PROF. FAOUZI KAMOUN received the B. Eng, the M.Sc and the Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada in 1988, 1991, and 1995, respectively. He also received an MBA degree from McGill University, Canada in 1999.

He is a Professor, Director of ESPRIT Research Office, and Deputy General Manager of ESPRIT School of Business (Tunisia). He started his professional career in 1995, as Senior Systems Engineer at Nortel Networks, Montreal, Canada. He moved to the UAE in 2002, where he held various academic and administrative positions, including Dean of the College of IT at the University of Dubai and Acting Dean of the College of Technological Innovation at Zayed University. Since 2015, he has been with ESPRIT where he leads many research projects on cybersecurity and digital forensics, pedagogical innovation , social innovation, smart-cities, and technology management. He is the co-editor of one book and the co-author of more than 100 research articles.

Prof. Kamoun awards and honors include the J.W. McConnell Memorial University Graduate Fellowship, and 2008 IBM Faculty award.

Prof Salah Obayya

Over the past 25 years, Salah demonstrated an international distinction in the field of photonics among his peers, where he has prolifically published 306 journal papers, 275 conference papers in top international academic venues, 3 patents, and 3 textbooks which are taught in the top universities in the world. He led the team that developed a unique numerical package widely adopted by the academic community and industrial partners worldwide. He has supervised more than 150 Ph.D/M.Sc., and some of his ex-Ph.D now hold critical academic and industrial positions in UK, Egypt, Jordan, .. etc. He led more than 30 academic/industrial consortia funded by research councils and governmental agencies with a total of £3.64 Millions. These projects led to a paradigm shift in the photonics community, inducing impactful industrial applications. Over the years, he has established and directed two large impactful research centres; the centre for photonics and smart materials (CPSM), Zewail City (ZC), and the centre for photonics and broadband communications, University of South Wales, UK.

For his world-class achievements in photonics, he has been internationally recognized through:

     D.Sc. from the City, University of London (2016) and honorary professorship from Nottingham (2017).

     Elected a fellow for the most prestigious professional societies in science and engineering, including IEEE (0.1% success rate), OPTICA, SPIE, APS, AAS, ACES, HEA, IEE, and IOP.

     Top Kwame Nkrumah African Continental Award for Scientific Excellence in 2021, where only one African scientist is selected annually for outstanding scientific accomplishments.

     In 2019, due to his distinction in his photonics research, he was awarded the first-class Medal of Science and Arts by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during National Science Day 2019.

     The Arab Thought Foundation award for scientific innovation in Beruit in 2015.

     Top United Arab Emirates (UAE) award in scientific research presented by the late Shiekh Khalifa Bin Zayed, the President of UAE.

Salah Demonstrated top-quality scientific leadership in Egypt as well as Africa through:

     The founding Director/General of Research and afterwards became the vice/chairman of ZC. Nowadays, ZC is one of the most prestigious research-based universities in the middle east (According to Times Higher Education Ranking).

     Selected by the Egyptian President among five senior scientists to establish the new four National Universities.

     Awarded the rare UNESCO Chair in 2019 for his outstanding contribution to the sustainable development of Africa by offering top-rated technological training programs to young African scientists, especially young ladies.

     Played an instrumental role in the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), where he is an active Nomination and Governance committee member. Moreover, he has initiated and directed the Nanotechnology and the Nanosciences committee in AAS.

 

     Member of Egypt’s Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) (decreed by the Prime Minister) since 2016, during which he contributed significantly to Research Policy and Strategy, new research funding programs, new Research Alliances between Academia and Industry, and many others.