Interdisciplinary Visiting Researcher

Dr. Siraj M Al Qunaynah
Email: siraja@iastate.edu
Research Interest: With a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a focus on Artificial Intelligence applications, Dr. Siraj is currently engaged in interdisciplinary research during his visiting appointment. His work bridges civil engineering, wireless communications, and intelligent transportation systems, aiming to develop AI-driven solutions for modern infrastructure and mobility challenges. His research involves enhancing 3D concrete printing techniques and improving road and highway safety for mission-critical applications through the use of Tactile Internet and Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC). By integrating next-generation communication systems with civil infrastructure, Dr. Siraj is contributing to real-time sensing and control solutions. This includes applications such as autonomous vehicle coordination and smart traffic management — combining insights from structural engineering, embedded systems, data science, and vehicular networks.

Graduate Students

Muhammad Hanif Lashari (Co-advised with Prof. Ashfaq Khokhar)
PhD Student
Email: mhanif@iastate.edu
Research Interests – Muhammad Hanif Lashari is a Ph.D. student in Computer Engineering at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA. He is currently a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research focuses on Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL), Tactile Internet, and Protocol Design for Tactile Internet applications, particularly in enhancing prediction models for remote robotic surgery. He has worked on Kalman Filters, LSTM, Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCN), and Informer Models to enhance prediction accuracy in Tactile Internet environments, mitigating real-time network-induced delays. Mr. Lashari has published journal and conference papers in his field and continues to contribute actively to research on intelligent prediction models, real-time control, and communication systems in Tactile Internet environments.

Christian Stephens (Co-advised with Prof. Neal Tess)
PhD Student (Interdisciplinary)
Email: cgsteph@iastate.edu
Research Interests – My interdisciplinary research is deeply inspired by Dr. Shakil Ahmed’s pioneering work on the Tactile Internet, which addresses ultra-reliable, low-latency communication in critical systems such as remote robotic surgery. Observing how his research integrates machine learning, network optimization, and real-time control has significantly influenced the way I approach cognitive and behavioral challenges in justice systems. By adapting these engineering frameworks to human-centered contexts, I explore how low-latency, AI-driven decision-support tools—like natural language processing models—can enhance reliability and reduce cognitive bias in high-stakes environments, including forensic mental health evaluations. As a Ph.D. student in cognitive psychology at Iowa State University, I examine how machine learning—especially in the form of explainable and bias-aware models—can be harnessed to support quality assurance in complex, sensitive domains such as forensic mental health evaluation.

Rahman Abdul Rafi
MS Student
Email: rah7@iastate.edu
Research Interest: Rahman Abdul Rafi is a MS student in Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. Advancing machine learning methodologies to drive impactful, real-world solutions.

Mubassir Serneabat Sudipto
MS Student
Email: msudipto@iastate.edu
Research Interest: Mubassir Serneabat Sudipto is a MS student in Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. Mubassir’s primary research interests lie in Quantum Networks, Quantum Machine Learning (QML), and their applications in Cyber Security. I am particularly interested in the security challenges and opportunities with next-generation quantum communication systems. Quantum Networks promise ultra-low latency, secure, and reliable connectivity, which can transform how sensitive information is protected and transmitted. At the same time, I explore how QML can harness the unique properties of Quantum Computing to advance tasks such as anomaly detection, intrusion detection, and cryptographic resilience.

Amika Tabassum
MS Student
Email: amika@iastate.edu
Research Interest: Quantum Machine Learning-Enhanced Protocol Design for Safer Tactile Internet in Quantum Gen Networks

Undergraduate Student

Yehia Osman
Email: yosman@iastate.edu
Research Interests – I’m Yehia Osman, a Computer Engineering major at Iowa State University with a keen interest in applying machine learning to medical technology. Currently, my research is focused on AI-driven Digital Twin Networks, medical devices, and electrical batteries, aimed at enhancing predictive problem detection and real-time resolution.

Group Alumni

Graduate (MS) Alumni

Danush Venkateshperuma, MS in Computer Engineering (Fall 2025)
Thesis Title: LLM-Based Real-Time Speech Reconstruction and Emergency Call Prioritization System
First Job: Buildertrend

Samuel Meruga, MS in Computer Engineering (Cybersecurity) (Fall 2025)
Thesis Title: Federated Learning for Secure URLLC in Tactile Industrial Systems
First Job: NexThreat

Undergraduate Alumni