Had him for Mat Eng 201. Din't really have a personality. Lectures were power point - HW was easy - get 100 if you just turn it in. 3 exams - weren't too bad Study what he tells you to and you should be fine. Helps if you go to class.

Good teacher. Fair. Go to classes, study what he says, and anyone can do fine.

Not the greatest teacher if you want to stay interested. Reads off powerpoint every lecture.

Attendance isn't mandatory but if you want to do well you need to come to lecture on a regular basis, as he goes over specific exam material in class and there is no homework/quizzes. The lab reports get old after a while but that is to be expected.

One of the best professors I had at UWM

Material can get away from you quickly, one day studying for exam isn't enough. Very knowledgeable, expects you to be articulate, really know your stuff for exams. Does expect some classroom participation, so try! Go to his office whenever possible. Clarifies things so well, learned alot both in office and lecture. Well structured class! Very nice!

Dr. Abu-Zahra is passionate about teaching and he takes his job seriously. He is very knowledgeable about this course and demands a lot from his students. You need to be serious in this course or will not pass, his grades need to be earned with hard work.

I disagree with most of the comments made here. Dr. Abu-Zahara is a tough grader, but he explains the material really well and some of the students don't bother to show up to class or even take notes. He emphasizes perfection, and I don't see anything wrong with that. He is one of the best professors I had during my five years in college.

Great professor and good class. I learned a lot from Dr Abu-Zahra in this class. He shows care and respect for the students and he is always prepared. His exams can be tricky sometimes, but he makes sure that everything is covered in class. He is always available to meet with students outside his office hours. He expects more than average.

My first engineering class, I had a great experience with this professor. He doesn't like when students arrive late to class or when they are using their cell phones during lecture. The lectures are very clear and the exams are based very much on the lectures, take good notes and pay attention to the examples he gives in class.

Great class, great professor, loved everything about his class. Thumbs UP!

Go to class, take notes, and ask questions during office hours. I didn't have any issues with this class and the professor as very helpful. He lays out the rules for the class and tells you what to expect and how to prepare for the exams. If you miss class, you are on your own.

Took this class twice, first time didnt figure out how to prepare for the exams, second time I took good notes in class and paid attention to the slides he emphasized, the questions became predictable. Great instructor!

Too many chapters are covered in this class, lots of memorization. But the professor broke the exam material into three parts, very nice. He gives easy pop up quizzes at the end of the lectures when the attendance is low. Good experience overall.

Great professor, cares a lot about his students and always prepared for the lectures. I met with him almost weekly during office hours, and he explained the material thoroughly for me. I came to an exam late 30 minutes and he allowed me extra time, no questions.

Very good experience in this class and with this professor. A chapter is covered every week, and hw assignments are turned in on-line. Professor expects attendance although he does not enforce it, but he uses lecture materials in his exams. Exams are multiple choice questions only, which I like!

Taking this course in Fall 2018, just finished the midterm exam, class average was an A- Not sure what the bad reviews are about, I am pretty happy with this class!

Great instructor and great class. No surprises in the exams, just go over the PowerPoint slides and the recorded lectures

One of the best professors I had at UWM. Very passionate about his course. He requires students to pay attention in class (can't use your phone, lol), and you need to attend the class and take notes. Not an easy class, but the exams are fair. Not recommended for those with heavy work schedule.

I loved taking the engineering materials course with Dr Abuzahra. This is my second time taking the course, and he made it much practical and enjoyable. He has a great experience with industry problems and he brings them to lecture. Exams are tricky but he always curves his exams.

Tough grader but very knowledgeable in the subject. Requires attention in class. Paying attention to his lectures pays off. I don't understand the negative reviews, but I know not everybody is happy with tough instructors!

This professor has a high standard for his students, but he is fair. Expect to work harder than other classes and plan to attend all lectures and take notes.

Very nice professor and very knowledgeable. He answers his emails immediately and always willing to help. I was happy with my experience overall.

I enjoyed this class a lot. Dr Abuzahra explained the concepts very clearly. Attendance was not mandatory, but it surely helped a lot. Exams are not easy but he uses a generous curve.

fair instructor, knows his stuff. Expect to attend classes and take notes for the exams, many examples from industry. I could have done much better with taking better notes.

One of the most organized and professional professors I had so far. He cares a lot about the students learning and he is more than fair with his grading (he curves all exams). He answers all questions in class and prepares the students for the exams. But, you still have to study!

Dr. Abuzahra does a good job in covering and explaining a lot of material timely in this course. A lot to read, but he makes it enjoyable.

I definately enjoyed taking the deformation processing class with Dr. Abu-Zahra. This was the first class I took with him and I was impressed with his knowledge in the subject and his teaching style. His presentation slides are very thorough and he goes over them thoroughly. He emphasizes the thinking process over the final answers.

Everything was great about this class and the instructor, I only wish we could go over the homework problems in class before they are due. Dr. Abuzahra was amazing.

I have taken two courses with Dr. Abuzahra and I am taking one this semester. He is a nice professor with great knowledge. He offers a lot in his courses and he expects more than average courses I have taken. He is definitely not the tight professor for you if you are looking for an easy grade!

Loved the class I had with professor Nidal Abu-Zahra, he is an awesome professor with a great personality, very respectful of his students, and fun. He makes the lectures interesting although the material can be dry and boring.

I am taking MAT 330 this semester, and I am enjoying this course the most. Dr. Abuzahra is very knowledgeable about this material and he enjoys teaching it. He engages students with discussions, so it is never boring.

A great professor who loves what he does!

Currently taking the class, just finished the first midterm exam, did very well compared to many other students who dont bother participating in class discussions. Nidal explains difficult concepts really well, and the course is very organized. If you are busy with whatever, not a good idea to take this class with him, you have to earn your grade!

The lectures are very good and helpful. Dont let the easy material fool you, the exams are not easy and you need to put solid study time and dont let his easy going style fool you, he holds a high standard in this class. He is very good in responding to emails. So far so good...

One of the best professors I had in my four years at UWM. He has a way of making difficult concepts easy to understand. Dr Abuzahra is smart and easy to talk to. I wish he teaches more classes at higher levels.

I can count a handful of professors who left a positive impression on my five years of engineering journey at UWM and Dr. Abuzahra is one of them. His lectures are very easy to follow and he takes his time explaining the concepts. Pay attention to the pointers he gives on the exams and previous exams.

I am taking mat 201 this semester and I am very happy with the class, especially with the bad experience I am having with other classes. Nidal is an excellent teacher and he has amazing ways of explaining the material even in virtual classes. I enjoy the discussion session, but also I attend them because they are very helpful for the exams.

Not the easiest class I have taken so far, but one of the best instructors I had!

I had him in Spring for a class he doesn't teach anymore. But I was ecstatic to get him again for MAT330 in the summer. It had to move online (like our spring class did) because of COVID. We struggled with exams since he was new to canvas but he worked with us and tried his best to get us to pass and understand the material.

Best instructor I have this semester. Given all the issues we have with the pandemic, Dr Abuzahra has been very accommodating to students and provided many opportunities to improve our grades. There are always those who complain no matter what.

Great class and professor, we get to drop one of the exams with the lowest grade, I am skipping the final exam!

Very knowledgeable about the course material, participation in the discussion sections is a key to getting a good grade in the course.

I see the comments are very polarized, I guess you either like him or hate him. I had a very good experience in this class, but I worked hard at it. I disagree with those who say he doesn't care about his students, but that was my experience!

This was one of the best structured courses I had at UWM. I learned a lot from Nidal and I use a lot of what I have learned at my job. He is very knowledgeable about processes and he is very smart. It is difficult sometimes to keep up with him when he explains complex concept, his brain works at 100 mph!

A great class and a great professor. I could have done a little bit better if I had more time to prepare for the exams. His lectures are packed with information, taking good notes is a key. He responds to emails fast, I strongly recommend.

Not the easiest course I had so far, but one of the best I had at UWM. I wish my grade was better, but it was fair. Kudos to Dr. Abuzahra.

Great instructor

In my opinion 330 has the most real-world meaning of any ME class. That being said this class is HARD. If you ask him questions in lecture or his office hours he will take the time and make sure you fully understand the class. He's a very nice guy. His tests are hard but fair. You know what is expected in each one. If you want to learn you will.

I liked Nidal a lot. He knows what he's talking about and is ready to explain things that you have questions about. The class is challenging but that's because chemistry is challenging. He's very organized and gives comprehensive study guides, equation lists, and practice exams for each test. If you hit the books hard you should be just fine

I am taking MAT201 this semester with Nidal and I am enjoying his lectures a lot. He spends time explaining difficult concepts in the course and he makes sure that students understand these concepts before moving on. He is very engaging in the discussions and expects students to participate. Not the easiest exams, but mostly fair questions.

I had Dr. Nidal for MAT 201 and I was very happy with his class. He cares a lot about students learning and he did not miss a class meeting despite the pandemic situation. He responds to emails very quickly, unlike many others, and he explains things very well with funny analogies sometimes. I look forward to taking other classes with him.

This class is not easy, but Nidal is extremely knowledgeable about the subject and he makes it look easy in the lectures, but you need to practice for his exams. His expectations of students are high compared to other courses I had at UWM and he makes you work for your grade. He curves the exams heavily, which makes it easier to pass.

Excellent teacher and very helpful to students.

Nidal is very knowledgeable about materials and explains the course very well. I had him in other classes and I enjoy his style of teaching. His exams are tough but fair.

I had professor Nidal's course over the Summer and it was a great experience. It was fortunate that it wasn't in-person, but Nidal made good use of the online meetings. I didn't find the exams to be tough as I was expecting, and the grades were more than fair. Highly appreciated instructor at UWM.

Currently enrolled in deformation processing with Dr Abuzahra. I am very happy with the class so far, he prepared detailed slides and goes over them thoroughly. Very organized and efficient with time. Nice personality and attitude with students.

Nidal is an amazing instructor with a great teaching style. Never get bored in his lectures. He knows how to explain all concepts and makes sure you get it!!! Loved the course and loved the instructor.

I can't give Dr. Abuzahra enough credit in teaching MAT 330. He is by far one of the most knowledgeable professors in his area and he has a way of passing his knowledge to students in class. He is very pleasant to talk to and he is very respectful. I look forward to having him in more classes in the future.

Amazing professor! I enjoyed this class very much. Professor Nidal is very respectful and knowledgeable. He is also excellent in responding to emails. I would certainly take any class with him.

Nidal is very knowledgeable and passionate about this course. He engaged me throughout the semester with his ability to make old and boring material appear new and exciting. He is also an inspiration to me because he expresses his passion for materials engineering which makes me want to become a materials engineer.

Very positive and enthusiastic, well organized and kept interest of students. Knows the material well.

Really nice, understanding, shows a sincere knowledge of the topic. Kind of a tough grader.

Very nice instructor and respectful, he manages his lectures very well and he doesn't allow students to goof around in his class. He explains the material repetitively and keeps on asking students if they have any questions.

Outstanding instructor, he taught a very complex subject in a simple and understandable way. He demands quality work from students, but he gives good feedback to do so. I really enjoy his classes!

Dr. Abuzahra taught this new course in materials simulation. He put a lot of effort into developing this amazing course and I enjoyed his teaching style a lot. His expectations are high from students but he gives very good feedback to improve the work.

MAT 330 was the most influential class I had at UWM. Nidal will intimidate you the first few lectures. And if you drop out, you'll be making a big mistake. He always keeps you interested with his witty comments and humor.

I had good experience in this class, it wasn't the easiest class I had so far but it was one of the most interesting and enjoyable ones. Dr. Nidal is very smart and he explains the concepts in great details (sometimes too much). I know of some students who find his style to be difficult, but I found it fair and challenging. Great instructor!

Great class so far!

Nidal takes his job seriously, he teaches every minute of the his lectures and demands students attention. He is fair with exams and grading, but expects his students to put effort into his class. I personally enjoy his style, but I can see that not everybody does!

Takes his job as a professor very seriously which is extremely refreshing at UWM with most professors focusing on research. You will put work into this class, but it's because he cares. Great with responding to emails so if you ever have a question or need help, just ask. Makes the extremely long lectures bearable, which is not easy

You can like Dr. Nidal or hate him, but he is very knowledgeable about the subject, very consistent with his lecture, and fair with his exams and grading. Some students find his style to be too hard since it is different than other classes, but I enjoyed his style and it was exactly what I expected from UWM professors.

great professor, I learned a lot from his class.

Nidal makes the course exciting and practical. He brings many practical examples to his lectures and he explains the course concepts very clearly. Don't let the small number of slides fool you they are packed with information. I didn't do as well as I could have in this course due to reasons beyond the course itself.

Very organized and clear lectures.

I took mat330 in the summer. Nidal had his recorded lectures from the spring semester and it was well organized, which made it easy to do the course work while working a full time job.

Great experience so far. I am enjoying the lectures and having them recorded is a plus!

My second course with Dr. Abuzahra. A great instructor: organized, responsive, patient and able to clearly explain complex topics and nuances. I am glad I had the opportunity to be one of his students.

It wasn't the easiest class for me, but one of the most useful classes I had so far. Dr. Nidal is a great instructor and he is very easy to talk to and very helpful.

He was the greatest professor I came in contact with as a UWM student.

Dr. Abuzahra was extremely helpful, kind and putting the students first. It was very helpful and clear how much effort he put into his students and how much he enjoys teaching. Thank you for being so caring, gentle, and responsive.

Great instructor, was able to communicate complicated materials very clearly. Put a lot of effort in teaching. Nidal made this course very interesting by selecting interesting examples during lectures.

I have been working as a tool maker for 10 years before taking this class. Dr. Nidal is very knowledgeable, intelligent, and coherent. The lectures were always very clearly presented, and interesting, and students were always given the opportunity to ask questions (although not many of them did). Greatly Appreciated.

Nidal is a great teacher! He made some of the most challenging topics in this course pretty easy to learn by just being very structured, clear, organized, and helpful to all students. I truly enjoyed taking this class with him and wish I can take more in the future!

I took the class online during Summer '24. The grading was based on online quizzes and exams. The questions were directly from the slides and quizzes and the grading was very fair. Overall, I had a great experience in this class.

My favorite professor so far. His lectures are long but enjoyable. He cares about students understanding the concepts covered in class, and he goes over assignments in class before they are due. Highly recommended!

Nidal truly stands out with his ability to explain complex concepts in easily understandable terms. His passion for the teaching is evident in every lecture. He is incredibly patient with students and very respectful and caring. I never minded the extra long lectures in his class.

A+++ professor, great attitude and very accommodating.

Nidal is a knowledgeable and organized professor. His lectures are clear and engaging, though the class can be challenging. Unstuck AI was a great study tool alongside the course materials.

I learned a lot from this class, great professor!

Professor Nidal is one of the most effective and supportive instructors I've had. The course is well-structured with clear expectations. He is always approachable, respectful, and truly care about student learning. I would strongly recommend his classes.