RIC Celebrates Research Excellence and Innovation During the President’s Address 2026 and Awards Ceremony for AY 2024–2025
As part of Prince Sultan University's President's Address 2026 and Awards Ceremony for the Academic Year 2024-2025, the Research and Initiatives Center (RIC) hosted a dedicated recognition session honoring outstanding research achievements across the University.
During this special session, RIC recognized the top three faculty and researchers from each college; faculty and researchers featured in Stanford University's Top 2% Scientist List; research teams that successfully commercialized their innovations with external partners; and a distinguished leader for exceptional contributions to innovation and space-based research initiatives.
This recognition reflects RIC's continued commitment to fostering a culture of impactful research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international excellence at Prince Sultan University.
1. Top 3 Faculty and Researchers by College
A. College of Engineering
- Prof. Yasser Mansour
- Dr. Musa Adamu
- Dr. Yasir Ahmed Solangi
B. College of Computer & Information Science
- Dr. Amjad Rehman
- Prof. Ahmad Taher Azar
- Prof. Wadii Boulila
C. College of Sciences & Humanities - Mathematics & Sciences
- Prof. Wasfi Shatanawi
- Prof. Thabet Abdeljawad
- Dr. Muhammad Humayun
D. College of Sciences & Humanities - Humanities
- Dr. Muhammad Imran
- Dr. Norah Almusharraf
- Prof. Dina El-Dakhs
E. College of Law
- Dr. Yusuff Jelili Amuda
- Prof. Jawahitha Sarabdeen
- Dr. Zaki Channak
F. College of Architecture & Design
- Dr. Silvia Mazzetto
- Dr. Wafa Labib
- Dr. Hala Sirror
G. College of Business Administration
- Dr. Farida Saleem
- Dr. Sheela Sundarasen
- Dr. Syed Shah Alam
To ensure fairness, transparency, and comparability across disciplines, RIC adopted a normalized composite scoring model to identify the Top 3 Faculty and Researchers from each college using 2024 research output data from the RIC database.
Research Impact Value Formula
Research Impact Value = (Number of Papers / 𝑎) * 0.25 + (Sum of Impact Factor / 𝑏) * 0.25 + (Number of Pure Lab Papers / 𝑐) * 0.25 + (Sum of Impact Factor for Pure Lab Papers / 𝑑) * 0.25
Where:
- 𝑎 = Highest number of papers published by a PSU researcher
- 𝑏 = Highest cumulative impact factor achieved by a PSU researcher
- 𝑐 = Highest number of pure lab papers published by a PSU researcher
- 𝑑 = Highest cumulative impact factor for pure lab research by a PSU researcher
Each component contributes 25%, ensuring balanced recognition of productivity, quality, and PSU-led research ownership.
2. Recognition of Global Research Excellence
As part of its recognition of internationally impactful scholarship, the Research and Initiatives Center honored 52 Prince Sultan University researchers featured in Stanford University’s World's Top 2% Scientists List. Of these, 25 were honored for career-long research contributions, while 51 were recognized for their outstanding global research impact in 2024.
3. Research Commercialization
As part of its mission to translate academic excellence into tangible societal and economic impact, RIC recognized faculty members and research teams who successfully advanced their innovations beyond the laboratory and into real-world applications through strategic industry partnerships.
A. Commercialization of Patented Research Innovation
The Robotics and Internet-of-Things Lab team was honored for successfully commercializing a patented technological innovation they developed. This recognition follows the signing of a cooperation agreement between Prince Sultan University and Al Hofuf Stars Trading Company, focusing on enhancing and deploying a patented intelligent system for detecting the red palm weevil in date palm farms.
Recognized Team Members:
- Prof. Wadii Boulila
- Prof. Adel Ammar
- Eng. Khaled Hammad Gabr
- Dr. Mohamed Abdelkader
- Dr. Bilel Benjdira.
B. Commercialization of Industrial Design
RIC also honored a team from the Interior Design Department at the College of Architecture and Design for successfully commercializing their industrial design models through collaboration with the Saudi Artisanal Company. The recognized designs were developed as functional and culturally inspired industrial models and have been formally registered under the industrial design category by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP).
Recognized Team Members:
- Dr. Randa Mahmoud
- Dr. Samaher Fallatah
- Ms. Wafa Al-Thiab
- Ms. Nusaibah Yusuf
- Haneen Al-Moneef
- Ghaliah Saud
- Nora Ali Gadah
- Norah Al-Ibrahim
- Futon Al-Hammad
- Zeinah Mamoun
- Ghalia Horanieh.
4. Special Honorary Recognition
In recognition of visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to national innovation and space-based research, the Research and Initiatives Center presented a Special Honorary Recognition for Excellence in Innovation and Space-Based Research Leadership to Prince Badr bin Fahd Al Faisal Al Saud, President of the Saudi Amateur Radio Society and Supervisor of the Riyadh Space Manart.
This recognition acknowledges His Highness's instrumental role in advancing the Riyadh Space Manart as a multidisciplinary platform that integrates scientific research, education, emerging technologies, and community engagement. Under his leadership, several transformative initiatives were launched, including:
- Radio Telescope Initiative
- Satellite Tracking Stations Initiative
- Educational Satellite Initiative
- Space Weather Research Initiative
- Smart Campus Golf Cart Tracking Initiative
- Micro-Target Detection Initiative (Drones)
- 360° Virtual Campus Exhibition Initiative.