We are a non-profit organization.

The Itkan Institute of Technology was established by Dr. Mohamed Ebeida, a research scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. The story starts in New Mexico in 2016 where Dr. Ebeida led a Muslim robotics team to victory; collecting 25 trophies and winning the NM regionals tournament. In 2021, Dr. Ebeida and his family moved to Dallas and started a new journey with The Marvels of MAS DFW- the first Muslim community robotics teams in Dallas and the new home to the Marvels. Since then, the Marvels have progressed massively in their knowledge of programming, building, 3D-modeling, and marketing robots and have expanded their reach to include teams internationally under the Marvels name. With the Marvels project showing great success and promise, Itkan was established with the mission to go beyond teaching robotics. Itkan aims to pass the torch of knowledge to inspire a generation to contribute in the fields of STEM by bringing the program to Islamic centers.

ITKAN Network

The Board

Meet the team behind Itkan.


  • Founder & Chair

    Mohamed is a research scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. His research interests include computational geometry (sampling methods andVoronoi tessellations), Uncertainty Quantification and Optimization.He developed VoroCrust, the first provably correct algorithm for conforming Voronoi meshing of non-convex and non-manifold domains with guarantees on the quality of both surface and volume elements.Mohamed has over 50 publications and three patents in the field ofscientific computing. He is also the founder and leader of the Vorocrust project at Sandia National Laboratories, VoroCrust –Sandia National Laboratories

    Mohamed is a pioneer in introducing FIRST®, an international STEM learning robotics program in multiple communities. He has also paved the way for communities to successfully host leagues for various FIRST®Competitions. Mohammed’s passion to teach and inspire kids to learn Robotics has resulted in him establishing Itkan Institute of Technology which houses The Marvels Network comprising many FLL, FTC,and FRC teams all across the globe.

    Website:

    https://msebeida.net


  • Education Director

    Gazala is a software engineer and has been working in the IT industry for the past 15 years. She is currently a Systems Engineer at Realworld Technologies working for Verizon. Gazala is very active in the community and a passionate volunteer. She was part of PTO and School Board at the Islamic School of Irving. Gazala loves to spend her time with the students sharing her knowledge from the industry. Along with being a coach for programming, Gazala is involved in logistics management for the team and leads the education programs for ITKAN. She holds the position of the Education Chair and is a board member.


  • IT Director

    Lama is a dedicated and dynamic individual, bringing a wealth of expertise and passion as a valued board member. Holding a Master's degree in Physical Chemistry, Lama's educational background is complemented by her fervent interest in data, analytics, and information technology. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to leveraging technology for positive change, Lama is a driving force behind our organization's strategic initiatives.

    Beyond her professional pursuits, Lama's personal passions extend to the artistry of baby photography. Her love for capturing moments of innocence and joy aligns seamlessly with the spirit of Itkan, which seeks to make a lasting impact on the lives of those it serves. As a mother to a one-year-old, Lama deeply understands the importance of nurturing and supporting the well-being of the next generation.

    In addition to her role as a board member, Lama actively contributes to the community through her mentorship of five robotics FLL teams. Drawing on her technical background and hands-on experience, she ensures that these aspiring young minds have the resources and guidance they need to thrive. Lama's commitment to fostering innovation and education is evident in her dedication to the development of these future leaders in robotics.

    Lama's multifaceted contributions reflect her holistic approach to community service, combining her professional acumen with her personal passions to create meaningful impact. As a board member at Itkan, she continues to inspire positive change and contribute to a brighter future for those we serve.


  • Outreach Director

    Hajira holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Master's in Business Administration from Bangalore University. After working for five years in Human Resources, Hajira began her journey as a Home Educator. Discovering her passion for teaching, she tutored High school students and taught ESL to refugee moms in the Dallas area and helped them to assimilate within the community by elevating their confidence. With a passion for a holistic approach to education, she successfully homeschooled her children for 7+ years. She has helped start various non-profit initiatives and has been involved in developing organizational documentation to establish standards.

    As an Outreach Director at ITKAN, Hajira passionately promotes the organization's vision and inspires community leaders to initiate ITKAN Chapters in their own communities. Hajira has a strong commitment to community engagement and instills the same values in her students.


  • Secretary

    Altaf’s educational background is in Mechanical Engineering. He works as a Senior Software Engineer/Application Integration Manager at Sabre. He is passionate about serving the community and has been involved in this endeavor for the last 20 years. He has also been the Den leader for boys scout troop, an educator and mentor for children participating in various STEM competitions.

    Altaf likes to spend time mentoring kids with various aspects of 3D CAD/CAM designing and modeling. He coaches the students to create higher user engagement training modules to help FTC teams to learn faster using augment reality. An intuitive way of exploring complex FTC robot design, game strategies and FTC manual directly in the palm of their hands. He also encourages children to apply the tools of project management to all their activities. Altaf holds the position of Secretary at Itkan and is a board member.


  • Treasurer

    Maznavi is a highly experienced telecommunications professional based in Dallas, TX. He holds a degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and a specialization in Telecom Networks from the University of Denver, CO. With over 25+ years of experience in wireless networks, Maznavi is currently employed as an Inbuilding Solutions Engineer at T-Mobile.

    In addition to his work in telecommunications, Maznavi is passionate about empowering youth through education and leadership. He has been actively involved in Boy Scouts of America for over 10 years as a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster. He is also the leading building/manufacturing coach of multiple FIRST robotics teams in Dallas.

    Maznavi’s goal is to instill lifetime values of citizenship, service to the community, and leadership, and embracing discovery, innovation, and collaboration in the next generation. He is a proud father of the young Coach Ammar Jaleel, who has lead the first all-Muslim rookie team ITKAN Robotics FRC#9128 to the World Championship 2023.

    As the Director of Finance at ITKAN, Maznavi is responsible for overseeing and managing the financial operations of the organization and responsible for developing and implementing financial policies, procedures, and strategies that help achieve ITKAN’s goals.

  • Operations Director

    Automater, Technologist, and Rancher. I worked across many industries; from restaurant management to higher education and everything in between. Now I work at Omnicorn Media as global director of automation. My current passions are making advanced technologies accessible to everyone and being a youth mentor for robotics. I hope to teach the next generation how they can thrive in the future by leveraging all that technology has to offer as a tool for their creativity.