Meet the leadership, researchers, and collaborators driving CIAS's mission across five interconnected research tracks.
Dean, College of Sciences & Human Studies, PMU
Dean's Message
The Center for Cognitive Intelligence and AI Systems represents a transformative step toward reimagining research and education at PMU. By bringing together diverse disciplines, CIAS fosters innovation that is ethical, inclusive, and globally relevant. Our commitment is to support high-impact research, strengthen academic excellence, and ensure that AI integration meaningfully contributes to societal development, knowledge creation, and sustainable academic leadership.
Research Center Lead
Research Center Lead's Message
At CIAS, we strive to enhance the ethical use of artificial intelligence to strengthen human-centered research and innovation across the numerous fields within the cognitive sciences. We aim to promote sustainable changes benefiting people of all demographics throughout the processes of social evolution and the ever-increasing role of AI-driven technology in human experiences.
Research Center Lead
Lead Researcher: Cognitive Intelligence and Inclusive Learning
Dr. Arifi Noman Mohammed Waked is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sciences and Human Studies at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. She holds a PhD in Hearing and Speech Sciences with specialization in Psycholinguistics from the University of Maryland. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, she has served as educator, mentor, and academic advisor. Her research focuses on AI in education, cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, bilingualism, and language acquisition, with special emphasis on EFL learners and individuals with cognitive or perceptual differences.
Lead Researcher
Lead Researcher: AI Integration in Education and Healthcare
Dr. Jose P. Cerin is a Full Professor at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University with a PhD in Philosophy from Spain and postdoctoral fellowships at Cambridge and Oxford Universities. His expertise spans computational social sciences, philosophy of science, and human–AI systems. His research focuses on AI integration in education and healthcare, ethical governance, leadership, and human–AI collaboration. He has authored 19 books and over 100 publications, including more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, and is widely recognized for contributions to methodology, innovation, and interdisciplinary research.
Lead Researcher
Lead Researcher: Social Dynamics and Elicitive Learning
Dr. Alia Amir is an Associate Professor in Language, Culture, and Communication and Research Coordinator for Social Dynamics and Elicitive Learning at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. Her interdisciplinary research explores linguistics, social interaction, and educational communication within AI-mediated environments. She focuses on how language, culture, and cognition shape human interaction and learning processes. Her work examines how humans and intelligent systems jointly construct meaning, with particular attention to ethics, identity, and the evolving role of AI in socially embedded educational contexts.
Lead Researcher
Lead Researcher: Mathematical Foundations and Scientific Inquiry in Education
Dr. Najma Saleem is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Research Coordinator for Mathematical Foundations and Scientific Inquiry in Education at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. Her expertise lies in applied mathematics, computational modeling, fluid dynamics, nanofluids, and physiological flow systems. She has extensive experience in interdisciplinary research, particularly in thermo-biofluid dynamics, electroosmotic transport, and energy-efficient system design. Her work integrates sustainable engineering principles and advanced mathematical modeling. She has published widely in international journals and has received multiple research productivity and academic excellence awards.
Lead Researcher
Lead Researcher: Transdisciplinary and Humanities Studies
Dr. Edyta Wolny-Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sciences and Human Studies at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. She holds a PhD in Humanities (Literary Studies) from the University of Warsaw, with research focusing on Egypt, Islamic education, and cultural identity. Her interests include Arab culture, globalization, Saudi Vision 2030, and contemporary social change in the Arab world. She teaches Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian dialect and has received recognition for promoting Arabic language and culture internationally.
SENIOR AFFILIATES
Our senior affiliates bring academic excellence, research leadership, and diverse expertise that strengthen CIAS and advance our mission.
Assistant Professor · Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Expertise: Psychology and Student Wellbeing
Dr. Siddiqua Aamir is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Saudi Arabia. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Peshawar, Pakistan. She has extensive experience in teaching, research, counseling, and clinical psychology across academic and healthcare settings. Her research focuses on mental health, student wellbeing, self-efficacy, and learning experiences, and she has published in numerous journals and presented at global conferences. Her current work emphasizes sustainable learning, soft skills development, and psychological factors shaping higher education outcomes.
Assistant Professor · Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Expertise: Physical Activity, Sport Psychology and SEM
Dr. Dilsad Ahmed holds four degrees from leading universities in India and an M.S. in Kinesiology from Oregon State University, USA, where he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Macau and the University of Alberta as a Mitacs Elevate Fellow, and was a Visiting Scholar at the Korea Institute of Sport Science. Currently he is an Assistant Professor at PMU, Saudi Arabia. With over 60 indexed publications, his research focuses on physical activity, sport psychology, and structural equation modelling, contributing to education, public health, and interdisciplinary research.
Associate Professor · Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Expertise: Sociolinguistics, Multilingualism and World Englishes
Dr. Kelechukwu Ihemere is an Associate Professor of Linguistics and Senior Fellow of Advance HE (UK). He holds an MA and PhD in Linguistics from Newcastle University, UK. His research focuses on sociolinguistics, multilingualism, language contact, and World Englishes. He studies how social structures, mobility, and ideology shape language variation, identity, and power in multilingual contexts. Using ethnography, corpus analysis, and sociophonetics, he examines emergent language practices and contact-induced change. His work highlights speaker agency in global communication and has implications for education, language policy, and digital communication systems.
EMERGING RESEARCHERS
Rising talents contributing fresh perspectives and energy to our research community.
Junior Research Affiliate
Mechanical Engineering
Expertise: AI in Education and Human Behavior
Alaa Alhawsawi is a mechanical engineering student with a strong interest in interdisciplinary research, particularly in technology, education, ethics, and human behavior. His research experience includes spearheading a qualitative study on AI integration among preadolescents and over reliance of LLMs in education, with a focus on its influence on preadolescents’ independent thinking, creativity, curiosity, and learning habits. Through this specific project, he gained experience in qualitative data collection, thematic analysis, proper academic writing, and presenting skills. He enjoys examining complex questions from different perspectives, collaborating with others, and communicating ideas clearly. As a junior research affiliate, he is expected to further develop his research skills, and participate in meaningful projects that connect technical knowledge with real-world social and educational challenges.
Junior Research Affiliate
Mechanical Engineering
Expertise: Cognitive Psychology and AI
Hamed Alghamdi is a mechanical engineering student with a strong interest in psychology, particularly cognitive dissonance, and its intersection with artificial intelligence. His research experience includes studying cognitive dissonance, examining how conflicting beliefs and attitudes shape human reasoning and decision-making, with an interest in how AI systems can be used to model and predict these cognitive patterns. He is especially curious about how large language models interact with human psychology, including how AI-driven tools influence belief formation, reasoning, and self-perception. He enjoys approaching questions from multiple disciplinary angles, combining technical thinking from engineering with psychological insight and an interest in AI’s growing role in understanding human behavior. As a Junior Research Affiliate, he hopes to further develop his research skills, contribute to interdisciplinary projects, and explore how AI can be leveraged to study and address cognitive biases and decision-making processes.
Junior Research Affiliate
Electrical Engineering
Expertise: Power Systems & AI Sustainability
Isa Alam Shah Syed is an Electrical Engineering student at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. His academic interests mainly focus on power systems, renewable energy, and emerging technologies. He previously conducted research on the sustainability of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while mainly focusing on its effects on education. He is also interested in how electrical engineering can work closely with AI to develop more efficient and sustainable machines. He aims to combine engineering ideas with AI to solve complex problems and develop innovative ideas. Through research, he wants to contribute to advancements in technology and investigate the growing integration of AI in our daily lives. As a Junior Research Affiliate, he is motivated to collaborate with researchers and contribute to meaningful projects. He believes this opportunity will help him expand his knowledge, strengthen his research and analytical skills, and gain valuable research experience that supports his academic and professional growth.
Junior Research Affiliate
Electrical Engineering
Expertise: Power Systems & Electrical Machines
Mohammed Masbah Uddin is an Electrical Engineering student who will soon resume his sophomore year at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. He has an interest in power systems as well as electrical machines, and in how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be integrated to improve the efficiency of electrical systems by developing creative innovations for solving complex problems. He previously worked on a research project where he and his colleagues researched the relationship between AI and sustainability, focusing on its impact on education. He believes that being a Junior Research Affiliate will help him build up his critical skills, expand his knowledge, and gain research experience that will come in handy for conducting further complex and challenging research projects, as well as help him develop his academic growth. He also believes that the skills he develops will come in handy for his professional career.
Junior Research Affiliate
Electrical Engineering
Expertise: AI in Education, Electronics & Circuits
Ahmed Kamaleldien is an electrical engineering student at Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University. His academic interests mainly focus on AI integration in education and electronics and circuits, particularly with circuit dualities, RCL circuits, and amplifiers. Additionally, he is also interested in exploring how his knowledge in electrical engineering can be applied in parallel with AI to develop practical, creative, and smart solutions. As a junior research affiliate, he is eager to collaborate with researchers and contribute to projects at the intersection of electrical engineering and artificial intelligence. Through this experience, he aims to build the knowledge and research expertise necessary to pursue his long-term academic and professional ambitions.
