Artificial Intelligence &
Data Science
Feb 12-13, 2026
Dubai, UAE
datascience@averconferences.com
Novotel Dubai Al Barsha
Kassem Saleh received his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Ottawa, Canada. From 1984 to 1991, Kassem was a Software Design Engineer at Northern Telecom and a Computer Systems Specialist at Bell Canada. Kassem was at Concordia University in 1992, Kuwait University from 1992 to 2000, and the American University of Sharjah from 2000-2007. Since 2007, he is Professor in Information Sciences at Kuwait University. His research interests include software engineering, information security, project and risk management, quality engineering and ethics and professionalism. Dr. Saleh has published about 130 journal and conference papers and one textbook on Software Engineering and has presented tutorials, lectures and invited talks at many conferences and universities. The Journal of Systems and Software has ranked Kassem among the top ten scholars in systems and software engineering in eight annual assessments published from 1996-2003. Kassem was involved in various university and program accreditation and assessment activities in Kuwait and UAE. Kassem holds professional certifications in software engineering (IEEE-PSEM), information systems security (ISC2-CISSP), project (PMI-PMP) and risk management (PMIRMP), quality engineering (ASQ-CQE, ASQ-CSQE), and business analysis (PMI-PBA). Kassem is also a Certified ISO 31000 Senior Lead Risk Manager and a certified PECB trainer for ISO 31000. Kassem is the chair of the Research Ethics Committee at the College of Life Sciences, Kuwait University.
Dr. Heba Afify received a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics at the Biomedical Engineering Department, Cairo University,Egypt in 2012. She is currently an Associate Professor of the biomedical engineering department at Egyptian University. Her research interests include biomedical image processing and bioinformatics. Her focus is on the use of artificial intelligence to solve problems in different domains, including cancer detection, and healthcare improvement. She authored many research papers in reputed international and national journals. She has served as a Reviewer, TPC member, and TPC chair/track chair for various international journals and conferences. She is also the associate Editor of the two Taylor Journals ( Network: Computation in Neural Systems—Journal of MedicalEngineering & Technology) and IGI Global journals. In 2021, she was awarded a postdoctoral Fellowship from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering andBiotechnology (ICGEB), Translational Bioinformatics Group, New Delhi, India.
I hold a PhD in Computer Vision and Robotics from the National Polytechnic Institute of Lorraine University, France (1992), an M.Sc in Computer Vision and Robotics from the same university (1989), a B.Sc in Computer Engineering from the American University INELEC in Boumerdes, Algeria (1988), and a Baccalaureate from the Technical High School of Sidi Bel-Abbes, Algeria (1983). I can teach Data Structure, Robotics, Computer Graphics, Computer Vision, Computer Organization and Architecture, Embedded Systems, Data Mining and Data Warehousing, Database Management System, Digital Image Processing, IOT, Information Theory, Multimedia Systems, Cryptography, Distributed Systems, Object Oriented Programming, Computer Network and Communication, Graph Theory, Discrete Mathematics, Programming in HLLs. I am a member of the IEEE and the Society for Computer Vision, and I serve as a referee for the Scientific Journal of King Faycal University.
Nethal completed his PhD in mathematics from Nankai University in China. After graduation from Nankai University in 1999, he tutored at what is now known by The School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (UNSW), lectured at the Western Sydney University, The Northern Consortium of British Universities and Macquarie University. He also worked as mathematics modeller at the Australian Department of Defence. My research interest is in the areas of robust regression analysis techniques, non-parametric and semi-parametric regression, stochastic system modelling, statistical and machine learning, business analytics, partial least square path modelling, dynamics modelling and simulation and their applications in military, environment, ecology, health, education and social sciences. I am an associated member of Statistical Society of Australia and Australian Mathematical Society
Prof. Dr. Dewan Md. Farid is Dean of School of Science & Engineering, and Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at Southeast University. Before joining Southeast he worked for over a decade as a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at United International University. He is an IEEE Senior Member and Member ACM. Prof. Farid has published 152 peer-reviewed scientific articles, including 37 highly esteemed journals like Expert Systems with Applications, IEEE Access, Journal of Theoretical Biology, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Bioinformatics, Scientific Reports (Nature), Proteins and so on in the field of Machine Learning, Data Mining, Data Science and Big Data. He visited 19 countries for attending international conferences, research and higher education. Prof. Farid delivered several invited/keynote talks including an invited research talk at Data to AI Group (DAI), Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Dr. Javad Vahidi is a Associate professor and researcher in computer science, currently serving as the Head of the Computer Science Department at Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). His research focuses on data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and optimization. He has authored and compiled over 100 specialized books in the fields of computer science and mathematics, all published in Persian and reprinted several times in Iran. Dr. Vahidi has been honored with prestigious titles such as National Exemplary Professor, National and Provincial Distinguished Researcher, and Top University Researcher, reflecting his deep contributions to the academic community.He has previously held key roles in numerous national and international conferences as Conference Chair, Scientific Committee Chair, and Scientific Committee Member.
Dr. Evgenii Vinogradov, PhD has a tremendous experience in Diverse roles: from software developer to data engineer, from software architect to data scientist; Diverse mamagerial experience: Team leader, Deputy chief. His interests are focused on Fintech and Data sectors, formerly Web Development and CAD. His Contributions: Program Committee member for technical conferences in development and analytics; Academic experience and educational projects in Data Science and Engineering; Company representative at w3c: Payment Standards development; Run Data Governance projects integrating technology with data management best practices.
Dr. Jixin Ma is a Full Professor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) and the Director of PhD/Postgraduate Research Programme in the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at University of Greenwich, U.K. He has been the Director of the Centre for Computer and Computational Science and the Lead of Artificial Intelligence Research Group. Professor Ma is also a Visiting Professor of Beijing Normal University, Hainan University, Anhui University, Zhengzhou Light Industrial University and Macau City University. Professor Ma obtained his BSc and MSc of Mathematics in 1982 and 1988, respectively, and PhD of Computer Sciences in 1994. His main research areas include Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Information Systems, with special interests in Temporal Logic, Information Security, Machine Learning, Case-Based Reasoning and Pattern Recognition. Professor Ma has been a member British Computer Society, American Association of Artificial Intelligence, ACIS/IEEE, World Scientific and Engineering Society, and Special Group of Artificial Intelligence of BCS. He has also been the Editor of several international journals and international conference proceedings, Conference/Program Chair, and Invited Keynote Speakers of many international conferences. Professor Ma has published more than 200 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals and conferences.
Dr. Nader Ghazal is a renowned expert in AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, with a remarkable track record of achievements: Chairman, African-Asian Council for AI and Cybersecurity, Member, Global AI Forum Advisory Board, Lecturer, Khalifa University. Dr. Nader completed Ph.D. in AI from the U.S. (1991), Certified in AI and Digital Transformation Platform Strategies (MIT), Certified in Digital and Online Education (University of New South Wales). He is Member, Dubai AI Week Championship Jury (2025), Member, Global Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) for Universities ranking. With over three decades of experience in higher education, business, and IT consulting, Dr. Ghazal is a highly respected thought leader in his field.
Eve Psalti is 20+year tech and business leader, currently the Senior Director at Microsoft’s AI engineering organization responsible for building, scaling andcommercializing artificial intelligence capabilities and solutions. She was previously the Head of Strategic Platforms at Google Cloud where she worked with Fortune-500 companies helping them grow their businesses through digital transformation initiatives. Prior to Google, Eve held product and business development leadership positions at Microsoft and startups across the US and Europe leading 200-people teams and$600M businesses. A native of Greece, she holds a Master’s degree and technology and business certifications from the London Business School of Economics and the University of Washington. Eve currently serves on the board of WE Global Studios, a full-stack startup innovation studio supporting female entrepreneurs and she’s an advisor at VSN Hub,focused on leadership and organizational development inspired by Ancient Greek teachings.
Dr. Neda Maria Kaizumi is a Norwegian AI leader and Head of AI at Advania Norway. She helps organizations identify high-impact AI use cases and develop them responsibly, combining strategic insight with hands-on experience. With a background in AI governance and ethical design, she bridges the gap between innovation and accountability. Dr. Kaizumi has studied Data Science and Business Analytics at Harvard Business School and contributes to international AI standardization andEuropean AI Act. Her work empowers businesses to adopt trustworthy AI systems that drive sustainable value in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Dr. Yousef Qawqzeh received his Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from UKM University, Malaysia, in 2011. He is an Associate Professor at the College of Engineering and Technology, Fujairah University, specializing in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. His research focuses on AI-driven predictive analytics, particularly in cardiovascular disease risk assessment using photoplethysmography(PPG), computer-aided diagnosis for breast cancer, and advanced ML techniques for detecting high-risk diabetic patients. With numerous publications in leading journals and conferences, Dr.Qawqzeh is dedicated to leveraging AI and data science to enhance precision medicine and healthcare analytics.
Prof. Khalid M. O. Nahar is a full professor in the Department of Computer Sciences-Faculty of IT, Yarmouk University, Irbid-Jordan. He received his BS and MS degrees in computer sciences from Yarmouk University in Jordan, in 1992 and 2005 respectively. He was awarded a full scholarship to continue his PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), KSA. In 2013 he completed his PhD and started his job as an assistant professor at Tabuk University, KSA for 2 years. In 2015 he returned to Yarmouk University as an assistant professor, he was awarded the upgrade promotion degree as an associate professor in 2020 then to full professor in 2024. Prof. Khalid was the assistant dean for quality control in the Faculty of IT-Yarmouk University for the year 2019. He was assigned the chairman of the training and development department in the accreditation and quality center at Yarmouk University from the year 2020 to the year 2022. Prof Khalid registered 2 Patients under Yarmouk University Authority in USA, One Patient in Germany, and 2 submitted ones for processing. Prof. Khalid’s research interests include but are not limited to, Continuous Speech Recognition, Arabic Computing, Natural Language Processing, Multimedia Computing, Content-Based Retrieval, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Pattern Recognition, IOT, and Data Science.
Drawing on over two decades of experience in Education Technologies, Dr. Zainab Rasheed is a highly accomplished academic leader and a fervent advocate for educational innovation. With a Doctorate in Education focused on higher education, her expertise is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology and pedagogy. Her research and professional work are dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain to create transformative learning environments. Her impressive career is punctuated by a commitment to practical, impactful application, from developing industry-aligned curricula to spearheading strategic initiatives. As a winner of several Outstanding Leadership Awards and a judge for prestigious international awards, she is recognised as a thought leader in her field. She is adept at fostering collaborative research, and her vision is to bridge the gap between theoretical advancements and real-world solutions. Dr. Zainab's goal is to champion research that not only pushes the boundaries of computer science and data science but also genuinely transforms Education System and technology industry.
Mehdi Challakh is a distinguished AI Engineer with over a decade of experience in software development and artificial intelligence. With a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, he has established himself as an expert in Large Language Models (LLM) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) systems. His notable achievements include developing high-scale RAG platforms for industry leaders such as MAAF Insurance, EIFFAGE Construction, and GRDF Energy. Specializing in Python development and machine learning architectures, Mehdi has demonstrated exceptional skill in implementing AI solutions across various sectors. His expertise spans multiple domains, including natural language processing, computer vision, and neural network architectures.
Dr. Sushma Hans is a dedicated academic professional with over 11 years of teaching and research experience in Computer Science and Information Technology. She is currently serving as a Lecturer at Murdoch University Dubai, where she delivers courses in Business Intelligence, Database Management Systems, Operating systems, Artificial Intelligence, and ICT research methods. Her teaching style is student-centered, emphasizing clarity, real-world application, and fostering curiosity through hands-on projects and collaborative learning. Dr. Hans has previously held academic positions across a number of prestigious institutions, including Heriot-Watt University, Amity University, Curtin University, SZABIST, Manipal University Dubai, and the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Delhi. Her rich teaching portfolio covers a wide range of subjects such as Machine Learning, Data Structures, Software Project Management, Compiler Construction, Theory of Automata, Python, C/C++, Neural Networks, and Business Intelligence. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Delhi University, where her research focused on enhancing the quality of e-learning systems. Dr. Hans is known for her exceptional presentation skills, ability to simplify complex topics, and commitment to academic excellence. She is AFHEA-certified and actively contributes to academic community engagement through organizing lectures, workshops, and student mentoring initiatives.
Faheem Ullah received his Ph.D. from The University of Adelaide, Australia, with a research focus on the intersection of big data and cyber security. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates. Before joining Zayed University, he served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Adelaide, Australia, where he was also the Program Director for the Master of Cyber Security and a Postgraduate Advisor. Prior to his faculty role, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at CREST — Centre for Research on Engineering Software Technologies, a multidisciplinary research centre at the University of Adelaide. Dr. Ullah has extensive teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in computer science, software engineering, and cyber security. He has supervised and co-supervised more than 20 undergraduate and master’s research projects. His research interests span cyber security, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence, with a focus on real-world applications and interdisciplinary approaches. He has contributed to high-impact research publications, engaged in collaborative projects with academia and industry, and actively mentors emerging researchers in the field.
Sami Miniaoui (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in information systems from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He is currently an Associate Professor with the College of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Dubai. He has more than 16 years of teaching experience in several countries, such as France, Switzerland, and United Arab Emirates. He has published several research articles on the use of emergent technologies in re-engineering business processes, such as RFID, wireless sensor networks, and NFC. He also focuses on artificial intelligence and its techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning, as well as technology adoption and diffusion. His main research interest includes smart city applications.
Dr. Oussama Hamid is an Assistant Professor in Computer Information Science at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with over a decade of experience teaching Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, and Computing at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Between 2012 and 2018, he held positions as an Assistant Professor, initially in Kuwait and subsequently in Erbil, where he developed and delivered curricula in Computer Science and Mathematics, integrating modern AI tools and frameworks into coursework. In addition to his teaching expertise, he played a key role in leading research groups and scientific committees, mentoring faculty and postgraduate students in cutting-edge AI research. His research focuses on human-centered AI and Cognitive Computing, including Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Human-AI Interaction, Model-centric AI, Data-centric AI, Generative AI, and Large Language Models (LLMs). Previously, he contributed to several high-impact European research projects, including work on reinforcement learning, cognitive computing, and biomedical AI applications. As a responsible researcher and co-investigator in projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (2003-2012), and the Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (2018-2019), he played a central role in developing machine learning algorithms, designing computational models inspired by neural mechanisms, and advancing AI-driven medical research. These projects spanned diverse domains, from analyzing drug-drug interactions and EEG/EMG coherence to implementing intelligent motion analysis systems for clinical applications. He published in reputable Q1 and Q2 Scopus-indexed journals and serve as a reviewer for leading publishers, including Springer, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, IEEE, Wiley, and MDPI. From January 2023 to August 2024, he served as the System Course Team Leader (SCTL) for Web Technologies at the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE, overseeing system-wide course coordination across all campuses. In this role, he led a team of approximately 40 faculty members, managing course delivery, content development, assessment design, and evaluation for an average of 1,200 students per semester. He worked with team members to ensure the course met institutional and accreditation standards.
Olivier Khatib is the Founder & CEO of DATANEO, an AI-powered business automation platform helping companies stream line operations and scale intelligently. With over a decade of experience in artificial intelligence, automation, and quantitative finance, Olivier has held roles at institutions like Bank of America, HSBC, and BNP Paribas. He holds an MSc in Computer Science from Imperial College London. Olivier specializes in applying AI to real-world enterprise challenges and is a frequent speaker on AI, workflow automation, and the future of business systems. His work bridges cutting-edge technology with practical, scalable business impact across industries.
Dr. Momina Moetesum is an international thought leader and researcher in responsible and sustainable artificial intelligence. She is currently serving as the Head of Software Engineering Department at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), one of the leading universities of Pakistan. With over a decade of experience, she has led transformative AI initiatives across healthcare, agriculture, and climate resilience developing solutions tailored to underserved and low-resource communities. She is also the Founder of Digital Intellix–4PL, a hybrid intelligence consulting firm focused on driving responsible and sustainable innovation across ecosystems. Through consultation, she blends AI and digital transformation to deliver ecosystem services that promote sustainable development, inclusive growth, and a “Leave No One Behind” approach. Her portfolio includes national digital safety efforts, AI-for-development collaborations with international organizations, and grassroots capacity-building programs that bridge advanced technologies with local context and impact.
Raouia Mokni is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the Higher Institute of Management of Gabes (ISGG), University of Gabes, Tunisia. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Sfax, Tunisia, with a specialization in the application of Artificial Intelligence to data engineering. Prior to her current position, she served as an Assistant at ISGIS Sfax and later as an Assistant Professor at the College of Computer Engineering and Science, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU), Saudi Arabia. She has acted as Quality Coordinator for the MSc Data Science program and contributed to the NCAAA accreditation committee. Her academic portfolio includes leadership and participation in over six funded research projects, and she has authored more than 25 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Her research interests span computer vision, data science and engineering, artificial intelligence, natural language processing (NLP), biometrics, pattern recognition, and image processing
Sanath Raj is a seasoned AI/ML professional with over a decade of experience in building and scaling machine learning solutions. He has led several enterprise AI initiatives, focusing on the industrialization of LLMs and intelligent agents. With deep expertise in tools such as Lang Chain and AWS Sage Maker, he helps organizations deploy production-grade AI systems. Sanath is also an active speaker at industry events, sharing insights on optimizing LLM performance and deploying agentic AI solutions. Currently, he is writing a book on LangChain and mentoring professionals on advanced AI adoption strategies.
Dr. Amir M. N. El-Ghamry is an applied-AI scholar whose work bridges theory and deployment. He has authored 30 + peer-reviewed papers in venues such as IEEE TDSC, Nature Scientific Reports, Springer Neural Computing & Applications, and Elsevier IoT Journal, advancing intrusion-resilient IoT middleware, explainable medical imaging, and federated cyber-defence for EV-charging networks. His projects—backed by the U.S. NSA, NSF, and AFOSR—repeatedly progress from grant-funded prototypes to field-tested systems. At Mansoura University’s Center of Excellence for AI (Vice-President), he supervises Ph.D. and M.Sc. projects across healthcare, fintech, and cybersecurity. He reviews for Scientific Reports, IET Information Security, Discover AI, Neural Computing & Applications, Iranian J. of Science & Technology, and Internet of Things & CPS. His organisational record includes: ITDS-3 & ITDS-4 committees; jury roles at the Africa ELTA Mobile-App Competition and Coventry University Computing Expo (2024); editorial contribution to BigData 2018 (SCF, Seattle); and Publicity Co-Chair of the 51st AEAS Annual Conference (University of Hertfordshire, Dec 22-24, 2024), opened by senior Egyptian diplomats and higher-education leaders.
Dr. Ijaz Khan is a researcher and academician specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Wireless Sensor Networks. He holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and currently serves as an instructor at BUC College, Oman. Dr. Khan’s research focuses on the application of AI in education, including predictive models for student performance and AI-driven teaching tools. His recent work includes the development of personalized AI advising systems, CGPA forecasting applications, and intelligent academic advising tools for higher education. He has contributed extensively to international conferences and journals, with recognized publications in IEEE, Springer, and Scopus-indexed venues. In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Khan actively reviews papers for reputable journals and mentors undergraduate research projects. His work bridges the gap between technology and education, aiming to make learning more personalized, predictive, and impactful. Currently, he is working on intelligent advisory and student support systems, aiming to integrate the power of Artificial Intelligence with traditional academic advising, making student guidance more proactive, data-driven, and effective.
Dr. Alok Singh Chauhan is a Professor in the School of Computer Applications and Technology at Galgotias University, India. He earned his Ph.D.in Computer Applications, focusing on data mining approaches for educational decision-making. With over 19 years of academic and research experience, he is currently engaged in postdoctoral research at the Federal University of Piauí, Brazil, focusing on AI applications in healthcare. He has made significant contributions in machine learning, deep learning, data mining, and big data analytics, with practical impact in medical imaging, disease prediction, and smart agriculture. He has authored 3 books, published over 60 international journal papers, contributed 9 book chapters, and holds 14 patents in AI-based diagnostics, IoT healthcare devices, and intelligent agriculture solutions. A frequent international speaker, session chair, and editorial board member, he is dedicated to advancing cutting-edge AI research that drives global innovation, societal impact, and transformative technological solutions.
Maxim Salnikov is a tech and cloud community enthusiast based in Oslo. With over two decades of experience as a web developer, he shares his extensive knowledge of the web platform, cloud computing, and AI by speaking at and providing training for developer events worldwide. By day, Maxim plays a crucial role in supporting the development of cloud and AI solutions within European companies, serving as the Senior Solution Engineer at Microsoft focusing on the AI-native developer tools & platforms. During evenings, he can be found running events for Norway's largest web and cloud development communities. Maxim is passionate about exploring and experimenting with Generative AI possibilities, including AI-assisted development. To share his insights and connect with like-minded professionals globally, he founded and organized the inaugural Prompt Engineering Conference, the first of its kind on a global scale.
Elena Revilla Gutiérrez is a Professor and Head of the Operations and Business Analytics Department at IE Business School in Madrid. She received her Ph.D in Business Administration (Operations) from the Universidad de Valladolid (Spain). She is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and visiting researcher at MIT. Dr. Revilla’s research focuses on digital transformation and innovation in the supply chain, focusing on knowledge sharing and social capital, as well as supply chain risk and resiliency. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Management,Journal of Operations Management, Research Policy, Journal of Supply chain, Human Resources Management, Harvard Business review and Sloan Management Reviewamong others. She has received funding from the European Union.
Karin Immenroth is an experienced data strategist specializing in the design and implementation of innovative, AI-powered solutions that enable data-driven decisions and sustainable competitive advantage. With deep expertise in analytics, she develops approaches for personalized marketing and media transformation. Before returning to Mediaplus as Global Chief Data Officer, Karin shaped the digital transformation of RTL Deutschland as CDO, integrating data-driven processes into strategic business goals. As Managing Director at Bertelsmann, she built the company’s central data platform, establishing the foundation for efficiency gains and innovation. At GroupM, she was responsible for a global data ecosystem that positioned data-driven strategies at the core of its business. Her career began at Mediaplus as a media researcher. Today, she combines strategic vision with operational excellence to drive one of the most ambitious data and AI transformations in the international agency landscape.
Dr. Nourah Alangari is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at King Saud University and a consultant, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. She holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Computer Science, and a Ph.D. with a focus on explainable AI and machine learning. Her research spans natural language processing, interpretability, fairness, AI safety, and ethical AI, with a strong emphasis on Arabic language technologies.
Dr. Nabil Badri is a Tunisian researcher with a strong interdisciplinary background in Artificial Intelligence and Network Telecommunications. He holds a PhD in Computer Science with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence, an Engineering Degree in Telecommunications and Networking, and a Master's Degree in Computer Science and Multimedia. His research focuses on Natural Language Processing, multilingual hate speech detection, and applied machine learning. He has published in international journals and conferences, participated in collaborative research projects across Africa and Europe, and is actively involved in mentoring and promoting AI for social good.
Dr. Seemab Latif is a tenured Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan’s leading technology university. An IEEE Senior Member, she earned her Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Manchester, UK, specializing in Natural Language Processing, Understanding, and Generation. With more than 15 years of experience across academia, research, and industry, Dr. Latif has established herself as a thought leader in Artificial Intelligence, Explainable AI, and Large Language Models. Her research contributions spanning over 70 publications in high-impact journals and conferences - explore cutting-edge domains such as efficient Retrieval Augmented Generation, AI for mathematics, and NLP for under-resourced languages. Dr. Latif’s expertise extends beyond academia into impactful industry collaborations with organizations including Careem (UAE), Sky Labs (USA), and NetSol Technologies. As a consultant to the Asian Development Bank, she led the design of gender-sensitive AI-driven financial platforms to enhance credit access for women entrepreneurs in the MENAP region. She is also the founder of Aawaz AI, a pioneering startup developing RegTech and FinTech solutions to empower women-led small businesses through AI-driven credit assessment and compliance technologies. Deeply committed to education and community empowerment, Dr. Latif has been instrumental in launching undergraduate and postgraduate AI and Data Science programs at NUST, designing Pakistan’s first Large Language Models course, and leading outreach initiatives to inspire young women and underserved communities to embrace technology.
Usman is a Staff Developer Advocate at Grafana Labs from Nuremberg, Germany. He works with the Open Source Community on the community forum, GitHub and Slack. He has over 15 years of experience in IT and in Cloud Support where he served multiple customers all over Europe, US, Japan, etc. He is an active international public speaker participating in multiple conferences and events. In his free time, Usman likes to spend time with his family, go out on occasional traveling and play games or read comics.
Sumaiya has 15+ years of experience in diverse leadership roles including Product Management, AI, Digital Transformation and Talent Management. She has won many accolades throughout her career and has been honored as 40under40 by Business Elite. Sumaiya also sits on a Board of Directors for a global company. She made it to the list of Top 20 global Product Leaders of 2023 and she is recognized as Top 100 most influential women of Canada. She is on Claro Top 100 AI & Tech Leaders list and is honored by Global Recognition Awards. Sumaiya also won Chief Product Officer of the year 2024 by Product-Led Alliance. She has been in multiple Product Development & Management, AI & Product Strategy roles throughout her career. Currently she is Chief Product Officer at a category defining AI and Web3.0 company. Prior to that she served as Chief Product Strategy Officer and earlier she was VP of HR & Digital Transformation. She has also worked with Telenor enabling them with their digital transformation. At IBM, she had 3 global roles and in her last role she led Technology M&A deals across 50+ countries in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. As part of executive team, she has closed millions of dollars of funding for companies. Sumaiya is also a graduate of IBM Leadership Development Program. She is a Startup Advisor, Fulbright scholar with MS/MBA from Purdue University, INSEAD certified Digital Strategy consultant, Certified PM and an Engineer with experience of managing cross-functional teams across 6 continents (being based in 4 continents) with Fortune100 multinationals and tech start-ups. She serves on Harvard Business Review (HBR) Advisory Council, World Economic Forum’s AI Council and is on Canadian Web3.0 Committee (Canadian Blockchain Consortium). She speaks frequently at multiple forums globally. Sumaiya has spoken at US State Department with delegates from 47 countries including US Congress members. Also gave a talk at Grace Hopper Conference, attended by more than 50K technologists world-wide. Sumaiya has also been a Keynote speaker at University of Toronto and at several industry events including Google DevFest. Sumaiya’s work and impact has been covered by national and global media including Al Jazeera. She is also a published author in high-impact peer reviewed journals. Her areas of interest are AI based Product Development, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Machine Learning/Deep Learning, Neural Networks and Computational Biology.
Dr. Michail Lazos is a Lecturer in Computing and AI at Bath Spa University (Leeds campus) and a former Instructor of Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity at the Military Academy in Doha. He holds a Ph.D in Particle Physics from the University of Liverpool, with additional Master’s degrees in Physics from Imperial College London and in Astrophysics from the University of Porto. His professional background spans AI research, neural networks, quantum computing, and cybersecurity, with experience as an AI Engineer in industry and as a researcher in particle physics. Dr. Lazos has published widely, including work on time-free quantum frameworks in the International Journal of Quantum Foundations. He is passionate about leveraging cross-disciplinary knowledge to design innovative AI solutions that address global business and scientific challenges.