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Ahmed Abukhater () (born 1977) is an architect, environmental scientist, and an urban and regional planner by trade. He is an author, powerlifter, and the first athlete to represent Palestine at the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead lifters (WABDL) World Powerlifting Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2006.• Ahmed Abukhater: World Championships powerlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-NwPboXALs

In November 2007, Abukhater represented Palestine again in the WABDL World Championship, in Anaheim, California, where he won his division and set a new Palestinian world record.• IMEU. (2007). “Dr. Ahmed Abukhater: Author, Business Executive, and Record-setting Athlete.” Institute for Middle East Understanding – August 10. Available at: http://imeu.net/news/article006168.shtml He set a new record for the state of Illinois in 2004, and holds many national and international records in powerlifting.• Nieman, Hilary. (2007). "Ahmed Abukhater Representing Palestine and Winning in the World Weightlifting Championships." Arab-American Affairs – August, Glendale, CA, USA.

International and world records Open and elite men's division −198 lbs weight class Set in official drug-tested competitionRecords and Lifter Rankings: https://wabdl.org/records/World Powerlifting Championships BENCH PRESS – Ahmed Abukhater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-NwPboXALs Squat: 630 lbs Bench Press: 610 lbs Deadlift: 705 lbs

Personal records Powerlifting Gym Records: Done in the gym (unofficial) Squat: 705.4 lbs Bench Press: 727.5 lbs Deadlift: 749.5 lbs Powerlifting total: 2182 lbs He also bench pressed 413.3 lbs for 10 repetitions, touch and go in the gym.Complete Athlete – Ahmed Abukhater: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQMWoHBdHR4Confront Your Fears – Unleash your hero (Ahmed Abukhater): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LflqmNN2NKU

Professional career Abukhater is currently working for Boeing in Digital Aviation. Previously, he served as senior director of GIS at Trimble Navigation Ltd, global director of product management at Pitney Bowes Software, Esri’s global industry manager for planning and community development and director of PLACES in California and a GIS manager and instructor at the University of Texas at Austin.• University of Towson GIS conference, 2010: http://tugis.towson.edu/

He is keynote speaker in a number of areas including GIS solutions and strategic marketing in Planning and Community Development, Urban and Regional Planning, environmental science and sustainable development, and trans-boundary water resources management and Conflict Resolution.• Johnson, Allan. (2007). "World-class weightlifter chases PhD at Texas – Student takes long journey from Gaza Strip to UT-Austin." The Daily Texan – February 15, Austin, TX, USA. Available online at: His expertise is focused on the geopolitical and hydropolitical aspects of water resources in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the transboundary management of water resources, and multinational environmental policies in the Middle East.• McKetta, Elisabeth. (2008). "Everyday Excellence." GradNews – March 2008. Available at: http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/gradlife/excellence/abukhater.html

Early life Born in the Palestinian city of Rafah, Ahmed Abukhater grew up in a world of environmental inequity.• University of Texas. (2010). Former powerlifter Ahmed Abukhater fights for water rights in Palestine by Amy Maverick Crossette. Available at: http://news.utexas.edu/2010/05/21/ahmed_abukhater Being a native Palestinian from the Gaza Strip and raised during the Palestinian Intifada (uprising), he recognized the value of water as the sustainer of life and peace.• Robbins, Kevin. (2007). "Lifting himself – and his people: University of Texas doctoral student is first Palestinian at world weightlifting championships.” Austin American-Statesman – January 16, Austin, TX, USA.

Abukhater holds a Ph.D. in community and regional planning from the University of Texas at Austin with a focus on water resources management and conflict resolution and mediation (alternative dispute resolution) and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering.

Specialization Through education and professional experience, he developed specialization in fields ranging from Planning Analysis and Geographic Information System (Esri), Geospatial analysis and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE), groundwater modeling, Environmental Science and Sustainable Development, to Conflict Resolution and Mediation.[UTSOA] enews 3.27.2008 Abukhater has authored numerous publications, served on governing and advisory boards, and received over 20 awards for his work. His recent book entitled Water as a Catalyst for Peace – Transboundary Water Management and Conflict Resolution is a book that describes a water negotiation framework and provides an exposé of how equity can be linked into the process of international treaty negotiation and governance.• Abukhater, Ahmed. (2013). Water as a Catalyst for Peace – Transboundary Water Management and Conflict Resolution. Routledge.

Publications Palestine – Peace by Piece: Transformative Conflict Resolution for Land and Trans-boundary Water Resources, Springer International Publishing. Water as a Catalyst for Peace: Transboundary Water Management and Conflict Resolution, Taylor & Francis Group (Routledge).

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