Mhanna's research interests are in the are of developing and applying laser sensors for environmental monitoring and energy conversion applications. He has developed new techniques for measuring gas species concentrations in ambient air and in high temperature environments. Mhanna focuses on enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of non-intrusive laser-based sensing.

Mhanna's top skills include ultra-sensitive laser alignment setups, especially laser cavities, which enhance the sensitivity of sensors to reach ppb/ppt levels of gas detection. In addition, Mhanna is specialized in measuring multiple species using single laser sources. This significantly reduces the cost and complexity of existing detection systems by using powerful post processing fitting techniques.

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, 2023
• Master of Mechanical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, 2019
  
• Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon, 2016 
  Minor in Mathematics, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon, 2016
  

• 2022: Intern, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia
• 2015: Intern, Petrofac International Ltd., United Arab Emirates
• 2015: Intern, BMW - Bassoul Heneine SAL, Lebanon
• 2015: Intern, Middle East Airlines, Lebanon
• 2014: Intern, Audi and Volkswagen - Ets. F. A. Kettaneh, Lebanon 

• Optica
• Combustion Institute
  
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
  
• International Society for Optics and Photonics 

• 2022: Best presentation award at the 12th Saudi Arabian Section of Combustion Institute (SASCI) Meeting
  
• 2022: The Inaugural Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division Dean’s Award for distinguished PhD students, KAUST
  
• 2021: Best Student Academic Award in the Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC), KAUST
  
• 2021: Best presentation award at the 11th Saudi Arabian Section of Combustion Institute (SASCI) Meeting
  
• 2017: KAUST Fellowship for MS/PhD studies
  
• 2016: Graduated with distinction from the American University of Beirut (AUB)
  
• 2012: Full merit scholarship for undergraduate studies by AUB and the National Research Council of Lebanon

• ​Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC)
• Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE) ​