Annual Report 2024

DEAN’S FOREWORD

🔹 Academic Excellence:

Dear Esteemed Colleagues,

It is a true honor to address you as the Dean of the College of Science. I am grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me over the past year, and I carry this responsibility with deep commitment. I would also like to sincerely thank my predecessors for their outstanding leadership. Thanks to their efforts, our College has grown and thrived, and I am privileged to build on their legacy. As we move forward, my vision for our College stands firmly on three pillars: academic excellence, community engagement, and innovation.

We will continue to create a vibrant, interactive learning environment where students are challenged to reach their highest potential. We’ll regularly evaluate and enhance our programs to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world, ensuring our students develop both academic knowledge and practical skills through active, hands-on learning opportunities. We aim to prepare graduates who are not only well-educated but also well-equipped for the future.

🔹 Community Engagement:

We will strengthen our role beyond the classroom. Our College is not just an academic institution—it’s part of a larger community. We will build strong partnerships with local organizations, government entities, industry leaders, and our alumni. Through service learning, outreach programs, and volunteer initiatives, we will ensure our students and faculty are making meaningful contributions to society.

🔹 Innovation:

We are committed to fostering a culture of creativity and experimentation. We will create an environment where new ideas are encouraged, and bold thinking is the norm. Through pioneering research and innovative problem-solving, we will position our College as a leader in addressing real-world challenges.

These pillars are not just goals—they are the foundation for everything we do. Together, we will empower our students, inspire our faculty, and create a lasting positive impact on our society.

I deeply appreciate the dedication, hard work, and collaborative spirit of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and trusted partners. Your efforts are the reason we have come this far, and I am confident that with your continued support, we will reach even greater heights.

Thank you for your commitment to our College and to our shared mission.

Dr. Talal Al Hosni
College of Science. Dean

Dean’s Office Staff

Ms. Raya Al-Maawali
Head of Coordination Team

Ms. Siham Al-Shiyadi Coordinator

Ms. Shorooq Al-Busaidi Coordinator

College Administration Staff

Mr. Ibrahim Al-Saifi Administrative Director

Ms. Rahma Al Harrasi Assistant Director

Ms. Noora Al-Ghafri
Clerk

Mr. Issa Al-Hinai

Clerk

Mr. Haitham Awlad-Thani Messenger

Mr. Nabeel Al Abri Messenger

Mr. Sultan Al-Amri (Photocopying Office)

Mr. Mazin Al Harthi Bookstore

College Superintendent

Ms. Fadhila Al Mabsali

ASSISTANT DEAN’S OFFICE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

Office Staff

Abir Al Hajri
Assistant Prof.,Assistant Dean (UGS)
(PhD, The University of British
Columbia, Canada)

Maladh Al-Yousfi
Student Affairs Specialist

Fatma Al-Farsi
Clerk

Contacts
Mailing Address
Sultan Qaboos University
College of Science
Assistant Dean Office for Undergraduate Studies
PO Box: 36, Postal Code: 123
Al-Khoudh
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Telephone & Fax:

Tel. Number: (+968) 24141403, 24142241,
24141402
Email: [email protected]
Website:

http://www.squ.edu.om/science/About/Assistants-
Deans/Assistant-Dean-for-Undergraduate-studies

Office Overview

The Office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies plays
a pivotal role in fostering student success and enriching their
learning experience from the day of admission to the time of
graduation. One of its primary functions is to deliver essential
services to both students and faculty members, catering to the
academic and professional requirements of SQU students,
including those enrolled in College of Science courses.

Its array of responsibilities is comprehensive, ranging from
overseeing admission, registration, and new student orientation to
managing students’ major selections, advancing curriculum
design and development, and supervising the establishment and
review of degree and minor programs. Furthermore, the office
aids in facilitating accreditation processes of college’s degree
programs, assisting with College courses scheduling and mid-
semester examinations, overseeing academic advising within the
College, and offering counseling and support to students on
probation. The ADUGS office maintains collaborative
relationships with counterparts in other SQU colleges and the
Deanship of Admissions and Registration.

These tasks are efficiently executed with the support of College
committees such as the College Curriculum Committee,
Timetabling Committee, Academic Advising Committee, and the
Choice-of-Major Committee. Each committee includes a
representative from every department within the college, serving
as a crucial liaison between the ADUGS office and their
respective department concerning all undergraduate academic
matters.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The College has continued to maintain a high standard and rigorous teaching and assessment scheme. In 2024, 495 undergraduate students were admitted to the college bringing the total number of enrolled science students to 2712.

UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING SUMMARY

The total number of registrations per semester has exceeded thirteen thousands in both Spring and Fall 2024.

MAJORS AND MINORS

Students in the College of Science are able to select from a choice of 11 Majors. Additionally, 13 Minors are available to Science students.

MAJORS

The available majors in the College of Science are listed below:

The number of students in each of these majors by the end of 2024 are summarized in the left chart while the right chart illustrates the ratio between the majored and non-majored students.

MINORS

The possible minors for science students are listed below:

^* The Minor in Business is offered by the College of Economics and Political Science, and the Minor in Soil & Water Sciences is offered by the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences.

DEGREE PLANS

New courses developed in the departments were discussed and approved, and existing courses were reviewed and modified when necessary. Two new minors have been proposed and are currently undergoing review and approval at the college level. Upon approval by the Undergraduate Studies Committee, these minors will become active.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

There are 29 international students registered for undergraduate courses in the College of Science.

DEAN’S LIST

Among all the responsibilities of the Office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies, overseeing the ceremony honoring students named on the Dean’s List brings me the greatest satisfaction. My sincere congratulations to the 165 students in Spring 2024 and 197 students in Fall 2024 who have earned a place on the Dean’s List.

UNIVERSITY DAY AWARDS – COLLEGE OF SCIENCE BEST STUDENTS 2024

Two graduating students received the Best Student Award:

UNIVERSITY DAY AWARDS – COLLEGE OF SCIENCE BEST TEACHERS 2024

Three faculty members were awarded the Best-Teacher Award:

UNIVERSITY DAY AWARDS – COLLEGE OF SCIENCE BEST ADVISOR 2024

One faculty member received the Best Advisor Award:

ADVISING

The College faculty continued to provide valuable support to students in Science and Science & Mathematics Education through academic advising. In total 136 faculty served as advisors for undergraduate students. This activity was coordinated by the Office of the Assistant Dean. It was an important part of our academic culture and critical for students, especially those in the early years of study.

GRADUATES

360 College of Science students received their BSc Degree during the Graduation ceremony in Fall 2024.

^∗ Some advisors are assigned both major and pre-major students as their advisees.

OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT DEAN FOR TRAINING & COMMUNITY SERVICE

Tariq Mohiuddin Ghulam
Assistant Dean for Training and
Community Service
Associate Professor, Physics
Department

Fathiya Al-Hamadani
Clerk

Abdullah Al-Balushi
Coordination & Follow-up &
Archieve Specialist ©

Contacts
Mailing Address
Sultan Qaboos University
College of Science
Assistant Dean Office for
Training and Community
Services
PO Box: 36, PC: 123 Al-Khoudh
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Telephone & Fax:
Tel Number: (+968) 24142278
Fax Number: (+968) 24413415
Email: [email protected]
(Fathiya Al-Hamadani)
Website:

http://www.squ.edu.om/scienc
e/Training-Community-Service

Office Overview

The Office of the Assistant Dean for Training and

Community Services (ADTCS) facilitates staff and student
training, community services, and student activities in the
College of Science. My administrative team consists of Mr.
Abdullah Al-Balushi (Coordination & Follow-up & Achieve
Specialist) and Ms. Fathyia Al-Hamadani (clerk) who play a
very crucial role in coordinating all activities and services
offered by the office. The office of ADTCS is supported by
committees for each activity consisting of a representative
from each department or unit in the college. The
representatives serve as focal points, links in the
departments and units, and liaise all matters related to the
staff and student training, student activities, short courses,
workshops, and other community services.

ADTCS COMMITTEES

ADTCS tasks are administered and coordinated via a number of committees at the college level. Each committee includes representatives from all academic departments in the college and/or the college’s administrative units. The committees are appointed by the College Board every academic year. This section lists the committees and their members for the academic year 2023/2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

The year 2024 witnessed several high-impact activities at the Office of the ADTCS:

• 20th Science Festival Launch Ceremony, The launch ceremony of the 20th Science Festival was held at the University Tower Plaza to officially unveil the festival's identity.
• The College of Science held the opening ceremony of the 20th Science Festival on February 18, 2024, under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Mona bint Fahd Al Said. The event was organized by the Student Activities Group in the College of Science.
• Organized a LinkedIn Workshop titled “LinkedIn Essentials” delivered by the talented Eng. Zainab Al-Fazari, a prominent LinkedIn content creator. The workshop focused on building a professional digital presence and networking effectively within the professional community.
• Launched the Scientific Festival Leaders Bootcamp in collaboration with the Student Activities Group. The first day included a knowledge-sharing session with leaders of previous scientific festivals to exchange experiences and insights.
• Kicked off the "Research Capabilities Showcase" Program to initiate fruitful collaboration with local company representatives. The program featured research presentations and lab tours highlighting the college’s advanced equipment and technologies relevant to national needs and knowledge-based economic growth.
• Student Participation in the Majors Exhibition, Supervised the participation of students in the Majors Exhibition in collaboration with the Office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies.
• Held an Open Student Forum with the Dean, Dr. Talal Al-Hosani, to discuss students' challenges and gather suggestions. The session was moderated by Abdullah Al-Balushi and focused on open dialogue and responsive support.
• Launched the "Leadership in Student Activities" Program, aimed at developing leadership and innovation skills for student activity leaders. The program spanned 4 days between 23 September and 2 October 2024.
• The Office of the Assistant Dean for Training and Community Service met with three private-sector companies — ALS Arabia Lab, Code Academy, and Transom Handling — to explore opportunities for collaboration in training and community engagement.

STAFF TRAINING

The Centre of Human Resources Development provided several opportunities for staff members to advance their knowledge and skills through in-house and external training programs:

• A total of 112 college staff members received training during 2024 through in-house, local, and international programs. Among them, 3 staff members were trained abroad in Finland, the Netherlands, and Japan..

STUDENT TRAINING

The essence of summer training or industrial placement is to apply acquired scientific knowledge to everyday practical experiences. Not only does this exercise equip students with a new set of skills but it also introduces them to real-life work conditions and maximises opportunities on the job market. Student training is a compulsory component in some degree programmes such as, applied chemistry, computer science and medical physics, necessitating the involvement of the Student Training Committee to seek out training opportunities that best meet the stipulated degree requirements. Students in other degree programs usually make their own initiatives to secure training opportunities.

The chart below shows a summary of training opportunities for students during 2023/2024. The places providing the largest numbers of training opportunities to our students were: Decoil System,CGG Services, United Integrated Lababrotories, Lonestar Alpha Laboratories, Code Academy, Ministry of Defense, Gulf Testing Solutions Enterprise, ALS Arabia Biyaq, and various government institutions.

EIDAAD STUDENT TRAINING PROGRAM

Eidaad is a national program to allow students to train for a period of one full academic year in the industry or other enterprises. The student is then required to return to SQU and complete his or her degree. In 2024, 15 students from the college were accepted in the program.

COMMUNITY SERVICES

• The College provided training for 28 students from other higher education institutions.
• The College facilitated 51 school visits to different departments .
• The office cooperated with the college administration in organizing the Sports Day, which aims to encourage students and staff to be active and healthy and also bring them together in a informal setting
• The Student Activities Group at the College of Science organized an event to welcome new students admitted to the university.
• The college, represented by the student activities group, celebrated the 53rd National Day. The celebration included decorating the college with the flags of the Sultanate and inviting restaurants, cafes, and home projects to participate in the event.
• The student activities group in the college organized a blood donation campaign in cooperation with the University Blood Bank.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES & ACHIEVEMENTS

The College’s Student Society (CSSS) and the Departmental Student Groups provide a platform to demonstrate everyday science and provide an outlet to have fun and reach out to the community. Activities are organized by student committees and include workshops, seminars, exhibitions, and competitions. The student group leaders in the academic year 2023/2024 are:

Science Society Rawan AL Salami		Chemistry Group Yahya Al Balushi
Computer Science Group Tariq Al Riyami		Earth Science Group Fatma AL Mamari
Mathematics Group Mawada Al Shukaili		Physics Group Abdul Malik Al mahrouqi

Total number of activities in 2023:

The main activities in the year 2023/2024 were:

• The 19^th Science Festival: held during the period 18-22/Feb/2024.

• Kids Science Activities

• Other Main Activities

ASSISTANT DEAN’S OFFICE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

Office Staff

Aliya Al Ansari
Associate Prof., Assistant Dean for
Postgraduate studies and Research

Ibrahim Al Abri
Clerk

Aisha Al Balushi
Clerk

Contacts
Mailing Address
Sultan Qaboos University
College of Science
Assistant Dean Office for Postgraduate Studies
PO Box: 36, Postal Code: 123, Al-Khoudh
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Telephone & Fax:

Tel. Number: (+968) 24141475, 24142268,
24141470
Email: [email protected]
Website:

https://www.squ.edu.om/science/About/Assistants-
Deans/Assistant-Dean-for-Postgraduate-Research

Office Overview

The office of ADPSR acts as the focal point between the College
of Science with both the Deanship of Research and the Deanship
of postgraduate studies. Our mission is to develop strategies to
attract research funding with parties outside SQU such as
industry, government. Etc to develop collaborations with
researchers in CoS regional and internationally. Our office offers
all the support needed for researchers and try to retrieve the
research spirit among staff and postgraduate students.

The College currently offers seven PhD programs in
chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Earth Science, Biology,
Statistics and Mathematics. The CoS also offer MSc programs in
Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer Science, Data Science &
Machine Learning, Stats, Petroleum Geophysics, Pure
Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Environmental Sciences.
These programs are regularly reviewed and some of them have
received accreditation from international institutions.

Our office monitor with the help of program coordinators in each
department, the study and research progression of all
postgraduate students and offer assistance and advices. Our
postgraduate students have a reputation for excellence in higher
scientific education.

RESEARCH GRANTS HIGHLIGHTS

In 2024, research funding saw a significant increase, with 65 projects receiving about 400,000 OMR, compared to 46 projects funded by 225,730 OMR in 2023. The primary sources of funding include internal grants (IG), Collaborative research, and Research Council strategic grants (TRC). Five postgraduate projects and three final-year projects were supported by TRC in 2024 and seven were supported by the deanship of research.

PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

The College commitment to academic excellence and international recognition is evident in the higher conference presentations/proceedings (118), books (15) book chapters (11), and refereed journal articles (269). Notably, the Department of Physics led with 67 scientific publications, followed by the Department of Chemistry with 59 publications.

POSTGRADUATES HIGHLIGHTS

In 2024, 114 postgraduate students were admitted across various departments and programs, as detailed in the table below. This year, 31 MSc and 14 PhD students successfully graduated from the College.

POSTGRADUATE PUBLICATIONS

Postgraduate students collectively published 25 research papers, with contributions from 10 MSc and 15 PhD students.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In 2024, there are 18 international students registered in postgraduate programs in the College of Science.

Admititted International Postgraduate Studnets

Department of Biology

OVERVIEW

The Department of Biology was established in 1986 and is considered one of the pioneering departments within the College of Science. Initially, it offered a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Biology. Today, the Department offers two BSc programs: BSc in Biotechnology and BSc in Environmental Biology. At the postgraduate level, the Department runs two Master of Science (MSc) programs—MSc in Biology and MSc in Environmental Sciences—and also offers a PhD program in Biology. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students, the Department provides service courses to students from the Colleges of Agriculture, Education, and Medicine. It remains at the forefront of biological research in the Sultanate.

The Department of Biology offers a range of courses from basic to applied sciences, which fulfill the requirements of students from the College of Science and other colleges. The curriculum is designed in such a way to provide knowledge, to teach the students how to design, conduct, and interpret scientific research, and to make the students think critically and ethically about biological research and its social impact. The curriculum makes the students competent to start their profession and prepares them for higher studies. The teaching and research labs are well-equipped, and a reasonable number of students are pursuing graduate and postgraduate studies. The Department of Biology is committed to teaching modern biological sciences and conducting quality research as well. The staff are active in teaching and research, and many have funded projects supported by various organizations. The faculty members and supporting technical staff are trained in multiple disciplines of biology, with an emphasis on experimental and environmental biology.

CONTACTS

Telephone & Fax:

Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HoD Office

Raeid Abed

Professor, HoD
(PhD, Bremen,
Germany)

Fatema Al Jabri
Coordinator
Balaqis Al Fazari
Coordinator

Library & Textbook

Prof. Mahmoud Yaish

Social Activities

Dr. Hamada Ali

Dr. Aisha Al Khayat Al Shehi

Dr. Kamel Chibani

MS. Fatema Al Jabri

Ms. Balqees Al-Fazari

Timetabling

Dr. Aziz Al Habsi

Dr. Aisha Al Khayat Al Shehi

Technical Staff

Training

Prof. Raeid Abed

Prof. Mahmoud Yaish

Dr. Huda Al Battashi

Student Project Evaluation

Dr. Michael Barry

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Dr. Adnan Tahir conducted a two-week (Sep and Oct 2024) workshop on Whole Genome Sequence data and Population Genomics Analysis in the College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University.
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto was Interviewed by CNN Arabic TV. https://arabic.cnn.com/travel/video/2024/11/07/v158250-erika-cuellar-oman-biodiversity
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto was featured by MASDAR, celebrating International Women’s Day. https://youtu.be/FJXcaSUAClw?feature=shared.
• Dr. Khalsa Al Husaini obtained the PGR Incentive Fund Award, Manchester, UK.
• Dr. Khalsa Al Husaini was selected by the Future Leaders Program, Royal Academy of Management, for a high-level international professional leader training program in Japan.
• Dr. Hamada Elsayed Ali received a three-month fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation as a visiting scientist in the Department of Plant Biodiversity, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany.
• Dr. Hamada Elsayed Ali gained a certificate of higher education teaching and learning (CHETL) from Sultan Qaboos University.
• Dr. Hameed Sulaiman served on the accreditation committee of the Institute of Environmental Sciences, UK.
• Dr. Hameed Sulaiman served on the executive committee of the Community of Environmental Disciplines in Higher Education (CEDHE) UK.
• Dr. Huda Al Battashi conducted a workshop for high school students of Al-
  Andalus Private School, 26th October 2024.
• Dr. Huda Al Battashi, Dr. Adnan Taher and Dr. Sivakumar Nallusamy
  (Emerging Technologies Committee) organized workshop on ‘’Virtual Reality
  (VR) (26th August 2024) and Workshop on GenAI in teaching (3rd October 2024).

• Dr. Sirin Adham conducted a workshop for high school students of the American International School of Muscat (TAISM), May 2024.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• Dr Aliya Alansari was awarded the Best Paper Award by Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal during SQU University Day 2024.
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto was invited to participate in the Royal Geographical Society Explore Symposium.
• Dr. Lamya Al Haj was awarded the Oman Sustainability Award in April 2024.
• Dr. Lamya Al Haj received the “Best Community Service Award” in May 2024.
• Prof. Mahmoud Yaish was recognized as one of the top 2% most influential scientists worldwide in the 2024 list of Stanford University, USA.
• Prof. Mahmoud Yaish was recognized among the top 0.5% most influential scientists globally and ranked 6th worldwide for date palm research in the 2024 ScholarGPS (USA) ranking.
• Prof. Raeid Abed was elected Vice President of the Middle East Society for Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology (MEsME).
• Prof. Raeid Abed was recognized as one of the top 2% most influential scientists worldwide in the 2024 list of Stanford University, USA.
• Dr. Sivakumar Nallusamy received the "Best Researcher Award" during SQU University Day 2024.
• Dr. Sivakumar Nallusamy was recognized as one of the top 2% most influential scientists worldwide in the 2024 list of Stanford University, USA.

New APPOINTMENTS

• Mr. Khalid Al-Shukaili, Laboratory Technician (BSc., SQU, Oman, 2024).

RETURNING STAFF

• Dr. Khalsa B Al Husaini, Assistant Professor, PhD (Manchester, UK, 2024), Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, Medicine and Health (Biotechnology)
  Thesis title: Development of Alginate-Based Bioinks to Model Prostate Cancer in
  vitro

SEMINARS/ WORKSHOPS

• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto, Co-organized workshop titled “Social-Emotional Learning to advance academic skills and competency for graduating students”, Independent Learning Center (ILC).
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto, coordinated with Mr. Nasser Al Ismaili, the Director of the Forecasting and Multi-Hazard Early Warning System, to deliver a seminar on natural disasters (tsunamis).
• Prof. Raeid Abed delivered a keynote speech at the mini-symposium “Microbes and climate change: shaping the future of our planet” organized by the Per-Ankh Foundation in Egypt.
• Dr. Sivakumar Nallusamy participated as an invited speaker in the 65^th Annual International Conference of the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Hisar, Haryana, November 14-17, 2024.
• Dr. Sivakumar Nallusamy chaired two sessions at the 65th Annual International Conference of the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), Hisar, Haryana, November 14-17, 2024.

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department received the following academic staff as Visiting Consultants:

Spring 2024:

• Dr. Hilal Al Shekaili, PhD (Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Canada, 2020)
• Dr. Kawther Al Balushi, PhD (Marine Science, Newcastle University, UK, 2018).
• Dr. Noura Al Zeheimi, PhD (Biology, University of Sultan Qaboos, Oman, 2019).
• Dr. Samiya Al-Jaaidi, PhD (Biological Sciences, University of New England, Australia, 2008).
• Dr. Shaima Al Khabouri, PhD (Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, UK, 2020).
• Mr. Abdallah Al Badi, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2022)
• Mr. Ahmed Al Omari, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2022)

Fall 2024:

• Dr. Kawther Al Balushi, PhD (Newcastle University, Marine Science, UK, 2018)
• Dr. Neelam Sherwani, PhD (Punjabi University, Plant Physiology, India, 2004)
• Dr. Samiya Al-Jaaidi, PhD (Biological Sciences, University of New England, UK, 2008).
• Dr. Zakiya Al Afifi, PhD (York University, Environmental Science, UK, 2018)
• Mr. Ahmed Al Omari, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2022)
• Mr. Mohammed Abdawani, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2024)
• Ms. Aisha Al Shehi, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2024)
• Ms. Khoula Al Taei, BSc (Biotechnology, SQU, 2015)
• Ms. Shaima Al Saidi, MSc (Environmental Engineering, SQU, 2023)

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

• Dr. Adnan Tahir constructed a scientific collaboration with Dr. Zeeshan Ali, College of Food Science and Technology, Bohai University, to explore the therapeutic effects of food-derived compounds.
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto established a collaboration and coordinated a workshop for over 100 students with Earthwatch Institute based in Oxford, UK. Four students secured spots in five-day science camps that offer immersive, expert-led training in science communication, community engagement, co-creation approaches like citizen science, and enhancing connection to nature.
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto started and coordinated a research collaboration with Poland, Montenegro, and the Netherlands Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Szczecin, Poland) studying a group of aquatic invertebrates as part of the biodiversity in the Middle East.
• Dr. Erika Cuellar Soto started coordinating a collaboration with a project working on the evolutionary history of the Oxycara genus. CIBIO-InBIO, Oporto University (Portugal), el Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Madrid, España), and the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (São Vicente, Cabo Verde).
• Prof. Mahmoud Yaish established a scientific collaboration with the University of Waterloo, Canada, and Qatar University to study plant microbiota.
• Prof. Mahmoud Yaish hosted a scientific visit in his laboratory by Dr. Ahlem Guettouch, Université Mohamed Boudiaf- M'sila, Algeria, November 2024.
• Dr. Sedky Hassan collaborated with Dr. El-Sayed Salama, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health, Lanzhou University, China.
• Dr. Sirin Adham hosted Mr. Owen Martin, an internship student from the University of Toronto, Canada.

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

Training opportunities for students in the Summer of 2021 are tabulated below:

EQUIPMENT RECEIVED

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Chemistry

Overview

The Department of Chemistry, established in 1986, offers a five-year Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Chemistry. The curriculum at the undergraduate level is designed to provide students with deep knowledge, practical skills and a logical approach required to begin their professional career right after graduation. The Department also offers a postgraduate program leading to a Master of Science in Chemistry and a Ph. D. degree in various fields of Chemistry. The research in the department covers many areas such as synthesis and characterization of organometallic and coordination compounds, natural products and organic synthesis, materials science, oil enhancement recovery, bio-physical chemistry, computational chemistry, microfluidics and nanotechnology, novel fluorogenic liquid crystalline materials and environmental chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry is one of the biggest department in the College of Science with 29 full time highly qualified academic staff with an extensive level of expertise covering a broad range of subject areas. Our staff are active in research, and many of them hold internally and externally funded research projects. The academic staff are also supported by a strong technical team consisting of 18 highly skilled technicians and a research associate. In addition, the department is very well equipped with various high-end instruments. Furthermore, the academic staff have access to instrumental and high performance computational facilities run by several scientific research centers on SQU campus.

Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HoD Office

Dr. Nawal K. Al-Rasbi
HoD
(Ph.D., Shefield, UK)

Nouf Al Lamki
Coordinator
Jawaher Al Badi
Coordinator

Advisory Board

Dr. Nawal Al-Rasbi

Prof. Haider Al-Lawati

Dr. Hamed Al Mamari

BSc Curriculum

Dr. John Husband

Dr. Saleh Al Busafi

Dr. Muna Al-Mandhary

Dr. Usama Al-Shanna

Prof. Younis Baqi

Post Graduate

MSc Studies:

Prof. Raid Abdul Jalil

Dr. Laila Al- Moqbali

Prof. Wajdi M. Zoghaib

Dr. Usana Al-Shanna

PhD Studies:

Prof. Muhammed Khan

Prof. Osama Abou-Zied

HIGHLIGHTS

Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj received the Certificate of Merit for supervising the Winning Research Projects of Omani Young Water Researchers Award from MEDRC (Middle East Desalination and Water Research Centre), Muscat, Sultanate of Oman (Undergraduate Category) on 17^th November, 2024.

Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj received the Prestigious Analytical Scientist Award from the Indian Society of Analytical Scientists at the International Analytical Science Congress 2024, which was held at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, INDIA.

DEPARTING STAFF

• Dr. Massimiliano Valentini (Associate Professor) concluded his contract and left the Department, in June 2024
• Mr. Ajith Varghese (Chemistry Stores technician) concluded his contract and left the Department, in December 2024
• Mrs. Maryam AL Jahwari transferred to the SQU Quality Assurance Office

APPOINTMENTS

• Dr. Samira Al-Hinai was appointed Assistant Professor in September 2024

PROMOTIONS

• Dr. Emad Khudaish (Associate Professor) was granted an academic promotion to the Professor rank in 2024.
• Dr. Wajdi Michel Zoghaib (Associate Professor) was granted an academic promotion to the Professor rank in 2024.

Prof. Wajdi Michel Zoghaib

SABBATICAL LEAVE

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj received the Certificate of Merit for supervising the Winning Research Projects of Omani Young Water Researchers Award from MEDRC (Middle East Desalination and Water Research Centre), Muscat, Sultanate of Oman (Undergraduate Category) on 17^th November, 2024.

Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj received the Prestigious Analytical Scientist Award from the Indian Society of Analytical Scientists at the International Analytical Science Congress 2024, which was held at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, INDIA.

University of South Africa (UNISA), Johannesburg, South Africa appointed Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj as Professor Extraordinaire as honorary position for the period from 2023 to 2026.

Dr. Imran Khan was the Recipient of the Best Researcher Award, Sultan Qaboos University (2024), in recognition of outstanding contributions to research and innovation.

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department had the following staff as Visiting Consultants or Part Time Instructors: Spring 2024:

Visiting Consultants:

• Prof. Hosein Mousavipour
• Dr. Iman Al Yahyai
• Dr. Sindhu Menon
• Dr. Reem Al Alawi

Part-Time Instructors (PhD Students):

• Ms. Aisha Al Musharafi
• Ms. Najat Al Riyami
• Mr. Said Al Ghawi

Fall 2024:

Visiting Consultants:

• Dr. Afaq Ahmad Tantray
• Dr. Sindhu Menon
• Dr. Reem Al Alawi
• Dr. Fatma Al Rubaiai

Part-Time Instructors (PhD Students):

• Ms. Aisha Al Musharafi
• Ms. Najat Al Riyami
• Mr. Said Al Ghawi
• Mrs. Kaltham Al Barhi

Part-Time Instructors:

• Dr. Nafisah Bagheri
• Dr. Syeda Naheed Furqan
• Dr. Buthaina Al Haddabi

CURRICULUM

• A number of new major-elective courses were approved by the department and college committees, and are ready for inclusion in the university timetable.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

The Department of Chemistry has been collaborating with universities abroad from inception. Following is a brief description of the ongoing collaborations faculty members are involved with:

• Dr. Massimiliano Valentini has a standing collaboration with Prof. Alceo Macchioni and his team from University of Perugia (Italy) in the area of catalytic water oxidation. The team is an internationally recognized group for the discovery of a new class of Ir (III) water soluble complexes active in the water oxidation reaction. Moreover, Dr. Valentini has an international collaboration with Prof. Elena Motti from the University of Parma (Italy) for the synthesis of cobalt complexes bearing the tripodal Klaui ligand.
• Prof. Osama Abou-Zied has a standing collaboration with many international researchers from Malaysia (Faisal Khyasudeen and Idayu Zahid, University of Malaya; Fadhilah Aripin, Universiti Teknologi MARA); UK (Alfonso Martinez-Felipe, University of Aberdeen, Scotland); Qatar University (Alaaldin Alkilany); United Arab Emirates University (Mohamed Al-Qenawi).
• Dr. Imran Hasan Syed continues his research collaboration with:
• Dr. Ashanl-ul-Haque at the University of Hail, Saudi Arabia.
• Dr. Mohammad A. Khasawneh, UAE University, United Arab Emirates.
• Dr. Aneela Maalik, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.
• Prof. Rengaraj Selvaraj has a standing collaboration with:
• Prof. Shankar. M.V, Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.
• Prof. Eveliina Repo, Laboratory of Separation and Purification Technology at Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland in the area of Purification Technology.
• Prof. Majeda Khraisheh, Department of Chemical Engineering, Qatar University, Qatar in the area of separation of Oil and Water.
• Prof. Younghun Kim’s lab at Kwangwoon University, Seoul, South Korea in the area of water and wastewater treatment.
• Dr. Kezhen Qi’s lab at Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, China in the area of Development of Nanostructured Materials.
• Prof. Bhekie B Mamba, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa in the area of Nanotechnology.

• Dr. Alex T. Kuvarega, Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa in the area of Nanotechnology.
• Prof. El-Said I. El-Shafey has a standing collaboration with Dr. Vijayalakshmi Velusamy and her team from Manchester Metropolitan University, UK in the nanotechnology and water treatment. This has led to 3 publications so far in the above field.
• Prof. Raid Abdel-Jalil
• Signed an Erasmus agreement with Krems University, Austria.
• Hosted two exchange students from IMC University, Krems, Austria in my lab.
• Applied for Erasmus agreements with:
• Antalya University, Turkey.
• Bochum University, Germany.
• Planned application for Erasmus with Lond University, Poland.
• Secured a mobility grant through Erasmus to visit Krems University in April 2024.
• Delivered a crash course during my 2024 visit to Krems University.
• Prof. Younis Baqi
• Prof. Christa E. Müller and her team from University of Bonn in the area of medicinal chemistry.
• Dr. Jörg D. Hoheisel and his team from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), in the area of oncology.
• Prof. Ahmed Abdula from Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq, in the field of organic synthesis and in-silico study.
• Secured a researched mobility grant for my international PhD student.
• Hosted my international PhD student from Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq in my lab.
• Prof. Musa Shongwe’s research on iron (III)-based spin-crossover materials has flourished due in part to collaborative research with Dr. Eckhard Bill of the Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany) on Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Prof. Shongwe is also conducting active research with Dr. Craig Robertson of the Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield (UK) on variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray analyses for both structural characterization and spin-state verification. Dr. Dariusz Matoga of the Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University (Poland) provides invaluable assistance with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and cyclic voltammetry.

up new research collaboration with Professor Liang Zhou from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in the area of lanthanide metal complexes for organic light emitting diode (OLED) application.

• Has set up new research collaboration with Dr. Jos D. L. Dutra at the Pople Computational Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, UFS, Brazil in the area of computational studies of lanthanide metals coordination chemistry.
• Dr. Wajdi Michael Zoghaib maintains his research collaboration with Prof. Tarek Abdallah at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt and Dr. Lee Wilson at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He also collaborates in Liquid Crystals research with Prof. D. M. Pothukuchi at Jawaher Lal Nehro University in India.
• Dr. Imran Khan Dr. Imran Khan has been actively engaged in research collaborations on the design and application of ionic liquids in strategic areas with Prof. João A.P. Coutinho, Dr. Mara G. Freire, and Dr. Ana Ferreira from Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal. Building on this collaboration, he expanded his research efforts in India, focusing on thermophysical properties and spectroscopy, working with Dr. Maroof Ali from Aligarh Muslim University, Dr. Ramesh Gardas from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and Dr. Santosh Terdale from Pune University, India. Furthermore, he is collaborating with Dr. Mustafa Saleh Nasser from Qatar University.
• Dr. Hamad Al Mamari continues international collaborations in the field of C-H bond functionalization with:
  • Professor Todd Marder, Institut für Anorganische Chemie, Julius-Maximilians- Universität, Würzburg, Germany.
  • Professor Eiichi Nakamura, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
  • Professor Naoto Chatani, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
  • Professor Bogdan Stafane, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 113, SI 1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  • Dr Laurean Ilies, Advanced Organic Synthesis Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science Bioscience Building, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351- 0198 Japan.
  • Professor Lutz Ackermann, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg- August Universität, Göttingen, Germany.

• Dr. Usama Alshana continues his research collaborations in the field of sample preparation and greener instrumentation with:
  • Prof. Dr. Nusret Ertaş from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey,
  • Prof. Dr. Mustafa Soylak and his research group from the Faculty of Science, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey,
  • Prof. Dr. Sezgin Bakırdere and his research group from the Faculty of Science, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey,
  • Dr. Jude Caleb, Dr, Mais Al-Nidawi, Dr. Salihu Ismail from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
  • Dr. Alshana has initiated collaboration on the field of elemental speciation with Prof. Dr. Ryszard Lobinski from the French National Research Center (CNRS) and Warsaw University of Technology.
• Prof. Haider Al Lawati has set up a new research collaboration with Dr. Ali Morsali, University of Tarbiat Mudares –Tehran about the novel application of metal-organic framework (MOF) in analytical chemistry. Prof. Al Lawati continued his research collaboration with Dr. Mortaza Iranifam. Dr. Iranifam is an associate professor in Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran. The collaboration aims at developing new chemiluminescence systems.
• Prof. FakhrEldin Suliman has collaboration with Prof Abdulla Elbashir of King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the area of chiral separation and the use of supramolecular chemistry in quantitative analysis.
• Dr. Arief C. Wibowo established long-term collaborations with the following groups with their specific specialties:
  • Prof. Kang Min Ok, Sogang University, S. Korea (Crystallography-Lab and Synchrotron, NLO)
  • Prof. Omar K. Farha, Northwestern University, USA (MOF-related in-depth measurements)
  • Prof. George Shimazu, Univ. of Calgary, Canada (Proton conductivity)

based fluorescent dyes, while her collaboration with Dr. Golobič has contributed to the characterization of molecular structures in single crystals, leading to a deeper understanding of the mechanism underlying the aggregation-induced emission phenomenon.

• Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmad Rehan continues his research collaborations in the field of nanocomposite materials, polymeric membranes with:
• Dr Adnan Syed University of Cranfield UK.
• Dr Lassad Gazzara, CEDT King Abdul-Aziz University Saudi Arabia
• Professor Dr Muhammad Zahid, University of Agriculture Faisalabad Pakistan.
• Dr. Isehaq Al-Nafai continues his collaboration with Prof. Kwadow Osseo-Asare from

The Pennsylvania State University, USA on the utilization of Pourbaix diagrams in the hydrometallurgy, corrosion and recycle of rare earth metals.

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

Training opportunities for students in the Summer of 2024 are tabulated below:

NEW EQUIPMENT

• Multispeed centrifuge (LABDeX, UK):

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Dr. Nawal Al-Rasbi

• Member of the National Chemistry Olympic for Young Student Committee at the Ministry of Education. Training High school students for the International Chemistry Olympic.

Dr. Laila Al-Maqbali

• Prepared an employment exam for the Ministry of Education for graduate teachers.
• Prepared a qualification exam for the Ministry of Education for education diploma candidates
• Attended OQF Capacity Building Workshop at The Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA).

Prof. El-Said El-Shafey

• Arranged a workshop for all SQU staff on chemicals management in laboratories and stores over a period of 3 days during May 2024.

Prof. Younis Baqi

• Maintains the advising and supervision of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry students who undergo “Summer Industrial Training” at national, regional or international companies and institutes.
• Maintains the advising and supervision of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry students who undergo “Eidad Internship” in industrial companies.

Prof. Haider Al Lawati:

• Published 35 popular science articles in Alroya newspaper and in scientific supplement of Oman newspaper
• Published a popular science book (زوايا غير مألوفة).
• Delivered several public lectures about Science development and science history and philosophy

Dr. Hamad Al-Mamari

• Wrote a popular article in Oman newspaper, Science section on organic chemistry and its connection with life entitled “Chemistry of Love and Death”.
• Wrote a popular article in SQU Imprint magazine, on Green Chemistry, entitled “Green Chemistry”.
• Delivered a chemistry lecture to the Chemistry Group entitled “Organic Chemistry and Life”.
• Delivered a chemistry lecture to the Chemistry Group entitled “Green Chemistry”.
• Wrote an article for Oman News Agency on “Green Ammonia”.
• In addition to existing YouTube channel, he recently recorded new videos in organic chemistry and uploaded them in my Facebook account which I solely established for the purpose of making such videos serve as a resource t chemistry students.
• Recorded new videos in heterocyclic chemistry and uploaded them in his Facebook account that he solely established for the purpose of making such videos serve as a resource for chemistry students.

Dr. Isehaq Al-Nafai:

• SQU representative and member of the National Committee for Hazardous Materials Sector, Public
• Conduct training for School students (through Ministry of Education) in preparation for International Chemistry Olympiad, July 2024.
• Conduct training for School students (through Ministry of Education) in preparation for GCC countries Chemistry Olympiad, October 2024.

Mr. Khaled Al-Maqbali

• Conducted an NMR workshop for job seekers organized by the Oman Chemistry Club
• Provided technical consultation of Royal Omani Armed Force officers.
• Supervised student company from Saham Vocational College

Mrs. Muna AL Balushi, Mrs. Ibtisam AL Ajmi and Mrs. Taiba AL Mahrooqi

• Collaborated with Ministry of Education for some experimental consultation and advices for Imam Saif bin Sultan School, Fatima bint AL Walieed and Introducing students to the industrial chemistry applications and the experiments we conduct for students at SQU.

Mr. Issa AL Maktumi

• Collaborated with Haya water company to replace and exchange some chemical equipment and substances

Mrs. Maryam AL Jahwari

• Conducted interesting experiments for Ministry of Education Schools like Um Warqa Alansary, Fatma bint Al Waleed, and Saif bin Sultan schools.

Shareef AL Hashemi

• Provided instrumental consultations for ROP Forensics Lab and Dhofar Private Lab and the National Pharmaceutical Industries company

Ms. Iman AL Lawati, Ms. Umayma AL Rashdi, and Ms. Diana Al Kiyumi

• Participating in the Youth Initiatives Exhibition on Omani Youth Day, where the Omani Chemical Club was selected as one of the best youth initiatives at the national level of the Sultanate.
• Preparation, organization, and participation in the Green Hydrogen Symposium.
• Participation in the Science and Artificial Intelligence Forum at Umm Al-Qura

School.

• Preparation, organization, and participation in a chemical hike with the Omani Chemical Club.
• Organizing the Values Laboratories program for the Steadfast Steps Foundation for camps
• Participating in the Chemical Day event at the Public Knowledge Library for Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science

Mrs. Ahood AL Numani

• Instructed students from the National University to perform experiments on photobio-reactor and tubular vertical photobio-reactor

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Computer Science

Overview

The Department of Computer Science at Sultan Qaboos University serves as a vibrant center for research and education, committed to advancing the field of computer science. With a vision to become a leading department in the region and achieve international recognition for excellence, it offers a comprehensive range of programs. These include undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, as well as postgraduate MSc programs in Computer Science, Data Science Machine Learning, and a Ph.D. program. Faculty members are deeply involved in both foundational and applied research within renowned research groups, focusing on areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Distributed Computing and Networks, Software Engineering, Web Computing, and Database Systems. Through these research initiatives, the Department addresses critical challenges in the field, fosters innovation, and equips students to make impactful contributions to industry, academia, and society.

Finally, the Department has a number of excellent laboratories with advanced facilities for teaching and research and also shares other facilities within the College and the University.

Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HoD Office

Abderezak Touzene
Professor, HoD
(PhD, Grenoble University, France))

Ms. Hiba Al-Busaidi
Clerk

Academic Promotion

Prof. Abderezak Touzene

Prof. Khaled Day

Prof. Zuhoor Al-Khanjari

Dr. Abdelhamid Abdessalem

Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamdani

Advisory Board

Prof. Abderezak

Touzene

Prof. Zuhoor Al-

Khanjari

Ms. Hiba Al-Busaidi

Appointment

Prof. Abderezak

Touzene

Prof. Khaled Day

Dr. Abdullah Al-

Hamdani

Dr. Abir Al-Hajri

Dr. Abdelhamid

HIGHLIGHTS

The year 2024 witnessed the following:

• The Department has proposed a new BSc in AI program. The program was approved in June 2024. The Department started offering the program in September 2024.
• The Department has one ongoing HM, one ongoing TRC, four IG, and one CRG.
• The department admitted 9 MSc candidates in CS and 8 bridging
• The department admitted 11 MSc candidates in DSML and 4 bridging
• One PhD student has successfully defended his PhD thesis and completed requirements for the degree.
• Four MSc students have successfully defended their respective thesis and completed the requirements for their degrees.
• The Computer Science students at SQU won the the first place in three out of four total categories in GenAI in Higher Education competition
• Two teams from the Department qualified and participated in The Africa and Arab Collegiate Programming Championship (ACPC 2023), which was held in Sharim El-Shaikh, Egypt in the first week of March 2024.
• The department organized an IEEE workshop on “Hands on Generative AI Workshop: From Foundations to Advanced LLMs and their Applications” from Dec 29-31, 2024. The workshop was funded by IEEE CIS and jointly conducted by faculty members of DCS and a resource person from Industry.

A total of 26 individuals attended the workshop, representing a number of institutions across Oman. The diversity of the participants contributed to a vibrant and engaging learning environment, enhancing the overall impact of the event

• DCS students Osama Al-Rawahi, Yusuf Al-Shuaili, Sanad Al-Salmi, and Sumaiya Al-Shamliya win top positions in The Second Edition of the Oman Drone Competition Enhanced with Artificial Intelligence.

.

• Dr. Abdelhamid Abdessalem was invited to give a talk on Deep Learning in the IEEE workshop “Hands on Generative AI Workshop: From Foundations to Advanced LLMs and their Applications”

NEW STAFF APPOINTMENTS

• Dr. Mohammed Kherfi, Dr. Noushath Shaffi and Dr. Hala Mulki, have joined our department

LEAVING STAFF

• None

SCHOLARSHIPS & OVERSEAS STUDIES

• The following students completed their PhD degrees in Computer Science in 2024
  • None
• The following students completed their MSc degrees in 2024:
  • Majda Al Rashdia successfully defended her MSc thesis under the supervision of Dr. Hamza Zidoum
  • Amira Al-Salhi successfully defended her MSc thesis under the supervision of Dr. Abdelhamid Abdessalem

PROMOTIONS

• None

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• DCS teams win first place in three categories of the Higher Education GenAI competition held at SQU and co-organized with codeAcademy
  • Teaching category: LectureMate project: a web app that uses LLMs to distill multilingual lecture notes, slides, videos, and other material into a concise summary and answer student questions about any part of the content Team: Alruhyl Alruheili and Fatima AlRaisi. Also, first place winner (tie) Siraj project by Almukhtar Alhinai that uses a LLM to create personalized learning experience
  • Research category Glance project Amr Almashani
  • Community service category: SQU-visor project a system that provides advice and consultation to students and staff. Team Malak AlBahri, Muhannad Almuwiti, Horiya AlBusaidi, and Dima Almawali
• Dr. Shadha Al-Amri and Dr. Asma Al-Saidi from the Department of Computer Science on receiving the Best Paper Award for their conference paper presented at the 9th International Conference on Information System Design & Intelligent Applications (ISDIA-2025), held in January 2025 at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), UAE. The awarded paper, titled "Genetics Inspection Tool: Intelligent Primer Design," is currently under editorial production by Springer-Nature for publication in

the Springer Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (LNNS) Series, which is indexed in Scopus.

• The paper “Feed-forward Networks Using Logistic Regression and SVM for Whole-Slide Breast Cancer Histopathology Image Classification” A. Karuppasamy, A. Abdessalem, R. Hadjam, H. Zidoum, and M. Al-Bahri, won the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation award 2024, for the best published research led by a PhD holder, in the Information and Communication Technology Sector. (11th cycle/2024).

VISITING CONSULTANTS AND PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department used the service of ten part-time staff in Spring and Fall 2023 respectively.

• Dr. Ziad Al Dawahda, COM3205
• Dr. Ahmed Al Kindi, COMP4501
• Dr. Asila Al Harthy, COMP2010
• Dr. Asmaa Al-Busaidi, COMP2101
• Dr. Faiza Al salti, COMP3502
• Dr. Iman Al Kindi, COMP2010
• Dr. Yahya Al Hadhrami, COMP3501
• Dr. Yahya Al-Sawafi, COMP2002, COMP1003
• Dr. Haitham Al Sinani, 4206
• Ms. Fatma Al-Shohoumi, COMP2010
• Mr. Hilal Al-Abdali, COMP1003, COMP2010, COMP2002
• Mr. Saud Al-Oreimi, COMP2010
• Mr. Yahya Al Riyami, COMP2010
• Mr. Salim Al Mautani, 2010

FALL 2023

• Dr. Ahmed Al Kindi, COMP4501
• Dr. Asmaa Al-Busaidi, COMP2101
• Dr. Huda Al Amri, COMP2101
• Dr. Faiza Al Salti, COMP3502
• Dr. Hilal Al Abdali, COMP1003, COMP2002
• Dr. Yahya Al-Sawafi, COMP2002, COMP1003
• Dr. Ibrahim Dhweib, COMP2202
• Dr. Shadha Al Amri, COMP3502
• Dr. Asila Al Harthy, COMP2010
• Ms. Fatma Al-Shohoumi, COMP2010
• Dr. Iman Al Kindi, COMP2010
• Mr. Salim Al Mautani, 2010
• Mr. Saud Al-Oreimi, COMP2010
• Mr. Ahmed Al Farsi, COMP2010
• Mr. Yahya Al Riyami, COMP2010

In addition, there were 25 and 33 student teaching assistants in Spring and Fall 2023 respectively.

CURRICULUM

• The Department has proposed a new BSc in AI program. The program was approved in June 2024. The Department started offering the program in September 2024.
• 26 new courses were developed for the new BSc in AI program including:
  • CSAI2600: Programming Fundamentals for Artificial Intelligence
  • CSAI3100: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • CSAI3101: Introduction to Machine Learning
  • CSAI3105: Information Retrieval and Text Analytics
  • CSAI4101: Deep Learning
  • CSAI4102: Mobile Robotics Programming 65

• CSAI4103: Introduction to Natural Language Processing
• CSAI4104: Introduction to Computer Vision
• CSAI4105: Digital Entrepreneurship
• CSAI4106: Competitive Programming in Artificial Intelligence
• CSAI5100: Nature Inspired Algorithms
• CSAI5101: Deep Learning Methods for Natural Language Processing
• CSAI5102: Advanced topics in Computer Vision
• CSAI5106: Automatic Speech Recognition
• CSAI5107: New Trends in Artificial Intelligence
• CSAI5108: Virtual, Mixed and Augmented Reality
• CSAI5109: Computational Question Answering
• CSAI5110: Natural Language Processing for Healthcare
• CSAI5111: Generative Artificial Intelligence Models
• CSAI5112: Machine Translation
• CSAI5113: Medical Image Analysis
• CSAI5114: Pattern Recognition for Biometrics
• CSAI5115: Reinforcement Learning
• CSAI5200: Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity
• CSAI5201: Big Data and Cloud Computing
• CSAI5202: Knowledge Representation and Reasoning

• The department has developed a new university elective course COMP1007 The GPT REvolution.
• The department has updated all course outlines based on the new template with OQF characteristics.
• The department has started preparing a proposal for a new Minor in AI.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

The Department of Computer Science has been collaborating with universities abroad from its inception. Following is a brief description of the ongoing collaborations, where faculty members are involved:

• Dr. AbdulRahman Aal Abdulsalem
  • Collaborates with the Department of Computer Science at Bishop’s University in Canada.
  • Collaborates with the Department of Computer Science at École de Technologie Supérieure in Montreal, Canada.
• Fatima Al-Raisi
  • Collaborates with Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) and Hamad Bin Khalifa University to further develop dialectal capabilities of Fanar, the large-scale Arabic Multimodal Generative AI Platform
  • Collaborates with The Artificial Intelligence Observatory at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
• Dr. Hamza Zidoum
  • Collaborates with the Department of IT, Division of Computing Science, Uppsala University.
  • Collaborates with Faculté des Sciences et Techniques Béni Mellal Département Informatique.

• Dr. Yassine Jamoussi
  • Collaborates with RIADI Lab, University of Manouba, Tunisia.
  • Collaborates with IRIT Lab. University of Toulouse, France.
• Prof. Youcef Baghdadi
  • Collaborates with the Center of Research in Informatics (CRI) at University of Paris 1, Pantheon- Sorbonne, France.
  • Collaborates with the department of computer science
• Prof. Abderezak Touzene
  • Collaborates with Prof. Murali Penmetsa, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU I) School of Computer Science and Information Technology (Switzerland)
• Prof Zuhoor Al-Khanjari
  • Collaborates with Prof. Jinan Fiaidhi, Lakehead University, Canada.
• Dr. Hala Mulki
  • Collaborates with Prof. Maria Kyriakidou, Cardiff University, UK.
  • Collaborates with Assoc. Prof. Ludek Stavinoha, East Anglia University, UK
  • Collaborates with the Department of Computer Engineering, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
• Dr. Noushath Shaffi
  • Collaborates with Prof. Mufti Mahmud, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Collaborates with Dr.Manjunath Shantharamu, Principal Engineer, Artificial Intelligence Labs, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Bengaluru, India.

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

The training opportunities for students in the summer of 2024 are as summarized below:

NEW EQUIPMENT

• Desktop: 120
• Laptop: 5
• Robots:

  3

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Dr. Abir Al Hajri

• Has served as the College of Science Assistant Dean for the Undergraduate Studies
• Has served as a member of the University Undergraduate Studies Committee in charge of reviewing and approving programs and matters related to the undergraduate studies.
• Served as the chair of the election committee in the Shura election in its tenth term. I was in charge of the following:
  • Supervising the electronic voting system and the votes counting system for electing members of the Shura Council on voting day inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman
  • Establishing the necessary procedures for electronic voting
  • Ensure the availability of final lists of candidates and voters in the electronic voting system
  • Follow up on the progress of the electronic voting process and the process of counting voters’ votes, and overcome any difficulties that may be encountered
  • Direct supervision of the subcommittees (voting committee, votes counting committee, and technical audit committee), and following up on the organization and preparation of their headquarters.
• Has served as a member in a committee at university level that was asked to prepare the procedures for forming and organizing the student liaison committee.
• Has served as a member of the committee that is responsible for supervising the development of the new student information system in the deanship of admission and registration.
• Has served as a member of the College of Education Advisory Board.
• Has served as a member of the College of Science Advisory Board.
• Has served as a member of the university entrepreneurship project committee responsible for introducing and including entrepreneurship topics in the college courses, extracurricular activities, and research projects and thesis.

Dr. Abdelhamid Abdessalem

• Prepared scripts for three videos promoting the newly developed SQU procedures and presented one of them.
• Served as member of The Supervisory Committee of the Partnership between Quality Assurance Units and the Quality Assurance Office
• Served as a member of the SQU committee in charge of writing the SQU Institutional Standards Assessment Application (ISAA) report.
• Reviewed One BSc. and one MSc Programs in AI
• Served as reviewer for Expert Systems with Applications Journal (ESWA)
• Served as reviewer for Neural Computing and Applications Journal (NCAA)
• Served as reviewer for Pattern Analysis and Applications Journal (PAAA)
• Served as reviewer for Pattern Recognition Journal (PR).
• Served as reviewer for the SQU The Journal for Engineering Research (TJER)

Prof. Abderezak Touzene

• Served as a member of the editorial board of Journal of Strategic and Defense Studies:https://journalsds.com .
• Served as an Editorial board member for SQU Journal for Science (SQUJS)
• Served as a member of the editorial board International Journal of Software Engineering & Applications (IJSEA).
• Served as a member of the editorial board for Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jsan/editors.
• Served as a member of the editorial board for Computer Networks & Communications: International Journal (CNCIJ). http://flyccs.com/jounals/CNCIJ/EditorialBoard.html.
• Served as a member of the editorial board for Journal Telecommunications. http://www.mdpi.com/journal/telecommunications/editors.
• Served as a member of the editorial board for International Journal of Computer & Software Engineering, an international open access journal, Graphy Publications.
• Served as a member of the advisory/editorial board of The World Academy of Research in Science and Engineering (WARSE).
• Served as external reviewer for the new Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, Ministry of Higher Education, Oman.
• Served as member of a SQU committee for establishment of a National Cybersecurity Center in SQU.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamdani

• Served as a member of the Board of Trustee in Muscat College.
• Served as a member of the follow-up committee for HM Sultan Qaboos Academic Chairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Muscat, Oman. ₇₀

• Served as the Chair for the IT Research Group, HM Sultan Qaboos Academic Chairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Muscat, Oman.
• Served as the focal point in the cooperation agreement between SQU and the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology with cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Omantel to conduct the Oman Code Race competition.
• Served as a member of the College Advisory Board, College of Science.
• Reviewer for Service Oriented Computing and Applications (SOCA) Journal.
• Served as external reviewer for the new Bachelor of Science in Data Science, Ministry of Higher Education, Oman.
• Served as Program External Assessor for three Computing programs (Diploma in Computer Science, BSc in Computer Science and B.Ed. in Computer Science), College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nizwa, Oman.
• Served as an External Examiner for a PhD thesis, Said Al-Barami, Department of Information Studies, College of Arts.
• Served as an External Examiner for an MSc thesis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering.
• Served as an External Examiner for an MSc thesis, Department of Biology, College of Science.

Dr. Abdulrahman Aal Abdulsalam

• Served as a Master Thesis Examiner for the Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering at SQU in December 2023.
• Served as a reviewer for AMIA 2024 Clinical Informatics Conference.
• Invited Speaker for the IEEE Summer School on Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision 2023 at UTAS-Suhar on December, 12^th 2023.
• Served in the working group for the National Digital Health Strategy Program at the Ministry of Health in October, 19^th 2023.
• Invited speaker at the symposium of New Generations of Artificial Intelligence organized by the Ministry of Transportation and Information Technology in March 2023.
• Invited speaker at the statistics day organized by the department of statistics at SQU on October 19^th 2023.

Fatma A Raisi

• Served as a member of SQU taskforce on SQU procedures governing GenAI in teaching and learning
• Served as a member of SQU taskforce for measuring and analyzing course overlap and similarity, solely developing the software and conducting the quantitative analysis of SQU courses across all colleges including the similarity analysis of over 1.1million course pairs.

• Contributed with the design of 6 courses in the new BSc in AI program in OQF format and reviewed 5 other courses
• Conducted the alignment and benchmarking of the new BSc in AI program against ACM curriculum guidelines
• Served as a facilitator for Empowering Minds summer school organized by the CETL 2024
• Served as a facilitator for AI in Education, Higher Education Management, and Research training program targeting SQU management and leThe Institutional Standards Assessment Applicationadership 2024
• Served as the reviewer for SQU Institutional Standards Assessment Report across all 6 standards 2024.
• Facilitated a workshop on Data for QA Reporting for SQU QA office and ISAA teams 2024.
• Facilitated a training program on AI for Graphics Designer in different public and private sectors 2024
• Invited to wiki Omaniat project and selected among 11 Omani women in different domains to join the initiative
• Invited to speak at the The Third Innovative Arab Women's Forum on “Women's Innovation in the Data Age: Analysis and Challenges” 2024.
• Facilitated a session at the IEEE workshop on generativeAI and its applications December 2024
• Developed and co-organized SQU-wide AI Capacity Building program for Educators (2024-ongoing)
• Successfully trained > 150 SQU faculty members on practical use of GenAI in Education (ongoing)
• Collaborates with Agriculture Research Station at SQU to apply AI for tracking of Omani honeybees (ongoing)
• Invited speaker and panelist at the The National Conference on AI in Health Research, Education, and Training held in Sur 2025
• Facilitated a workshop on Generative and Agentic AI for Coders to CIS professionals 2025
• Gave an invited workshop on GenAI in Mathematics Education for the Department of Mathematics 2025

Dr. Hamza Zidoum

• Member of the research team affiliated with the Communication and Information Research Center/Sultan Qaboos University.
• Served as a reviewer for Health Informatics Journal, SAGE Track.
• Served as a reviewer for The International Arab Journal of Information Technology: IAJIT
• Served as a reviewer for Journal of Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence
• Served as a consultant for the Ministry of Higher Education, Directorate General of Private Universities and Colleges. Reviewed a program -Diploma/Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Artificial Intelligence.
• Served as a consultant for the College of Engineering, Assistant Dean for Postgraduate Studies and Research. Reviewed Internal Grant applications.
• Served in editorial board Health Informatics Journal.

• Presented “Foundation of Machine Learning” session at the IEEE workshop on generative AI and its applications, December 2024
• Served as a reviewer for The Journal of Engineering Research, SQU
• Served as a reviewer for The Journal of Network Modeling Analysis in Health Informatics and

Bioinformatics (NHIB)

• Scientific committee for 3rd Elsevier International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Engineering (ICMLDE2024), November 28-29, 2024.ICMLDE
• Served in editorial board for the International Journal of Information Technology Research Studies (IJITRS) inaugural issue.

Dr. Imran Khan

• Served as an EasyChair coordinator for the International Conference on Computing Research (ICR’24).
• Served as a member of the Data Science group at the International Conference in Computing Research
• Reviewed for journals such as IEEE Access and Knowledge and Information Systems.
• Reviewed the proposed MSc IT degree program (Software Engineering, Computer Science) at Al- Burahmi University College (BUC), Sultanate of Oman.
• Reviewed the proposed BSc in Artificial Intelligence degree program at Al-Burahmi University College (BUC), Sultanate of Oman.
• Reviewed a proposal for the licensing of the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Business Analytics degree program at A’ Sharqiyah University (ASU), Sultanate of Oman.
• Reviewed a proposal for the licensing of the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Analytics degree program at Muscat College, Sultanate of Oman.

Dr. Yassine Jamoussi

• Served as reviewer for the International Journal of Software Engineering and its applications,
• Served as reviewer for the Journal of Engineering Research
• Served as reviewer for the International Journal of Web Applications and Technology.
• Served as PhD thesis Internal Examiner for SQU.

Prof. Youcef Baghdadi

• Served in editorial board for International Journal of Computer & Their Applications in Technologies (IJCAT)
• Served in editorial board for Journal of Cases in Information Technologies (JCIT)
• Served as a member of the promotion committee of Oman College.

• Served as a member of the promotion committee of Muscat college.

Prof. Zuhoor Al Khanjari

• Participated as a reviewer of 6 academic programs for private colleges and universities in Oman. This is done in collaboration with MoHERI.
• Participated as a member in the National Prize of Research. This is done in collaboration with MoHERI.
• Reviewed manuscript for Asian Journal of Research in Computer Science.
• Served in reviewing papers for the Supercomputing Journal.
• Reviewed several papers for the Neural Computing and Applications (NCAA) Journal.
• Reviewed papers for the Frontiers in Computer Science - Software.
• Coordinated the DCS Students Summer Internship.

Dr. Faiza Al-Salti

• Served as an External Examiner for a PhD thesis, Ms. Manar Al Daoud, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, 27 June 2024.
• Served as an External Examiner for an MSc thesis, Mr. Yassir Al Ghafri, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, 19 January 2025.
• Member of National Team for Developing a Cybersecurity Educational Framework team under the Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research and Innovation (2024 – current).
• Reviewed a manuscript for the Vehicular Communications journal.

Dr. Hala Mulki

• Served as a Scientific Committee member and reviewer for the International Conference on AI in Computational Linguistics (ACLing), Dubai, UAE. September 2024.

Dr. Noushath Shaffi

• Program Chair and Competition Chair for the Conference Series of International Conference on Applied Intelligence and Informatics (AII).
• Member of IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Technical Activities (CISTA).
• Associate Editor for the Journal: Artificial Intelligence and Applications (Bon View Press)
• Reviewer for several International Reputed Journals: Cognitive Computation, Computer Science Review, IEEE Access, PeerJ Review, Computers in Biology and Medicine, IEEE Transactions on Multimedia (to mention few).
• Conducted a 3-day National Workshop on Hands-on Generative AI workshop funded by IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, Dec 29-31, 2024.
• Facilitated two sessions in the Hands-On Generative AI Workshop in Dec 2024.

• Reviewed two B.Sc Programs in AI for different institutions in Oman.
• Member of Program Advisory Committee for M.Sc IT Programme, Middle East College, Muscat
• Active Senior member of IEEE.

Dr.Shadha ALAmri

• Member of National Team for Developing a Cybersecurity Educational Framework team under the Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research and Innovation (2024 – current)
• Oman Qualifications Framework External Reviewer (OQFER), inclusion in the National Register of External Reviewers (National ER Register), effective 17 April 2024
• Member of Arab Open University, Faculty of Computer Studies (Oman) Program Advisory Committee (PAC) (2024)
• Member of a cloud computing and cybersecurity team for Musandam-UTAS branch curriculum development (2022- 2024)
• External Examiner for National University for MSc in IT program. (2020 – 2024)
• A member of the executive committee of a project Oman Innovate (عمان

  تبتكر) with the Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research and Innovation (2024 – current)

• Served as a reviewer for ICCDA 2024 https://iccdasubmission.com/index.php/home/committees
• Served as a reviewer in the Project evaluation Panel for IoT&AI challenge Oman in UTAS-ALMusnah https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF_-h89oqZn/?igsh=QkJNeG1ZZ181TA%3D%3D
• Served as a reviewer in the Project evaluation Panel for innovative projects in Arab Open University https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-shadha-alamri-77370a70/recent-activity/all/

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

• The Computer Science Group (CSG) organized the following workshops:
  • Workshop on Hack the Box, 22 September 2024
  • Game Level Design, 25 September 2024
  • Workshop on Photography, 1 October 2024
  • Road on Computer Science, 1 October 2024
  • Unity 2D Essentials, 1-2 October 2024
  • Workshop on Video Filming, 8 October 2024
  • Workshop on Competitive Programming, 8 October 2024
  • UI/UX Design, 14-16 October 2024
  • Hack The Matrix, 22 October 2024
  • Computer Assembly, 29 October 2024

• Login Page Brute Force, 1 December 2024
• Workshop on Electrical Circuits, 2 December 2024
• Artificial Intelligence Cafe’, 2 December 2024

• The CSG
  • Organized an event to introduce the group and its goals, 23 October 2024.
  • Celebrated the National day, 18 November 2024.
  • Organized the graduation ceremony for CS students, 15 December 2024.

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Earth Sciences

Overview

The Department of Earth Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University provides the Sultanate with quality Earth Sciences graduates. The Department strives to contribute state-of-the-art geoscientific solutions and consultancies to the local community and industry. The Department offers degrees in Geophysics and in Earth Sciences as well as highly flexible MSc and Ph.D. programs that are responsive to market needs. The number of students majoring in Earth Sciences increases rapidly each year.

The Department of Earth Sciences currently has 16 academic staff. In addition, the Department has established very close links with the University Research Centres namely the Earthquake Monitoring Center (EMC), Remote Sensing and GIS Center (RSC), Oil and Gas Center (OGC), and Earth Sciences Research Centre (ESRC).

Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HoD Office

Osman Abdalla
Prof., HoD
(Ph.D. Technical
University Berlin, 2000,
Germany)

Mrs. Shahira Al-Balushi
Coordinator

BSc Curriculum

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed

Dr. Rifaat Abdullah

Dr. Muhammad Qasim

Dr. Khalil Al-Hooti

Dr. Sobhi Nasir

Accreditation

Andreas Scharf

Mohammed El Ghali

Rifaat Abdullah

Muhammad Younis Khan

Amani Al-Abri

Promotion

HoD (Osman Abdalla)

Sobhi Nasir

Andreas Scharf

Salah Al-Khirbash

Iftikhar Ahmed

Appointment

HoD (Osman Abdalla)

Abdul Razak Al-Sayigh

Khalil Al-Hooti

Iftikhar Ahmed

Andreas Scharf

Amani Al-Abri

+ staff from the relevant

specialization (if needed)

HIGHLIGHTS

The year 2024 witnessed the following:

• Students of the department conducted fieldwork, Fanja area.

DEAPARTMET OF EARTH SCIENCES CONDUCTED FIELD WORK

STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL VISITED DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIEMCES

• More than 20 school students from Modern Science Private School visited the Earth Sciences Laboratory to study rock properties and rock cycle as a practical lesson related to their science subject on 09/10/2024.

DEAPARTMENT STUDENTS GOT FIRST POSITION IN THE IMPERIAL BARREL AWARD COMPETITION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS UNDER SUPERVISION OF DR MUHAMMAD FARFOUR

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• Dr. Andreas Scharf
  I was awarded by the Sultan Qaboos University as a Distinguished Academician, in recognition of outstanding performance in teaching during the academic year 2023-2024.
• Prof. Osman’s reserch group won the “best research group” award in SQU for the year 2024 for the contrubutons during last three years.

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department received the following academic staff as Visiting Consultants and researchers:

Dr. Muhammad Hanif, The University of Peshawar, Pakistan during Spring 2024:

CURRICULUM

• Initiated the Sultan Qaboos University Petroleum Geosciences MSc Program for Accreditation.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

The Department of Earth Sciences has been long collaborating with universities abroad. Following is a brief description of the ongoing collaborations faculty members are involved with:

Dr. Andreas Scharf

• 2024 to present, Italy Serpentinization and hydrogen formation in Oman Cooperation partners: Prof. Eugenio Carminati and Dr. Luca Aldega, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
• 2024 to present, U.S.A. Environmental forcing on the resilience of carbonate platforms during the Early Cretaceous super greenhouse period Cooperation partner: Dr. Alexis Godet, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio, U.S.A. 2023 to present, U.S.A. GRIND – Geological Research through Integrated Neoproterozoic Drilling in Oman (Mirbat area) Cooperation partner: Prof. Francis Macdonald, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, U.S.A.

• 2023 to present, Austria Structural characterization of the obducted Arabian Margin at the northwestern flank of the Jabal Akhdar Dome (wadis Taisa and Yika) Cooperation partners: Prof. Christoph von Hagke, Department of Geology and Physical Geography, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Austria
• 2023 to present, Ireland Geochemical and structural project at the Washihi-Mullaq- Al Ajal Copper-Gold VMS Deposit Cooperation partners: Dr. Claire Geel, Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geoscience, Dublin, Ireland; Dr. Thomas Belgrano, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
• 2022 to present, U.S.A., Sweden Tectonic evolution of a postobductional basin at Bandar Jissah Cooperation partners: Prof. Christopher Bailey, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S.A.; Prof. Uwe Ring, Stockholm University, Sweden
• 2022 to present, Greece Architecture of a transtensional basin at the Frontal Range Fault (Sunub Basin) Cooperation partner: Dr. Nikos Economou, Polytechnioupolis- Kounoupidiana, Chania, Crete, Greece
• 2021 to present, Spain Micro-tomography of the world-oldest skeletal fossil (Palaeopascichnus) from the Fara Formation of Wadi Bani Awf Cooperation partners: Dr. André Pinto, University of Madrid, Spain; Dr. Pedro Alvarez-Lloret, University of Oviedo, Spain; Dr. Ivan Callegari, GUtech, Oman
• 2021 to present, France Architecture of the pre-obduction rifted margin of northern Oman Cooperation partners: Dr. Emmanuel Masini, CEO & Researcher, M&U sas, Grenoble, France; Dr. Maxime Ducoux, CEO & Researcher, M&U sas, Grenoble, France
• 2021 to present, U.A.E. A new model for karstification; supported by the UNESCO, IGCP-715 Cooperation partners: Dr. Daniel Moraetis, Sharjah University, U.A.E.; Prof. Kosmas Pavlopoulus, Paris Sorbonne at Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 2020 to present, U.A.E. The Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Musandam and implications for hydrocarbons Cooperation partners: Dr. Daniel Moraetis, Sharjah University, U.A.E.; Prof. Kosmas Pavlopoulus, Paris Sorbonne at Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
• 2020 to present, Italy Paleomagnetism within autochthonous rocks of the Oman Mountains, revealing the rotation of Arabia during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Cooperation partners: Prof. Francesca Cifelli and Prof. Massimo Mattei, Università Roma Tre, Italy; Prof. Eugenio Carminati and Dr. Luca Aldega, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy
• 2018 to present, South Africa Dating of fault- and fold-related mineralized key veins of the Oman Mountains and fluid flow Cooperation partners: Prof. Robert Bolhar, University of Witwatersrand, Braamfontain, South Africa; Dr. Tonguc Uysal, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Turkey; Dr. Kim Baublys, The University of Queensland, Australia; Prof. Gülcan Bozkaya, Pamukkale University, Turkey

Dr. M.Younis Khan

• Has research collaboration with Dr. Abrar Niaz and other colleagues from the Azad Jammu & Kashmir University, Pakistan. As a result of the research collberation, a manuscript is published in Q1 category journal
  • Has a research collaboration with Dr. Sher Muhammad from the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu, Nepal.
  • Has a research collaboration with Dr.Ekrem Saralioglu from the Department of Geomantic Engineering, Division of Remote Sensing, University of Artvin Coruh, Artvin, Turkey.
  • Has a research collaboration with Prof. Chih-Ping Lin, Dean, College of Engineering, Distinguished Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Director, Disaster Prevention & Water Environment Research Center at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.
  • Has a research collaboration with Dr Jamie Pringle from University of Keele, UK, a research publication is under process as a result of this collberation.

Dr. Salah Al-Khirbash

• Prof. Martin J. Whitehouse (Swedish Museum of Natural History, Dept. of Geosciences, Sweden)

Dr. Sobhi Nasir

• Has a research collaboration with Nanging University, China

Dr. Muhammad Qasim

• Has a research collaboration with Prof. Dr. Ding Lin from Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China on Geochronology of the Foreland Basin Sediments, Oman

Prof. Osman Abdalla

Has the following international collaborators

• Initiated the collaboration focused on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) between Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and the Ocean University of China (OUC).
• Meeting with Exeter University for joint collaboration in mineral sector
• Dr. Ian Douglas Clark, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada. Exchanged research visits, laboratories facilities, field visits, and drafted proposals and published papers.
• Prof. Vitaly Zlotnik, Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA.

• Dr. Essam Heggy NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, CALTECH, USA.
• Prof. Elfatih Eltahir, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. Drafted a proposal for funding by The Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD).
• Prof. Tetsuya Sumi and Prof. Sameh Kantoush, Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Japan.
• Dr. Marwan Al-Raggad, Water, Energy and Environment Center, University of Jordan, Jordan.
• Dr. Seifu Kebede, School of Earth Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
• Dr. Mustafa El Rawy, Civil Engineering Dept. Minia University, Egypt.
• Prof. Behkie, University of South Africa.

INDUSTRIAL COLLABORATION

STAFF TRAINING

Dr. Sobhi Nasir

• Mineral development Oman (MDO)

Prof. Osman Abdalla

• Halliburton and SQU (Earth Science) Collaboration
• Slumberger /SLB AI Academy

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT COMMUNITY SERVICE

Dr. Andreas Scharf

• EGU in Vienna in April 2024
• AAPG ICE in Muscat in October 2024
• Van Buchem, F., SCHARF, A. & Al Balushi, S. (2024) Wadi Mu’aydin and Al Jabal Al Akhdar – a window into Middle Eastern Petroleum Geology. Organized by American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and Geological Society of Oman (GSO), AAPG ICE post-conference field trip, October 3rd and 4th, 55 p., Muscat, Oman
• Field trip for 5 South Korean colleagues (Prof. Youngsook Huh, Prof. Youngjae Kim and 3 PhD students) from Seoul National University (SNU), to Neoproterozoic formations in Wadi Bani Awf and Wadi Kharus at Jabal Akhdar, in January, 25th 2024. The field trip was part of cooperation between SNU and SQU, organized by Prof. Sobhi Nasir.

• Workshop entitled Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities by Prof. Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Swansea University, U.K., organized by Centre for Excellence and Teaching (CETL) at SQU on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024.
• Workshop entitled Course Design Processes Upgrading your Course Outline by Badriya Al-Nadabi, Training and Planning Specialist, Oman, organized by Centre for Excellence and Teaching (CETL) at SQU on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024.
• Workshop entitled Active Learning Form. This forum was conducted by the Active Learning & Outcome Based Learning project by Isam Hasan and Nidhal Sulaiman at Maani Hotel, Muscat, Oman, organized by the Centre for Excellence and Teaching (CETL) on Thursday, October 24th, 2024.
• Blended course Learning from Within: Peer Review’s Role in teacher Professional Development. The course was conducted by Dr. Nazanin Dehdary and Mr. Ndrew Allmark, Centre for Preparatory Studies, Sultan Qaboos University, through the Centre for Excellence and Teaching (CETL) at Sultan Qaboos University on October 6th-11th, 2024.
• Workshop about Oman Quality Foundation (OQF) Listing Workshop, organized by the Quality Assurance Office of Sultan Qaboos University, in Maani Hotel, Muscat, Oman, January 10th, 2024.
• Workshop about Academic Program Review (ACR), organized by the Quality Assurance Office, conducted by Falah Al-Sukaiti at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, March 7th, 2024.
• Presentation about how to fill the new (Oman Qualification Framework) OQF-compliant course outline, organized by the Quality Assurance Unit at the College of Science, conducted by Prof. Saqib Ali and Dr. Abdelhamid Abdessalem at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, March 28th, 2024.
• Workshop about ADRI Framework, organized by the Quality Assurance Office of Sultan Qaboos University, in Maani Hotel, Muscat, Oman, December 12th, 2024.

Dr. Sobhi Nasir

APPG field trip. Geotourism in the Semail ophiolite, Spetember 2024

Dr. Mohamed Moustafa

• Session chair at The Ist International Conference on Earth Sciences and Energy Transition. Oman, 6-10 February 20223. o Session: Wave and Tide Energies (Session ID: WTE)
• Co-chair of Field Trips Committee at The Ist International Conference on Earth Sciences and Energy Transition. Oman, 6-10 February 20223

Dr. Talal Al Hosni

• Member of the Steering Committee of the operations to address and correct conditions in mining areas in Sohar

Prof. Osman Abdalla

• Invited Talk delivered in 2nd International Conference on Water Resources Management and Sustainability, 26-28 February 2024, Dubai.
• Invited to Geo Challengers-9 competition in Al Batinah South Governorate from 10-12 October 2024 as a professional from the academia
• Initiated the development of the Active learning lab development at the department of earth sciences
• Participated in the training “AI in Higher Education, Scientific Research, and the Management of Higher Education Institutions” held on 4-5th November 2024
• Prof. Osman along with Dr. Farfour signed MoU, Halliburton and SQU (Earth Science) Collaboration

Dr.Mohammed Farfour

• Machine Learning Applications in Geosciences

Dr.Mohammed Qasim

• Talk delivered in Geological Formation Age dating workshop, December 2024

Abdullah Al Fahdi

• Lithofacies and microfacies and depositional environment model of the Cenozoic carbonate platform: an example from the Upper Jafnayn Formation of Jafnayn area in north-east Oman
• Age Dating of Geological Formations.

CONSULTANY SERVICES
Prof. Osman Abdallah

• Groundwater Quality Assessment in Ar Rustaq. Project CR/SCI/ETHS/24/01
• MAF Underground Contamination Osman Abdalla OQ 1 year

Mohamed El-Ghali

• Consultancy services for geotechnical investigation works in Duqm Sultanate of Oman CR/DVC/EMC/24/02

• Studying the physical andchemical properties of solidmarble waste from quarries andfactories in the northern provincesof the Sultanate of Oman CR/DVC/ESRC/23/0

Mohammed Farfour

• Geophysical and geological characterization of Ara Play in South Oman Salt Basin. Project: CR/SCI/ETHS/20/03

PROJECTS AWARDED

Dr. Andreas

Sultan Qaboos University Deanship of Research Fund 2024 (RF/SCI/ETHS/24/02), for studying Evaluating potential geological hazards in the historical village of Al-Sugra (Jabal Akhdar, Oman) based on geological survey and remote sensing
Prof. Osman Abdallah

Groundwater and soil contamination challenge: phase 1: technical review and analysis of the conducted work in the area of the mina al-fahal “maf” refinery
Dr. Salah Al-Khirbash

Geochronology of Precambrian inliers in Oman: Hallanyat islands
THESIS SUPERVISION
Dr. Salah Al-Khirbash

• Mineralogy & Geochemistry of Laterite Borehole from Alrusayl Area.
• The Mineralogy of Placer Deposits in Halanyat Island

Dr Iftikhar Ahmad

• Idrees Salim Hadoub Al Sulaimi, Lithofacies, Microfacies, and Depostional environment of the Upper Cretaceous Muti Formation (Sayja Member B), Sayja Village, Samail, Northern Oman
• Mahnad Khamis Al Hinai, Petrography, diagenesis and reservoir quality of Late Cretaceous submarine fan system, Fayah Formation, Jabal Fayah, northeastern Oman

• Dhuha Hamed Rashid Al Siyabi, Lithofacies and microfacies of the upper part of the Jafnayn Fm: Characteristics of a transitional contact and depositional environments
• Zeyana Sulaiman Said Al-Aufi, Petrofacies and Mineralogical Characterization of the Cambrian Thumaylah Formation in Central Oman, and the assessment of its petroleum and mining potentials

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Mathematics

Overview

The Department started in 1986 as Department of Mathematics and Computing offering a single Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computing. This evolved into three Bachelor degrees in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. In 1995 the Department of Computer Science was established to host the Computer Science degree. The mother department name then changed to Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS). In 2018, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS) split into two departments; the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Statistics.

The Department of Mathematics is among the largest departments in the University with over 40 faculty members. The department offers programs leading to B.Sc degree in Mathematics, M.Sc degree in Pure Mathematics and M. Sc degree in Applied Mathematics, and a doctorate degree in Mathematics. The department offers service courses to several colleges in SQU. The department is committed to quality teaching, research, and community service. The Department of Mathematics faculty members are very active in research.

2023/2024 ACADEMIC YEAR COMMITTEES Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Dr. Nadiya Al-Dhamri was appointed Head of the Department of Mathematics on September 1, 2024.
2. Prof. Ahmad Al Salman was appointed Head of Quality Assurannce and Acccreditation Unit at the College of Scince on September 1, 2024.
3. The International Conference in Mathematics: Recent Trends (ICM-SQU2024) was held from March 4 to 6, 2024, at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Muscat, Oman. Jointly organized by SQU's Department of Mathematics and the Oman Mathematics Committee (OMC), the conference aimed to provide a platform for mathematicians, researchers, and academicians to present their work, share experiences, and discuss emerging areas in mathematics.
   Key Highlights of the Conference:
   • Distinguished Keynote Speakers: The conference featured lectures by prominent mathematicians from around the world, including:
     • Professor Victor Bovdi (United Arab Emirates University, UAE)
     • Professor Malte Braack (University of Kiel, Germany)
     • Professor Radouan Daher (University of Hassan II, Morocco)
     • Professor Mehiddin Al-Baali (Sultan Qaboos University, Oman)
     • Professor Shiv Kumar Kaushik (University of Delhi, India)
     • Professor Mokhtar Kirane (Khalifa University, UAE)
     • Professor Stefano Luzzatto (ICTP, Italy)
     • Professor Ibrahim Eltayeb (University of Khartoum, Sudan)
     • Professor Amiya K. Pani (BITS-Pilani, India)
     • Professor Ziad Saghir (Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada)
     • Professor M. S. Moslehian (Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran)

DEPARTING STAFF

• Dr. M. Boudllelioua resigned as Associate Professor in January 2024.
• Dr. I. Al-Ayyoub resigned as Assistant Professor in the Summer 2024.
• Prof. Qamar Khan retired as a Professor in Summer 2024.

APPOINTMENTS

• Dr. Abdul Wahab was appointed as Associate Professor in January 2024.
• Dr. Zinelaabidine Latreuch was appointed as Associate Professor in September 2024.
• Dr. Noomen Jarboui was appointed as Associate Professor in September 2024.
• Dr. Arran Fernandez was appointed as Associate Professor in September 2024.
• Dr. Khawar Mehmood was appointed as Assistant Professor in September 2024.

RETURNING STAFF - SCHOLARSHIPS & OVERSEAS STUDIES

Ms. Thuriya Al-Hinai

PROMOTIONS

-

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

-

VISITING EXAMINER

Nothing to report

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department received the following academic staff as consultants and part-timers:

• Spring 2024:
  • Dr. Abdellatif Bellahnid
  • Dr. Mohsin Hashim
  • Dr. Laith Khalil
  • Dr. Medhat Rakha
  • Dr. Shamil Makhmatov
  • Dr. Erkinjon Karimov
  • Dr. Khadija Al-Balushi
  • Dr. Sheikha Al-Weheibi
  • Dr. Latifa Al-Balushi
  • Dr. Kaltham Al-Kalbani
  • Dr. Khadija Al-Hassani
  • Dr. Maryam Al-Yahyai
  • Dr. Kifah Al-Maqrashi
  • Dr. Zainab Al-Mamari
  • Ms. Badria Al-Azri
• Fall 2024:
  • Dr. Abdellatif Bellahnid
  • Dr. Mohsin Hashim
  • Dr. Mobin Ahmad
  • Dr. Amin Boumenir
  • Dr. M. Fazeel Anwar
  • Dr. Siraj-ul-Islam
  • Dr. Reza K. Matin

• Dr. Khadija Al-Balushi
• Dr. Latifa Al-Balushi
• Dr. Sheikha Al-Weheibi
• Dr. Badriya Al-Azri
• Dr. Kifah Al-Maqrashi
• Dr. Khadija Al-Hasni
• Dr. Khaltham Al-Kalbani

VISITORS & CONSULTANT

• Dr. S. Kerbal hosted the visit of Dr. Rakhmatjon Gafforov and Zukhridin Alimov from Fergana State University, Uzbekistan, to foster research collaboration. The visit took place from March 9, 2024, to April 6, 2024.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari visited Sobolev Institute of Mathematics, Novosibirsk, Russia from 7 to 13 July 2024.

CURRICULUM

• The Final Year Project Coures (MATH5101 & MATH5102) have been upgraded to a research-based course.
• Introduced technology in 4 courses: MATH2201, MATH3302, MATH3111, and MATH4141.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

The Department of Mathematics has been collaborating with universities abroad from inception. Following is a brief description of the ongoing collaborations faculty members are involved with:

• Dr. Arran Fernandez has a standing collaboration with Prof. Joan Lasenby at the University of Cambridge, UK, on fractals in higher-dimensional Clifford algebras, and with Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Fahad at the National University of Sciences and Technology,

Pakistan, on fractional calculus with respect to functions, and with Prof. Zivorad Tomovski at Palacky University, Czech Republic, on fractional Laguerre derivatives, and with Prof. Elina Shishkina at Voronezh State University, Russia, on fractional Bessel operators, and with Dr. Joel Restrepo at the CINVESTAV Institute, Mexico, on fractional operator theory and differential equations with variable coefficient.

• Dr. Arran Fernandez has recently started collaborating with Prof. Uwe Kahler and Dr. Paula Cerejeiras at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, on fractional d-bar operators in hypercomplex analysis, and with Prof. Lubos Pick at Charles University, Czech Republic, on weighted operators in function spaces.
• Prof. Samir Karaa has a standing collaboration with Prof. Amiya K. Pani (BITS-Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Zuarinagar, Goa, India), Dr. Pedro D. Damazio (Federal University at Parana, Curitiba-81530-015, Brazil), Dr. Naveed Ahmed (Gulf University for Science and Technology, Hawally, Kuwait), and Prof. Siraj-ul-Islam (Univ. of Eng. & Tech. (UET), Peshawar, Pakistan).
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal is collaborating with an expert and eminent researcher in the stability of fractional differential equations, namely Prof. N. Tatar, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, KSA.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal is collaborating in the field of inverse problems and fractional differential equations with Dr. E. Karimov a senior in the field of classical and fractional differential equations at Ghent Unuversity, Ghent, Belgium. Dr. Karimov from Fergana State University, Uzbekistan, established a strong and productive international collaboration.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal is collaborating with Prof. Kirane and Dr, Ahmed Fino exceptional contributors in the development of blow-up of solutions for classical and fractional differential equations. Further contributions of Prof. Kirane, Khalifa University, UAE are

existence, non-existence of solutions, and inverse problems while Dr. Fino, American University of the Middle East, Kuwait is mainly blow-up solutions.

• Dr. Nikhil Khanna has a standing collaboration with Prof. S. K. Kaushik and Dr. K. T. Poumai, University of Delhi, India on metric controlled OPV frames and finite Haar wavelet transforms; Dr. Varinder Kumar, University of Delhi, India on generalized frames; Prof. A. M. Jarrah, Yarmouk University, Jordan and Dr. A. Zothansanga, University of Delhi, India on generalized variation diminishing wavelets; Dr. Raksha Sharma, University of Delhi, India on Naimark type results on frames; Dr. Pappu Kumar, J. P. University, Bihar, India on numerical solution of non-linear Lienard equation using Haar wavelet method.
• Dr. Zinelaabidine Latreuch has a standing collaboration with Pr. Janne Heittokangas from University of Eastern Finland on the theory of densities, Dr. Mohamed Amine ZEMIRNI from the National Higher School of Mathematics, Algeria on nonlinear differential equation in the complex domain.
• Prof. Anton Purnama has a standing collaboration with Dr. Anthony Kay (retired from), Loughborough University, UK on dispersion of effluent discharges by oscillatory tidal currents on a sloping bed.
• Dr. Khawar Mehmood has a standing collaboration with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Pfister from University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) Kaiserslautern, Germany on the Singularity Theory and Algebraic Geometry, Dr. Malik Tusif Ahmed from the Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan on weakly (m,n)-closed sub-modules.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman has a standing collaboration with Prof. Ioan Pop, University of Babes-Bolyai, Romania; Prof. M. Ziad Saghir, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada; Prof. K. Vajravelu, University of Central Florida, USA and Prof. M. S. Alam, Jagannath University, Bangladesh on the areas of nanofluids, heat and mass transfer, and transport in porous media, machine learning and artificial neural network.

STAFF TRAINING

• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene, attended the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene, attended an SQU workshop on “The SQU New Course Outline”, June 2024.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene, attended an SQU workshop on “The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Teaching”, June 2024.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene, attended the international conference on Mathematical Modeling with Modern Applications M3A_24, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey., 4-6 June, 2024, and delivered a talk “Maximum norm analysis of overlapping non-matching grid discretization for semi linear elliptic PDEs.
• Dr. Nadia Al-Dhamri, attended an SQU workshop on “ADRI Framework Workshop”, Dec 2024.
• Dr. Nadia Al-Dhamri attended an SQU workshop on the “DAT Forum", Oct 2024.
• Dr. Nadia Al-Dhamri attended an SQU workshop on “The SQU New Course Outline”, June 2024.
• Prof. Ahmed AlSalman attended an SQU workshop on “ADRI Framework Workshop”, Dec 2024.
• Dr. Ibrahim Elmojtaba attended an SQU workshop on the “DAT Forum", Oct 2024.
• Dr. Ibrahim Elmojtaba attended an SQU workshop on “The SQU New Course Outline”, June 2024.
• Dr. Sanjiv Gupta attended the (online) International conference Mathematical Analysis and Applications in Science and Engineering, June 20-22, 2024, Portugal, delivered a talk ‘’The smoothness of orbital measures on noncompact symmetric spaces’’.
• Dr. Sanjiv Gupta deliberated an online talk on “A New De Leeuw’s Multiplier Theorem for R^k and T^k” at the 2^nd Joint International Conference on Mathematics, Statistics, and Engineering, Malaysia.

• Prof. Samir Karaa attended the Workshop “Convert FYP to Start-up Company”, Independent Learning Center, SQU, 24 April 2024, the (online) workshop “Scopus database for SQU”, Sultan Qaboos University, on Thursday 23 May, 2024, participated to the panel discussion titled "Supporting Students on Academic Probation," organized by the Student Counseling Center in collaboration with the College of Science, held on October 21, 2024, and attended the workshop: "Summer Days of Tunisian Mathematicians Abroad (JEMTE) 2024," held on July 19–20, 2024, at CENAFOP, Carthage, Tunisia.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal is serving as a member of an ad hoc committee working on developing a new specialization in Computational and Industrial Mathematics.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal participate in and chaired a session “Delay Differential Equations and Nevanlinna Theory” for Oman Mathematics Committee’s Weekly Research Webinars Season 1, (2024-2025).
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal attended a series of seminars for webinar Fractional Calculus Seminar Series, SISSA, International School of Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy, 2024.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for participating in the webinar "How AI is Reshaping the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics" on December 9, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) international conference “4th International Conference on Mathematical Analysis and Generalized Integration,” Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico City, Mexico, February 8-10, 2024.
• Dr Nikhil Khanna attended the international conference on “ICM-SQU2024: Recent Trends in Mathematics”, SQU, Oman, March 4-6, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) workshops on “Innovation in Teaching: Academic Assessment in the era of AI,” “Building Question Bank and Quiz settings in the eLearning System” and “Assessments using Assignment in the eLearning system”, CET, SQU, Oman, May 28, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) workshops on “Academic Integrity in the Age of AI Text-Generative Technology” and “Ensuring Academic Integrity with Turnitin,” CET, SQU, Oman, May 30, 2024.

• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the webinar on “MyLab Math-Trade secrets from an Educator on MyLab Math,” Pearson Higher Education MEA, June 13, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the international conference on “XIV Annual International Conference of the Georgian Mathematical Union,” Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Batumi, Georgia from September 2-7, 2024, delivered a sectional talk “A note on scalable K-g-frames”.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) workshops on “Harnessing Generative AI for Creating and Elevating Educational Content” and “Exploring Adobe Firefly: Generative AI Tools for Content Creation,” CET, SQU, Oman, December 22, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) workshops on “Transforming PowerPoint Presentations into Interactive Experiences with ClassPoint” and “Redefining Assessment in the Age of AI: Strategies for Ethical Integration,” CET, SQU, Oman, December 23, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna attended the (online) workshops on “Applying User Interface Design Principles to Enhance Learning” and “Mastering Educational Content Design with Canvas,” CET, SQU, Oman, December 25, 2024.
• Dr. Khawar Mehmood attended the workshops on “The Future of Teaching in SQU, Quality of Teaching in SQU and Assessments Policies & Procedures at SQU,” CETL, SQU, Oman, September 28, 2024.
• Dr. Khawar Mehmood attended the workshops on “ASTORLABE,” CETL, SQU, Oman, November 01-02, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman attended the workshops on “ASTORLABE,” CETL, SQU, Oman, November 01-02, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman attended the eLearning workshops: (i) Adding Learning Resources, (ii) Adding Assignment Activity conducted by the Teaching and Learning Department on Spring 2024 (February 5 & February 7).

• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman attended the CETL Academic Forum- VR in Higher Education: opportunities & challenges, December 17, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman is serving as a member of an ad hoc committee working on developing a new specialization in Computational and Industrial Mathematics.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman was the moderator a session “Semi-analytical method for systems of nonlinear differential equations” for Oman Mathematics Committee’s Weekly Research Webinars Season 1, (2024-2025) on December 4, 2024.

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

NEW EQUIPMENT

• The department received 56 new PCs. 45 of those were allocated to one of the department computer labs and the rest 11 to faculty and staff.
• The department also received a new interactive projector for one its computer labs.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• A committee (Dr. Fatma Al-Kharousi, Dr. Sebti Kerbal, Prof. Samir Kaara, Prof. Anton Purnama, Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman) is working on a new specialization in Computational and Industrial Mathematics.
• Dr. Fatma Al-Musalhi is a member of the organizing committee of the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Dr. Fatma Al-Musalhi refereed papers for some mathematical journals
• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman continue serving in some TWAS committees (as fellow).
• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman continue serving as official nominator for the VinFuture Prize.

• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman Chaired the organizing committee of the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman served as the chair of college of science 2022 Prospectus.
• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman refereed papers for several mathematical journals.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene continue serving as official nominator for the VinFuture Prize.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene refereed papers for several mathematical journals.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene continue serving as a reviewer for the American Mathematical Society (MathSciNet).
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene collaborated with Prof. Abdellah Osman, Department of Earth Science, for the introduction of an interdisciplinary course on Computational Hydrogeology.
• Dr. Arran Fernandez has performed peer reviews for over 100 different journals, including in recent months the Journal of Differential Equations, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, Fractional Calculus and Applied Analysis, Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences, Complex Analysis and Operator Theory, Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, etc.
• Dr. Arran Fernandez served as a special session organiser for the 35th International Workshop on Operator Theory and its Applications, held at the University of Kent, UK, and is currently serving as a special session organiser for the 15th International Society for Analysis, its Applications, and Computation (ISAAC) Congress, held at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan.
• Prof. Samir Karaa reviewed Manuscripts for Applied Numerical Mathematics, Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, Journal of Scientific Computing.
• Prof. Samir Karaa served as an External Examiner of an MSc thesis of Yaseer Al Sadi, Department of Physics, College of Science, SQU, 16 May, 2024.

• Prof. Samir Karaa member of the organizing committee of the International Conference: Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), 4-6 March 2024, SQU, Muscat.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal coordinating FracDiff research group, Department of Mathematics, SQU, 2018-present.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal serving external reviewer for Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance (OAAAQA), Oman.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal serving External Reviewer for the Director of Higher Education, Bahrain Quality Assurance (DHR/BQA), Bahrain.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal continue serving Editorial Board: Universal Journal of Applied Mathematics, Horizon Research Publishing Corporation, and MAYFEB Journal of Mathematics
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal served as a member of the organizing committee of the International Conference on Recent Trend in Mathematics (ICM-SQU 2024), Muscat, Oman, March 4- 6, 2024
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal organized a session on Fractional Differential Equations for the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Dr. Sebti Kerbal continue serving as a member of Tunisian Mathematical society and American Mathematical Society
• Prof. Anton Purnama served as an external member of the promotion committee for the College of Nursing, SQU
• Prof. Anton Purnama served as the chair of PhD thesis examination committee of Basim Al Farsi in the Department of Physics, College of Science, SQU on 6 August 2024; and the chair of Msc thesis examination committee of Mohammed Al Hooti in the Department of Earth Science, College of Science, SQU on 24 January 2024.
• Prof. Anton Purnama served as the external examiner for a MSc thesis oral defense of Shima Al Shukaili in the Department of Physics, College of Science, SQU on 11 August 2024.

• Prof. Anton Purnama reviewed manuscripts for the Chemosphere; Desalination; Environmental Monitoring and Assessment; Marine Pollution Bulletin; Ocean Modelling; and Science Progress.
• Prof. Anton Purnama served as a member of the organizing committee of the International Conference on Recent Trend in Mathematics (ICM-SQU 2024), Muscat, Oman, March 4-6, 2024
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman Co-Chaired the organizing committee of the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman organized a session on Mathematical Modelling for the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman was a Guest Editor for a Special Issue on Thermofluids and Energy, International Journal of Thermofluids, Published by Elsevier, February 2022-December 2023.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman continue serving as official nominator for the VinFuture Prize.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman reviewed papers for (i) International Journal of Thermofluids, (ii) International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, (iii) International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, (iv) International Journal of Thermofluids Science and Technology, (v) Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part N: Journal of Nanomaterials, Nanoengineering and Nanosystems, (vi) Propulsion and Power Research, (vii) Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman coordinating Nanofluid Research Group (DR/RG/04), Department of Mathematics, SQU, 2018-present.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman examined three Ph.D. Thesis from McMaster University, Canada; SRM Institute of Science and Technology, India; Sultan Qaboos University.

• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman Chaired a PhD thesis defense in the Dept. of Chemistry on 26 August 2023.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman Chaired a PhD thesis defense in the Dept. of Chemistry on 4 May 2023.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman was a member of ad-hoc committee working on a new specialization in Computational and Industrial Mathematics.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman was a panel member for the Best Thesis Award selection process, College of Science, SQU, November 26, 2024.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari continued by serving as reviewer for Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblat Math.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari served as a referee for several recognized mathematical journals and as a member of scientific committees of several international conferences.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari continued by serving as reviewer for Mathematical Reviews and Zentralblat Math.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari served as a referee for several recognized mathematical journals and as a member of scientific committees of several international conferences.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari continued serving as a member of the editorial board in the
• internationally recognized journals: (i) Bulletin of Iranian Math. Soc., (ii) Mathematics Interdisciplinary Research, (iii) Journal of Advanced Math. Modelling, (iv) Math. and Society.
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari elected as the chief editor of Algebra and Model Theory (Proceedings of annual Erlagol International School and conference, Sobolev Institute of Mathematics).
• Dr. Mohammad Shahryari served as the external examiner of Ph.D defense of one student at University of Tabriz and two students at Sahand University of Technology during the summer of 2024.
• Dr. Sanjiv Gupta reviewed papers for Advances in Pure Mathematics and wrote a few reviews for Mathematical Reviews and ZMath open.

• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Served as the Associate Editor for Poincare Journal of Analysis and Applications; Mathematics in Medical and Life Sciences.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Served as the Academic Editor for Journal of Function Spaces.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Served as the Editorial Board member for BAREKENG: Journal of Mathematics and its Applications.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Served as a member of organizing committee of the international conference “ICM-SQU2024: Recent Trends in Mathematics”, SQU, Oman, March 4-6, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Chaired a special session on Mathematical Analysis in the international conference “ICM-SQU2024: Recent Trends in Mathematics”, SQU, Oman, March 4-6, 2024.
• Dr. Nikhil Khanna Reviewer for Zentralblatt MATH (since 2018); Mathematical Reviews (since 2018); Integral Transforms and Special Functions; Complex Analysis and Operator Theory; Review of Scientific Instruments; Iranian Journal of Science; Poincare Journal of Analysis and Applications; IEEE Access; SQU Journal of Science; TWMS Journal of Applied and Engineering Mathematics; Results in Nonlinear Analysis; Mathematics, Applied Sciences, Symmetry.
• Dr. Zinelaabidine Latreuch reviewed a manuscript submitted to the journal of mathematical analysis and application.
• Dr. Zinelaabidine Latreuch reviewed a manuscript submitted to the Mediterranean journal of Mathematics.
• Dr. Abdul Wahab collaborated with Prof. A.D. Alruwaili and Prof. H. N. Alahmadi form Jouf University, Saudi Arabia, and Prof. M. Afzal from Capital University of Science and Technology, Pakistan on the scattering of fluid-structure-coupled waves in cylindrical wavequids.

Serving on Editorial Boards of Journals and Chairing Conference Sessions

• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman served as an associate editor of SQUJS
• Prof. Ahmad Al-Salman served as an associate editor of Computational Mathematics and Computer Modeling with Applications (CMCMA) journal.
• Dr. Messaoud Boulbrachene Chaired a session for the International Conference: Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Prof. A. Purnama Chaired a session for the International Conference: Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman was a Guest Editor for a Special Issue on Thermofluids and Energy, International Journal of Thermofluids, Published by Elsevier, February 2022-December 2023.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman served as an associate editor of SQUJS.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman continued serving on the Editorial boards for (i) International Journal of Thermofluids, (ii) Fluid Dynamics & Material Processing, (iii) International Journal of Thermofluids Science and Technology, (iv) International Journal of Heat and Technology.
• Prof. Mohammad Mansur Rahman organized as well as Chaired a session on Mathematical Modelling for the International Conference : Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March, 2024.
• Dr. Ibrahim Elmojtaba Chaired a session for the International Conference: Recent Trends in Mathematics (ICM-SQU2024), Muscat, Oman, 4-6 March 2024.

STUDENTS ACTIVITIES

Group: Mathematics

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Department of Physics

Overview

The Department of Physics consistently delivers high-quality education at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels. It offers approximately 40 undergraduate courses and 20 MSc-level courses, covering fundamental principles of physics and mathematics, hands-on laboratory training, computational techniques, and research-oriented projects. Many courses incorporate active learning strategies and are managed through e-learning platforms like Moodle and Google Classroom. The flexible degree structure allows students to major in Physics while pursuing a minor in other subjects. Additionally, the Department offers minors in Astronomy, Medical Physics, and Applied Nuclear Science, enabling students to tailor their studies to their interests and enhancing their career prospects in various scientific fields.

The Department boasts well-equipped general and specialized teaching laboratories in areas such as Electronics, Modern Physics, Nuclear Physics, Thermal Physics, Mechanics, Lasers & Optics, Condensed Matter, and Computational Physics. Students receive hands-on training in Electronics, as well as in Metal and Wood Workshops.

Research facilities within the Department include advanced instruments such as Mössbauer spectroscopy, Faraday and VSM systems for magnetic measurements, a four-point probe for electrical resistivity analysis, and an ultra-high vacuum instrument with XPS/AES/UPS/SPA-LEED for surface chemical analysis. Additional equipment includes AFM/STM/MFM for surface morphology studies, an LRC meter for dielectric research, and DLTS for investigating electrically active defects in semiconductors. The Department also possess a TCSPC system for time-resolved fluorescence decay measurements, a UV ozone cleaner for ultra-clean surface preparation, vacuum coating and sputtering systems for thin film formation, and a solar cell simulator. Furthermore, facilities for electrical characterization using IVT and CVT, along with high-performance computational resources, support cutting-edge research and innovation.

HoD Office

Professor Hisham Widatallah, HoD
(Fall 24-present)

(MSc. (Southampton), Prof. Prof. Nazife Koca
PhD (Nanjing)

Professor Issam Ali, HoD(Spring24)

(PhD, Wisconsin-Madison, USA)

Zulaikha Al-Mahrooqi
Coordinator

Members of the Departmental Main Committees 2024-2025

Academic Promotion

Prof. Hisham Widatallah

(HoD-Chair)

Prof. Isam Ali

Prof. Nazife Koca

Prof. Imad Al-Omari

Dr. Alaa Ibrahim

Accreditation & Quality Assurance

Prof. Hishma Widatallah

(HoD-Chair)

Dr. Ali Kachmar

Dr. Sumesh Sofin Pillai

Dr. Mohammed Souier

Dr. Kazi Abedin

HIGHLIGHTS

• Since its establishment in 1986, the Physics Department at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has been a leading center for high-quality education and research in Oman and the region. We offer a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs that prepare students to meet the demands of the scientific community and the broader professional world.
• Our undergraduate programs provide a solid foundation in fundamental physics principles, equipping students with the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in various careers. We offer minor specializations in Medical Physics, Astronomy, and Nuclear Sciences. Soon, in collaboration with the Biology and Chemistry departments, we will coordinate a minor in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The department is the pioneer in introducing Active Learning in its teaching program at SQU.
• At the postgraduate level, we offer M.Sc. (Physics) and Ph. D. (Physics) programs that foster advanced research. These programs allow our students to be well acquainted with the advanced knowledge and skills that enable them to contribute to the development of diverse research fields, ranging from condensed matter physics to quantum physics, materials science, soft matter, and optics to high energy physics, astrophysics, and astronomy.
• The department is renowned for its high-quality research output, with faculty and students consistently contributing to global scientific research in theoretical, computational, and experimental physics and related fields. As hinted above, our research spans multiple disciplines, with a particular focus on areas such as theoretical and applied condensed and soft matter physics, materials science, high energy physics, and astrophysics. Excellent experimental and computational research facilities and an astronomical observatory support our research activities. Collaborations with local and international institutions further enrich the research environment, creating valuable opportunities for innovation and advancement. It is no wonder that, over the years, our department has made significant contributions to the international physics community through publications and the organization of international conferences and regional meetings.
• At the Physics Department of SQU, we are committed to excellence in teaching and research. We aim to nurture the next generation of Omani scientists and innovators who will shape the future. You are welcome to contact us for more details.
• The Department of Physics invites all to join in celebrating the International Year for Quantum Science and Technology 2025 (IQY)! This year promises to be an exciting journey into the fascinating world of quantum sciences and technology. We have planned a series of engaging activities aimed at deepening our understanding and sparking our curiosity.

Prof. Hisham M. Widatallah
(HOD)

DEPARTING STAFF

None

APPOINTMENTS (SEE PHOTOS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)

• Dr. Ali Naji, PhD (Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany, 2005), joined as associate professor in Fall 2024
• Dr. Dario Carbone, PhD (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2016), joined as assistant professor in Fall 2024
• Dr. Ismail Al-Yahmadi, PhD (SQU, Muscat, Oman, 2021), joined as assistant professor in Fall 2024
• Dr. Myo Tay Zar Myint, D. Eng (Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, 2012), joined as associate professor in Fall 2024

RETURNING STAFF

• Rahma Al Busaidi, Assistant Professor, got her PhD scholarship at the University of Manchester, UK, returned in June 2024.
• Dr. Zamzam Al-Khalili, an assistant professor, completed her PhD at Imperial College, London, UK, returned in September 2024.

EMERITUS PROFESSOR

Prof. Mehmet Koca joined the department as Prof. S M Mujibur Rahman joined the Emeritus professor on 23.01.2024

department as Emeritus professor on 15.01.2024

SCHOLARSHIPS & OVERSEAS STUDIES

None

SABBATICAL LEAVE

None

PROMOTIONS

None

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

None

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

Spring 2024:

1. Prof. Mohamed Elamin Elzain, PhD (Birmingham University, UK, 1978) (Visiting Consultant)
2. Dr Mohammad H. Zhoolideh Haghighi, PhD(Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran,2018)(Visiting Consultant)
3. Dr. Asadig Mohammed Asadig Mohammed, PhD (University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, 2014)(Visiting Consultant)
4. Dr. Myo Tay Zar Myint,D. Eng (Nanotechnology)(Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, 2012)(Part-Time Instructor)
5. Dr. Lamiya Al-Farsi, PhD (Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 2023)(Part-Time Instructor)
6. Dr. Ismail Zahran Al-Yahmadi, PhD (Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 2021) (Part-Time Instructor)
7. Dr. Afaf Ali Juma Al Lawati, PhD (Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 2014) (Part- Time Instructor) Dr. Afaf Ali Juma Al Lawati

Fall 2024:

1. Prof. Mohamed Elamin Elzain, PhD (Birmingham University, UK, 1978) (Visiting Consultant)
2. Prof. Kazim Yavuz Eksi, PhD (Bogazici University, Physics Department, Istanbul, Turkey, 2003)(Visiting Consultant)
3. Dr. Asadig Mohammed Asadig Mohammed, PhD (University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, 2014)(Visiting Consultant)
4. Prof. Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi, PhD (Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran 1998.)(Visiting Consultant)
5. Prof. Haikel JelassiI, PhD (Laboratoire Aimé Cotton-CNRS- University of Paris-Sud, France, 2007)(Visiting Consultant)
6. Dr.Khalid Khamis Aljahwari, MSc, (Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, 2010) (Part- Time Instructor)

VISITING EXAMINER

None

CURRICULUM

• BSc Program

The Curriculum Committee

• Performed an extensive review of the Physics Department Course Packages in support of the deployment of the new Student Information Services system of SQU.
• Produced guideline documents for the large multi-section courses of the Department, namely, PHYS2101 and PHYS2102 outlining the responsibilities of the Course, Tutorial and Lab Coordinators.

• Oversaw the creation of the Physics Department BSc Physics Program Handbook
• Initiated the process to include innovative new courses in the Physics Program. The course PHYS5120
  • Physics Applications Using Data Science was approved and will be offered starting from the 2026 Spring semester. Additionally, a course on the physics of quantum computing is being developed.
• Initialized a comprehensive 5-year review of the Physics program that will ensure the Physics program remains competitive during the 2026-2030 period. The review is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2025 Spring semester. As part of the review the Curriculum Committee is making certain that the department adheres to the OAAA Oman Qualification Framework standards.

• Postgraduate Program
  The following postgraduate students have graduated during 2024 in the terms indicated:

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

• Dr. Noor alhuda Al Saqri has been collaborating with Prof. Mohamed Henini from the University of Nottingham, UK, under the IG/SCI/PHYS/20/01 project. As part of this collaboration, Prof. Henini visited the department as a research consultant from May 9, 2024, to May 13, 2024.
• Prof. Imaddin Al-Omari has been collaborating with Prof. Sy-Hwang Liou from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, under the IG/SCI/PHYS/24/03 project. As part of this collaboration, Prof. Al- Omari visited the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA as research visiting professor from June 24, 2024, to July 9, 2024.
• Dr. Abey Issac has research collaboration with Prof. Richard Hildner from Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
• Prof. Nazife Koca has been collaborating with Prof. Ramazan Koc from Gaziantep University in Turkey.
• Prof. Rachid Sbiaa has been collaborating with Prof. S. N. Piramanayagam from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
• Dr. Tewfik Souier has been collaborating with Prof. M. Chiesa, Khalifa University, UAE.
• The Mössbauer and Magnetism Research Group has been collaborating with Dr. E. A. Moore and Dr. E. Crabb (Open University, UK), Prof. O. Cespedes and Dr. B. Hickey (Leeds University, UK) and Prof. M. Lemine (Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University, KSA.

STAFF TRAINING

• Dr. Yahya Al-Saleh has graduated from the National Leadership Program “ETIMAD” at the Royal Academy of Management in December 2024.

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

NEW EQUIPMENT/BOOKS

• Fluorescence microscope. Manufacturer: KERN-Sohn Germany (2999.850 OMR)
• USB Real-time Spectrum Analyzer (10MHz -6GHz), Aaronia AG Germany (3106.212 OMR)
• Coating Machine, Spin Coater Advanced, Standard Chuck, Ossila Ltd. UK (1,182.318 OMR)
• Hot Plate, Holmarc Optic-Mechatronics Ltd. India (549.278 OMR)
• Interactive Panel (TV), Qty 3, Smart LED screens, QTY:6 and LCD Projectors Qty: 4, Fens National Project Oman (14,997.150 OMR)
• Digital Storage Oscilloscope, QTY:30, GW Instik (5325.00 OMR)
• Driven Damped Harmonic Oscillations Experiment, PASCO Germany (910 OMR)
• Frank-Hertz Power Supply, 3B Scientific Germany (2,976.703 OMR)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Dr. Abey Issac and Dr. Sumesh Sofin R.G organized safety seminar for Physics Students in spring and fall semesters 2024.
• Prof. Nazife Koca has served as Associate Editor for SQU Journal for Science.
• Dr. Fatma presented a talk on ‘Nanotechnology and peace’ in Saidia Conference for Science and Peace, 12.11. 2024.
• Dr. Hajir Al-Hamrashdi and Dr. Turkiya Al-Shahumi participated in the central training camp for Nuclear Science Olympiad students organized by the ministry of education during the period from14-18.07.2024.

• Dr. Turkiya Al-Shahumi, Ms. Amina Al-Shueili and Mr. Hamyar Al-Shukaili demonstrated physics experiments to the students of Arwa bint ALHarith secondary school at Al-Rustaq on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

PHYSICS STUDENTS GROUP (SPG) ACTIVITIES

STAFF

Department of Statistics

OVERVIEW
The Department of Statistics (DOS) came into existence in the year 2018 following an executive order of his excellency the Vice Chancellor that resulted in the splitting the then, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS) into two departments, Department of Mathematics and Department of Statistics.

The department offers programs leading to the award of Bachelor of Science in Statistics (BSc. Statistics), Master Science in Statistics (MSc. Statistics) and Doctor of Philosophy in Statistics (PhD. Statistics). A general minor in Statistics is also offered to students of other majors at the College of Science.

All these programs were in place prior to the existence of the department, so a bit of history is in order. The bachelor degree in Statistics started 1993, together with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science, under the then department of Mathematics and Computing (DOMAC). The Department of Computer Science became a separate department in September 1995, and DOMAC became the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS). The other statistics programs that started under the DOMAS are the minor in Health Statistics (1998), Master of Science in Statistics (1999) and PhD in Statistics (2010).

Currently, the Department of Statistics is with 14 staff members and over six hundred student registrations per semester. The department offers programs leading to BSc., MSc. and PhD. in Statistics. A general minor in Statistics is offered to students of other majors in the College of Science. The department is committed to quality teaching, research and community service. It aspires to:

1. Fulfill the role of Sultan Qaboos University as the national house of expertise in the area of Statistics,
2. Open wider doors for interdisciplinary research of direct relevance to Oman,
3. Impact and invigorate SQU Statistics academic programs,
4. Pursue cutting-edge research,
5. Enhance statistical consulting and community services involvement, and Inspire new ways to work together with the community.

The Department of Statistics provides two service courses: Probability for Engineering (STAT2103) for the BSc students in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Statistics Data Science (STAT6600) for the MSc students in the Data Science and Machine learning program in the Computer Science department. Further, a part of our degree program is taken by other majors for Statistics background deemed necessary by their departments.

Members of the Departmental Main Committees

HoD Office

Moh’d Taleb Alodat
Associate Prof., HoD
(PhD, McGill University, Canada)

Ms. Afrah Alsalmani
Coordination & Follow-Up &
Archives Specialist

BSc Curriculum

Dr. Iman Al Hasani

Dr. Moh’d T. Alodat

Dr. Ronald Wesonga

Dr. Amadou Sarr

Dr. Khidir Abdelbasit Dr. Manoj Kumar

Examinations

Prof. M Mazharul

Islam

Examination Appeal Islam

Prof. M Mazharul

Islam

Dr. Mounir Arfi

Dr. Amadou Sarr

Dr. M. Razmy

PG Coordinator &

Research

Prof. M. Mazharul

Dr. Moh’d T. Alodat

Dr. Amadou Sarr

statistics program more closely with local market needs. They highlighted the potential to enhance courses by incorporating practical applications and proposed involving market experts in reviewing course content. The importance of hands-on training was also emphasized, with recommendations for summer internships and expert supervision of graduation projects.

Additionally, the board suggested increasing collaboration with external organizations, updating courses to include emerging fields like data science and business analytics, and exploring the need for a high diploma program to meet market demands.

Dr. Salah Al Muzahmi Director, Research and Development Indicators Department GCC Statistical Center (GCC-STAT)	Dr. Nasser Al Khayari Director of Digital Transformation Executive Team Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology
Mr.Yousuf Al Riyami Director General of National Statistics National Centre for Statistics and Information-NCSI	Mr. Hamed Al Mashrafi Founder & CEO Data Mining Company
Mr. Hashim Al Hashmi General Director of Social Protection Services.

STATISTICS DAY

The Department of Statistics celebrated its third annual Statistics Day, this year’s event was designed to engage undergraduate and postgraduate statistics students as well as people interested in the field. The invited speaker Ms. Maryam Al Amari, the founder of Mattrez and Innovation Hub, and one of the Department’s alumni and a member in the Department’s advisory board delivered an interesting speech.

The event was in the form of dialogue session with Mr. Abduallah Al Bulushi as an interviewer. The discussion centred around the intersection of statistics and innovation in the age of AI. Topics covered included the definition of innovation, the role of statisticians in generating innovative ideas and solutions, and the importance of data analysis in driving innovation. The discussion further explored the role of statistics in enhancing AI, and the future of statistics in Oman. Based on students' feedback, it was a successful and informative session that provided them with valuable insights.

ACADEMIC REVIEW OF POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
The postgraduate programs, including both the MSc and PhD in Statistics, were externally reviewed by the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) in October 2023 to ensure alignment with quality standards. As a result, the MSc Statistics program was selected for Oman Qualification Framework (OQF) listing. Between October and December 2024, course outlines were updated according to OQF template, and the listing outcomes for each course were documented. The completed application was then submitted to the Quality Assurance Office in January 2025 for final review.

MASTER AND PHD THESIS COMPLETED

• Master:
  • Student: Nadia Al Habsi (ID:40448).
  • Title: Hierarchical SVM Classifier with Application for Diabetes Control.
  • Progress: Graduated
  • Supervisor: Dr. Ronald Wesonga
  • Co-Supervisor: Dr. Iman Al Hasani
  • Student: Fatma Mohammed Salim Al Balushi (ID: 52070)
  • Title: On the Choice of an Efficient Portfolio: Theory and Practice.
  • Progress: Graduated
  • Supervisor: Dr. Amadou Sarr
• PhD:
  • Noora Said Salim Al-Shanfari (ID: 11906)
  • Thesis Title: Modeling Survival Data in the presence of Competing Risks with Application
  • Progress: Graduated
  • Supervisor:Prof. M Mazharul Islam
  • Co-Supervisor:Dr. Amadou Sarr
  • Member: Dr. Ronald Wesonga

DATA SCIENCE ANALYTICS LAB (DSAL):

• Workshops:
  • DSAL organized a workshop on "Statistical Power & Artificial Intelligence" on 20 October 2024, presented by Dr. Yahya Al Hussaini, CEO of the Muscat Center for Statistical Consulting.

• DSAL organized a session on "Creating Electronic Questionnaires" on 29 October 2024, presented by Mr. Hamed Al Mashrafi, CEO of the Data Mining Company.

• DSAL organized a workshop on "Data Storytelling" on 3 November 2024, presented by Dr. Amal Al Amri, Assistant Professor of Business Statistics, Data Science & Information Technology at the College of Banking and Financial Studies.

• Webinars:
  • DSAL, jointly with Oman R Users, successfully hosted a webinar on Data Visualization (DataViz) on 18 November 2024. The session was delivered by the renowned data visualization expert, Yan Holtz, who is widely recognized for his contributions to the field, particularly through his work on data visualization tools and resources. The webinar attracted over 120 participants, including students, faculty members, and data science enthusiasts, demonstrating the growing interest in advanced techniques for effectively communicating insights through visual means. During the session, Yan Holtz shared key principles of effective data visualization, explored various tools and software, and presented case studies showcasing how impactful visualization can enhance decision-making and storytelling in data science. Attendees gained insights into the nuances of selecting appropriate visualization techniques and the common pitfalls to avoid when designing visual representations of data.

• The Chair of DSAL, Dr. Ronald Wesonga, provided a webinar on "Introduction to Statistical Analysis with SPSS" for the College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences on October 16-17, 2024.

• Training Courses:
  • The Vice-chair of DSAL, Dr. Iman Al Hasani provided a training course titled "Data Analysis with R" from June 2 to June 6, 2024. The course is advertised through the Etqan platform for the Management of Training Programs and Community Activities at SQU. It is organized by the Community Service and Continuing Education Center at SQU.

• Invited Talks:
  • The Vice-chair of DSAL, Dr. Iman Al Hasani, delivered an invited talk to the Applied Sciences Department's staff development committee at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in March 2024. She conducted a two-hour workshop titled "Data-Driven Research: The Role of Statistics," which was divided into two parts: Part I covered theoretical concepts, and Part II focused on data wrangling and visualization using R.

ACTIVE LEARNING & TEACHING (DAT)

The DAT Committee Conducted a Baseline Study to Assess Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Active Learning Components by Academic Staff in the Statistics Courses. The statistical report for the baseline survey, which was first conducted in the 2023 aimed to determine the status of knowledge and practices pertaining active learning in the Department of Statistics, College of Science at the Sultan Qaboos University. Besides, it’s findings would guide future capacity building workshops to motivate adoption of active learning in the statistics courses to support the university-wide project of active learning. Based on the survey results, key recommendations for implementing active learning (AL) in a statistics course include:

1. Encourage Student Engagement – Prioritize activities that actively involve students in the learning process, as 70% of respondents favoured this approach.
2. Use Effective Questioning Strategies – Incorporate instructor-led questioning to stimulate critical thinking and participation, as this was supported by 50% of participants.
3. Clearly Explain the Purpose of AL – Address potential student resistance by explicitly communicating the benefits and objectives of AL, a strategy endorsed by 60% of respondents.

4. Make Learning Relevant – Link statistical concepts to real-life applications and practical examples, as 50% of participants highlighted this as an effective strategy.
5. Design Interactive Activities – Develop engaging and participatory tasks that encourage student involvement, with 50% of respondents supporting this approach.
6. Provide Incremental Support – Implement gradual steps and scaffolding to ease students into active learning, as 30% of participants recognized this as beneficial.
7. Focus on Long-Term Understanding – Emphasize conceptual mastery over rote
8. learning, as 90% of respondents believe AL equips students with life-long statistical knowledge.
9. Consider Project-Based Learning – Use AL techniques to introduce more project work, a benefit acknowledged by 40% of respondents.

• Active Learning Components in Statistics Courses:
  • In STAT2101, active learning techniques were incorporated to enhance student engagement and understanding of statistical concepts. Interactive visualizations using Plotly in R were utilized, enabling students to explore data in real-time and better grasp complex statistical ideas. Additionally, Kahoot was employed to encourage active participation, allowing students to solve unfamiliar questions in a competitive format with instant feedback. These methods, aimed at fostering deeper learning and collaboration, will continue to be a key component of the course in future offerings.

• In STAT2102, active learning is implemented through a variety of pedagogical practices, primarily centered on collaborative, group-based learning. Students are organized into consistent groups at the start of the semester, fostering a dynamic learning environment through collaborative activities, discussions, flipped classroom methodologies, and structured feedback and reflection. Beyond the classroom, students engage in group-based assignments that apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios, utilizing statistical software such as R or Python and they are motivated by competitions that highlight their best work .

DEPARTING STAFF

• N/A

RETURNING STAFF

• N/A

APPOINTMENTS

• Dr. Muhammad Farooq joined the department in Fall 24.

PROMOTIONS

• N/A

SCHOLARSHIPS & OVERSEAS STUDIES

• Amani Al Rubkhi (Lecturer) pursues her PhD study in University of Strathclyde, UK

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

• N/A

SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES

1. Prof. M Mazharul Islam

• Presented a paper entitled “Rapid fertility decline in Oman: Puzzles and paradoxes” At the Annual Conference of the Population Association of America, held in Columbus, Ohaio, USA, April 17-20, 2024

2. Dr. Ronald Wesonga

• Delivered an invited talk on "Significance of Study Design in Data-Centric Research" to Graduate Students at the School of Statistics and Planning, Makerere University o 29 August 2024.
• Delivered an invited talk to Graduate Medical Students on "Statistics and Research Methods for medical Students " at the Skills Building Methodology Workshop Organised by The East African Diabetes Study Group (EADSG) on 24th – 25th August 2024.

3. Dr. Manoj Kumar

• Delivered Invited talk in Tenth International Conference on Statistics for Twenty-first Century - 2024 [ICSTC-2024], December13-16, 2024 Department of Statistics, University of Kerala, Kerala, India.
• Delivered Plenary Talk in the International Conference on Innovative Trends in Statistics, Optimization and Data Science (IC-ITSODS-2024) in conjunction with the 44th Annual Convention of Indian Society for Probability and Statistics (ISPS), Dec 21 - 23, 2024, Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India - 136119
• Delivered Special Invited Talk in WSTA June 29 - July 2, 2024, Department of Statistics, University of Kerala, Kerala, India.

4. Dr. Mounir Arfi

Weekly seminars were delivered to staff and students either face to face or via webinar

VISITING CONSULTANTS & PART-TIME INSTRUCTORS

The Department received the following academic staff as Visiting Consultants:

• Visiting Consultant
  • Dr. Khidir Abdulbasit, PhD 1980, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne University, UK Applied Statistics and Design of Experiments
  • Dr. Ahmad Al-hadhrami, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA Ph.D. in Biostatistics, June 2010
  • Dr. Razmi, PhD in Applied Statistics 2015, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
• Part-Time
  • Dr. Moza Al Bulushi, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, PhD in Statistics – Field Multilevel Modelling, 2015.
  • Dr. Yasir Al Harthi, University of Wollongong, Australia, PhD in Mathematics and Applied Statistics – Modelling Student Flows in the Omani Higher Education System, 2021.

CURRICULUM

• BSc Program Accreditation by ASIIN (2024-2025):

The BSc Statistics degree program has successfully
maintained its accreditation from ASIIN for the
2024-2025 period. This accreditation confirms that
the program meets high international quality
standards, as determined by the relevant
objectives set by Sultan Qaboos University and the
success of graduates in the statistics profession.

ASIIN, a German-based organization with over 25
years of global leadership in higher education
quality assurance, has reaffirmed the program's
commitment to excellence.

• BSc Academic Programs:
  • Proposal for BSc Data Science:
    An Adhoc Committee was established by
    the Department of Statistics Board to
    propose the BSc Data Science program.
    The committee members are Dr. Iman Al
    Hasani (Chair), Dr. Mohd Alodat, Dr. Ronald Wesonga, and Dr. Muhammad Farooq.
  • BSc Statistics Degree Plan (2026-2030):
    An Adhoc Committee was formed by the Department of Statistics Board to review and propose modifications to the BSc Statistics degree plan for 2026- 2030. The committee members are Dr. Amadou Sarr (Chair), Prof. M. Islam, Dr. Ahmed Al Hadhrami and Dr. Maryam Al Alawi.
  • The Degree Plan package for the BSc Statistics program, covering cohorts 2018- 2020 and 2021-2025, has been reviewed and updated in the Student Information System (SIS).
  • The degree plan for the 2021-2025 cohort has been reviewed and updated, with the overall structure remaining the same. Minor revisions were made to the prerequisites for STAT2102 and STAT3239 to ensure better alignment with course progression and requirements.
  • The proposal for admission criteria for Omani students seeking direct admission into majors in the College of Science was discussed at the Department Board.

Furthermore, updates to the degree plan for the 2025 cohort were proposed to align with the revised criteria and support the academic progression of incoming students.

• Collaboration with Experts from Public and Private Sectors:
  In Fall 2024, the Department of Statistics arranged collaborations with public and private sector experts to update the curriculum. These collaborations, which will be implemented in courses offered in Spring 2025, include:
  • STAT4436: Survey Designs with industrial topics, supported by Mr. Hamed Al- Mashrafi, CEO of Data Mining.
  • STAT4433: Design and Analysis of Experiments I with industrial topics, contributed by Dr. Saif Al Khamisi from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources.
• Emerging Technology Integration in BSc and MSc Statistics Programs:
  The BSc and MSc Statistics programs integrate emerging technologies to enhance students' skills in data analysis, statistical modeling, and research. The following summarizes the key technological tools and methodologies used across courses:
  • BSc in Statistics:
    • Data Visualization & Reproducibility: Courses like STAT2100 and STAT2101 leverage ggplot2, Plotly, and RMarkdown to create dynamic visualizations and reproducible reports.
    • Interactive Data Mining & High-Performance Computing: Advanced courses (STAT4441–STAT5543) utilize Shiny for real-time data visualizations and R’s parallel package for large-scale computations.
    • Simulation & Statistical Methods: STAT3336 and STAT4438 incorporate Monte Carlo simulations and the boot package for bootstrap resampling.
    • Web Scraping & Social Media Analysis: In STAT5501 and STAT5502, students learn to use tools like rvest for web scraping and

• Optimization & Statistical Methods: Advanced optimization techniques, such as MLE, are explored with nloptr, optim, and JuMP.
• Probabilistic Programming: Stan is used for modeling and simulations in advanced probabilistic models.
• Advanced Statistical Computing: The use of WinBugs and LaplacesDemon enables doctoral students to simulate and analyze complex statistical models.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

1. Prof. M Mazharul Islam

• Conducted collaborative research with Prof. Samir Al Adawi, Dr. Abdullah Al Asmi, Dr. Watfa Al-Mamari and Dr. Ahmed B. Idris from College of Medicine and Health Science, Sultan Qaboos University. The research was about different health issues of Omani people and children. The outcome of this collaboration was the publication of 5 papers in top graded health journals in 2024.
• Has a research collaboration with Professor Kumar P. Das from University of Lusiana at Lafayate, USA. The research was about modeling count data with application in health research.
• Conducting collaborative research with Prof. Shahjahan, Daffodil International University (DIU), Dhaka, Bangladesh, to investigate the situation of human health resources in Bangladesh.

2. Dr. Moh’d Alodat

• has conducted research collaborations with Dr. Dareen Al Omari from La Trobe University, Australia. The research was on the asymptotic theory of some nonparametric estimators of overlapping coefficients. This discussion is going through the WebInar meetings.
• has conducted a research collaboration with Professor Ayman Baklizi from Qatar University. The research was about improving the parameters estimation using further Binomial information obtained by the ranked set sampling.

3. Dr. Manoj Kumar

• Conducted research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, Pragya Goyal, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and Dr. Manoj Dubey, Department of Statistics, University of Delhi, India. The work was based on a new modified generalized two parameter estimator for linear regression model.
• Conducted research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, Pragya Goyal, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work was based on a new general biased estimator in linear measurement error model.

• Conducting research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and Pragya Goyal, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work is based on selection of tuning parameter based upon adjusted coefficient of determination and cross validation technique.
• Conducting research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, Bavneet K. Sidhu, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work is based on generalized two parameter estimators in inverse gaussian regression model.

4. Dr. Ronald Wesonga

• Visited the School of Statistics and Planning, Makerere University and the East African Statistics Institute during the period July through August 2024, held discussions on the possibility of developing academic research collaboration. The discussions resulted in a paper "Cluster Model for Predicting Cardiovascular Diseases using STEPS survey" which is being considered for publication in Q1 journal. He also gave a series of training seminars associated with Statistical Data Science.
• Developed a proposal for International Collaboration with Concordia University, Canada in areas of staff research and student exchanges. The proposal is under consideration at the university level.
• Collaborated with Prof. David Guwatudde of Makerere University, Prof. Silver Bahendeka, and Staff at the Ministry of Health, Uganda on the World Health Organization (WHO) supported STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS) National Representative Survey. As a result, a paper titled "Changes in the Prevalence of NCDs Risk Factors", a paper already accepted for publication.
• Collaborated on Pneumonia Reasearch with the Royal Hospital in Oman. A Four-Year ongoing study, currently collecting data on patients with Diabetes cormorbities in Oman.

5. Dr. Iman Al Hasani

• was invited to join the OLS-NASA Nebula Program, part of NASA's
  Open Science initiative, which ran from October 21 to November
  29, 2024. The program offers six-week virtual cohorts for
  participants at any career stage, combining practical training with
  individual coaching. Topics include the Ethos of Open Science, Open Data, Open Code, and Open Results.

6. Dr. Brahim Benaid

• Dr. Brahim Benaid and Dr. Iman Al Hasani have conducted research collaborations with Prof. Mhamed Eddahbi from King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudia. The topic of research was on Number of regimes of the Volatility in Muscat Security Market Index in Oman using Markov Switching GARCH models.
• Dr. Brahim Benaid has conducted research collaborations with Prof. Hassan Bouzahir and Dr. Lahcen Boulaasair Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco. The topic of research was on the impact of two independent Gaussian white noises on the behavior of a stochastic epidemic model.

7. Dr. Amadou Sarr

• Collaborated with Prof. Silver Bahendeka, Martyrs University, Kampala, Uganda, The collaboration resulted in a paper titled "Survival of type 1 diabetes
  mellitus patients on disease control programme", a paper published in Q1 Journal
• I wrote a research proposal for my former PhD student, Dr. Iman Al Hashmi, who is invited to join Prof. Rudiger Kiesel, Chair for Energy Trading and Finance at the University of Duisburg ESSEN, Germany.
  Dr Iman is invited for a three-month-period. The research topic will be on: Portfolio Optimization under Elliptical Distributions.

8. Dr. Faisal Ababneh

• Conducted research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. and Pragya Goyal, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work was based on a new general biased estimator in linear measurement error model.
• Conducted research collaborations with Professor AM Razmy, Department of Mathematical Sciences, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka. The work was based on Computation of False Alarm for Existing Shewhart Joint Monitoring Schemes.
• Conducting research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and Pragya Goyal, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work is based on selection of tuning parameter based upon adjusted coefficient of determination and cross validation technique.
• Conducting research collaborations with Professor Vikas Bist, Department of Mathematics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and Bavneet K Sidhu, Department of Statistics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The work is based on generalized two parameter estimators in inverse gaussian regression model.

STAFF TRAINING

• N/A

STUDENT TRAINING & INDUSTRY PLACEMENT

Training opportunities for students in the Summer of 2024 are tabulated below:

NEW EQUIPMENTS

• Our two statistics labs are equipped with newly high-quality LED Monitors screens. They are used for lectures, presentations and other learning related activities.
• A multi-purpose room has been created in the department. The room will be used for active learning and other learning activities.
• One LED screen is mounted in the department lobby area and it is lively connected with the National Center for Statistics and Information. Live information is displayed daily.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Dr. Khidir Abdelbasit

• Member of the Gulf Cooperation Council Statistics Centre (GCC STAT) and SQU Joint/Technical Committee
• National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) and SQU Team

Dr. Iman Al Hasani

• Vice Chair: Data Science Analytics Lab (DSAL)
• Member: Royal Statistical Society (RSS), United Kingdom
• Member & Co-organizer: Global R User Group

Dr. Faisal Ababneh

• Chair of the Thesis Examining Committe of M.Sc. Thesis of Ms. AL Zahra Mohammed Zahir Al Shaqsi Department of Physics, Sultan Qaboos University. Thesis Title: Probing the Interaction between Bisphenol A (BPA) with Whey and Casein Proteins.
• Member of Sultan Qaboos University Staff Club Executive Committe.

Dr. Ronald Wesonga

• Chair: Data Science Analytics Lab (DSAL)
• Member: Royal Statistical Society (RSS), United Kingdom
• Member: International Statistical Institute (ISI), Netherlands
• Member: International Association of Statistical Computing (IASC), Netherlands
• Member: East African Statistics Institute (EASI), Uganda
• Associate Editor: Frontiers of Applied Mathematics and Statistics
• Associate Editor: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
• Reviewer: Sultan Qaboos University Journal of Science

Prof. M. Mazharul Islam

• Life Member, Bangladesh Statistical Association, Bangladesh
• Member: International Union of Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), Paris, France
• Member: Population Association of America (PAA), USA
• Member: Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science, Bangladesh
• Member: Bangladesh Population Association
• Member, Asian Population Association
• Member: Editorial Board, South Asian Journal of Population and Health
• Member: Editorial Board, International Journal of Community and Family Medicine
• Member: Editorial Board, International Journal of Statistics in Medical Research
• Reviewed 15 papers for different peer-reviewed Journals

• Chair, PhD thesis examining committee of Saleem Al Maskari (ID# 104817) of Department of Physics, Sultan Qaboos University.
• Chair, PhD thesis examining committee of Wahida Nasser Salim Al-Amry (ID: s117745) of Department of Biology, Sultan Qaboos University.

Dr. Moh’d Alodat

• Reviewer for the Jordan Journal of Mathematics and Statistics
• Review a paper for the Journal “Statistical Papers”
• Associate editor of Sultan Qaboos University Journal of Science
• Member of the committee “Career Path Review for Academic Categories” formed by the DVC, SQU, 2024

Dr. Mounir Arfi

• Reviewer for the SQU Journal
• Reviewer for PJSOR (Pakistan Journal of Statistics and Operation Research)
• Internal Examiner for PhD Thesis of Mrs. Noora Al-Shanfari. Department of Statistics, Sultan Qaboos University. Thesis Title: Modelling Survival Data in the Presence of Competing Risks with Applications
• Focal Point at SQU for Oman Qualification Framework (OQF) Listing

Dr. Manoj Kumar

• Elected Member of International Statistical Institute, The Netherlands.
• Life Member, Indian Society for Probability and Statistics (ISPS), India
• Reviewer for Mathematical Reviews, American Mathematical Society (AMS), USA.
• Reviewer for the Journal Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Switzerland.
• Reviewer for Aligarh Journal of Statistics
• Internal Examiner for M.Sc Thesis of Ms. Nadia Al Habsi, Department of Statistics, Sultan Qaboos University. Thesis Title: Hierarchical SVM Classifier for Diabetes Control.
• Co -supervised one MSc Student.

Dr. Maryam Al Alawi

• Member: Royal Statistical Society (RSS). United Kingdom.
• Fellow: University of Glasgow. United Kingdom.
• Member: Editorial Board. The Egyptian Statistical Journal (ESJ). Egypt.
• Focal Point at SQU for the National Center of Statistics and Information

• Member in KSA grant refereeing team-2025.

Dr. Brahim Benaid

• Internal Examiner for M.Sc Thesis of Ms. Fatma Al Balushi, Department of Statistics, Sultan Qaboos University. Thesis Title: On the Choice of an Efficient Portfolio: Theory and Practice. January 2024

Dr. Amadou Sarr

• Reviewer for the Journal of Statistical Theory and Practice, USA
• Reviewer for the Journal of Statistics and Probability Letters, Italy
• Reviewer for the Journal Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Switzerland.
• Reviewer for the Sultan Qaboos University Journal for Science, Oman
• Supervised one MSc Student and Co-supervised one PhD Student

Dr. Muhammad Farooq

• Reviewer for Pakistan Journal of Statistics, Pakistan
• Reviewer for Journal of Statistics, Pakistan
• Collaboration with Department of Urology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS IN NATIONAL AI COMPETITION
The Department of Statistics is proud to highlight the achievements of its students in the "Engineer It with Artificial Intelligence" competition, organized by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology. Representing the College of Science, two teams, comprising students from the Department of Statistics and Department of Computer Science achieved top rankings:

• Embedded Stars Team (First Place)
  Dima Al Maawali (Department of Statistics)
  Malak Al-Bahri (Department of Computer Science)

• Omaniware Team ( Third Place)
  Salim Al Muzahmi (Department of Statistics)
  Mohammed Al-Alawi (Department of Computer Science)

These accomplishments demonstrate the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration and the Department of Statistics’ active contribution to national efforts in artificial intelligence and innovation.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The statistics group has been as active as ever, organizing several successful events last year that significantly enhanced the department’s visibility both within the university and beyond.

• Statistics Festival

One of the standout events was the Statistical Festival, “A Sample,” which was held in February in the open area near the College of Science. The festival featured multiple interactive stations designed to make statistical concepts fun and accessible to a broad audience. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities that demonstrated real-world applications of statistics in an enjoyable and engaging manner.

• Students Group Opening Evening

Another highly anticipated event was the Opening Evening for the Statistics Group, a favorite among students. This event provides a relaxed and stimulating environment where students can explore topics beyond their major, broadening their perspectives while enjoying insightful discussions and presentations.

• Stat Kids

The group also successfully organized Stat Kids, an initiative aimed at introducing children of different ages to the world of statistics in a fun and interactive way. Through creative activities, games, and experiments, the young participants learned fundamental statistical ideas in a manner that was both educational and entertaining. The dedication and enthusiasm of the statistics group were evident in the way they transformed complex concepts into joyful learning experiences for the little ones.

MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT