Falah R. A. Home Page

Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering 
College of Engineering / Department of Electrical Engineering
UAE University 
Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE
 
Recipient of the CIT/UAEU Faculty Outstanding Service Award 
(Evaluation done based on my professional and community service during the period: 2009-2012)

                               
 
Welcome to my home web page @ The United Arab Emirates University

EDUCATION

Ph.D. from: Concordia University

M.S. from: Concordia University

B.S. from: Kuwait University/College of Engineering & Petroleum


Research Interests

Research Groups

1-    RESMIQ- Le Regroupement Stratégique en Microsystèmes du Québec

2-    HVG- Hardware Verification Group

Publications

My Circuits

Teaching@UAEU

Other Useful Links

Contact Information



 


 


 


 


 


 

 



 

 



 


Publications

Books/Book Chapters

·         E. Ghafar-Zadeh, and F. Awwad, Chapter Title: "CMOS Electrochemical Sensors",  in the book  "CMOS Biological Microsystems" Edited by Vamsy Chodavarapu, Albert H. Titus, Springer, to appear on 2013.

·         Falah Awwad, I. Khalil, and Najah Abu Ali, Book of Abstracts - Innovations’09, 6th International Conference on Innovations in Information Technology, UAE University.    

Patents

·         Awarded an NRF grant to pursue preparation of patent on:  “High efficiency nano-injection of cell re-programming factors for stem cell therapy”. Filled in collaboration with York University (Canada) to process a US Patent.

Articles in Refereed Journals

[1]         Nabovati, G.; Ghafar-Zadeh, E.; Mirzaei, M.; Ayala-Charca, G.; Awwad, F.; Sawan, M., "A New Fully Differential CMOS Capacitance to Digital Converter for Lab-on-Chip Applications," IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, vol.PP, no.99, pp.1,1, ISSN: 1932-4545, 11 August 2014. (IF = 3.371)

DOI: 10.1109/TBCAS.2014.2336596

 

[2]         Ahmad I. Ayesh, Haya A. Ahmed, Falah Awwad, Samir Abueishah, and Saleh T. Mahmood, "Mechanisms of Ti nanocluster formation by inert gas condensation". Journal of Materials Research, Volume 28 / Issue 18 / 2013, pp 2622-2628, Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013, Published online: 25 September 2013. (IF = 1.713)

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2013.246

 

[3]         Falah Awwad, Ahmad Ayesh, and Sarah Awwad, "Are Laptops Distracting Educational Tools in Classrooms," Elsevier - Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 103, 26 November 2013, Pages 154–160.

DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.320

 

[4]         Falah Awwad, Ahmad Ayesh, and Sarah Awwad, "Effectiveness of Laptop Usage in UAE University Undergraduate Teaching", Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology (TOJET), 12.2 (2013). (IF = 0.956) (Citations = 3)

 

[5]         Ahmad Ayesh, and Falah Awwad, "Opportunity for DNA Detection using Nanoparticle-Decorated Graphene Oxide," Journal of Nanomaterials & Molecular Nanotechnology (JNMM), June 2012. Digital Object Identifier: 10.4172/jnmn.1000e101. (IF: 2012 Still Computing) (Citations = 6)

 

[6]         I. Khalil, M. Awad, S. Bouktif, and F. Awwad, "MSN: Mutual Secure Neighbor Verification in Multi-hop Wireless Networks". Journal of Security and Communication Networks (a Wiley journal), 4: n/a. Digital Object Identifier: 10.1002/sec.304, 2011. (IF = 0.472) (Citations = 1)

 

[7]         Falah Awwad, Mohamed Nekili, and Mohamad Sawan, "A Novel Theory on Parallel Repeater-Insertion Methodologies for Long On-Chip Interconnects”. International Journal of Circuit Theory and Applications, Volume 40, Issue 7, pages 693–708, July 2012. Digital Object Identifier: 10.1002/cta.751. (IF = 2.389) (ISI Journal Citation Reports © Ranking: 2011: 69/245)

 

[8]         M. Sawan, S. Hashemi, M. Sehil, F. Awwad, M. Hajj-Hassan and A. Khouas, "Multicoils-based inductive links dedicated to power up implantable medical devices: Modeling, design and experimental results", Biomedical Microdevices Journal, PMID: 19488859, June 2009. (IF = 3.406) (Citations = 21)

 

[9]         Falah Awwad, M. Nekili, V. Ramachandran and M. Sawan, “On Modeling of Parallel Repeater-Insertion Methodologies for SoC Interconnects", IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I (TCAS-I), Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 322-335, Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/TCSI.2007.910538, February 2008. (IF = 2.4) (Citations = 8)

Conference Papers and Presentations

Refereed conference proceedings

[1]         Faiq Khalid Lodhi, Syed Rafay Hasan, Osman Hasan, and Falah Awwad, "Low Power Soft Error Tolerant Macro Synchronous and Micro Asynchronous Pipeline," The IEEE Computer Society Annual Symposium on VLSI (ISVLSI 2014), Tampa, Florida, USA, July 9-11, 2014.

 

[2]         Ghazal Nabovati, Ebrahim Ghafar-Zadeh, Maryam Mirzaei, Giancarlo Ayala-Charca, Falah Awwad, and Mohamad Sawan, "Fully Integrated CMOS Capacitive Sensor for Lab-on-Chip Applications," The 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS 2014), SPECIAL SESSION: Microsystems for Biochemical Sensing, Melbourne, Australia, June 1-15, 2014.

 

[3]         Bahareh Gholamzadeh, Ebrahim Ghafar-Zadeh, Falah Awwad, and Mohamad Sawan, "Piezoresistive Cantilever Platform for Label-free Detection of Molecules," 5th IEEE Latin American Symposium on Circuits and Systems (LASCAS 2014), Santiago, Chile, February 25-28, 2014.

 

[4]         Ghazal Nabovati, Ebrahim Ghafarzadeh, Falah Awwad, and Mohamad Sawan, "A Sigma Delta ISFET Readout Circuit for Lab-on-Chip Applications," 11th IEEE International NEWCAS Conference, Paris, France, June 16-19, 2013.

 

[5]         Falah Awwad, Ahmad Ayesh, and Sarah Awwad, "Are Laptops Distracting Educational Tools in Classrooms," 13th International Educational Technology Conference (IETC 2013), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 13-15, 2013.

 

[6]         E. Ghafar-Zadeh, B. Gholamzadeh, M.Sawan, and F. Awwad, "Toward implantable Glucometer: Design, Modeling and Experimental Results," 35th Annual International Conference of the the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society IEEE-EMBC 2013, July 3-7, Osaka, Japan. (Citations = 1)

 

[7]         Uzma Mushtaq, Osman Hasan, and Falah Awwad, "PNOC: Implementation on Verilog for FPGA," The ninth IEEE International conference on Innovations in Information Technology (Innovations’09), March 17-19, 2013, Al Ain, UAE.

 

[8]         Mohammad Daoud, Mohammad M. Baba, Falah Awwad, Mahasen Al-Najjar, and Emad S. Tarawneh, "Accurate Segmentation of Breast Tumors in Ultrasound Images using a Custom-Made Active Contour Model and Signal-to-Noise Ratio Variations," 8th IEEE International Conference on SIGNAL IMAGE TECHNOLOGY & INTERNET BASED SYSTEMS, 25-29, November 2012 - Sorrento - Naples, Italy. (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 482 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[9]         G. Nabovati, E. Ghafar-Zadeh, F. Awwad, and M. Sawan, "Fully Digital Low-Power Self-Calibrating BPSK Demodulator for Implantable Biosensor". 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, Boise, Idaho, August 5-8, 2012. (Citations = 1) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 23 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[10]     F. K. Lodhi, O. Hasan, S. R. Hasan, and Falah Awwad, "Modified Null Convention Logic Pipeline to Detect Soft Errors in Both Null and Data Phase". 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, Boise, Idaho, August 5-8, 2012. (Citations = 3) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 23 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[11]     E. Ghafar-Zadeh, B. Gholamzadeh, F. Awwad, M. Sawan, "On chip electroporation: Design, Modeling and Experimental Results". Proceedings of the 34th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology (EMBC), San Diego, California, USA, Aug. 28 - Sept. 1, 2012. (Citations = 1) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 7 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[12]     Falah Awwad, "Network Theory where Microelectronics Meet Math". The Third Palestinian Conference on Modern Trends in Mathematics and Physics (PCMTMP), Hebron, Palestine, 16-18 July, 2012.

 

[13]     Fadi N. Sibai, Saadullah Mohammad, Hashir Karim Kidwai, and Falah Awwad, "Parallel Implementation and Performance Analysis of a 3D Oil Reservoir Data Visualization Tool on the Cell Broadband Engine and CUDA GPU". Proceedings of the 14th IEEE International Conference on High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC 2012), Liverpool, UK, 25-27 June, 2012. (Citations = 3) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 100 out of 203 conferences in Computer Science/Distributed & Parallel Computing domain)

 

[14]     Emad Elnajjar, Falah Awwad, and Fathi M. Allan, "Assessing the Efficiency of the Use of Laptops on the UAEU Students' Various Activities". IAT Technological Education Conference (IAT TEC 2011), Abu Dhabi, UAE, 30-31 March 2011.

 

[15]     Mohammad Hayajneh, Imad Barhumi, and Falah Awwad, "Antenna Selection Algorithm for Down Link MIMO SDMA OFDM Cellular Systems". The IEEE 21th Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Conference, 26-30 September 2010, Istanbul, Turkey. (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 18 out of 246 conferences in Computer Science/Networks & Communications domain)

 

[16]     Fariborz Fereydouni-forouzandeh, Otmane Ait Mohamed, Mohamad Sawan, and Falah Awwad, "Delay Calculation and Error Compensation in TBCD-TDM Communication Protocol for Wireless Body Sensor Networks". IEEE-NEWCAS and TAISA Conference, Canada, June 2010. (Citations = 2) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 216 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[17]     Saad Elmansori, Otmane Ait Mohamed, and Falah Awwad, "Static Slicing-Based Pre-Reduction Technique for MDG Model-Checker". The sixth IEEE International conference on Innovations in Information Technology (Innovations’09), Dec., 2009, pp. 299 - 303. This paper has been nominated for a best paper award in Computing and Embedded Systems track. (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 407 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[18]     Fariborz Fereydouni-forouzandeh, Otmane Ait Mohamed, Mohamad Sawan, and Falah Awwad, "TBCD-TDM: Novel Ultra-Low Energy Protocol for Implantable Wireless Body Sensor Networks". Proceedings of the IEEE GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE (IEEE GLOBECOM 2009), 30 Nov. – 4 Dec., 2009. (Acceptance rate 34.8 %) (Citations = 7) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 2 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[19]     Falah Awwad, Mohamed Nekili, and Mohamad Sawan. "Performance Metrics Study for Repeater-Insertion Strategies". Proceedings of the Joint IEEE-NEWCAS and TAISA Conference, Montreal, June 22-25, 2008. (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 216 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[20]     Falah R. Awwad, Tawfeeq Lammoshi, and Mohamed Nekili. "Importance of On-Chip Inductance in Designing RLC VLSI Interconnects". Proceedings of the International Conference on Microelectronics, Lebanon, Dec. 2002. (Citations = 2) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 165 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain)

 

[21]     Falah R. Awwad, and Mohamed Nekili. "Variable-Segment & Variable-Driver Parallel Regeneration Technique for RLC VLSI Interconnects". Proceedings of the 12th ACM Great Lakes Symposium on VLSI 2002, pp. 118-123, New York, NY, USA, April 18-19, 2002. (Citations = 4) Bibliometrics (up-to-date):  Downloads (6 Weeks): 8,   Downloads (12 Months): 21,   Downloads (Overall): 197. Overall Acceptance Rate 414 of 1,494 submissions, 28%. (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 37 out of 3509 conferences in Computer Science/Hardware and Architecture domain)

 

[22]     Falah R. Awwad, and Mohamed Nekili. "Regeneration Techniques for RLC VLSI Interconnects". Proceedings of the International Conference on Microelectronics, Morocco, pp. 209-212, Oct. 2001. (Citations = 5) (Conference ranking based on Microsoft Academic Search: position # 165 out of 1230 conferences in Engineering domain) 

Invited talks & oral conference presentation

[1]         "Are Laptops Distracting Educational Tools in Classrooms," Global Education Forum (GEF) & Gulf Educational Supplies & Solutions (GESS) 2013, Dubai, World Trade Center, UAE, 5-7 March 2013 (March 6, 2013).

[2]         “Micro-Scale Electroporation for Biological Applications,” Hardware Verification Group (HVG), ECE Department, Concordia University, September 28, 2011.

[3]         “Inductive links: Design and Implementation for Biomedical Implantable Devices,” UAEU Physics Symposium, April 23, 2009. 


Back



 


 

 


 


 


 

 

 

My Circuits

 

 

Negative mask used with the positive photoresists

 

Microphotographs of: (a) Various single micro-coils structures,

(b) Zoomed in single micro-coil, (c) Four-inductor receiving coil structure

Back


 


 


 

 


 

 



Teaching@UAEU

Semester

Course/Section Number

Course Title

Enrollment

Prof. Evaluation

College/University Average

Fall 2007

ITBP 205

sec. 54

Digital Design and Computer Organization

17

4.69

4.13/4.25

Fall 2007

CSEB 311

sec. 51

Digital Systems Design 1

20

3.96

4.13/4.25

Spring 2008

CSEB 301

sec. 01

Circuits Fundamentals

3

Unavailable

Unavailable

Spring 2008

CSEB 311

sec. 01

Digital Systems Design 1

7

Unavailable

Unavailable

Spring 2008

CSEB 311

sec. 51

Digital Systems Design 1

17

4.63

3.90/4.27

Spring 2008

ITBP 290

sec. 72

IT Core Exhibition

4

Unavailable

Unavailable

Fall 2008

CSEB 302

sec. 51

Digital Electronics

5

4.67

4.22/4.27

Fall 2008

CSEB 311

sec. 51

Digital Systems Design 1

21

4.49

4.22/4.27

Fall 2008

CSEB 311

sec. 52

Digital Systems Design 1

19

4.47

4.22/4.27

Spring 2009

CSEB 302

sec. 51

Digital Electronics

5

4.33

4.25/4.28

Spring 2009

ELEC 330

sec. 01

Computer Programming

15

4.23

3.99/4.28

Spring 2009

ELEC 330

sec. 51

Computer Programming

7

4.33

3.99/4.28

Spring 2009

ITBP 460

sec. 52

Professional Responsibility 3

22

3.93

4.25/4.28

Spring 2009

ITBP 460

sec. 53

Professional Responsibility 3

21

4.23

4.25/4.28

Fall 2009

ITBP 460

sec. 51

Professional Responsibility 3

21

4.47

4.19/4.31

Fall 2009

CSEB 321

sec. 51

Hardware Testing & Fault Tolerance

5

4.67

4.19/4.31

Fall 2009

ITBP 498

sec. 01

Independent Study – Stochastic Processes

2

Unavailable

Unavailable

Spring 2010

CSEB 300

sec. 51

Computer Architecture

25

4.47

4.27/4.285

Spring 2010

CSEB 490

sec. 51

Senior Computer System Engineering Exhibit

4

Unavailable

Unavailable

Spring 2010

SECB 411

sec. 51

Fault Tolerance & Reliability

16

4.16

4.27/4.285

Fall 2010

CSEB 310

sec. 51

Digital Systems Design with HDL

6

4.10

4.52/4.48

Fall 2010

ITBP 205

sec. 54

Digital Design and Computer Organization

10

4.89

4.52/4.48

Fall 2010

ITBP 480

sec. 62

Senior Graduation Project 1

4

4.50

4.52/4.48

Spring 2011

 

CSEB 310

sec. 51

Digital Systems Design with HDL

7

4.58

4.56/4.49

Spring 2011

 

CSEB 321

sec. 51

Hardware Testing & Fault Tolerance

7

4.63

4.56/4.49

Spring 2011

 

ITBP 480

sec. 59

Senior Graduation Project 1

5

4.75

4.56/4.49

Spring 2011

 

ITBP 481

sec. 62

Senior Graduation Project 2

4

4.91

4.56/4.49

Fall 2011

CSEB 321

sec. 51

Hardware Testing & Fault Tolerance

7

4.56

4.49/4.41

Fall 2011

ITBP 370

sec. 51

Professional Responsibility in IT

9

4.82

4.49/4.41

Fall 2011

ITBP 481

sec. 59

Senior Graduation Project 2

5

4.75

4.49/4.41

Spring 2012

 

ITBP 103

sec. 51

Principles of IT

20

4.28

4.49/4.43

Spring 2012

ITBP 103

55

Principles of IT

20

4.04

4.49/4.43

Spring 2012

CSEB 321

sec. 51

Hardware Testing & Fault Tolerance

2

Unavailable

Unavailable

Fall 2012

ITBP 205

sec. 51

Digital Design and Computer Organization

18

5.00

4.47/4.39

Fall 2012

ITBP 103

sec. 51

Principles of IT

20

4.55

4.47/4.39

Fall 2012

CSEB 301

sec. 51

Circuits Fundamentals

6

5.00

4.47/4.39

Spring 2013

(currently)

ELEC 305

 sec. 01

Electric Circuits I

20

Unavailable now

Unavailable now

Spring 2013

(currently)

ELEC 305

 sec. 51

Electric Circuits I

32

Unavailable now

Unavailable now

Spring 2013

(currently)

GENG 200

sec. 07

Introduction to Programming

14

Unavailable now

Unavailable now

Total

39 sections

19 different courses

472

4.503

4.32/4.35

Notes:

- I taught 19 different courses to 39 sections during the twelve semesters of my teaching period in UAE University.

- For all the available courses’ ratings mentioned in this table, my students overall average evaluation is 4.503 while the college and the UAEU overall average evaluation is 4.338 and 4.361, respectively.

Quotes from “My Teaching Philosophy”

·         A professor role is to inspire his students to pursue knowledge actively and to become independent thinkers.

·         My teaching methods emphasize fundamentals from the beginning. As advanced topics are introduced, their relevancies to basic IT theory are always articulated.

·         To implement my objectives

o   Use of active learning transforms students from passive listeners to active learners;

o   Cooperative learning is a more formal kind of activity where students work in teams of three to four students for extended periods of time outside class on problems and projects under conditions that involve the following five criteria:

§  Positive interdependence;

§  Individual accountability;

§  Face-to-face interaction;

§  Development of interpersonal skills needed to work effectively in teams.

o   Regular self-assessment of group functioning.

·         I have found that the following six strategies are very useful to assess and evaluate the quality of my teaching and its impact on student learning:

o   Teaching dossiers;

o   Peer observations;

o   Student ratings (Questionnaires);

o   Letters and individual interviews;

o   Course portfolios;

o   Classroom assessment (done in class or electronically): It includes surveys, on-line forms, one-minute paper, one-sentence summaries, focus group, and critical incident questionnaires.

Back


 


 


 

 


Other Useful Links

Cadence Design Systems

 

A Cadence Tutorial from Worchester Polytechnic

On-Chip Networks Bibliography

Simulink® HDL Coder™ 1.3   

ASITIC: Analysis and Simulation of Spiral Inductors and Transformers for ICs 

SystemC

Getting Started with the XILINX Foundation F2.1i Tools


Back


 


 


 


 

 

 


Contact Information

E-mail: f_awwad@uaeu.ac.ae

Address: P.O. Box 17551 UAE University Al-Ain, UAE

URL: http://faculty.uaeu.ac.ae/f_awwad/index.html

Phone: (office) 971-3-713-5564, (M) 971-50-138-3292
Fax: 971-3-7626309


Date: Time:

Back