Prof. Dr. Metin Zontul | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dr. Metin Zontul | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Dean, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Turkey

Prof. Dr. Metin Zontul is a seasoned academic and researcher in the fields of machine learning, data mining, and intelligent systems, currently serving as Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sivas University of Science and Technology, Turkey. With over 30 years of academic experience, he has held various esteemed positions at several universities in Turkey and contributed significantly to national-level research projects, innovation in artificial intelligence, and academic leadership.

Publication Profile

Google Scholar

ORCID

🎓 Education Background

He earned his Ph.D. in Quantitative Methods in Business Administration (2004) from the Institute of Social Sciences, focusing his dissertation on clustering countries trading with Turkey using SOM-type artificial neural networks. He holds an M.Sc. in Computer-Aided Design, Manufacturing, and Programming (1996), where he analyzed local area network access protocols, and a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering (1993) from Middle East Technical University.

💼 Professional Experience

Prof. Zontul has held multiple academic ranks, starting as a Lecturer at Cumhuriyet University (1994–2005) and advancing to Assistant, Associate, and then Professor at institutions such as Istanbul Aydın University, Arel University, Ayvansaray University, and Topkapi University. He has been a key academic leader, serving as Dean and Department Chair across several faculties. Since 2023, he has led the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Sivas UST. He also supervises graduate theses and collaborates on research with TUBITAK and other industry-linked projects.

🏆 Awards and Honors

Prof. Zontul has received Publication Incentive Awards from Istanbul Aydın University in 2014 and 2016 for his scholarly contributions. He is a former member of IEEE and holds a 2024 patent for a Personnel Assignment and Routing System related to unit failure and maintenance operations.

🔬 Research Focus

His research interests span machine learning, deep learning, data mining, signal processing, natural language processing, and intelligent systems. He has contributed extensively to the scientific community through 25+ peer-reviewed journal articles, 20+ conference papers, and collaborative projects involving academia and industry. His supervision of numerous theses and his involvement in over 30 national research projects reflect his commitment to practical and academic advancements in AI.

🔚 Conclusion

Prof. Dr. Metin Zontul stands as a multifaceted academician blending research, leadership, and innovation. His significant contributions to AI, education, and national research initiatives have cemented his reputation as a leading scholar in his field.

📚 Top Publications 

  1. Application of artificial intelligence neural network modeling to predict the generation of domestic, commercial and construction wastes (2021)
    Journal: Waste Management & Research
    Cited by: 92
    Co-authors: G. Coskuner, M.S. Jassim, S. Karateke

  2. Comparative performance analysis of support vector regression and artificial neural network for prediction of municipal solid waste generation (2022)
    Journal: Waste Management & Research
    Cited by: 49
    Co-authors: M.S. Jassim, G. Coskuner

  3. Urban bus arrival time prediction: A review of computational models (2013)
    Journal: International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE)
    Cited by: 123
    Co-author: M. Altinkaya

  4. Measuring the efficiency of telecommunication sectors of OECD countries using data envelopment analysis (2005)
    Journal: CU Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences
    Cited by: 41
    Co-authors: O. Kaynar, H. Bircan

  5. Wind speed forecasting using reptree and bagging methods in Kirklareli-Turkey (2013)
    Journal: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology
    Cited by: 35
    Co-authors: F. Aydin, G. Dogan, S. Sener, O. Kaynar

  6. The prediction of the ZnNi thickness and Ni% of ZnNi alloy electroplating using a machine learning method (2021)
    Journal: Transactions of the IMF
    Cited by: 34
    Co-authors: R. Katirci, H. Aktas

  7. A smart and mechanized agricultural application: From cultivation to harvest (2022)
    Journal: Applied Sciences
    Cited by: 31
    Co-authors: F. Kiani, G. Randazzo, I. Yelmen, A. Seyyedabbasi, S. Nematzadeh, F.A. Anka, et al.

 

 

Rab Nawaz Bashir | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Rab Nawaz Bashir | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor, COMSATS University, Pakistan

Dr. Rab Nawaz Bashir 🎓 is a distinguished computer scientist and Assistant Professor at COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Islamia University Bahawalpur and has been instrumental in shaping research and education in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). With a passion for academic excellence, he has mentored numerous undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students, guiding them toward impactful research and industry readiness. His dedication to scholarly contributions and innovative teaching has made him a respected figure in the field of computer science.

Publication Profile

Education 🎓

Dr. Bashir has a strong academic foundation, earning his Ph.D. in Computer Science (2021) from Islamia University Bahawalpur. Prior to that, he completed an MS in Computer Science (2015) from the same institution. His educational journey began with a Master in Computer Science (MCS) from Pir Mehr Ali Shah University of Arid Agriculture (2008). To further enhance his expertise, he is currently pursuing a Fellowship in Computer Science at Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia.

Experience 👨‍🏫

With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Bashir has significantly contributed to academia and research. Since 2022, he has served as an Assistant Professor at COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, where he leads curriculum development, organizes seminars, and supervises undergraduate and Ph.D. research. Previously, he was a Lecturer at COMSATS University (2015–2022), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (2014–2015), and Institute of Southern Punjab, Multan (2010–2014). Before transitioning fully into academia, he worked in software development at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (2008–2010), specializing in secure and scalable web applications using ASP.NET and SQL Server.

Awards and Honors 🏆

Dr. Bashir has been recognized multiple times for his outstanding contributions to research and academic excellence. He has received several Research Awards (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and Annual Performance Awards (2022, 2023, 2024) from his institution. Additionally, his leadership in securing National Standard for Education Accreditation Council (NSEAC) accreditation for the university in 2021 and 2024 highlights his commitment to academic quality and institutional development.

Research Focus 🔬

Dr. Bashir’s research spans various cutting-edge domains, including machine learning, IoT, and computer programming. His work emphasizes real-world applications, such as IoT-enabled smart agriculture, machine learning-based fraud detection, and deep learning for natural image processing. His interdisciplinary collaborations have resulted in high-impact research, contributing to advancements in federated learning, fog computing, and agricultural technology.

Conclusion 🌟

Dr. Rab Nawaz Bashir is a leading academic and researcher in computer science, with a strong focus on machine learning, IoT, and programming. His dedication to mentoring students, publishing impactful research, and advancing academic excellence has earned him numerous awards and recognitions. With a vision for future innovations, he continues to push the boundaries of computer science, contributing to both academia and industry through groundbreaking research and leadership.

Publications 📚

A Novel 1-Dimensional Cosine Chaotic Equation and Digital Image Encryption Technique (IEEE Access, 2024) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3447889

Federated Learning (FL) Model of Wind Power Prediction (IEEE Access, 2024) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3415781

IoT-Enabled Firmness Grades of Tomato in Cold Supply Chain Using Fusion of Whale Optimization Algorithm and Extreme Learning Machine (IEEE Access, 2024) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3379327

Mushroom Species Classification in Natural Habitats Using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) (IEEE Access, 2024) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3502543

Machine Learning and Fog Computing-Enabled Sensor Drift Management in Precision Agriculture (IEEE Sensors Journal, 2024) – DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2024.3451662

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Feature Importance-Based Dimension Reduction for Reference Evapotranspiration (ET0) Predictions of Taif, Saudi Arabia (Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024) – DOI: 10.1016/j.compag.2024.109036

Ensemble Deep Learning-Based Prediction of Fraudulent Cryptocurrency Transactions (IEEE Access, 2023) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3310576

Internet of Things Based Weekly Crop Pest Prediction by Using Deep Neural Network  (IEEE Access, 2023) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3301504

Stacked Ensemble Model for Tropical Cyclone Path Prediction (IEEE Access, 2023) – DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3292907

Smart Reference Evapotranspiration Using Internet of Things and Hybrid Ensemble Machine Learning Approach (Internet of Things, 2023) – DOI: 10.1016/j.iot.2023.100962

Mr. Ali Beikmohammadi | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Ali Beikmohammadi | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

PhD Researcher, Stockholm University, Sweden

👨‍💻 Ali Beikmohammadi is a dedicated researcher in Reinforcement Learning, Deep Learning, and Federated Learning. Currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer and Systems Sciences at Stockholm University, Sweden, he has made remarkable contributions to AI research, publishing 15+ papers in top-tier conferences and journals. With a strong foundation in stochastic optimization, telecommunications, and cyber-physical systems, Ali has worked on various industry projects and supervised 30+ Master’s students. His expertise extends to high-performance computing, AI applications in healthcare, and distributed learning, making him a highly influential figure in AI research. 🚀

Publication Profile

Education

🎓 Ali holds a Ph.D. in Computer and Systems Sciences (2021–Present) from Stockholm University, Sweden, where he focuses on sample-efficient reinforcement learning and AI-driven optimization. He earned an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (Digital Electronic Systems) (2017–2019) from Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran, specializing in deep learning for plant classification. His B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (Electronics) (2013–2017) from Bu-Ali Sina University, Iran, involved research on license plate recognition using computer vision. 📚

Experience

💡 With extensive research and industry collaborations, Ali has supervised 30+ Master’s students at Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet, applying AI to healthcare, recommendation systems, forecasting, and network optimization. He has also instructed 91 students in Health Informatics courses, focusing on time-series analysis, deep learning, and reinforcement learning. His industry collaborations include Scania CV AB, Hitachi Energy, and the University of California, where he played key roles in algorithm design, pipeline development, and AI-driven performance optimization. 🤖

Awards and Honors

🏆 Ali’s exceptional contributions to AI and engineering have earned him prestigious scholarships such as the Lars Hierta Memorial Foundation Scholarship (2025) and the Rhodins, Elisabeth, and Herman Memory Scholarship (2024). He is a member of the Iran National Elites Foundation and has received the Outstanding Paper Award at the 5th ICSPIS’19 Conference. His academic excellence is further highlighted by ranking 1st in GPA during his B.Sc. and M.Sc. studies. 🌟

Research Focus

🔬 Ali’s research revolves around Reinforcement Learning, Deep Learning, and Federated Learning, with a strong emphasis on stochastic optimization, telecommunications, and cyber-physical systems. His recent work explores teacher-assisted reinforcement learning, federated learning without data similarity constraints, and cost-sensitive AI models for industrial applications. His contributions aim to enhance AI’s efficiency, scalability, and applicability across domains like healthcare, robotics, and automation. ⚙️

Conclusion

🌍 Ali Beikmohammadi is an accomplished AI researcher, educator, and industry collaborator pushing the frontiers of Reinforcement Learning, Deep Learning, and Federated Learning. With multiple high-impact publications, prestigious awards, and hands-on experience in AI-driven solutions, he continues to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world AI applications. His passion for cutting-edge AI innovations positions him as a leading voice in modern AI research. 🚀✨

Publications

Comprehensive Analysis of Random Forest and XGBoost Performance with SMOTE, ADASYN, and GNUS Upsampling under Varying Imbalance Levels

TA-Explore: Teacher-assisted exploration for facilitating fast reinforcement learning – Published at International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS) (2023)Paper Link

Comparing NARS and Reinforcement Learning: An Analysis of ONA and Q-Learning AlgorithmsArtificial General Intelligence Conference (2023)Paper Link

Human-inspired framework to accelerate reinforcement learningarXiv (2023)Paper Link

Compressed federated reinforcement learning with a generative modelECML-PKDD (2024)Paper Link

On the Convergence of Federated Learning Algorithms without Data SimilarityIEEE Transactions on Big Data (2024)Paper Link

Parallel Momentum Methods Under Biased Gradient EstimationsIEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems (2025)Paper Link

A Cost-Sensitive Transformer Model for Prognostics Under Highly Imbalanced Industrial DataarXiv (2024)Paper Link

Mr. Ahmad Faraz Hussain | Machine learning | Best Scholar Award

Mr. Ahmad Faraz Hussain | Machine learning | Best Scholar Award

PhD student, Zhejiang university, China

Ahmad Faraz Hussain is an accomplished researcher and engineer specializing in audio signal processing, speaker recognition, and wireless sensor networks. With a strong academic background and extensive technical experience, he has contributed significantly to the field of electronics and information engineering. His work spans research, teaching, and industry, reflecting his passion for innovation and education.

Publication Profile

Scopus

🎓 Education:

Ahmad Faraz Hussain earned his Master of Science in Electronics & Information Engineering from the South China University of Technology, China (2017–2019), achieving an impressive 90%. His thesis focused on “Speaker Recognition with Emotional Speech,” showcasing his expertise in audio processing. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan (2009–2014), with a thesis on “ZigBee-Based Wireless Sensor Network for Building Safety Monitoring.”

💼 Professional Experience:

Ahmad has a diverse professional journey, beginning as a Research Assistant at the South China University of Technology (2017–2019), where he worked on cutting-edge projects in speech recognition. Before that, he served as a Lecturer at Polytechnical College Kohat (2016–2017), imparting knowledge to aspiring engineers. His technical expertise was further honed during his two-year tenure as a Technical Engineer at PTCL, Pakistan, where he worked on telecommunications and networking solutions.

🏆 Awards and Honors:

Ahmad was a recipient of the prestigious CSC Scholarship, which enabled him to pursue his master’s degree in China. His academic excellence and dedication to research have earned him recognition in both academic and professional circles.

🔬 Research Focus:

Ahmad’s research interests lie in audio signal processing, speaker recognition, speech recognition, and wireless sensor networks. His work focuses on developing advanced methodologies for improving speech-based systems and enhancing security through smart sensor networks. His contributions to these fields are evident in his multiple publications and research projects.

🔚 Conclusion:

Ahmad Faraz Hussain is a dedicated researcher and engineer with a strong foundation in speech and wireless sensor technologies. His academic achievements, professional experience, and research contributions highlight his commitment to innovation and education. With a passion for higher learning and community service, he continues to make impactful contributions to the field of electronics and information engineering. 🚀

📚 Publications:

Three-Dimensional Dynamic Positioning Using a Novel Lyapunov-Based Model Predictive Control for Small Autonomous Surface/Underwater Vehicles

Fish Detection and Classification Based on Improved ViT

ZigBee-Based Wireless Sensor Network for Building Safety Monitoring – Published in the Journal of TWASP. Read here.

Speaker Recognition with Emotional Speech – Published in GSJ. Read here.

Speech Emotion Recognition – Under review.

ZigBee and GSM-Based Security System for Business Places– Accepted for publication.

Internet of Things-Based Information System for Smart Wireless Sensor Healthcare Applications – Submitted for review.