Profile

Biography:
I received my M.Sc. (Distinction) and Ph.D. degrees from Imperial College London, UK, in 2002 and 2007, respectively. I am a Professor in Communication Systems in the University of Glasgow, Dean University of Glasgow UESTC, Head of Communications Sensing and Imaging (CSI) research group and Director of Glasgow UESTC Centre of Educational Development and Innovation. I also serve as an affiliate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, USA; Adjunct Research Professor AIRC, Ajman University UAE and a visiting Professor at 5G Innovation centre, University of Surrey, UK.

I have led a number of multimillion-funded international research projects and the "new physical layer" work area for 5G innovation centre at Surrey. I have a global collaborative research network spanning both academia and key industrial players in the field of wireless communications. I have supervised 50+ successful PhD graduates and published over 500 peer-reviewed research papers including more than 100 IEEE Transaction papers.

 

Services to Academic Community:
I have given an invited TEDx talk (2015) and more than 50 plenary talks, tutorials and seminars in international conferences, events and other institutions. I have taught on international short courses in USA and China. I am a co-founder of IEEE Workshop BackNets 2015 and chair of several tracks/workshops of international conferences including next genertion networks track of IEEE ICC2020 and Technical Programme Chair for IEEE WCNC 2023. I am the UK&RI Chair for the Backhaul/Fronthaul Networking & Communications Emerging Technologies Initiatives (ETI-BNC) of IEEE ComSoc. 

I have been advising several academic consortia and government organisations internationally on academic as well as technology related policies: including Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, India, Pakistan, China, UAE and Qatar.

I am Editor in Chief for the IoT and Sensors speciality section of Frontiers in Communications and Networks journal. I have been an associate Editor for IEEE Communications Letters and IET Communications Journal and currently serving as an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Communications and IEEE Access. I have served as guest editor for many prestigious international journals including IEEE JSAC.

 

Distinctions Fellowships and Awards:
I secured first rank in my B.Sc. and a distinction in my M.Sc. degree along with a Presedential award of excellence in recognition of my academic achievements conferred by the President of Pakistan. I have been awarded IEEE Comsoc’s Fred Ellersick award 2014, TAO’s best paper award in IEEE ICC 2019, FEPS Learning and Teaching award 2014, Sentinel of Science Award 2016, Research Culture Award 2020 and I have been twice nominated for Tony Jean’s Inspirational Teaching award. The team led by me won the China-Scotland Academic Partnership of the Year Award for 2021. I have also secured more than 10 best paper awards in international conferences. I am a shortlisted finalist for The Wharton-QS Stars Awards 2014 for innovative teaching and VC’s learning and teaching award in University of Surrey.

I am a Fellow of IET, a senior member of IEEE and a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), UK.

 

Research interests:
As Head of Communications Sensing and Imaging group I lead research in wide-ranging technological areas. I am also leading the Scotland 5G Centre's urban testbed deployment in Glasgow campus and contributing to multiple programme grants funded by EPSRC as well as rural connectivity projects funded by UK's Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and UK's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). I am also directing several doctoral training cohorts and individual PhD students.