Al-Azawi, Mohammad

Highlights

-        More than 24 years of teaching experience in recognised Higher Education Institutions

-        More than 18 years of teaching experience in Oman

-        Extensive Administrative experience as:

-        Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, Research, and Innovation

-        Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Scientific Research,

-        Acting Dean, and

-        Head of Department.

-        Extensive experience in Quality Assurance

-        Active researcher with papers listed in Scopus Q1

-        Supervisor and examiner of PhD theses

-        Editor and reviewer for various journals and international conferences

Academic Profile                           

Dr Mohammad Al-Azawi is an Associate Professor in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision with a distinguishedacademic career spanning over 24 years. He holds a PhD in ArtificialIntelligence from De Montfort University, UK, and both a Master’s and aBachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from Baghdad University and Al Mustansiriyah University, respectively.

Dr Al-Azawi has extensive teaching experience, having served at several esteemed higher education institutions. Heparticipating in developing and teaching a wide range of courses, Hispedagogical expertise is complemented by his role as a PhD thesis supervisorand external examiner, reflecting his deep commitment to advancing research and education in his field.

His research interests lie in the application of human intelligence to machine vision and recognition,computational intelligence, machine learning, and data science. Dr Al-Azawi haspublished numerous research papers in leading international journals, many ofwhich are indexed in Scopus, including Q1 journals. He has also presented hiswork at various international conferences, where he has often been invited as a keynote speaker.

In addition to his research and teaching responsibilities, Dr Al-Azawi is actively involved in academic and professionalcommunities. He serves as an editor and reviewer for several high-impactjournals and conferences, such as IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, Data inBrief, and SAGE Open. He is a member of various professional associations,including IEEE and the Oman Association for Quality in Higher Education(OAQHE), where he contributes to advancing quality standards in higher education.

Dr Al-Azawi's academic contributions have been recognised with several awards, including the Best Paper Award from IEEE and the Outstanding Performance Awards.

Administrative Profile      

Dr Mohammad Al-Azawi has demonstrated exemplary leadership and administrative capabilities throughout his career. Heserved as the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Scientific Research atOCMT from 2015 to 2021. During his tenure, he also undertook theresponsibilities of Acting Dean in 2016-2017, ensuring the smooth operation and strategic direction of the institution.

As the Head of the Department of Computer Science and Management Information Systems from 2011 to 2016, Dr Al-Azawi ledthe department to new heights, fostering a culture of academic excellence andinnovation. His tenure as Head of Quality Assurance Department from 2017 to2021 highlights his commitment to maintaining and enhancing the quality ofeducation. He participated in developing numerous quality assurance documentsand policies, including the Curriculum Design Manual, Assessment Manual, and Student Retention Strategy.

In addition to his administrative roles, Dr Al-Azawi has actively participated in professional and academic communities. Heis a member of the Board of Directors of the Oman Association for Quality inHigher Education (OAQHE) and has served as an expert reviewer and editor forseveral high-impact journals and international conferences. His administrativeacumen, combined with his academic expertise, continues to inspire and guide both his colleagues and the academic community.

Teaching Philosophy

Dr Mohammad Al-Azawi's educational philosophy is centred on the integration of research, teaching, and communityand industry engagement. He believes in generating knowledge through rigorousresearch, which advances academic understanding and addresses real-worldchallenges. Dr Al-Azawi is committed to transferring this knowledge throughinnovative teaching methods that support theory with practical application,ensuring students are well-equipped to tackle real-life problems. Furthermore,he emphasises the importance of using knowledge in community service andindustry engagement, fostering collaborations that benefit both academia andsociety. This comprehensive approach underpins his dedication to developing well-rounded, socially responsible professionals.

Research Samples

1.     [Scopus Q1] Al-Azawi, M.A.N. Symmetry-based brain abnormality identification inMagnetic Resonance Images (MRI). MultimedTools Appl (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-022-12197-4 

2.     [SCOPUS]  Al-Azawi, M.A.N. (2022). Identifying the Most Frequently Used Words in Spam Mail Using Random Forest Classifier and MutualInformation Content. In: Verma, P., Charan, C., Fernando, X., Ganesan, S. (eds)Advances in Data Computing, Communication and Security. Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies, vol 106. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8403-6_2

3.     [SCOPUS]  M. Al-Azawi, “Symmetry-Based Brain Abnormality Detection Using Machine Learning,”Intel. Artif., vol. 24, no. 68, pp. 138–150, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.4114/intartif. Vol. 24, iss. 68, pp. 138-150. https://doi.org/10.4114/intartif.vol24iss68pp138-150

4.     [SCOPUS] M.A. N. Al-Azawi, “Saliency-Based Image Retrieval as a Refinement toContent-Based Image Retrieval,” ELCVIA Electron. Lett. Comput. Vis. ImageAnal., vol. 20, no. 1, p. 1, Jan. 2021,https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/elcvia.1325.   

5.     Al-Azawi, Mohammad A. N., TRANSFERRING TOEMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING: OPPORTUNITY, CHALLENGES, AND RISKS, Abstracts &Proceedings of INTCESS 2021- 8th International Conference on Education andEducation of Social Sciences, 18-19 January, 2021, ISBN: 978-605-06286-1-6, https://doi.org/10.51508/intcess.2021176

6.    M. A. N. AL-AZAWİ, “TRANSFERRING TO EMERGENCY REMOTETEACHING: OPPORTUNITY, CHALLENGES, AND RISKS,” IJASOS- Int. E-journal Adv. Soc.Sci., vol. VII, no. 19, pp. 146–152, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.18769/ijasos.876866. https://doi.org/10.18769/ijasos.876866

7.     [SCOPUS] MohammadAl-Azawi. Saliency-Based Brain Abnormality Identification in Magnetic Resonance Images (2021). Scientific Visualization 13.2: 24 - 49, DOI:  https://doi.org/10.26583/sv.13.2.03   

8.     [SCOPUS Q1] MohammadAl-Azawi, Two-stage salient object identification andsegmentation based on irregularity, Multimedia tools and Applications / Springer/ 16/8/2021/ doi:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-021-11378-x  

9.     [SCOPUS] Mutual Information-Based Optimum MetricsIdentification in Symmetry-Based Brain Abnormality Detection, August 2021Journal of Physics Conference Series 1998(1):012012 DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1998/1/012012

10.  M. Al-Azawi, Saliency Identification as aComputational Model of Human Visual Attention, International Journal ofAdvanced Science and Technology, 9 (3), 3348- 3360, 2020

11.  [SCOPUS] M., Alazawi, The Application of Eye-Tracking inConsumer Behaviour, International Journal of Engineering & Technology 8(1), 83-86, 2019. DOT: http://dx.doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v8i1.12.29469

12.  [SCOPUS] M. H. Abdulameer, D. Mohammed, S. A. Mohammed, M.Al-azawi, Y. M. H. Al-mayali, and I. A. Alameri, “FACE RECOGNITION TECHNIQUEBASED ON ADAPTIVE-OPPOSITION PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION ( AOPSO ) AND SUPPORTVECTOR MACHINE ( SVM ),” ARPN J. Eng. Appl. Sci., vol. 13, no. 6, pp.2259–2266, 2018.

13.  Mohammad Al-Azawi, “ComputationalIntelligence-based Semantic Image Background Identification usingColour-Texture Feature”, January 2018, International Journal of ComputerApplications 180(10):27-31, DOI, 10.5120/ijca2018916165,2018

14.  Mohammad Al-Azawi, “Saliency-Based ImageRetrieval using Colour Histogram Feature”, IEEE EECCMC: InternationalConference on Electrical, Electronics, Computers, Communication, Mechanical andComputing, Jan, 2018.

15.  Mohammad Al-Azawi, “Human Visual Attentionand Machine Vision Computational Saliency”, IEEE EECCMC: InternationalConference on Electrical, Electronics, Computers, Communication, Mechanical andComputing, Jan, 2018.

16.  [Q1 SCOPUS] Mohammad Al-Azawi, Yingjie Yang, Howell Istance:Irregularity-Based Image Region Saliency Identification and Evaluation.Multimedia Tools and Applications, DOI: 10.1007/s11042-014-2248-z Springer11/2016; https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-014-2248-z

17.  [SCOPUS] Al-Azawi, M., & Yang, Y. I. (2015). HumanAttention-Based Image Regions of Interest Extraction Using Computational Intelligence. 8th. IEEE GCC Conference & Exhibition. Muscat. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2404.9521

18.  British Library ETHOS: A New Approach to Automatic Saliency Identification in Images Based on Irregularity of Regions

19.  Mohammad A. N. Al-Azawi, Yingjie Yang, HowellIstance: A New Gaze Points Agglomerative Clustering Algorithm and ItsApplication in Regions of Interest Extraction. IEEE IACC 2014, ITM University;02/2014

20.  Mohammad Al-Azawi: Image Thresholding using HistogramFuzzy Approximation. International Journal of Computer Applications 12/2013;83(9):36-40.https://doi.org/10.5120/14480-2781

21.  Mohammad A N Al-Azawi, Y. Yang and H.Istance, "Irregularity-Based Saliency Identification and Evaluation,"in IEEE International Conference on Computational Intelligence and ComputingResearch, Madurai, 2013. DOI: 10.1109/ICCIC.2013.6724128

22.  Mohammad A N Al-Azawi: Human AttentionApplication in Image Retrieving: A new Clustering Technique. FoT RSS, DMU, UK,Leicester, UK; 07/2013

23.  Mohammad A N Al-Azawi: Neural Network Based AutomaticTraffic Signs Recognition. International Journal of Digital Information andWireless Communications (IJDIWC). 01/2012; 4(1):789-802.

Conference Proceedings

1.     Al-Azawi M, Identifying the Most Frequently Used Words in Spam Mail Using Random ForestClassifier and Mutual Information Content, International Conference on Advances In Data Computing, Communication and Security (I3CS), Sept. 8-10, 2021

2.     Al-Azawi M, Mutual Information-Based Optimum Metrics Identification in Symmetry-BasedBrain Abnormality Detection, CONference on Smart and Intelligent Learning for Information Optimization (CONSILIO)-2021

3.     Al-Azawi M., Evaluation of Emergency Remote Teaching During Crisis: An Empirical Study,Teacher Education Generation Next: Perspectives, Opportunities & Challenges 2021

4.     Al-Azawi, Mohammad A. N., TRANSFERRING TO EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING: OPPORTUNITY,CHALLENGES, AND RISKS, Abstracts & Proceedings of INTCESS 2021- 8th InternationalConference on Education and Education of Social Sciences, 18-19 January, 2021, ISBN: 978-605-06286-1-6,  https://doi.org/10.51508/intcess.2021176.

5.     Mohammad Al-Azawi, “Saliency-Based Image Retrieval using Colour Histogram Feature”, IEEEEECCMC: International Conference on Electrical, Electronics, Computers, Communication, Mechanical and Computing, Jan, 2018.

6.     Mohammad Al-Azawi, “Human Visual Attention and Machine Vision Computational Saliency”,IEEE EECCMC: International Conference on Electrical, Electronics, Computers, Communication, Mechanical and Computing, Jan, 2018.

7.     Mohammad A. N. Al-Azawi, Yingjie Yang, Howell Istance: A New Gaze Points AgglomerativeClustering Algorithm and Its Application in Regions of Interest Extraction. IEEE IACC 2014, ITM University; 02/2014

8.     Mohammad A N Al-Azawi and N. Ibrahim, "A New Edge Intersection-Based Salient pointsextraction and its application in computer vision," in NCBIT2014 , Massana-Oman, 2014.

9.     Mohammad A N Al-Azawi: THE APPLICATION OF HUMAN VISUAL ATTENTION IN MACHINE VISION. GAMEON-ARABIA'2014, Muscat; 02/2014

10.  Mohammad A N Al-Azawi, Y. Yang and H. Istance, "Irregularity-Based SaliencyIdentification and Evaluation," in IEEE International Conference on Computational Intelligence and Computing Research, Madurai, 2013.

11.  Mohammad A N Al-Azawi: Human Attention Application in Image Retrieving: A new Clustering Technique. FoT RSS, DMU, UK, Leicester, UK; 07/2013

12.  Mohammad A. N. Al-Azawi: Constructing an E-Archive System and Its Role in ImprovingDocument Management. ICKMARS-2012; International Conference on Knowledge Management and Resource Sharing, Muscat, Oman, Feb., 2012; 01/2012

13.  Mohammad A. N. Al-Azawi: Automatic Stereo Image Matching using Edge Detection. citation:International Archive of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, April /1996 Vienna Austria; 01/1996.

14.  Al-Azawi, M., & Yang, Y. I. (2015). HumanAttention-Based Image Regions of Interest Extraction Using Computational Intelligence. 8th. IEEE GCC Conference & Exhibition. Muscat.

Editorial and Reviewing

1.     Multimedia Tools and Applications /WOS

2.     International Conference on Enhanced Research And Industrial Application

3.     IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics /WOS

4.     International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC)

5.     International Journal of Computational Vision and Robotics / Scopus

6.     Oman Quality Network in Higher Education Conference

7.     Borneo International Conference on Applied Mathematics and Engineering (BICAME)

8.     Data in Brief / WOS

9.     Electronic Letters on Computer Vision and Image Analysis

10.  IEEE URUCON Conference

11.  International Conference on Communications, Signal Processing, and their Applications (ICCSPA)

12.  International Conference on Information Science and Technology

13.  International Conference on Information and Software Technologies

14.  SAGE Open / WOS

15.  International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM) / Reviewer

16.  International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC) / Reviewer

17.  NCBIT2014 Conference / Reviewer.

18.  ACEEE Journal / Editor

19.  Issue Editor / ACEEE Journal Vol. 3, Issue 2. / Special issue in Artificial Intelligence and Ubiquitous computing.

20.  OQAHE Conference (2014-15) / Academic Committee member.

21.  Innovative Information Systems for Societal Advancement (2016) / Scientific Committee member.

22.  IEEE GCC 2016 Conference Technical Committee

23.  Journal of Recent Research In Engineering and Technology (JRRET) / Reviewer

24.  Majan International Conference 2018 / Programme Committee

25.  PC Member MIC2018 / Muscat.

26.  PC Member Industrial Internet of Things and Smart Manufacturing (IoTsm), Venue: Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

27.  2024 1st International Conference on Innovative Engineering Sciences & Technological Research/ UTAS / Oman