4th Research Day 2025

TechNext 2025 - Innovations in Emerging Technologies & Applications

February 25, 2025 - Bahrain

This year’s theme centers on emerging technologies and their real-world applications. We aim to bring together researchers from diverse fields and disciplines, including science, engineering, business, entrepreneurship, education, and academia. Emerging technologies offer a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, quantum computing, biotechnology, robotics, blockchain, and more. It is dramatically reshaping the landscape and methodologies of research enabling new discoveries that were otherwise impossible/difficult and giving new solutions to tackle complex problem.

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About

AUBH Research Day is an annual event designed to bring together active researchers and experts while also encouraging promising young researchers and research-driven university students to share their most recent findings, ideas, and innovations. It particularly aspires to establish the AUBH as a research hub, both locally and internationally. The term “research” encompasses a broad range of scholarly and industrial developmental work in this context, including peer-reviewed papers, innovative student projects, and presentations at professional conferences or forums. University faculty and graduate students, especially those in Bahrain, are particularly encouraged to actively participate, both by presenting their work and attending the event.

Research Day is our focused frequent a platform for showcasing scientific research across multiple disciplines, fostering academic exchange, and promoting interdisciplinary ideas and collaboration. It offers an opportunity to explore cutting-edge research in fields such as natural sciences, financial and humanities. The event is designed to create thought-provoking debates/discussion, stimulate new ideas, and advance knowledge in both applied and theoretical domains.

The event is held in a hybrid format, allowing for broad participation from a diverse audience that includes university faculty, students, employers, industry professionals, and members of the community. This inclusive approach ensures that all those interested in the academic and scientific advancements of our region can engage with their latest research development within the context of a yearly theme. For this year’s theme on emerging technologies, we organized a full day of knowledge-sharing activities, including formal presentations, an informal poster session, and a panel discussion that highlighted the connection between finance and technology. Technologies involving blockchain, AI, and fintech and the like are transforming the financial sector, improving its efficiency, which in turn affects other areas. We also invited prominent guest speakers to share their insights in this regard. Thus, we also invited prominent guest speakers from both the finance and technology industries to share their insight in this regard in a panel discussion setting.

The term “research” is a very broad term in this context and includes scholarly papers, student projects, or presentations given at a professional meeting or forum. University students in Bahrain are particularly encouraged to both present at and attend the Research Day.

Research Day is a full-day event that is delivered in a hybrid mode to facilitate the attendance of all those interested, including university faculty, students, employers, and members of the community

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Abdulla AlAbbasi

Director of the Energy and Environment Program, Studies and Research Directorate (Derasat)

Session title: Innovative Solutions for Energy and Environmental Challenges

Dr. Abdulla Isa Al-Abbasi is the Director of the Energy and environmental studies program at Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat). His area of focus is the forms and dynamics of renewable energy and machine learning applications.

Dr Abdulla holds a PhD and MSc in Renewable Energy and Sustainability from the University of Surrey, UK. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the King Fahad University for Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He also oversees several scientific studies for doctoral and master’s students, as well as graduate students, focusing on topics related to energy economics, energy engineering, and various applications of artificial intelligence.

His talk will highlight the critical role of innovation in addressing these challenges. I will discuss the key conditions necessary for fostering innovation and conclude with case studies showcasing some of the projects we are currently developing.

Presenters

Dr.-Hasan-Kadhem--e1672150628304-scaled-e1676818813137.jpeg

Dr. Hasan Kadhem

Associate Professor
College of Engineering and Computing, AUBH

Dr. Nina Abdulrazzak

Assistant Professor
College of Arts & Sciences, AUBH

Dr. Abdulla Sarhan

Assistant Professor
College of Arts & Sciences, AUBH

Dr. Lilian Hallak

Associate Professor
College of Media & Design, AUBH

Dr. Mariam Allily

Program Coordinator
College of Business and Management, AUBH

Profile Photo

College of Engineering and Computing, AUBH

Panel Discussion Speakers

Dr. Hamad Alsayed

Founder, Twazn Digital Investment W.L.L.

Ms. Muneera AlFadhel

Customer Care Specialist, Bede Bahrain

Ms. Nadia AlQassab

Senior Lecturer, BIBF (Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance)

Mr. Karim AbdulAziz Hasan​

Officer - System & Applications, The BENEFIT Company​

Exchange information and ideas with fellow researchers and experts.

Sharpen your knowledge by attending several main talks and poster sessions.

Gain the latest updates on health and obesity from the keynote speaker.

Gain a hands-on learning experience by participating in live food experiments.

KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH

PLATFORM TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE

Full-day event on exchange of information and cross-fertilization of ideas from AUBH community and interested employers

Agenda

Time Event
09:00 - 09:30 Registration
09:30 – 09:45 Opening Speech
Dr. Bradley J. Cook
09:45 – 10:15 Keynote Speech
Dr. Abdulla AlAbbasi
Director of the Energy and Environment Program, Studies, and Research Directorate (Derasat)
Title:
Innovative Solutions for Energy and Environmental Challenges
10:15 – 10:45 Presentation 1
Dr. Hasan Kadhem
Associate Professor, College of Engineering & Computing, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: Arabic Sentiment Analyzes Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Models
10:40 – 11:00 Presentation 2
Dr. Nina Abdul Razzak
Assistant Professor, College of Arts & Sciences, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: Collaborative Learning Tools for Enhanced Student Engagement in Virtual Contexts
11:05 – 11:25 Presentation 3
Dr. Abdulla Sarhan
Assistant Professor, College of Arts & Sciences, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: The Universe from First-Principles: High-Performance Computing and Machine Learning for Advanced Simulations
11:25 – 11:30 Refreshments Break
11:30 – 12:00 Finance and Technology Panel discussion
Moderator: Yusuf Salman Al-Slaise
Guest speakers: Dr. Hamad Alsayed, Ms. Muneera AlFadhel, Ms. Nadia AlQassab, Mr. Karim Aziz
12:00 – 12:30 Coffee Break/Prayer
12:30 – 13:00 Workshop:
VR Experience & Poster Sessions
13:00 - 14:00 Buffet lunch
14:00 - 14:20 Presentation 4
Dr. Supriya H Shukla
College of Engineering & Computing, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: Strategic Integration of Sustainable Technologies for Business Transformation
14:00 - 14:20 Presentation 5
Dr. Lilian Hallak
Associate Professor, College of Media & Design, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: Emerging Technologies and Applications: Transforming Bahrain Fort into an Interactive Tourist Destination
14:25 – 14:45 Presentation 6
Dr. Miriam Al Lily
Program Coordinator, College of Business & Management, American University of Bahrain (AUBH)
Title: The AI president: a country governed by artificial intelligence
14:50 – 15:10 Awards
15:15 – 15:30 Closing Remarks & Group Photo

Get In Touch

Dr. Maryam Al Mahdi

Assistant Professor – Program Coordinator

An academician, researcher, and trainer in the field of digital marketing, Dr. Maryam Almahdi serves as the BBA Program Coordinator for the BBA in Digital Marketing and Social Media, BBA in Human Resources Management, and BBA in Management Programs at AUBH. She also teaches marketing subjects (e.g., Online Marketing Channels, Integrated Marketing Communications in a Digital World, Consumer Behavior), and is responsible for developing new courses and contributing to events’ organization within the University.

Dr. Almahdi is especially interested in interactive technologies that enhance the online customer experience. This is reflected in her choice of research area, centring around the different manifestations of the user’s experience in the vast digital ecosystem. She won the best paper award, for her paper titled: “Social Commerce: A Concept Explication” at the EAMMIS conference (Istanbul, 2021). For her continuous efforts, she was awarded the Creative Teaching Competition at AUBH’s first research conference (2021).

Dr. Almahdi holds and conducts training for the Certified Digital Marketing Professional Certification (CDMP) from the Digital Marketing Institute in Ireland. She also provides digital marketing strategy consultation to businesses in Bahrain and the UK.

Prior to joining AUBH, Dr. Almahdi worked at Ahlia University as a faculty member in the Marketing and Management Department (2011-2023). While at Ahlia, she created and delivered a new digital and social media marketing course for undergraduate students in the College of Business and Finance. She has also delivered several professional talks about digital marketing to faculty, students, and international visitors.

Dr. Almahdi holds a Ph.D. from the University of Bath School of Management and a MSc. from the University of Leeds Business School.

Education:

  • BSc – Multimedia Technology – Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
  • MSc. – University of Leeds (Business School)
  • Ph.D. – University of Bath (School of Management)

Publications:

  1. Google Scholar

Dr. Fatema Akbar

Assistant Professor

A dedicated researcher and educator, Dr. Fatema Akbar serves as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at AUBH. Dr. Akbar specializes in informatics and human-computer interaction, with a strong focus on human factors in computing. Dr. Akbar has contributed significantly to the field through her publications in top journals and conferences.

Fatema’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of computer scientists is evident through her involvement as a judge in various local and international competitions, such as the Nasser Bin Hamad International Youth Creativity Award and the Telecommunications Regulation Authority Hackathon.

Dr. Akbar’s recent research projects involved the utilization of sensor technologies and computer activity logs to develop computational methods for identifying patterns and assessing the health effects of computer use in the workplace. This research gained significant attention and was featured in prominent U.S. media outlets, including the New Yorker and EHR Intelligence.

In addition to her research pursuits, Fatema is passionate about teaching and is actively involved in advancing computer science education. She is an Associate at the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) in the United States. In recognition of her teaching excellence, Dr. Akbar received a Certificate of Teaching Excellence from the University of California, Irvine.

Fatema holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. While at the university, she also served as a teaching and research assistant for five years. Prior to that, Fatema earned her master’s degree from the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford, specializing in Information Systems. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon University.

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree – Information Systems – Carnegie Mellon University
  • Master’s degree – Information Systems – Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
  • Ph.D. – Informatics – Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Publications: