KAUST


Farooq's group for Advanced Sensing Technology & Energy Research 
logo100(FASTER)

Research Group Staff

Binod Giri, Ph.D.

Senior Member of Scientific Staff, Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus-Seftenberg, Germany

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Hanfeng Jin, Ph.D.

Professor, University of Science and Technology of China, China

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Laser diagnostics

Postdoctoral Fellows

Ahmed Elwardany, Ph.D.

Professor (Associate), Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Ettouhami Essebbar, Ph.D.

Research Infrastructure Manager, CCRC, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Sensors, Fuels and combustion

Guangle Zhang, Ph.D.

Post Doctoral Associate, University of Minnesota, USA

Research Interests: Laser diagnostics

Jihad Badra, Ph.D.

AI for Science, Innovation & Discovery Team Lead, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia​​

Research Interests: Catalysis, Fuels and combustion

Mohammad Khaled Shakfa, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Khalifa University, UAE

Research Interests: Laser diagnostics, Chemical Kinetics

Robin Chrystie, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Sensors, Fuels and combustion

Utsav KC, Ph.D.

Research And Development Scientist, ABB , USA

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

PhD Students

Awad Alquaity

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Sensors

Bidoor AlSaif

Researcher, Mechanical Engineering, King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Sensors, Spectroscopic and Microscopic imaging system

Dapeng Liu

Post Doctoral Fellow, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Ehson Fawad Nasir

Optical Scientist, MetroLaser, USA

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Environment modeling

Emad Al Ibrahim

Ibn Rushd Fellow (Post-Doctoral Researcher), MIT, USA

Research Interests: Chemical Kinetics

Fethi Khaled

Lab Scientist, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Gani Issayev

Post Doctoral Fellow, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Khaiyom Hakimov

Ph.D. Student

Research Interests: Pre-chamber Combustion, Chemical Kinetics, Future Fuels

Khalid Aljohani

Assistant Professor, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University

Research Interests: Chemical Kinetics, Laser diagnostics

Mhanna Mhanna

Post doctoral fellow, University British Colombia, Canada

Research Interests: Laser diagnostics, Absorption Spectroscopy, Combustion Kinetics

Miguel Figueroa Labastida

Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Stanford University, USA

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Materials modeling

Mohammad Adil

Post doctoral Fellow, University of Galway

Research Interests: Chemical Kinetics

Mohammad AlAbbad

Research Scientist, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion

Muhammad Bilal Sajid

Professor (Associate), National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Sensors

Tamour Javed

eFuels Project Lead, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Sensors

Masters Student

Alber Popov

Graduate Student, Stockholm University, Sweden

Research Interests: Sensors

Ana Luiza Slama de Freitas

PhD candidate at University of Groningen, Netherlands

Research Interests: Clean Fuels, Chemical Kinetics, Catalysis

Chengyu Zhou

Research Interests: Chemical Kinetics, Laser diagnostics

Hassan Irshad Bhatti

Phd Student, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Clean Combustion, Combustion Diagnostics, Laser diagnostics, Laser Sensing, Laser Spectroscopy, Personalized Medicine, High Performance Engines

Kolin Loveless

Director of Development, Energy Storage Systems, Novis Renewables, USA

Research Interests: Environment modeling

Kuanysh Khabibullin

Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company,

Research Interests: Sensors

Kyle Owen

ICOS Technical Lead , ABB, USA

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Sensors

Lining Liu

​Engineer, China Energy

Research Interests: ​Low pressure, charged species, temperature

Majed Abdullah Alrefae

Assistant Professor, Royal Commission Yanbu Colleges and Institutes (RCYCI), Yanbu

Research Interests: Fuels and combustion, Sensors

Mohammed Dayili

Project Engineer, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Combustion, Chemical Kinetics, Fuel additives, Laser diagnostics, Machine Learning

Myriam Belmekki

PhD student, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

Research Interests: Chemical Kinetics, Shock tube Studies, Laser Absorption Spectroscopy, Theoretical Rate Calculations

Sarvarkhodzha Nematulloev

PhD student, KAUST, KSA

Research Interests: Combustion, Chemical Kinetics, Ignition Delay Time, Future Fuels



Visiting Students

 

 

2024

Ahmed Habib
Pennsylvania Sate University, USA

Enhancing the capabilities of a novel diaphragmless Shock Tube.

Danyaal Alam,
University of London, United Kingdom

Sustainable Aviation Fuels.

El Mehdi Kharkhache,
ESPCI Paris, France

ML methodologies for jet fuels properties prediction.

Farhath Syed
University of Western Ontario, Canada

Laser-based sensor design and development.
Haia Alzoubi,
University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
SiC supported catalyst for methane catalytic
Norah Alsharif,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Exploring the behavior of nanomaterial under shockwave exposure.
Sara Darwish,
Al Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
Methanol to Gasoline (MtG) studies.

 

2023

Adolfo R Piminchumo Sausa
UTEC, Peru

Energy analysis in a miniature detonation tube.

Ahmed M Orif ,
SRSI, Saudi Arabia

UV assisted H2S decomposition for hydrogen production.

Ernesto Gio Guanuna,
Brigham Young University, USA

OMEs oxidation on Shock Tube.

Halim Essebber
WISER - TKS, Saudi Arabia

Laser-based sensor for environmental monitoring.
Hoang B Tran Ngo,
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam
Experiments and simulations of undiluted hydrogen-oxygen mixtures.
Karim Chouchen,
Ecole Polytechnique de Tunis, Tunisia
Design, construction and testing of a novel flow-based optical cell for high- temperature spectral measurements.
Mohanad Shamsan,
Al Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
Miniature shock tube.
Mariah Alsinan,
Purdue University, USA
Mid-IR laser sensor for multiple gas sensing.
Robbie Brewer,
Utah Valley University, USA
Ultra-sensitive trace gas detection using EC-QCL spectroscopy.

Samia Abrar,
Institute of Space Technology, Pakistan

Understanding the defective domain control in TiO2 support.
Younis Ltaief,
WISER - TKS, Saudi Arabia
Laser-based sensor for environmental monitoring.

 

2022

Ali H. Abualsaud
The University of Texas at Austin, USA

Laser-based sensor for multi-species with deep neural networks.

Bruno Serrano Trejo,
Hamburg University of Technology, Germany

Classification and quantification of species in a blend using absorption spectra.

Houssem Rekik,
Ecole Polytechnique de Tunis, Tunisia

Machine learning methods for spectroscopic analysis.

James Harman-Thomas,
The University of Sheffield, UK

 Experimental and modelling study of hydrogen ignition in CO2 bath gas.
Joury Aldhawyan,
University of Minnesota , USA
Selective BTEX detection using laser absorption spectroscopy in the CH
Mohamad Aldawood,
Purdue University, USA
Zero-carbon fuels: chemical kinetics and ignition.
Mosa Mutahhar,
KFUPM, Saudia Arabia
Combustion technology for manufacturing processes.
Dao Zheng,
Tsinghua University, China
Methane leak detection using machine learning.
Saif-Ul-Islam Javed,
Leeds University, UK
Future fuels for advanced combustion engines.

 

2021

Ahmed Alsulami,
KFUPM, Saudia Arabia
 A mid-IR laser diagnostic for HCN detection.
Andrea Carena,
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Chemical kinetics of novel biofuels.

 

2020

Joseph S Conlon,
University of Glasgow, UK
DFG laser spectrometer.
Mohamed Sy,
Ecole Polytechnique de Tunis, Tunisia
Selective BTEX measurements using deep neural networks.
Mohammed A Dayili,
Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
Aerosol studies on RCM.

 

2019

Abdullah S. Yildirim,
WISER - TKS, Saudi Arabia
Ethers as alternative fuels.
Ana L. Slama De Freitas,
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Elementary kinetics of 2-MTHF (2-methyl-tetrahydrofuran) pyrolysis.
Ashkan Beigzadeh,
University of Waterloo, Canada
Reaction kinetics for high pressure hydrogen oxy-combustion in the presence of high levels of H2O and CO2.
Faisal  Alsayed,
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA
Combustion laser-based sensor in RCM.
Giuseppe Pezzella,
Politecnico di Milano, Italy
A shock tube and laser absorption study of the reaction of hydroxyl radical with glycidol.
Hadi Al Naji,
Michigan State University, USA
Laser-based sensor for GHG monitoring.
Jiabiao Zou,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Kinetic model of alkylcyclohexanes.
Khalid Alharthi,
North Carolina State University, USA
DBE studies as future fuel.
Sarvarkhodzha Nematulloev,
National University of Science and Technology, Russia
 
Talib Mohiuddin,
WISER - TKS, Saudi Arabia
Study of potential future fuels

 

2018

Ghanimah Abuhaimed,
University of Colorado Boulder, USA
Nitrous oxide laser based sensor.
Halistya Zahra,
University of Indonesia, Indonesia
Ignition delay correlation with RON/MON.
Khaiyom Hakimov,
Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russia
Ignition delay measurements of DBE (dibutyl ether).
Khuong Nguyen,
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Vietnam
OpenFoam CFD for RCM and ignition delays measurement of biofuels
Myriam Belmekki,
ENSIACET, France
Symmetric Ethers as Bioderived Fuels: Reactivity with OH Radicals.

 

2017

Mohammed A. Almomtan,
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, USA
 
Ali Al Nemer,
KFUPM, Saudi Arabia
Gasoline combustion ignition (GCI) fuel.
Mohammad Alzahrani,
DEE-EtOH blend measurements.

 

2016

Nesrine Toujani,
Ecole Nationale des Ingenieurs de Tunis ENIT, Tunisia
Electron density measurement in shock tube using microwave interferometry.
Malik Abdul Wahhab,
GIKIRST, Pakistan
Ignition delay times for straight run naphtha.

 

2015

Khalil Djebbi,
Ecole Nationale Superieure des Ingenieurs de Tunis, Tunisia
Ignition delay measurements of light naphtha: A fully blended low octane fuel.
Kuanysh Khabibullin,
Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
Measurements of absorption cross section of PAHs using FTIR.
Miguel Figueroa Labastida,
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Mexico
Ignition delay times measurement for methane.
Mohamed Beshir,
Alexandria University, Egypt
Benzene diluted mix. soot measurements using low pressure shock tube and laser scattering.
Samira Lagaguena,
ENSIC, France
Determination of site-specific reaction rates in combustion reactions.
Sarah Siblini,
American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Detecting isoprene using direct laser spectroscopy.
Weiqi Ji,
Tsinghua University, China
On the controlling mechanism of the upper turnover states in the NTC regime.

 

2014

Abdullah Al Ramadan,
University College London UCL , UK
Shock tube measurement of ignition delay time.
Rafik Bouguecha,
Ecole Polytechnique de Tunis, Tunisia
An experimental and modeling study of the chemical kinetics of 2-methyl-butanol.
Sohaib Aamir,
Purdue University, USA
 
Sayan Biswas,
Purdue University, USA
 

 

2013

Fethi Khaled,
Ecole Polytechnique de Tunis, Tunisia
Shock tube measurement of ignition delay time of Face gasoline fuels (Face A and Face C).