Fakhry Khellah

Associate Professor | Data Science & Image Processing Expert | Academic Leader
Riyadh, SA.

About

Highly accomplished Associate Professor and seasoned academic leader with over two decades of experience in Computer Science, specializing in Data Science, Machine Learning, Image Processing, and Software-Defined Networks. Proven expertise in driving research initiatives, curriculum development, and strategic academic administration, including successful ABET accreditation efforts. Committed to advancing technological education and fostering innovation through impactful research and dedicated mentorship.

Work

Prince Sultan University
|

Associate Professor

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Led comprehensive instruction in diverse computer science disciplines, including data communications, discrete mathematics, and programming, fostering academic excellence and student development.

Highlights

Delivered comprehensive instruction across 9+ core computer science courses, including Data Communications, Machine Learning, and Java Programming, educating hundreds of students.

Designed and updated curriculum for critical subjects like Network Operations and Management and Digital Design, ensuring alignment with industry standards and academic rigor.

Mentored and guided students in advanced topics, including Computer Architecture and CISCO CCNA, preparing them for professional careers in technology.

Integrated practical applications and theoretical concepts to enhance student comprehension and problem-solving skills in complex computational fields.

Prince Sultan University
|

CS Department ABET Steering Committee Coordinator

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Coordinated the Computer Science Department's ABET accreditation efforts, ensuring adherence to rigorous engineering and technology education standards.

Highlights

Led strategic planning and documentation for ABET accreditation, streamlining processes to meet stringent quality and educational benchmarks.

Facilitated cross-functional collaboration among faculty and administration, aligning departmental objectives with accreditation requirements.

Implemented robust assessment methodologies to evaluate program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement in curriculum and student outcomes.

Prince Sultan University
|

CCIS Quality Assurance Committee Chair

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Chaired the College of Computer and Information Sciences Quality Assurance Committee, overseeing standards for academic programs and operational excellence.

Highlights

Directed quality assurance initiatives for the College of Computer and Information Sciences, enhancing academic program integrity and operational efficiency.

Developed and enforced quality metrics and review processes, leading to improved educational outcomes and compliance with institutional standards.

Collaborated with departmental chairs to implement best practices, ensuring consistent high quality across all college offerings.

Prince Sultan University
|

CCIS Graduate Programs Director

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Directed graduate programs within the College of Computer and Information Sciences, overseeing curriculum development, student admissions, and academic progress.

Highlights

Administered and enhanced graduate programs, increasing program enrollment and optimizing student support services.

Spearheaded curriculum revisions and new program initiatives, aligning offerings with industry demands and research advancements.

Managed admissions processes and academic advising for graduate students, contributing to a 10% improvement in student retention rates.

Prince Sultan University
|

Computer Science Dept. Chairman

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Chaired the Computer Science Department, providing strategic leadership for faculty, curriculum, and research initiatives.

Highlights

Provided strategic leadership as Department Chairman, overseeing faculty development, curriculum enhancements, and departmental operations for 2 years.

Managed departmental budget and resources, optimizing allocation to support research projects and educational programs.

Recruited and mentored new faculty members, contributing to a 15% growth in departmental research output.

Prince Sultan University
|

Information Systems Dept. Chairman

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Chaired the Information Systems Department, leading academic and administrative functions to advance program quality and faculty collaboration.

Highlights

Directed the Information Systems Department, overseeing academic planning, faculty evaluations, and student affairs for a two-year tenure.

Implemented new academic policies to enhance program efficiency and student engagement, resulting in improved course completion rates.

Fostered inter-departmental collaborations to broaden research opportunities and strengthen the academic portfolio of the department.

Canada Center for Remote Sensing
|

Researcher

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Summary

Developed advanced algorithms for Automatic Target Detection and Recognition (ATR) in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, contributing to search and rescue efforts.

Highlights

Engineered and optimized algorithms for Automatic Target Detection and Recognition (ATR) in SAR images, enhancing detection accuracy for critical applications.

Applied developed algorithms to support search and rescue operations, significantly improving the efficiency of locating crashed aircraft.

Conducted rigorous testing and validation of algorithmic performance, ensuring reliability and robustness in diverse environmental conditions.

University of Waterloo
|

Research Assistant

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Summary

Developed statistical algorithms for large-scale static and dynamic estimation problems, specifically applied to estimating sea surface temperature using satellite measurements.

Highlights

Developed sophisticated statistical algorithms for large-scale static and dynamic estimation, improving data accuracy for complex environmental modeling.

Applied novel algorithms to analyze satellite measurements, enabling more precise estimation of sea surface temperature.

Contributed to research that advanced the understanding of oceanic thermal dynamics, leading to improved climate modeling capabilities.

University of Waterloo
|

Teaching Assistant: Digital Design

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Summary

Supported undergraduate education in Digital Design, delivering tutorials, supervising labs, and mentoring students.

Highlights

Prepared and delivered engaging one-hour tutorials for Digital Design courses, enhancing student comprehension of complex concepts.

Supervised laboratory exercises, providing hands-on guidance to students and ensuring effective practical application of theoretical knowledge.

Mentored students and assisted with exam preparation, contributing to improved academic performance and understanding.

University of Waterloo
|

Teaching Assistant: Pattern Recognition

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Summary

Assisted in the preparation and presentation of Pattern Recognition course materials, including manuscript typesetting and technical figure generation.

Highlights

Prepared and organized pattern recognition manuscripts, ensuring accuracy and clarity for student learning materials.

Created and refined illustrative technical figures, enhancing the visual comprehension of complex pattern recognition concepts.

Contributed to the development of high-quality educational resources, supporting effective instruction and student engagement.

Information Center, Ministry of Communications
|

System support engineer

Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Summary

Provided critical system support, ensuring operational efficiency and reliability for the Ministry of Communications' information systems.

Highlights

Managed and maintained complex information systems, ensuring high availability and optimal performance for daily operations.

Provided technical support and troubleshooting for system users, resolving issues efficiently to minimize downtime.

Implemented system upgrades and maintenance procedures, contributing to enhanced system security and functionality over a 7-year period.

Education

University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Ph.D.

Systems Design Engineering

Courses

Thesis title: Large Scale 2D Dynamic Estimation

University of Bradford
Bradford, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Master of Philosophy

Electrical Engineering

Courses

Thesis title: Optical Arabic Character Recognition

University of Petroleum and Minerals
Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

B.Sc.

Computer Engineering

Grade: 3.54/4.00

Courses

High Honor

Awards

Ontario Graduate Scholarship

Awarded By

Government of Ontario

Awarded for one year of outstanding academic achievement in graduate studies.

Faculty of Engineering / University Graduate Scholarship

Awarded By

University of Waterloo

Received 7 scholarships in total over the course of graduate studies for academic excellence.

Undergraduate Honor Awards

Awarded By

University of Petroleum and Minerals

Received 9 awards in total during undergraduate studies for exceptional academic performance.

Publications

Control Plane Packet-In Arrival Rate Analysis for Denial-of-Service Saturation Attacks Detection and Mitigation in Software-Defined Networks

Published by

Arabian Journal of Science and Engineering, Springer

Summary

Research on detecting and mitigating Denial-of-Service saturation attacks in Software-Defined Networks by analyzing control plane packet arrival rates.

Texture image Denoising Using Dominant Neighborhood Structure

Published by

Arabian Journal of Science and Engineering, Springer

Summary

Study on denoising texture images by leveraging the dominant neighborhood structure for improved clarity and detail preservation.

Application of Local Binary Pattern to Windowed Nonlocal Means Image Denoising

Published by

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer

Summary

Exploration of applying Local Binary Pattern in conjunction with Windowed Nonlocal Means for enhanced image denoising techniques.

Texture Classification using Dominant Neighborhood Structure

Published by

IEEE Transactions on Image Processing

Summary

Investigation into classifying textures based on their dominant neighborhood structure, contributing to advancements in image processing.

Statistical Processing of Large Scale Image Sequences

Published by

IEEE Transactions on Image Processing

Summary

Research on statistical methods for processing large-scale image sequences, enhancing efficiency and accuracy in image analysis.

Detection of crashed aircraft in polarimetric imagery

Published by

Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing

Summary

Study on utilizing polarimetric imagery for the detection of crashed aircraft, relevant for remote sensing and search and rescue.

Synthetic Aperture Radar for Search and Rescue: Evaluation of Advanced Capabilities in Preparation for RADARSAT-2

Published by

Proceedings of Automatic Target Recognition XII

Summary

Evaluation of advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capabilities for search and rescue operations, in preparation for the RADARSAT-2 mission.

Efficient Interpolation of Large Image Sequences

Published by

Proc. of IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Summary

Development of efficient interpolation techniques for large image sequences, presented at a leading geoscience and remote sensing symposium.

Data-fusion of Sea Surface Temperature

Published by

IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Summary

Research on data fusion techniques for sea surface temperature, presented at the IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

Large Scale Dynamic Estimation of Ocean Surface Temperature

Published by

IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Summary

Study on large-scale dynamic estimation methods for ocean surface temperature, presented at the IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

Arabic Character Recognition for Hexagonally Sampled Data

Published by

Arabian Journal of Science and Engineering

Summary

Research on developing Arabic character recognition systems for hexagonally sampled data.

Certificates

ABET CAC Program Evaluator (PEV)

Issued By

ABET

CEH-Certified Ethical Hacking (Attendance Certificate)

Issued By

EC-Council

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Issued By

Cisco

Cisco Certified Trainer

Issued By

Cisco

Skills

Research & Analysis

Data Science, Machine Learning, Statistical Digital Signal Processing, Image Processing, Software Defined Networks, Algorithm Development, Remote Sensing, Pattern Recognition, Data Fusion, Quantitative Analysis.

Programming Languages & Tools

Java Programming Language, Python Programming Language, MATLAB.

Networking

CCNA Certified, Data Communications, Network Operations and Management, Software Defined Networks.

Academic Leadership & Administration

ABET Accreditation, Quality Assurance, Curriculum Development, Graduate Program Management, Department Chair, Faculty Development, Strategic Planning, Budget Management, Student Mentorship.

Computer Systems

Digital Design, Computer Architecture, Computer Organization & Assembly Language, System Support.