Dr. Christelle Tohme is an assistant professor of architectural engineering at the American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture and Planning from Paris-Saclay University and specializes in sustainable design, urban and landscape planning, and Building Information Modeling (BIM). She also brings over a decade of professional experience, having led architectural projects and served as a project manager in the industry. Her interdisciplinary research connects architecture, civil engineering, and water-sensitive urbanism, with publications in peer-reviewed journals, UNDP policy papers, and international development reports. At AUM, Dr. Tohme teaches a wide range of courses across both architecture and civil engineering programs. She has mentored numerous Graduation Project teams—all of which were selected for the Innovation Fair. With one of these teams, she developed Greenflex, an innovative product that won multiple awards and gained recognition in Kuwait, Dubai, and the USA. Her current interests include sustainability in the built environment, AI integration in architecture, and expanding her role in academic leadership and institutional development through cross-disciplinary coordination and strategic planning.
Dr. Christina El-Sawda is an assistant professor of civil engineering at the College of Engineering & Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait, specializing in materials and pavement engineering. She holds a master’s degree in structural engineering with a minor in transportation and materials, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, with doctoral research focused on porous asphalt, fatigue resistance, and the numerical modeling of bituminous materials. At AUM, she teaches core engineering courses and supervises senior projects in pavement design and sustainable construction. Her academic interests include alternative cementitious materials, geopolymers, and environmentally conscious infrastructure solutions.
In addition to her academic work, Dr. Christina has earned the Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification, enhancing her ability to lead projects with a structured, results-oriented approach. She is committed to bridging theory and practice in engineering education, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and sustainability in both her teaching and research.
Christina Ghafari is an architect and educator with an honors dual-degree in architectural design and architectural history, theory, and criticism from the University of Toronto, and a three-year Master of Architecture degree. She is registered with the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), qualifying her practice in both Canada and the U.S.
Before transitioning into academia, Ghafari gained over five years of professional experience across international and regional practices, including SSH and Foster + Partners. She contributed to landmark projects such as the NBK Headquarters Tower, the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre, and Kuwait University with Al Hani Construction, while also completing bespoke residential and commercial commissions for private clients.
Her expertise spans all phases of design and construction, with extensive on-site experience in large-scale projects. In her current role as a lab instructor at the American University of the Middle East (AUM), she integrates her professional background into her teaching, emphasizing precision, creativity, and professional readiness.
Dr. Christos Emmanouilidis is an associate professor of statistics at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds a B.Sc. in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics from Lancaster University. Previously, he served as a tenured associate professor at Aristotle University, where he led the Division of Economic Theory and Policy and coordinated two M.Sc. programs. He has held academic appointments at several institutions including the University of the Aegean, Democritus University, International Hellenic University, London Business School, and Lancaster University. He has also acted as a consultant for the EU and national research and Innovation bodies. His work has received distinctions such as the Best Paper Award from the European Marketing Academy and recognition from the University of Athens and the Greek Presidency. His research focuses on nonlinear time series econometrics, complex networks, forecasting, and innovation diffusion. He has published in reputable academic journals across multiple disciplines and serves as a reviewer for top-tier academic journals.
Dr. Clement Joseph is an associate professor of electrical engineering at the American University of the Middle East (AUM), where he also serves as the Research and project coordinator of the AUM Robotics Center. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in electrical and electronics engineering from the Lebanese University, and earned both his master’s degree in intelligent systems and robotics and Ph.D. in Robot Audition from Sorbonne University, France.
Dr. Joseph completed his postdoctoral research as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellow at Kyoto University, Japan. His research interests lie in robotics, artificial intelligence, and signal processing, with a particular focus on auditory perception for machines and mobile robotics.
At AUM, Dr. Joseph actively leads and supervises interdisciplinary research and student projects that bridge academic innovation with real-world robotic applications. His work is driven by a commitment to advancing human–machine interaction through the development of intelligent systems.
Dr. Coskun Joe Dizmen is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and serves as the Coordinator of the Laboratory Committee in the Industrial Engineering Department at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He earned his B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management from the City University of Hong Kong and completed his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with a prestigious Ph.D. Fellowship. His research interests include human factors, ergonomics, occupational safety, product design, optimization, and related areas in Industrial Engineering. The courses he has taught include Work Analysis and Design, Ergonomics, Occupational Safety and Health, Engineering Economics, Operations Research, Computer-Aided Design, Probability, and Statistics. His projects have received awards from the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society, IAENG, and IEOM. He previously served as Vice Head of the Industrial Engineering Department and Assistant Director of the Career Development, Application & Research Center at Toros University, Turkey.
Dani Chehade is a laboratory instructor in the Department of Civil Engineering, at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds an MSc with Distinction in Water and Environmental Engineering from the University of Surrey and is pursuing a part-time Ph.D. at London South Bank University, focusing on smart technologies for climate-resilient Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). Dani’s professional portfolio includes hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, environmental impact assessments, and project supervision across the MENA region and Uzbekistan. He is a licensed member of the Lebanese Order of Engineers and an active member of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, committed to advancing sustainable urban water management through research and practice.
Dani Edmon Daas is a senior laboratory instructor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering and specializes in control systems and robotics.
Daas teaches courses such as Electrical Machines and Lighting Design, with a focus on integrating theoretical concepts with hands-on, applied learning. He is passionate about intelligent systems, automation, and engineering education, and is particularly interested in smart building technologies, robotics, and energy-efficient design.
Throughout his career, he has actively contributed to laboratory development, the integration of emerging technologies into course content, and the enhancement of student learning experiences. He values collaboration, curiosity, and continuous improvement, and remains committed to advancing both engineering education and real-world application.
Dr. David Tan is an associate professor of finance at the American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait. He holds a Ph.D. in Finance from UNSW Sydney, where he was awarded the ARC Linkage Scholarship with Barclays Global Investors. His academic background also includes an Honours degree in Financial Economics and a major in Finance from UNSW. Dr. Tan specializes in corporate finance, investment analysis, aviation economics, and quantitative risk modeling. He has authored over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, including publications in A* journals such as the Annals of Tourism Research, Regional Studies, Transportation Research Part A, and the Journal of Travel Research. He previously held academic positions at University of Technology Sydney, the University of Wollongong, and the Australian National University. His recent research focuses on financial strategies for managing climate risk, the application of modern portfolio theory to international education and tourism, and the economic feasibility of a universal basic income.
Dr. Demet Gul is an accomplished linguist specializing in Turkish linguistics, with a Ph.D. from the University of Ankara (2010) and an M.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Mersin (2003). She currently serves as an assistant professor in the Liberal Arts Department at the American University of the Middle East, Kuwait, following her tenure at Mersin University in various academic roles. Dr. Gul has made significant contributions to her field through numerous presentations and publications, including research on evidentiality and metadiscourse. Notably, she has been involved in the organization of national linguistics conferences and has supervised multiple graduate dissertations. Her ongoing research interests include the semantic structures of Turkish and the linguistic analysis of discourse in commercial texts. Dr. Gul is dedicated to advancing knowledge in her area while actively participating in professional development activities and collaborations within her academic community.