The two-day event, themed "Transforming the Future of Engineering and Digital Sciences Research in Central Asia," brought together researchers, academics, and students.
The conference, which evolved from the NU SEDS Annual Research Week, adopted an international format for the first time this year. It continued the tradition of honoring Kazakhstan Science Workers' Day on April 12, recognizing the invaluable contributions of the country's scientists and researchers.
The event opened with ceremonial addresses by the President of NU, Professor Waqar Ahmad, and the Dean of the School, Yelyzaveta Arkhangelsky, Shazim Ali Memon Vice Dean for Research setting the stage for two days of insightful discussions. It attracted leading experts from Canada, China, France, India, the UK, and the UAE, who shared their perspectives on a wide range of research topics.
The opening plenary session featured Fahdel M. Ghannouchi, Canada Research Chair in Green Radio Systems, who spoke about Intelligent Wireless Systems, highlighting recent advancements in wireless communication. Hong Chen, Professor at Soochow University, followed with a talk on the Application of Surface Modification Technology in the Medical Industry, showcasing innovations in medical treatment.
The afternoon session included Moulay-Tahar Sougrati, CNRS Research Engineer, who presented on Sustainable LFP Recycling for EV Battery Sustainability, followed by Rafat Siddique, Dean of Sustainability at the Thapar Institute, who explored Sustainable Concretes Using Industrial By-products.
On Day Two, Shane Xie, Chair Professor at the University of Leeds, discussed Advanced Robotics for Stroke Rehabilitation, while Seung-Taek Myung, Distinguished Professor at Sejong University, presented on High-Capacity Sodium-Ion Batteries for Energy Storage. Salah Haridy, Associate Professor at the University of Sharjah, concluded the plenary series with insights on Emerging Trends in Quality Engineering.
A dedicated workshop led by Vice Dean for Research of SEDS Shazim Ali Memon explored the role of Generative AI in Scientific Writing.
SEDS Voices brought together six leading faculty members from each department to showcase groundbreaking work that is shaping the future of engineering and digital sciences.
Associate Professor Asma Perveen from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering opened the session with insights into Recent Advances in Electro-Discharge Machining, highlighting emerging prospects and challenges in precision manufacturing.
From the Robotics Department, Associate Professor Anara Sandygulova presented her research on Social Robots for Autism Therapy, showcasing the transformative role of robotics in health and education.
Assistant Professor Marko Ristin, representing the Department of Computer Science, discussed the convergence of machine learning, software engineering, and Industry 4.0, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex industrial challenges.
Professor Daniele Tosi of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering shared his work on Optical Fiber Biosensors, detailing their growing relevance and real-world applications in biomedical diagnostics.
Associate Professor Abid Nadeem from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering explored the topic of Modular Construction in Kazakhstan, identifying key drivers, current challenges, and strategies for aligning construction practices with circular economy principles.
The session concluded with Assistant Professor Almagul Mentbayeva of the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, who showcased Advancements in Hydrogen Energy, focusing on cutting-edge materials engineering for hydrogen storage and sensing technologies.
In addition to the plenary sessions, the conference hosted a poster exhibition featuring 58 cutting-edge research projects from the SEDS community. These projects addressed five core SEDS research directions:
The exhibition highlighted collaborative efforts to address regional and global challenges, offering a rich visual narrative of the School’s ongoing work.
Another major highlight was the 3MT® (Three-Minute Thesis) Competition, where PhD students were challenged to present their research to a general audience in just three minutes. This global competition, held in over 600 universities, emphasizes the importance of clear research communication.
The winner of this year's 3MT competition was Chingiz Arystanbekov (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), who showcased his work on Smarter Blade Positioning, Quieter Drones, aimed at reducing UAV noise through rotor phase modulation.
Makpal Rakhatkyzy (Chemical and Materials Engineering) was the Runner-Up and also received the People’s Choice Award for her presentation, Turning Kazakhstan’s Farm Waste into Engineered Plastics, offering an eco-friendly solution to agricultural waste.
Fifteen undergraduate and graduate students were also honored with the SEDS Research Excellence Award for their exceptional contribution. These students were recognized for publishing in the top 10% of academic journals, with awards given to lead authors only. In cases of multiple high-ranking publications, only one award was granted per student:
Kashif Nazir
Article: "A novel framework for developing a machine learning-based forecasting model using multi-stage sensitivity analysis to predict the energy consumption of PCM-integrated building"
Journal: Applied Energy (2024)
Cite Score: 21.2, Top 1% (1/223)
Miriam Absalyamova
Article: "The effect of carbonized zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) support on the reactivity and selectivity of bimetal-catalytic aqueous NO3 − reduction"
Journal: Chemosphere (2024)
Cite Score: 15.8, Top 2% (11/665)
Aizhan Rakhmanova
Article: "Nanofibrous ZnO-loaded PVA/PEDOT:PSS for selective and enhanced ammonia detection"
Journal: Sensors and Actuators: B. Chemical (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 14.6, Top 5% (3/141)
Makpal Rakhatkyzy
Article: "Innovative microwave and continuous flow synthesis of 5-Hydroxyme-thylfurfural from Biomass-Derived Resources using Deep eutectic solvents"
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal (2024)
Cite Score: 21.7, Top 10% (8/384)
Shabnam Yavari
Article: "Recycling Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pipe Wastes into PVC/ZnO Nanofiber-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators"
Journal: Energy & Environmental Materials (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 17.6, Top 5% (4/261)
Nurbolat Issatayev
Article: "LiF modified hard carbon from date seeds as an anode material for enhanced low-temperature lithium-ion batteries"
Journal: Carbon (2024)
Cite Score: 20.8, Top 10% (18/463)
Zhanbolat Artyk
Article: "Development of engineered geopolymer composites containing low-activity fly ashes and ground granulated blast furnace slags with hybrid fibers"
Journal: Construction and Building Materials (2024)
Cite Score: 13.8, Top 10% (13/379)
Aknur Temireyeva
Article: "Process simulation of flax straw pyrolysis with kinetic reaction Model: Experimental validation and exergy analysis"
Journal: Fuel (2024)
Cite Score: 12.8, Top 10% (10/133)
Dinmukhammed Mukashev
Article: "E-BTS: Event-Based Tactile Sensor for Haptic Teleoperation in Augmented Reality"
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 14.9, Top 5% (38/797)
Lunara Rakhymbay
Article: "Present development and future perspectives on biowaste-derived hard carbon anodes for room temperature sodium-ion batteries"
Journal: Journal of Power Sources (2024)
Cite Score: 16.4, Top 5% (33/797)
Hamad Hassan Awan
Article: "A GIS-Based emergency response and management support framework for Earthquake crisis: A case study of Antakya and Kahramanmaras earthquake in Turkey"
Journal: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (2024)
Cite Score: 8.7, Top 10% (18/321)
Aida Eduard
Article: "Ad-hoc train-arrival notification system for railway safety in remote areas"
Journal: Internet of Things (2024)
Cite Score: 8.5, Top 10% (10/133)
Kulash Talapiden
Article: "Digital Disturbance Observer Design With Comparison of Different Discretization Methods for Permanent Magnet Motor Drives"
Journal: IEEE Access (2024)
Cite Score: 9.8, Top 10% (23/307)
Satzhan Askarov
Article: "60 GHz Propagation Measurement and Modelling: Indoor and Outdoor with Extreme Winter Environments"
Journal: IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 12.0, Top 10% (21/395)
Zhassulan Turar
Article: "Advances in Porous Structure Design for Enhanced Piezoelectric and Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Comprehensive Review"
Journal: Global Challenges (2024)
Cite Score: 8.7, Top 10% (13/171)
The conference, which evolved from the NU SEDS Annual Research Week, adopted an international format for the first time this year. It continued the tradition of honoring Kazakhstan Science Workers' Day on April 12, recognizing the invaluable contributions of the country's scientists and researchers.
The event opened with ceremonial addresses by the President of NU, Professor Waqar Ahmad, and the Dean of the School, Yelyzaveta Arkhangelsky, Shazim Ali Memon Vice Dean for Research setting the stage for two days of insightful discussions. It attracted leading experts from Canada, China, France, India, the UK, and the UAE, who shared their perspectives on a wide range of research topics.
The opening plenary session featured Fahdel M. Ghannouchi, Canada Research Chair in Green Radio Systems, who spoke about Intelligent Wireless Systems, highlighting recent advancements in wireless communication. Hong Chen, Professor at Soochow University, followed with a talk on the Application of Surface Modification Technology in the Medical Industry, showcasing innovations in medical treatment.
The afternoon session included Moulay-Tahar Sougrati, CNRS Research Engineer, who presented on Sustainable LFP Recycling for EV Battery Sustainability, followed by Rafat Siddique, Dean of Sustainability at the Thapar Institute, who explored Sustainable Concretes Using Industrial By-products.
On Day Two, Shane Xie, Chair Professor at the University of Leeds, discussed Advanced Robotics for Stroke Rehabilitation, while Seung-Taek Myung, Distinguished Professor at Sejong University, presented on High-Capacity Sodium-Ion Batteries for Energy Storage. Salah Haridy, Associate Professor at the University of Sharjah, concluded the plenary series with insights on Emerging Trends in Quality Engineering.
A dedicated workshop led by Vice Dean for Research of SEDS Shazim Ali Memon explored the role of Generative AI in Scientific Writing.
SEDS Voices brought together six leading faculty members from each department to showcase groundbreaking work that is shaping the future of engineering and digital sciences.
Associate Professor Asma Perveen from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering opened the session with insights into Recent Advances in Electro-Discharge Machining, highlighting emerging prospects and challenges in precision manufacturing.
From the Robotics Department, Associate Professor Anara Sandygulova presented her research on Social Robots for Autism Therapy, showcasing the transformative role of robotics in health and education.
Assistant Professor Marko Ristin, representing the Department of Computer Science, discussed the convergence of machine learning, software engineering, and Industry 4.0, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex industrial challenges.
Professor Daniele Tosi of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering shared his work on Optical Fiber Biosensors, detailing their growing relevance and real-world applications in biomedical diagnostics.
Associate Professor Abid Nadeem from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering explored the topic of Modular Construction in Kazakhstan, identifying key drivers, current challenges, and strategies for aligning construction practices with circular economy principles.
The session concluded with Assistant Professor Almagul Mentbayeva of the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, who showcased Advancements in Hydrogen Energy, focusing on cutting-edge materials engineering for hydrogen storage and sensing technologies.
In addition to the plenary sessions, the conference hosted a poster exhibition featuring 58 cutting-edge research projects from the SEDS community. These projects addressed five core SEDS research directions:
- Energy, Materials, and Sustainability
- Communications, Computation, and Data Analytics
- Sustainability and the Built Environment
- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
- Advanced Technologies for Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mining, and Health
The exhibition highlighted collaborative efforts to address regional and global challenges, offering a rich visual narrative of the School’s ongoing work.
Another major highlight was the 3MT® (Three-Minute Thesis) Competition, where PhD students were challenged to present their research to a general audience in just three minutes. This global competition, held in over 600 universities, emphasizes the importance of clear research communication.
The winner of this year's 3MT competition was Chingiz Arystanbekov (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), who showcased his work on Smarter Blade Positioning, Quieter Drones, aimed at reducing UAV noise through rotor phase modulation.
Makpal Rakhatkyzy (Chemical and Materials Engineering) was the Runner-Up and also received the People’s Choice Award for her presentation, Turning Kazakhstan’s Farm Waste into Engineered Plastics, offering an eco-friendly solution to agricultural waste.
Fifteen undergraduate and graduate students were also honored with the SEDS Research Excellence Award for their exceptional contribution. These students were recognized for publishing in the top 10% of academic journals, with awards given to lead authors only. In cases of multiple high-ranking publications, only one award was granted per student:
Kashif Nazir
Article: "A novel framework for developing a machine learning-based forecasting model using multi-stage sensitivity analysis to predict the energy consumption of PCM-integrated building"
Journal: Applied Energy (2024)
Cite Score: 21.2, Top 1% (1/223)
Miriam Absalyamova
Article: "The effect of carbonized zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) support on the reactivity and selectivity of bimetal-catalytic aqueous NO3 − reduction"
Journal: Chemosphere (2024)
Cite Score: 15.8, Top 2% (11/665)
Aizhan Rakhmanova
Article: "Nanofibrous ZnO-loaded PVA/PEDOT:PSS for selective and enhanced ammonia detection"
Journal: Sensors and Actuators: B. Chemical (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 14.6, Top 5% (3/141)
Makpal Rakhatkyzy
Article: "Innovative microwave and continuous flow synthesis of 5-Hydroxyme-thylfurfural from Biomass-Derived Resources using Deep eutectic solvents"
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal (2024)
Cite Score: 21.7, Top 10% (8/384)
Shabnam Yavari
Article: "Recycling Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pipe Wastes into PVC/ZnO Nanofiber-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators"
Journal: Energy & Environmental Materials (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 17.6, Top 5% (4/261)
Nurbolat Issatayev
Article: "LiF modified hard carbon from date seeds as an anode material for enhanced low-temperature lithium-ion batteries"
Journal: Carbon (2024)
Cite Score: 20.8, Top 10% (18/463)
Zhanbolat Artyk
Article: "Development of engineered geopolymer composites containing low-activity fly ashes and ground granulated blast furnace slags with hybrid fibers"
Journal: Construction and Building Materials (2024)
Cite Score: 13.8, Top 10% (13/379)
Aknur Temireyeva
Article: "Process simulation of flax straw pyrolysis with kinetic reaction Model: Experimental validation and exergy analysis"
Journal: Fuel (2024)
Cite Score: 12.8, Top 10% (10/133)
Dinmukhammed Mukashev
Article: "E-BTS: Event-Based Tactile Sensor for Haptic Teleoperation in Augmented Reality"
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Robotics (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 14.9, Top 5% (38/797)
Lunara Rakhymbay
Article: "Present development and future perspectives on biowaste-derived hard carbon anodes for room temperature sodium-ion batteries"
Journal: Journal of Power Sources (2024)
Cite Score: 16.4, Top 5% (33/797)
Hamad Hassan Awan
Article: "A GIS-Based emergency response and management support framework for Earthquake crisis: A case study of Antakya and Kahramanmaras earthquake in Turkey"
Journal: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (2024)
Cite Score: 8.7, Top 10% (18/321)
Aida Eduard
Article: "Ad-hoc train-arrival notification system for railway safety in remote areas"
Journal: Internet of Things (2024)
Cite Score: 8.5, Top 10% (10/133)
Kulash Talapiden
Article: "Digital Disturbance Observer Design With Comparison of Different Discretization Methods for Permanent Magnet Motor Drives"
Journal: IEEE Access (2024)
Cite Score: 9.8, Top 10% (23/307)
Satzhan Askarov
Article: "60 GHz Propagation Measurement and Modelling: Indoor and Outdoor with Extreme Winter Environments"
Journal: IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society (2025, accepted in 2024)
Cite Score: 12.0, Top 10% (21/395)
Zhassulan Turar
Article: "Advances in Porous Structure Design for Enhanced Piezoelectric and Triboelectric Nanogenerators: A Comprehensive Review"
Journal: Global Challenges (2024)
Cite Score: 8.7, Top 10% (13/171)