Dr. Leo Farjallah Alassaad is an assistant professor of civil engineering at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), specializing in sustainable construction materials and energy-efficient building systems. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Caen Normandy University, France, as well as master’s and engineering degrees in Sustainability and Civil Engineering from INSA Toulouse, France.
Dr. Alassaad’s research focuses on developing eco-materials and low-carbon concrete using bio-based and recycled resources, along with the integration of thermal energy storage technologies in building envelopes. His work contributes to advancing circular economy principles in construction and reducing the environmental impact of building materials.
He has led multidisciplinary projects in collaboration with academic and industrial partners. At AUM, Dr. Alassaad is committed to bridging academia and industry to foster innovation in eco-materials and to prepare future engineers for the challenges of sustainable development.
Dr. Farouk Mezghani is an assistant professor in the Information and Systems Dr. Farouk Mezghani is an assistant professor in the Information and Systems Technology (IST) Department at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He earned his engineer degree in telecommunications and networking from the Higher School of Communication of Tunis (Tunisia) and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse (France). Dr. Mezghani’s career bridges academia and industry. He began as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Network and Telecommunication Department at INP/ENSEEIHT and later worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at INRIA while also teaching at the University of Valenciennes. In industry, he worked as a Network Architect at Airbus, Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio, while also teaching networking and security courses at the University of Strasbourg. His research focuses on opportunistic and delay-tolerant networking, vehicular and UAV-assisted communications, and resilient communication systems for disaster recovery and critical environments. He has published in Scopus-indexed journals and international conferences, contributed to various research projects, and served as a reviewer, session chair and committee member for international conferences and journals in networking and communication technologies.
Fatemah Al-Mousawi is a lab instructor in the Civil Engineering Department at the College of Engineering & Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. She holds a master’s degree in civil engineering with a focus on advanced design and construction technology.
Her research interests include smart city urbanization and sustainable development through emerging technologies. She also holds a diploma in Interior Design, reflecting her interest in bridging engineering with creative design. Al-Mousawi supports laboratory instruction while integrating both technical and creative perspectives into her teaching approach.
Dr. Fatih Dogan is an associate professor of physics at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds a B.Sc. from Koç University (Turkey), and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Alberta (Canada). He completed postdoctoral research at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) deepening his computational toolkit. His research spans condensed-matter phenomena such as strongly correlated electrons, spin-orbit interaction, and machine-learning-enhanced materials analysis, alongside astrophysical simulations of black-hole accretion flows and shock-cone instabilities. His efforts produced articles in Nature Communications, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, and Universe. At AUM, he modernized physics laboratories and oversees engineering lab digitization and student project supervision.
Dr. Fethi Abbassi is a professor and chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Toulouse University, France. Prior to joining AUM, he served as assistant dean and chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Dhofar University, Oman, and held a faculty position at the University of Carthage, Tunisia. His research expertise includes solid mechanics, experimental mechanics, additive manufacturing, composite materials, and energy-related challenges. Dr. Abbassi’s work is applied in sectors such as energy, aerospace, and naval engineering. He is an active member of ASME, a frequent speaker at international conferences, and has contributed to collaborative research projects and academic publications in leading journals.
Dr. Filomachi Spathopoulou is an assistant professor in the Department of Liberal Arts at the American University of the Middle East, Kuwait. She earned her PhD from a globally recognized institution with academic experience in Greece and the UK. Her specializations include academic writing, communication, soft skills, educational innovation and gamification in education. She has developed foundational courses and led initiatives in course design, professional training, and student support. As Team Leader for Arts and Humanities and former Head of the AUM Writing Lab, she actively researches AI in education and innovative assessment methods.
Flavia Benga is a laboratory instructor in the Department of Chemistry at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. Benga supports student learning by promoting experiential lab instruction and enhancing curriculum content. With a background that includes medical laboratory work, and lab support roles at AUM, she brings a well-rounded approach to academic instruction.
She holds a Master’s in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology and a Bachelor’s in Biotechnology, and is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish. Her research includes co-authoring a paper on machine learning in lignin analysis and has research interests in microbiology, digital tools in education, biostatistics, and AI integration in teaching.
Dr. Furkan Uysal is an associate professor of construction engineering and management at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM) in Kuwait. He earned his BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees from Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, where he specialized in construction project management. Prior to joining AUM, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at East Carolina University in the United States and has over a decade of combined academic, industry, and public-sector experience. Dr. Uysal’s research interests include project scheduling, risk and cost estimation, blockchain applications in construction, and the integration of new technologies in monitoring and planning. He has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers, and he is actively involved in applying advanced technologies to improve construction processes.
Gabi Altabash is a laboratory instructor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB). Prior to joining AUM, he taught at the University of Balamand and served as a teaching and research assistant at AUB. He specializes in lab instruction, experimental procedures, and student engagement. Passionate about hands-on learning, he supports students in connecting theory to practice and is committed to fostering real-world readiness through laboratory education.
Dr. Gabriel Haddad is an assistant professor at the American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait, specializing in microbiology with a focus on electron microscopy. He earned his PhD in Biology-Health with a specialization in Microbiology from Aix-Marseille University, France. His doctoral research pioneered innovative applications of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in clinical microbiology. Dr. Haddad’s research interests include infectious disease diagnosis, antimicrobial resistance, bacteriological analyses, and the discovery of new bacterial species. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented his work at international conferences. Dedicated to advancing education, he actively mentors students and supports their academic and professional growth. He is committed to collaborative research and creative contributions in the fields of microbiology and clinical diagnostics.