this year's 
recipient of a Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA). Specifically, 
Abdul was named the winner of a Modern-Day Technology Leader Award by a 
panel of leaders from industry, government, and academia in recognition 
for his work in shaping the future of engineering, science, and 
technology.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. 
Abdul Noor, recipient of the Modern-Day Technology Leader Award. I 
applaud his strong work ethic and dedication to learning and look 
forward to all that he will accomplish in the years to come.