8th ANNUAL ‫اﳌـــﺆﲤــﺮ‬
‫اﻟﺴــﻨﻮي اﻟﺜﺎﻣـــﻦ‬
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
‫ﻟﻠﺒﺤـﻮث اﻟﻄـﻼﺑﻴﺔ ﻓـﻲ ـﺎل اﳊـﻮﺳﺒﺔاﻟـﺘـﻄـﺒﻴﻘـﻴﺔ‬
8th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference on
Applied Computing
SKILLS
"Today's Researchers and Readers,
Tomorrow's Innovators and Leaders"
ENTREPRENEURS
CRITICAL
B U S I N E S S THINKING
INNOVATE &
PROSPER
@
2016
April 27 – 28, 2016
|
Zayed University
|
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.urc.ac
PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Under the Patronage of
Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi
Minister of State for Tolerance and
President of Zayed University
The 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference on
Applied Computing (URC 2016)
Hosted by
College of Technological Innovation
Zayed University
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
April 27 – 28, 2016
URC2016 Organizing Committee
Honorary Chair
Local Arrangements Co-Chairs
Marilyn Roberts, Acting Provost of Zayed University
(UAE)
Huwida Said
Nagaraj Chandrashekaran
Alia Sulaiman
General Chair
Zakaria Maamar, Zayed University (UAE)
Conference Co-Chairs
Qusay H. Mahmoud, UOIT (Canada) May AlTaei, Zayed University (UAE)
Technical Program Committee
Abdallah Tubaishat, Zayed University (UAE)
Abdoul Rjoub, Jordan University of Science & Tech (Jordan)
Areej Al-Wabil, MIT (USA)
Arwa Alamoudi, King Saud University (KSA)
Program Co-Chairs
Bassam Hammo, Jordan University, (Jordan)
Fatna Belqasmi, Zayed University (UAE)
Andrew Marrington, Zayed University (UAE)
Hussein Fakhry, Zayed University (UE)
Eman Daraghmi, Palestine Technical University (Palestine)
Publicity Co-Chairs
Justin Varghese, King Khalid University (KSA)
Anoud Bani-Hani, Zayed University (UAE)
Abdallah Tubaishat, Zayed University (UAE)
Maysoon Abualkhair, King Abdulaziz University (KSA)
Registration Co-Chairs
Mona Bader, Zayed University (UAE)
Izzeddin Asad, Zayed University (UAE)
Aysha Al Junaibi, Zayed University (UAE)
Awards Co-Chairs
Omar Alfandi, Zayed University (UAE)
Babar Shah, Zayed University (UAE)
Asad Khattak, Zayed University (UAE)
Emad Bataineh, Zayed University (UAE)
Website
Rudy Lang, UOIT (Canada)
Evi Mansor, Prince Sultan University (KSA)
Huwida Said, Zayed University (UAE)
Moad Mowafi, Jordan University of Science & Tech (Jordan)
Mohamed Elwakil, Innopolis University (Russia)
Mohammad Fraiwan, Abu Dhabi Polytechnic (UAE)
Mohammad Hamdan, Heriot-Watt University (UAE)
Naelah A. AlAgeel, King Abdulaziz City for Science & Tech (KSA)
Nasser Tairan, King Khalid University (KSA)
Noura N. AlOmar, King Saud University (KSA)
Sarah Omar AlHumoud, Imam University (KSA) & MIT (USA)
Shahad Abdullah Alharbi, King Saud University (KSA)
Wafa Alrajhi, Imam University (KSA)
Wathiq Mansoor, American University in Dubai (UAE)
Yousef Awwad, Palestine Technical University (Palestine)
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Message from the Conference Chairs
Welcome to the 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference on Applied Computing (URC 2016). The objective of this conference
is to showcase and celebrate the research achievements of undergraduate students, and to promote undergraduate research activity
at educational institutions across the Arab world, by providing a forum for undergraduate students to present their research projects,
share ideas and interact with other young researchers, faculty members, and technology and thought leaders from the region.
This year we have accepted 156 undergraduate research projects to be presented in several formats, including: live demos, lightning
presentations, and poster sessions. These projects, which represent over 500 authors primarily undergraduate students and their
faculty advisors, will be presented by undergraduate students from educational institutions in the UAE as well as many others in
Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. We would also like to thank all the student volunteers
from Zayed University.
We would like to thank everyone involved in this conference. First and foremost, we thank the students and their faculty advisors for
their submissions to this conference – without their research projects this conference wouldn’t exist! We also thank the rest of our
team, members of the organizing committee as well as the technical committee who reviewed student submissions and provided
valuable feedback. We would also like to extend our special thanks to the keynote speakers, and members of the panel discussion,
for taking the time out of their busy schedules to participate in this conference.
We are grateful to our sponsors, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Liwan Culture and Arts, and Zayed University Office of
Research for their commitment and contributions that help make this conference a reality. Thank you!
Finally, we take this opportunity to thank Zayed University for hosting this conference, and all the student volunteers.
We hope you will enjoy the conference and the lovely city of Dubai.
Dr. Zakaria Maamar
Interim Dean, College of Tech Innovation
Zayed University, UAE
Dr. Qusay H. Mahmoud
Conference Co-Chair
Univ. of Ontario Institute of Tech, Canada
Dr. May AlTaei
Conference Co-Chair
Zayed University,UAE
Wednesday, April 27
8:00am – 9:00am
Registration
Continental Breakfast and Presentations Setup
9:00am – 9:15am
Welcome: Prof. Reyadh AlMehaideb
Vice President of Zayed University
9:15am – 9:30am
Keynote: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
9:30am – 10:30am
Panel discussion (Opportunities and Challenges for Research and
Innovation in the Arab World)
Moderator: Dr. Andrew Marrington (Zayed University)
Members: Mrs. Shaikha Al Muhairi (Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority)
Mr. Mohammad Al-Shamsi (RoboHiTec and Emirates Robotics Club)
Mr. Osama Al-Zoubi (CISCO Middle East)
Prof. Zakaria Maamar (Zayed University)
10:30am – 11:00am
Coffee Break
11:00am – 12:30pm
Lightning Presentations and Poster Session I, see the detailed program for room numbers
(12 lightning presentations and 60 posters)
12:30pm – 2:00pmLunch
2:00pm – 2:45pm
Keynote: Mr. Omar Al Busaidy
Author of Just Read It
2:45pm – 4:30pm
Live Demos and Poster Session II, see the detailed program for room numbers
(13 live demos, and same 60 posters as above)
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Thursday, April 28
8:00am – 9:00amRegistration
Continental Breakfast and Presentations Setup
9:00am – 9:30am
Keynote: Dr. Michael Allen
Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and Research, Zayed University
9:30am – 10:00am
Open Forum
10:00am – 10:30am
Coffee Break
10:30am – 12:00pm
Lightning Presentations and Poster Session I, see the detailed program
(12 lightning presentations and 60 posters)
12:00pm – 1:30pm Lunch
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Poster Session II, same posters as above
3:30pm – 4:15pm
Awards and Closing Remarks
Keynote
Speakers
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan is an elite third year student, majoring
in Nuclear Engineering at Khalifa University. He has been actively involved in
supporting a variety of social, humanitarian, charity initiatives and academic
programs around the Emirates. His hobbies include horse riding, reading and
social and humanitarian work.
Omar Al Busaidy
Omar Al Busaidy is a UAE national with over 13 years’ experience in the UAE’s
corporate environment, gaining skills in the banking, trade and investment sectors
before joining Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority in 2012. As Acting Manager
of the Authority’s Tourism Investment Promotion team, Omar is mandated to
develop, coordinate and promote foreign and local investments in infrastructure
assets and services across the Emirate, a critical component in the development
of a sustainable tourism sector aligned with the emirate’s 2030 Vision of
economic diversification. Omar has worked in both the public and private sector
in prestigious organisations such as the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry,
National Bank of Dubai, the Dubai Shopping Festival as well as a development
role with Abu Dhabi Municipality and serving as commercial attaché at the British
Embassy. Mr. Al Busaidy holds a B.Sc. in Marketing from the American University
in Dubai and is currently pursuing his post-graduate studies in Innovation and
Entrepreneurial Leadership at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. A
published author of ‘Just Read It’, an entrepreneurial guide to self-development,
Omar also serves as Managing Partner in his own Gentleman’s Salon enterprise.
Recently Omar has been invited to mentor students on entrepreneurship and
leadership at several universities across Abu Dhabi and Dubai and has also
worked with organisations such as AISEC, Khalifa Fund and Abu Dhabi Council for
Economic Development.
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Michael Allen, Ph.D.
Dr. Michael Allen is Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and Research at Zayed
University, having previously served for five years as Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences. He has also held positions at the University of Auckland (New
Zealand), the University of California at Berkeley, Brigham Young University, and
the University of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada). He has extensive experience
in international education, and has traveled widely both for his own research and to
build programs and partnerships between universities. Trained as a historian, Dr.
Allen received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Washington and his Master’s
degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He holds undergraduate
degrees in both History and Asian Studies from Brigham Young University. Dr.
Allen is a specialist on East Asian history in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and
has traveled numerous times to China, Japan, and Korea (both North and South). Most of his research has focused on Korea in the 19th and 20th centuries. He
also has a deep interest in world history, and his publications include books and
articles on nationalism in East Asia, intellectual history, historiography, and the
history of the world since 1500.
Panel
Members
Panel Discussion
Panel: Opportunities and Challenges for Research and Innovation in the Arab World
The region is emerging as a hub for education, research and innovation. Universities are striving to
enhance their applied research portfolios, and establish rewarding industry-academia collaborations.
This panel will address and discuss the challenges faced by academics interested in establishing
applied research programs, the opportunities seen by industry, and explore possible solutions
and successful research strategies and models. Distinguished members of this panel will explore
answers to questions, such as: (1) why read, research and innovate, and what incentives exist for
doing that? (2) what does it take to transform a teaching university into a centre of excellence
for research? (3) what are some of the available sources for research funding in the region? (4)
how to foster collaboration between industry and academia? plus other related questions from the
audience.
Andrew Marrington, Ph.D.
Dr. Andrew Marrington is an Associate Professor and Acting Associate Dean at the College of
Technological Innovation at Zayed University. Dr Marrington received his PhD in Digital Forensics from
Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where he studied at the Information Security Institute.
Dr Marrington’s primary field of research is digital forensics, particularly in automating aspects of
the digital forensics process. He is also interested in other aspects of information security. From
2012 to 2015, Dr Marrington served as the College’s Graduate Program Director. In Fall 2015 he was
appointed as the Acting Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Prior to working at Zayed University,
he worked as a Research Fellow and Project Leader at QUT, as a Software and Systems Engineer at
Queensland Rail, and as a private sector IT consultant.
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
Shaikha Al Muhairi
Shaikha Al Muhairi is a librarian and educator. She holds a BA in English language and literature and
a Masters degree in Educational Leadership. She worked as a teacher for the Ministry of Education
in Abu Dhabi for 11 years. Then she moved to Zayed University where she worked as a librarian and
instructor for 7 years. She worked for a development agency where she was responsible for community
development, adult education, higher education, and employment of the residents of the western
region of Abu Dhabi. She became the head of public libraries in Authority of Tourism & Culture in 2011
and currently she heads the Cultural Resources Center in the Culture sector of the same organisation.
Throughout her career, Shaikha has been an advocate of reading and children literature. She has
trained teachers and librarians through the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Education Council for
many years on strategies of reading, attracting children to books and parents involvement in reading.
She has worked with young authors to publish their books.
Mohammad Al-Shamsi
Mohammad Al-Shamsi is the Founder and the CEO of RoboHiTec, and the President of the Emirates
Robotics Club. He has competed in Mobile Robotics on WorldSkills Shizuoka 2007 in Japan. He
holds a Bachelor degree in Engineering Management, and a Diploma in Mechatronics Engineering,
both from the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). He has designed and developed several robots
and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and has won several awards including: First Prize in 2007 Robot
Competition at Dubai Men’s College Gold Medal in the 11th GCC Scientific Forum in Dubai in 2009,
First Place in Unmanned Rodeo Systems in Abu Dhabi in 2011, and First Place in UAE Innovation
Challenge in 2013. Mohammad has also been selected as one of the top 100 Arab inventors in the
Star of Science Competition.
Osama Al-Zoubi
Osama Al-Zoubi is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Cisco Middle East. In his current role, Osama
focuses on the development and execution of technical strategies for Digital Transformation. He drives
technical strategy and innovation, through working closely with Government Agencies, Enterprise
Customers, Private Sector, and Partners, across the Middle East. He is inspirational and experienced
technical leader who leads the Systems Engineering organization in Cisco ME, that partners with all
customers across ME to drive innovation and Digital Transformation. More than nineteen years of
ICT experience, with primary focus on developing Business & Technology Architectures, to deliver on
business outcomes for customers and partners. Omar received his Bachelor of Science in Computer
Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and Masters in Computer Science from
the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), in Chicago, IL USA. He joined Cisco back in 2001 in Chicago, IL
USA. He has many years of experience in the area of Information Technology, supported by industry
and Cisco certifications, Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE). Osama enjoys Volunteering,
Reading, Volleyball, Swimming, Traveling, Teaching, Coaching, and Development.
Zakaria Maamar, Ph.D.
Dr. Zakaria Maamar is Professor in and Acting Dean of the College of Technological Innovation at
Zayed University. His research interests are primarily related to service sciences theories and methods,
context-aware computing, and enterprise systems interoperability. Dr. Maamar has published
several peer-reviewed papers in journals and conferences, is the founder of the International Annual
Symposium on Web Services (www.zu.ac.ae/wss), and regularly serves on the program and organizing
committees of several international conferences and workshops. In 2010, he received an IBM Faculty
Award to carry out research on social Web services. Dr. Maamar graduated for his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in
Computer Sciences from Laval University in Canada in 1995 and 1998, respectively.
8th ANNUAL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON
APPLIED COMPUTING
www.urc.ac