Doha: Dr Ashraf Aboulnaga (pictured) from Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), one of Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) three specialised national research institutes, has been named Distinguished Scientist by Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society.
The 2015 list of ACM Distinguished Members highlights the work of innovators in the areas of education, engineering, and science. The designation recognises the most significant accomplishments or impact individuals have made in the computing field, placing Dr Aboulnaga, Distributed Systems Research Director, QCRI, on the list of scientists selected from around the world.
Dr Aboulnaga is the only individual representing a university based in the GCC to appear on the list, with others representing companies such as Google, Adobe Systems, Huawei Technologies, IBM Research – Tokyo and University of Southern California, Virginia Tech, Imperial College London and University of Helsinki in Finland, among others. With developments in computing changing the way the world works, Alexander L Wolf, President, ACM, said: “For the public, our recognition and awards programme serves as a reminder that the technology we all take for granted springs from a community of building on the foundations of their predecessors and shaping the future in significant new ways.”
Dr Aboulnaga, who leads the Distributed Systems research group at QCRI, focuses on research on cloud computing and its applications in areas such as video streaming, sports analytics and scientific computing. He holds five US patents and serves on several editorial boards. Previous recognition includes an Ontario Early Researcher Award, a Google Research Award and an IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Innovation Impact of the Year Award.
Dr Aboulnaga said: “I am honoured to receive this distinction from ACM. I view it as recognition not only of my research, but also of my collaborators at QCRI. The institute has established itself as the leading centre of computing research in the region, and one of the best worldwide.”
The Peninsula
