die broken not rusty

 

EARLY LIFE

​

Born June 30th, 1958, attended kindergarten 1964 (Miss Hayat Al Gairi was my best friend and mentor) and graduated from the high school in 1976. I had a dream of being a computer ingénieur (engineer) but that was not possible at that time, and the closest to this kind of profession was electronic engineering which unfortunately none of the local universities offered at that time, and I had to go abroad. My ambition was for the USA but my parents insisted on Egypt, and I had to obey. I was eager to learn about anything, and was so aggressive in talking to anyone anywhere about anything.

 

EDUCATION

 

I received BS in electronic engineering in 1981 with honor, and worked for 10 years before pursuing  graduate school, to get my MS in 1992 and PhD 1996 in computer engineering from the USA

 

EXPERIENCE

 

The compulsory service in the army required every eligible to have no extension after the first degree. SO, I had to join the army for two years where I was appointed an instructor for electronics, communications, digital systems and mathematics.​ I got married in 1982 and received our first baby Batool in 1983, Yazed followed in 1985 and Makeen in 1989.

 

By the time I completed the two years in the royal signal corps, I came to know through friends that the most prominent computer tech firm in the country, Computer Engineering Bureau (CEB) is launching a startup for computer support design in Amman. I immediately visited the place where it was a small room within the mother company headed by Sa'ad Salah, and called Systems and Electronic Development Company (SEDCO). 

 

​Started in 1983 as a design engineer, where I designed and constructed and programmed microprocessor systems for bilingual contextual analysis in computer, terminals and printers. In addition to that. I then lead various projects like multiprocessor smart elevator controller, and road-side emergency telephony. And in 1987, I was appointed the production manager to supervise the manufacturing process of our products. During the 6 years with SEDCO, I was so close to the decision making and the company went to nearly 15 employees.

 

​At no time I could forget my dream of being a professor, so I decided to head to the USA in the late 1989. I joined Microsystems International Co., Birmingham - Alabama, USA  as Director of Engineering, where I supervised office automation work of many hospitals, clinics and retail stores.

 

In 1991, I received an admission to the graduate school of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), in Huntsville, Alabama USA, and within 6 months of hard work I got excellent recommendations from my professors and got offers for posts of teaching and research assistant. That was so helpful as the schools will now pay my tuition in addition to a good stipend as I had to sell my car and had no money left. I completed my MS degree work in 1992 and pursued  PhD program under the supervision of Dr. William Porter. I enjoyed four years for teaching and research and graduated in 1996. During the PhD study and research I applied for a sponsorship to Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) and got full support. Only then I could have my family join me in the USA.

 

I was appointed as assistant professor at JUST in July 1996, chaired the department of computer engineering for two years 2000-2002, promoted to associate professor in August 200. In 2008, I left JUST for 6 years, 2 sabbatical and 4 years regular leave, to join King Saud University (KSU) in KSA and chair the department of computer engineering. I was in charge of appointments, curricula development and ABET accreditation, and by the end of that period I got promoted to the rank of professor in April 2015 at Salman bin Abdulaziz University (SAU) as a spin off KSU.

 

During that I worked as part time and adjunct professor with many institutions like Yarmouk University (YU), New York Institute of Technology (NYiT), Balqa Applied University (BAU), Arab Open University (AOU). At the international, I was appointed adjunct professor at University of Victoria (UVic.) Canada, and spent one year sabbatical at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), in New Jersey, USA.

 

I supervised several master theses and published tens of journal and conference papers

 

Beside teaching and research, I played significant roles ​as a member or coordinator of many committees and councils, including

 

• Member, Scientific Council, SAU 2009-2011

• Member, University Council, JUST 2003-2004

• Member, Faculty Council (Computer & Information Technology), JUST 2000-2001

• Chairman, Department of Computer Engineering, JUST 2000-2002

• Chairman, Department of Computer Engineering, KSU/SAU 2009-2015

• Member, Faculty Council (Engineering), JUST 1999-2000

• Liaison Officer, Y2K National Task Force, NIC 1999-2000

 

SKILLS

 

​My research interest include computer design, algorithmically specialized engines and evolutionary optimization paradigms. My teaching interest include digital logic, computer architecture, computer organization and design, high performance computing, microprocessor systems design, computer interfacing

embedded systems design, real time systems, data communication, computer networks and operating systems.

 

My work in the industry, research and study, and teaching exposed me to many skills like low-level programming languages, high level parallel programming languages, artificial intelligence languages like CLIPS, mathematical analysis platforms like Matlab,. I also worked with CAD/CAM tools genesis for VLSI design,  Layout-01 for PCB design. And many productivity software tools as well as hardware tools like logic analyzers.

 

AWARDS AND FUNDS

 

I received many awards, starting from my Matriculation Certificate in 1973, Tawjeehi Certificate in 1976, BS with Honor, and dean's list during my study in the USA. During my career as professor, I received the award of Hisham Hijjawi Prize for Applied Sciences, 2001 on my research work in algorithms for working on Arabic language root extraction for search engines.

 

I am affiliated with the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Computational Intelligence Society (CIS), Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) and Arab Computer Society (ACS)​.

 

While in graduate school, I received a financial support of more than $ 180,000 from UAH and JUST. While working after PhD, I received funds for several research projects from $ 12,000 to $ 27,000 each. In 2001 I was part of a big project called the Mediterranean Virtual University (MVU) supported by EU via the  EUMEDIS for $ 7,000,000, while working at KSU, I lead a team in 2008 and won funding for Saudi Computing Grid Nucleus Project $ 3,750,000.

 

STATEMENT

 

Teaching

Two years in the Royal Signal Corps, authoring and teaching technical courses and supervising labs, in charge of several batches of nearly 20 officers each, of diversified nationalities.  Five years as a teaching assistant, research assistant and lecturer during my graduate studies in the department of electrical and computer engineering, University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA., in charge of teaching introductory courses and labs, with full responsibility from writing the syllabi to signing the students grades and writing reports. Having been sponsored by the country's leading state university, Jordan University of Science and technology, I joined it as an assistant professor, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in computing with an emphasis on the hardware and software interaction, and supervising many master theses.

 

Education Services

In response to a request from the university president, I offered series of workshops on teaching with technology for professors, focusing on multimedia authoring and Internet collaboration, and training trainers to train vets and public schools teachers to get the international computer driving license.  I also played  a key role in preparing the proposal and creating content for The Mediterranean Virtual University project supported by the European Union, involving UK, Denmark, and others.

 

Administration

I chaired 3 departments of computer engineering in 3 universities for 8 years. I was in charge of hiring professors, designing curricula,  leading national and international accreditation committees, and improving work flows. I could improve the students drop rates through better advising and collaboration methods. I also worked on the internship problems and sorted out many issues with the employers.

 

Research

I managed to get 8 small grants ranging from $ 8,000 to $ 27,000, and 2  big grants; $ 3,750,000 from to build a national computational grid, and $ 5,000,000 from the EUMEDIS to establish the Mediterranean Virtual University. I supervised several Master theses in computer engineering and sciences, and published several tens of papers in international conferences and journals. In addition to that, I helped in reviewing many books and papers for conferences and journals. I won Hisham Hijjawi Prize for Applied Sciences on my research contribution in 2000, and served as a research associate in the faculty of graduate studies, University of Victoria, Canada. and as a research scholar in New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA.

 

Extracurricular

Due to my experience in the education and industry, I served in many committees like the steering committee of the university computer information center, technical committee of the university educational hospital, member of the university councils, scientific council and faculty councils, e-University committee, Y2K national task force liaison.

 

Industry

I designed microprocessor based bilingual solutions for computers and peripherals, I lead many projects; like reverse engineering the roadside emergency telephony for the ministry of defense, and multiprocessor based intelligent elevator systems. As production manager, I was in charge of design, construction, testing and packaging of microprocessor based products; where I moved the company from small scale production to large scale production. As a director of engineering of Microsystems International, USA, I lead the automation processes for small hospitals, clinics and retail stores using affordable solutions.

 

EXPERIENCE

​

2014 - 2015

Research Scholar, New Jersey Institute of Technology (USA)

2012 - 2013

Research Associate, University of Victoria (Canada)

2010 - 2012

Chairman, Department of Computer Engineering, Salman bin Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia)

2008 - 2010

Chairman, Department of Computer Engineering, King Saud University (Saudi Arabia)

2000 - 2002

Chairman, Department of Computer Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology (Jordan)

1996 - Now

Professor of Computer Engineering at Jordan University of Science and Technology (Jordan)

1993 - 1996

Lecturer, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville - Alabama (USA)

1992 - 1993

Research Assistant, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville - Alabama (USA)

1991 - 1992

Teaching Assistant, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville - Alabama (USA)

1989 - 1990

Director of Engineering, Microsystems International, Birmingham - Alabama (USA)

1987 - 1989

Production Manager, Systems and Electronic Development Company (Jordan)

1985 - 1987

Project Manager, Systems and Electronic Development Company (Jordan)

1983 - 1985

Design Engineer, Systems and Electronic Development Company (Jordan)

1981 - 1983

Instructor and Lab Supervisor, Armed Forces, Royal Corps of Signals (Jordan)

​

​

To download resume, click the photo on the home page

​