IT (241)

In an effort to promote national priorities and facilitate research funding opportunities, a workshop aimed to empower researchers and encourage innovative solutions to address national challenges and requirements. The workshop was organized by the Research & Consultancy Committee of the IT Department and held offline on April 11th, 2023. It was delivered by Dr. Arthur Davis Nicholas, a senior lecturer in the engineering department. In view to Oman's vision for 2040 and the Sultanate’s commitment to advancing science, technology, and innovation, the workshop served as a platform to foster collaboration and support researchers in aligning their projects with the nation's strategic objectives. Dr. Arthur Davis, known for his expertise in engineering and research management, delivered valuable insights to the enthusiastic participants.
The workshop commenced with an overview of Oman's national priorities, emphasizing the critical areas of focus identified by the government to drive sustainable development. These priorities encompassed a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, education, energy, water resources, transportation, and information technology. Dr. Davis highlighted the importance of aligning research projects with these priorities to maximize their impact on the nation's progress.
Attendees were introduced to various research funding opportunities available in Oman. Dr. Davis shed light on governmental initiatives and research grants, encouraging researchers to explore these resources to support their projects. Throughout the workshop, Dr. Davis showcased examples of funded projects from the engineering department and illustrated the findings and contributions of these projects.
The session started at 11:00 AM and ended at 12:00 PM, where a total of 10 staff members participated. Participants' feedback was collected. The speaker was given a mean score of 4.23 on a scale of 1-5, where five is the highest.

IT TEAMS WON PRIZES IN NATIONAL LEVEL COMPETITIONS “TECHFEST 2023”

The IT students of UTAS-Ibri participated in National Level competitions “TechFest 2023” and won prizes in “IoT Exhibition Competition” and “Research Paper Presentation Competition” organized by UTAS-CAS-Ibri on 9^th May 2023. The UTAS-Ibri IT participants received great exposure on research trends, innovation, technological awareness and IoT projects knowledge. The winners and the supervisors received the awards/certificates from the Dean of the organizing branch, Dr. Rashid bin Sayied bin Said al-Hanai. The cash awards were also announced by the organizers. In order to recognize the achievements of the IT Teams, the winners were invited to the home department, and honored by Dr. Amal Bati Al-Abri, HoD-IT,  Ms. Fatma Said Al-Shamli, HoS-IT and Dr. Pugalarasu Rajan, HoS-Math.   Below are the winners:

IoT EXHIBITION - COMPETITION: WINNER (First)

BADAR SAUD AL-QASSABI

TIF RASHID AL SHAHOOMI

SAFA AWADH AL-KALBANI

Supervisor: MS. SARA SAID AL SHUKAILI

Title: "Medical Room IoT System for Minimizing Medical Symptoms"

RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTATION - COMPETITION:  WINNER (Second)

AICHA SAID ABDULLAH AL ZIDI

MALAAK ABDULLAH MOHAMMED AL LUWAIHI

Supervisor: DR. WILFRED BLESSING N.R

Title: "Hackers Attack on ATM Machines: A Case Study and Review"

The other IT Students who participated in TechFest competitions are as follows: Anwaar Khalid Ali Al Gharibi, Shima Ahmed Khalifa Al Kalbani, Marwah Said Hamed Al-Kalbaniya, Hudhifa Said Sulaiman Al Adawi, and Abdul Aziz Shihab Hamed Al-Mamari. They were accompanied by some of the IT lecturers: Ms. Sara Said Al Shukaili, Ms. Samya Samya Salim Ruziq Al Yaqoobi and Dr. Wilfred Blessing N.R.

In a bid to foster academic collaboration and promote knowledge exchange, the Information Technology Department of University of Technology and Applied Sciences-Ibri has recently organized a successful Symposium on Soft Computing & Mathematical Modeling, bringing together experts, researchers, and enthusiasts from diverse fields. The symposium, held in a hybrid mode, remarkably blended the advantages of both physical and virtual platforms to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and exploration of new frontiers in the realm of soft computing and mathematical modeling.
The event, which took place on May 11th 2023, witnessed an outstanding number of participants, with contributors joining in person as well as remotely from various locations. Hence, the symposium provided an excellent platform for academicians, industry professionals, and researchers to showcase their research work, engage in intellectual discourse, and gain insights into the latest trends and advancements in the field. The event has commenced at 9:30 am. Distinguished keynote speakers graced the symposium, sharing their expertise and shedding light on emerging challenges and opportunities in soft computing and mathematical modeling. The three keynote speakers, all renowned authorities in their respective areas, captivated the audience with their insightful presentations.
In addition to the keynote speeches, the symposium witnessed the submission and presentation of many research papers. Participants enthusiastically presented their findings, innovative methodologies, and practical applications related to soft computing and mathematical modeling.
Dr. Amal Bati Said Al Abri, the head of the IT department proudly announced in her welcome message that, “This conference has received a total of 210 research papers from 20 different countries. After a proper review, 60 quality papers were accepted by the scientific committee at the acceptance rate of 29%”. She also said, “The goal of this symposium is to establish fascinating knowledge for the prospective student community by travelling to all the stakeholders. It also looks at and discusses several multidisciplinary research outputs to boost the innovations in two different tracks - Soft Computing and Mathematical Modeling. It was announced that all accepted and presented papers will be published in renowned online journals, providing participants with an opportunity to disseminate their work to a wider audience and contribute to the global scientific community.
The hybrid format of the symposium proved to be a significant advantage, enabling both local and international participants to engage in the event without the constraints of physical attendance. The virtual component allowed for seamless remote participation, ensuring a global reach and fostering networking opportunities among researchers from different geographical locations.
With seven online tracks and one offline, all participants were able to present their research works and papers.
Dr. Amal Bati Said Al-Abri concluded the symposium with a word of thanks to all participants, keynote speakers, session chairs. She also announced the BEST PAPER and BEST PRESENTATION AWARDS for both the streams: soft computing and mathematical model. As the symposium concluded on a high note, participants left with a renewed enthusiasm to apply the concepts and ideas discussed, pushing the boundaries of soft computing and mathematical modeling further.
College Dean, Dr. Hamdan Mohammed Ali Al Manthari, and Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Nasser Salim Mohmmed Al Kalbani participated in the inaugural session and greeted the participants and the organizers of the symposium.
This symposium was organized under the chairmanship of Dr. Amal Bati Said Al Abri, and coordinated by Dr. Qais Saif Qassim Al Janabi, Dr. Musab Ahmed Mohammed Alrawi, Dr. Suresh Rasappan and contributed by Scientific Committee Members.

In an effort to foster knowledge and expertise in the field of artificial intelligence, the Research and Consultancy Committee of the IT department organized an informative and interactive two-day workshop on machine learning and deep learning. The workshop was held on May 2nd and 3rd, 2023, and delivered by renowned resource person Dr. Raid Al Nima, a leading expert in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Dr. Al Nima is an assistant professor at the Northern Technical University, and he has more than 100 indexed research papers and more than 600 citations. He is an editor and reviewer in many reputed journals. He is known for his extensive research contributions and practical applications in the field of machine learning and deep learning in various domains, including healthcare, finance, and technology.
Over the course of the two days, attendees were exposed to comprehensive training that encompassed both theoretical concepts and hands-on practical sessions. Dr. Al Nima covered a wide range of topics, including supervised and unsupervised learning, neural networks, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and deep learning. Also, he has demonstrated samples of his and his student's research work.
The workshop also provided ample opportunities for participants to engage in interactive discussions. Dr. Al Nima facilitated stimulating question-and-answer sessions, encouraging participants to share their experiences and insights. This collaborative environment fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas and encouraged participants to apply their newfound knowledge to real-world problem-solving scenarios.
Commenting on the workshop's success, Dr. Amal Al Abri, the Head of the Information Technology department, expressed her gratitude to Dr. Raid Al Nima for his invaluable contribution and his dedication to the success of this workshop.
At the end of his visit, a meeting with the Dean of the UTAS-Ibri branch, Dr. Hamdan Al Manthari, Dr Nasser Al Kalbani, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, and Mr Rashid Al Hinai, Assistant Dean of Administrative & Finance. The meeting focused on strengthening ties between the institution and the visiting expert, paving the way for future collaborations and mutual growth. The Dean acknowledged the visiting lecturer's reputation and highlighted the potential for collaborative opportunities that could arise from their visit. The Dean presented a memento to the distinguished guest. The memento served as a token of gratitude for the valuable insights and expertise shared by the visiting lecturer, as well as a symbol of the institution's deep appreciation for his contribution to the academic community.

To encourage students to participate in competitions and foster innovation and creativity as part of their education, five (5) IT student teams participated in the Middle East College (MEC) Hackathon on 16th May 2023 held at MEC campus in Muscat. The Hackathon was organized by the Department of Computing of MEC under the theme "Hack the future with AI". The teams have participated in five different ideas related to IoT and Artificial Intelligence. A team led by Ms. Alanoud Said Al Badi presented one of the innovative ideas. The idea is to design a training system for musical instruments. Another idea was presented by a team led by Ms. Bashayer Mohammad. The idea is to develop a smart bracelet for industry workers to detect and alert for poisonous gases. Moreover, a team led by Ms. Tamader Al Alawi has presented an intelligent toothbrush with the capability to measure the ph level of the mouth to estimate the existence of germs and other substances. Ms. Salma Al Kalbani's team presented the fourth idea. The idea was to utilize deep learning and drones to detect debris near the garbage containers. The last team was led by Anwar Al Gharibi. The team presented an idea to recognize people's feelings and provide the required support.
The event concluded at 4:00 PM. All team members have received participation certificates. The list of participants is provided below.

The UTAS-Ibri IT team recently participated in an IoT Build-Off Competition organized by UTAS-Al Musanna Branch on 11th May, 2023. The competition included 8 teams and was presided over by Dr. Ahmed Ali Ahmed Al Shahri, Dean, UTAS Al Mussanah. Despite the tough competition, the UTAS-Ibri IT team's hard work paid off after garnering the 3rd place. The competition challenged participants to design and develop IoT-based solutions that demonstrated practical and innovative solutions for real-world problems. Students from various colleges and universities participated in the competition, and each team was composed of 2-3 participants. The UTAS-Ibri team's IoT Circuit Design involved using various electronic components such as sensors, actuators, LCD, breadboard wires, and an Arduino as the main controller. They also developed custom code program to handle data collection, analysis, and control, showcasing their expertise in IoT technology and their ability to design and implement practical solutions for real-world problems.
UTAS-Ibri team is composed of Mr. Hamood Hamed Al Shabanoti, Said Salim Al Alawi and Masad Hamed Al Alawi with the supervision of Mr. Isabelo Paat, IT Lecturer.

The Staff Development Committee of IT department organized a session on “Communication Skills for Career Success” on 30th April 2023. The session was conducted by Mr. Wasim Raja, Mathematics Lecturer. The objectives of the seminar are to improve one's ability to clearly transmit a message, improve the skills to better understand other people and witness actual applications and demonstration of the principles of effective communication.
The speaker started with the importance of communication skills and why we need communication skills for career success. He emphasized on the verbal communication as well as non-verbal communications for the free flow of information with and among various stakeholders at all organizational levels to produce impactful outcomes and to achieve the goals of the institution. Essential communication skills needed for work place success, benefits of effective communications and the ways to improve communication skills were discussed.
The session was very helpful for the improvement of communication skills. Students and faculty members attended the session with keen interest, participated in the discussion session and learned a lot. The session ended up with a feedback result of 3 on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is the highest.

The IT Team from UTAS-Ibri participated and presented a talk in a reputed conference "GHEDEX 2023" in Tuesday, 2nd May 2023. The Global Higher Education Exhibition (GHEDEX) is a conference on innovation and entrepreneurship which was held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre – Muscat where several experts from various universities, industrial experts as start-up owners, entrepreneurs and professionals across Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and India presented their proposals and ideas. The UTAS-Ibri team which is represented by Dr Wilfred blessing NR (IT Lecturer) who talked about "The Rise of Successful Student Start-ups from International Universities", and Mr Rashid Mohammed Al Jabri (IT student), a student delegate who got the chance to interact with the start-up exhibitors for the knowledge acquisition and for learning experience.
During the talk, in order to inspire and motivate the student community, the speaker presented the start-up projects that rises from colleges or universities and today that are successful. The speaker adds the research-based recommendations for, “why is college the best time for a student to do start-up?”. The presentation aimed to initiate incubation centres, a place to develop and provide platforms for creative aspirants where their innovative ideas and concepts will be incubated; start-up co-working spaces, a place where to work and develop their ideas that they can enhance after they graduate; acceleration, a program that gives developing companies and investors the access to mentor that will help them become stable and self-sufficient future entrepreneurs. The UTAS-Ibri team received appreciation and acknowledgement from the conference organizing committee for presenting the ideas on start-ups, innovation and entrepreneurship.