Cardiff School of Technologies>Staff Profiles>Issam Damaj

Dr Issam Damaj

Department: Department of Applied Computing and Engineering

Office/Location: F1.11, Cardiff School of Technologies, Llandaff Campus

Telephone:

Email: IDamaj@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Staff Overview

Issam Damaj, PhD ME BE SMIEEE, is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science with the Department of Applied Computing and Engineering, Cardiff Metropolitan University (Cardiff Met), Cardiff, United Kingdom (UK). Before joining Cardiff Met, he spent 17 years in professorial ranks in higher education institutions in Lebanon (Beirut Arab University, BAU, three years), Kuwait (American University of Kuwait, AUK, ten years) and Oman (Dhofar University, DU, three years). 

During his tenure, Dr Damaj published more than 100 technical papers and book chapters—In addition to various short papers and technical reports. He supervised doctorate and master’s students at different institutions. His research interests include hardware design, smart cities, and technical education. During his career, he was assigned a variety of leadership positions in university administration, quality assurance, and accreditation.

In 2004, Dr Damaj was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Computer Science, in the area of Computer Hardware Design, from London South Bank University, London, UK. He received a master’s degree in Computer and Communications Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 2001. In addition, He received a bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from BAU in 1999. 

Dr Damaj is a Program Evaluator (PEV) with ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), a senior member of the IEEE, a member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), and a member of the Order of Engineers and Architects (OEA) in Beirut. He was the Founding Counselor of the AUK IEEE Student Branch between 2014 and 2019. He is an associate editor and a reviewer with publishers that include IEEE, Elsevier, and Springer. In addition, he is the recipient of various awards in mentoring, service, research, and academic high distinction.

Teaching

The main undergraduate and postgraduate teaching tracks of Dr Damaj include hardware design, performance evaluation, reconfigurable computing, hardware/software co-design, embedded system design, computer architecture, and digital logic design. Moreover, his teaching interests include cryptography, signal processing, data structures, and algorithms. 

 Dr. Damaj is available for doctorate, master’s, bachelor’s degree supervisions on topics related to his research.

Research

The research interests of Dr Damaj are as follows:

  • Hardware Design: Embedded system design, intelligent hardware, hardware/software co-design, reconfigurable computing and FPGAs, rapid prototyping, modeling, applications: cryptography, AI, and machine learning.
  • Performance Evaluation: Analytical frameworks for computing systems, performance models, ranking, classification, decision making, machine learning, applications: QoE, optimization, systems, and algorithms.
  • Smart Cities: Integrating modern hardware devices, machine learning, modeling, and rapid prototyping of systems within the context of Internet of things, connected and autonomous electric vehicles, ITS, smart homes, fuzzy control.
  • Technical Education: Quality assurance, programmatic and institutional accreditation, program development, pedagogy, effective teaching and learning, sustainability of education, and engineering and STEM education.

Key Publications

1. L. Mekouar, Y. Iraqi, I. Damaj, T. Naous, A Survey on Blockchain-Based Recommender Systems: Integration Architecture and Taxonomy, Computer Communications, Elsevier, 2022, V 187, P 1 – 19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2022.01.020 

2. A. Salem, I. Damaj, H. T. Mouftah, Vehicle as a Computational Resource: Optimizing Quality of Experience for connected vehicles in a smart city, Vehicular Communications, Elsevier, 2022, V 33, P 100432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vehcom.2021.100432 

3. I. Damaj, S. Al Khatib, T. Naous, W. Lawand, Z. Abdelrazzak, H. T. Mouftah, Intelligent Transportation Systems: A Survey on Modern Hardware Devices for the Era of Machine Learning, Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences, Elsevier, 2021. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2021.07.020

4. I. Damaj, D. Serhal, L. Hamandi, R. Zantout, and H. T. Mouftah, Connected and Autonomous Electric Vehicles: Quality of Experience Survey and Taxonomy, Vehicular Communications, Elsevier, 2021, V 28, P 100312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vehcom.2020.100312 

5. I. Damaj, Y. Iraqi and H. T. Mouftah, Modern Development Technologies and Health Informatics: Area Transformation and Future Trends, in IEEE Internet of Things Magazine, 2020, I 4, V 3, P 88 – 94. https://doi.org/10.1109/IOTM.0001.1900077 

6. I. Damaj, W. Mardini, H. Mouftah, A mathematical framework for effective routing over low power and lossy networks, in the International Journal of Communication Systems, Wiley, 2020, I 11, V 33, P 1 – 16. https://doi.org/10.1002/dac.4416 

7. F. Abu Salem, I. Damaj, L. Hamandi, and R. Zantout, “Effective Assessment of Computer Science Capstone Projects and Student Outcomes,” in International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 2020, I 2, V 10, P 72 – 93. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v10i2.11855 

8. I. Damaj, M. Elshafei, M. El-Abd, M. E. Aydin, An analytical framework for high-speed hardware particle swarm optimization, Microprocessors and Microsystems, Elsevier, 2020, V 72, P 102949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpro.2019.102949 

9. A. Hassanein, M. El-Abd, I. Damaj, H. Ur Rehman, Parallel hardware implementation of the brain storm optimization algorithm using FPGAs, Microprocessors and Microsystems, Elsevier, V 74, P 103005, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpro.2020.103005 

10. I. Damaj, A. M. El Hajj, H. T. Mouftah, An Analytical Framework for Effective Joint Scheduling Over TDD-Based Mobile Networks, in IEEE Access, 2019, V 7, P. 144214 – 144229. https://doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2945849

11. I. Damaj and J. Yousafzai, Effective Assessment of Student Outcomes in Computer Engineering Programs using a Minimalistic Framework, International Journal of Engineering Education, Tempus Publications, 2019, I 1.A, V 35, P 59 – 75. https://www.ijee.ie/contents/c350119A.html 

12. I. Damaj, M. Imdoukh, R. Zantout, Parallel Hardware for Faster Morphological Analysis, Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences, Elsevier, 2018, I 4, V 30, P 531 – 546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2017.07.003 

13. I. Damaj and S. Kasbah. "An Analysis Framework for Hardware and Software Implementations with Applications from Cryptography." Computers & Electrical Engineering, Elsevier, 2018, V 69, P 572 – 584. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compeleceng.2017.06.008 

14. I. Damaj, J. Saade, H. Al-Faisal, H. Diab, Fuzzy Inference Procedure for Intelligent and Automated Control of Refrigerant Charging, International Journal of Fuzzy Systems, Springer, 2018, I 6, V 22, P 1790 – 1807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40815-018-0486-3

15. A. Zaher and I. Damaj, Extending STEM Education to Engineering, Programs at the Undergraduate College Level, International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 2018, I 3, V 8, P 4 – 16. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v8i3.8402 

16. I. Damaj, A. Zaher, and J. Yousafzai, Assessment and Evaluation Framework with Successful Application in ABET Accreditation, International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 2017, I 3, V 7, P 73 – 91. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijep.v7i3.7262 

17. I. Damaj and A. Ater Kranov, Sustainable Practices in Technical Education: A Quality Assurance Framework, International Journal of Engineering Education, Tempus Publications, 2017, I 5, V 33, P 1627 – 1642. https://www.ijee.ie/contents/c330517.html

Other Projects and activities

Engineering laboratory project management and design: 

  • Digital Systems 
  • Machines and Power Systems 
  • High-Performance Computing 
  • Electronics and Circuits 

Program and curriculum development: 

  • Computer Engineering (BE) 
  • Systems Engineering (BE) 
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering (BE) 
  • Computer and Communications Engineering (BS and MS) 
  •  Computer Science (BS and MS) 
  • Software Engineering (BS and MS) 
  • Computer Graphics (BS and MS) 
  • Management Information Systems (BS and MS) 

International Projects: 

Member of the Scientific Committee, of two projects co-funded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union: 

  • Developing Curricula for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (DeCAIR) 
  • Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Graduate Employability through University-Enterprise Cooperation (ELEGANT) 

Service to the Profession: 

  • ABET Program Evaluator with the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), United States. 
  • Reviewer and Editor of Academic Journals. 
  • International Conferences: Member of program committees, keynote speaker, session chair, panelist. 

Societies: 

  • Senior Member, IEEE. 
  • Professional Member, ASEE, Member of the Electrical & Computer and Educational Research Methods Divisions. 
  • Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut, Lebanon.

External Links