Coventry University

Faculty Member, Engineering and Computing

Other Affiliations: Coventry University, Engineering and Knowledge Management

Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems

Engineering and Computing

Thesis Title: Using Simulation-Based Genetic Algorithms to Solve Complex Crew Allocation Problems in Labour-Intensive Industries

About

Experience of initiating and conducting research at doctorial level in Operational Research.

I have experience in Operational Research in terms of using more advanced optimisation techniques, developing optimisation algorithms, and in carrying out and writing up a body of scientific research. My knowledge about optimisation techniques and their theoretical background has enabled me to develop the proposed system of my PhD study which is about developing a simulation-based Genetic Algorithm model to solve complex crew allocation problems in labour-intensive industries.

Research Scope and Collaborative Working

The research scope of my PhD thesis is limited to the resource allocation process and especially the crew allocation problem in labour-intensive manufacturing systems. Simulation modelling was the core of my proposed allocation system and optimisation
During this study, I have worked very closely with the research team of the Centre of Construction and Innovation Research, School of Science and Technology, University of Teesside. Following a nomination to become a research team member to carry out process maps and simulation modelling, I have played an integral part in the development of a number of British precast manufacturing systems in the UK. This research has been funded by a DTI project, the value of the fund was £400K, succeeding through Innovation Programme, Collaborators, University of Nottingham, Buchen, Tarmac, Aggregate Industries and British Precast Federation (our university share £100K).
My current research interests include the use of simulation modelling, heuristics and meta-heuristics searching rules to improve system performance, the complex allocation problem and its variants.

Experience of publishing research output

I have spent many years as an academic and researcher within the field of operational research and applied statistics, publishing more than 29 papers. My experience has ranged across a number of research topics including simulation modelling, stochastic programming, planning and management of off-site production, Discrete Differential Dynamic Programming, intelligent decision support systems, time series forecasting, and parameters estimation in statistical inference. This has resulted in over 18 published papers in refereed international journals and conferences.

While completing my PhD study, I had 11 papers published in refereed international conferences . One journal paper named, “Developing Crew Allocation System for Labour-Intensive Industries Using Genetic Algorithms" is being reviewed by the Journal of Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering. Another journal paper named “Developing Simulation-Based Multi-Layer Genetic Algorithms Model to Solve Crew Allocation Problems in Labour-Intensive Industries” is soon to be submitted to the Journal of Information Technology in Construction.
Three abstracts have been submitted to several international conferences including CONVR 2009 and ICCCBE 2010.

Teaching experience

I have experience of more than 11 years in teaching a wide variety of operational research, operation management topics at undergraduate level from 1997-2003 (more than 2000 students for different levels) and postgraduate level for the last three years 2007 - to present (more than 350 students for the BSc level and more than 35 for the MSc level).
I have been teaching principles of Statistics, Computer Programming, Computing for Operational Research, Advanced Operational Research, System Modelling, Computer Simulation, Network Modelling for Operational Research BSc level 2, 3, and 4. I have taught Computer Simulation for seven years to level 3 BSc students and continue with MSc students in the UK.

I am currently teaching a wide range of academic subjects including an ICT module for B.Eng level 1, Simulation Modelling for MSc students of Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CAE), Advanced Project Planning and Visualisation, Risk Management for MSc students of Project Management.

I developed ICT modules beside a number of Operational Research and Simulation Modelling modules for BSc level at Al-Mansour University College (MUC), Iraq.
I initiated the modules of Network Modelling and Simulation beside my teaching duties and my responsibilities as Deputy Head of the Computer and Information Systems Department.

I worked for two years as a member of the examination committee which supervises the examination process all over MUC. I have set many examination questions for the modules which I taught and have supported my colleagues with many examination style questions including layout and format.   

Oral Skills

I have good communication skills and have attended many scientific conferences inside the UK, poster sessions and workshops beside my teaching duties. In addition, I have regularly delivered lectures to groups of undergraduate students and have supported a number of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the lab. This year, I gave more than 250 hours of oral lecturing for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
I have considerable experience in presenting in both conference and teaching environments.  I have gained extensive experience in supervising undergraduate students in the Operational Research field. Mathematical modelling and tailoring of the available optimisation algorithms to solve a problem was one of the fields of such research projects.

Additional information

I am also a graduate member of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA), the International society of Iraqi Scientists, the Iraqi Operational Research Society, and the Iraqi Computer Science Society.
I have worked very closely with the precast and car industry (UK) to promote innovation through the development of enterprise simulation models to improve the performance of the manufacturing systems in such industries.
I have used process map modelling to address issues of design, prediction in such industries. A number of technical reports have been prepared by me to describe and to give more understanding about the manufacturing systems in those industries. In addition, I have developed many simulation models for enterprise modelling to evaluating alternative future possibilities through scenario modelling and analysis.
I have developed many optimisation algorithms besides using optimisation tools and especially meta-heuristic searching approaches to optimise the performance of the simulated system. 
I have used visualisation tools to provide the ability of demonstrating the simulated systems especially during enterprise modelling and scenario definition and analysis.
I have managed, through a number of training courses, to enrich industry with our academic experience in advanced planning and scheduling, process mapping and other visual modelling languages, development of simulation models and run “what-if” and “what-should be” scenarios

Contact Information