Profiles

Amanat Kafizov received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan, in 2019 and from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, in 2021, respectively. Currently, he is a Ph.D. student at KAUST. His academic journey has been enriched by diverse experiences, including a summer research internship at the University at Buffalo, New York, USA, in 2018, where he developed the OFDM system for Terahertz communication. Later, from 2023 to 2024, he worked as a research engineer at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland.

Amanat's research interests include optical wireless communication, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, system prototyping, signal processing on FPGA, and machine learning. 

During his summer research internship 2018 at University at Buffalo, New York, USA, he was working on Terahertz (THz) communication networks under a supervision of professor Josep Jornet. To be more specific, Amanat developed OFDM transmitter and receiver blocks in Matlab tailored to THz channel properties and adapted to THz hardware specifications. Amanat was the first who demonstrated OFDM communication at THz frequencies ever. 

Diego Augusto Silva is a Ph.D. candidate at the Communications and Computing Systems Laboratory (CCSL) within the Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. His research focuses on event-based vision, object recognition, deep learning, and neuromorphic computing.

He received his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of São João del-Rei (UFSJ), Brazil, in 2018, and his M.Sc. degree in Electronic Engineering and Computing from the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), Brazil, in 2020, with a specialization in Electronic Devices and Systems.

Diego’s technical expertise spans both theoretical and practical aspects, with significant experience in FPGA prototyping and asynchronous logic design. His innovative work has been recognized through two hackathon awards in his research areas, highlighting his ability to translate advanced neuromorphic computing and event-based vision concepts into real-world solutions.

Diego's research interests include the digital logic design of algorithms and event-based cameras.

Fahad S. Alqurashi is a Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under the supervision of Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini. His research focuses on advanced wireless communication technologies for connecting underserved and remote regions, emphasizing cost-effective and high-capacity solutions. His work explores Free Space Optics (FSO), TV White Space (TVWS), and hybrid RF/mmWave systems to achieve point-to-point data rates exceeding 10 Gbps, with a particular interest in maritime and rural connectivity.

Fahad holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from KAUST, where his thesis focused on modeling FSO communication channels for next-generation deployment scenarios. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Electronics and Communication track) at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Fahad has led strategic connectivity projects in collaboration with global technology leaders such as Google Taara, Meta, Cambium, and national operators like Zain and STC. He is currently spearheading national-scale initiatives with the Communication, Space and Technology Commission (CST), Red Sea Global, and Neom to deliver resilient, sustainable, and scalable wireless infrastructure—including projects connecting offshore islands and rural villages using hybrid FSO/RF links powered by solar systems.

His research has been presented at major international venues including IEEE ICC and the Optical Wireless Communication Conference, and he is an active member of IEEE and the Optical Wireless Communication community. Fahad’s interdisciplinary work supports Saudi Vision 2030 and reflects a strong commitment to impactful digital transformation through cutting-edge wireless innovation.

Alongside the Saudi Vision 2030, Fahad’s interest lies in supporting the future of 5G and 6G. Because of this, he focuses on wireless communication systems, especially in free space optical communication (FSO).

Firas Fatani is a Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he conducts his research in the Integrated Microwave Packaging Antennas & Circuits Technology (IMPACT) Lab under the supervision of Professor Atif Shamim. His research focuses on printed, flexible, and battery-free microwave biosensors for non-invasive health monitoring through sweat analysis. By combining RF and microwave engineering with electrochemical sensing and Internet of Things (IoT) integration, his work advances the development of next-generation wearable and wireless diagnostic platforms.

Throughout his doctoral studies, Firas has demonstrated strong leadership in interdisciplinary research, product innovation, and academic collaboration. He has authored several high-impact publications, including ACS Sensors—where his research was featured on the journal cover—IEEE Sensors Journal, and Scientific Reports. His conference contributions include presentations at IEEE Sensors 2024 (Kobe, Japan), IEEE Sensors 2025 (Vancouver, Canada), and the APS March Meeting. His ongoing projects explore multi-analyte sensing, data fusion, and AI-assisted signal interpretation for wireless biomedical systems.

Firas holds a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from KAUST, specializing in IoT systems, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering with High Honors from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). MSOE is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s leading engineering institutions—ranked #10 in undergraduate engineering programs and #2 among regional universities in the Midwest.

Before pursuing his Ph.D., Firas gained international industrial experience in the manufacturing and IoT sectors. He served as an Electrical and Controls Engineer at C&D Technologies Inc. in the United States, where he introduced process automation and quality improvements in large-scale battery manufacturing. In Saudi Arabia, he contributed to smart infrastructure initiatives as an IoT consultant at NEOM’s Food Sector Technology team and as a PLC Controls Engineer at Red Sea Farms, designing AI-assisted automation systems for sustainable agriculture.

Beyond academia, Firas co-founded FreshSense, a startup that developed patented smart flexible sensors for food safety and inventory optimization. The venture was a finalist in the TAQADDAM Innovation Accelerator and secured pilot implementation with Radwa Farms.

He is a recipient of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program for undergraduate study abroad and the KAUST Fellowship for both his master’s and doctoral research. Firas has represented KAUST in multiple national and international events and is an active IEEE member. His academic excellence, industrial insight, and entrepreneurial spirit position him at the intersection of research innovation and real-world technology translation.

Firas Fatani’s research focuses on advancing wireless sensing, flexible electronics, and intelligent systems for next-generation connectivity and health technologies. His work combines electromagnetics, materials engineering, and data science to create innovative, low-cost, and battery-free sensing platforms for real-world applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and smart infrastructure.

Specific research interests include:

• Wireless and battery-free sensing systems
• Printed and flexible electronics for wearable and environmental applications
• Additive manufacturing and hybrid fabrication for RF and sensor integration
• Data analysis and machine learning for intelligent sensing and signal interpretation
• Internet of Things (IoT) architectures for scalable sensor networks
• Electromagnetic modeling and RF component design
• System-level integration of sensors, materials, and data analytics
• Translational applications of wireless technologies across biomedical and industrial domains

As an Electrical Engineer, I have extensive knowledge in Power Electronics, Energy Conversion, Power Systems, and Energy Flexibility. Also, I have strong experience and love for Control Theory and Optimization. I am currently studying Machine Learning and its applications.

• Power electronics
• Power systems
• Anomaly detection
• Artificial intelligence

Hakim Ghazzai, Senior Member, IEEE, joined the CEMSE Division as a Research Scientist in 2021. Previously, he held several research scholar positions with the Qatar Mobility Innovations Center (QMIC), Qatar, Karlstad University, Sweden, and Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ, USA. Since 2019, he has been on the Editorial Board of the IEEE Communications Letters and the IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society. Since 2020, he joined the Board of IoT and Sensor Networks (a specialty section of Frontiers in Communications and Networks) as an associate editor. He is a recipient of appreciation for being an exemplary reviewer for IEEE Wireless Communications Letters in 2016 and IEEE Communications Letters in 2017. He is the recipient of the best paper awards at the 2023 IEEE International Conference on Smart Mobility and the 2017 International Conference on Advances in Vehicular Systems, Technologies, and Applications. He is the author and co-author of more than 190 publications. His general research interests include applied artificial intelligence for smart cities, the Internet of things, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), mobile and wireless networks, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Hakim's research focuses on the following areas:

• Green communications
• Smart city applications
• Artificial intelligence
• The Internet-of-Things
• Intelligent transportation systems