Bit of a background:
Cofounded and led technical strartups related to IoT/AI and their integration into various sectors in smart cities. Our agritech-fintech, Agrobotic, is building a data-centric platform for farmers and coops, utilizing our novel soil NPK and hyper localized (Carbon and Nitrogen) emissions sensors. Having our sensors act as nodes collecting historic data linked to farm lands allows for better transparency across land management/sale platforms, in parallel to ethical supply-chains.
In my Microsoft’s AI for Earth grant, I worked on the integration of IoT and Edge AI to provide farmers with a data-driven approach to monitor their harvest and soil health. This approach allows us to convert farms into agricultural hubs within a smart city setting.
In 2018, I cofounded an IoT hardware/software company, where I worked on hardware/software solutions related to IoT, Edge AI, and creating cloud solutions. Since then, we’ve participated in programs at e@UBC, SFU, Telus, HSBC Social Innovation Academy, and Foresight. We made it into the BC Tech Summit’s top 46 list of startups with promising potential and the Ready to Rocket list in cleantech.
My academic and research work in Canada and the EU is related to sensors (micro)fabrication and integration into IoT/(edge AI) systems. In 2017-2019, I was on a grad-exchange program at KU Leuven, Belgium, where the research components took place at imec and EnergyVille, Belgium.
I’m working with 3 NGOs based in Montreal and Brussels to develop EDI programs aimed towards providing the necessary academic and technical tools to underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, primarily young adults from disproportionate socioeconomic backgrounds. I’m also currently a member of a number of sustainability-led community groups, as well as starting to become more involved in related policy regulation and recommendations. Member of the Racism, Bullying & Harassment subcommittee of the graduate student society at SFU.
Degrees and Certificates:
Simon Fraser University, Canada [2014]-present
PhD, Mechatronics Systems Engineering
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium [2017]-[2019]
International Scholar, Engineering Science
Simon Fraser University, Canada [2008]-[2012]
BSc, Physics
Certificates
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate Microsoft
- IoT Analysis Professional Certificate
- MITx: Tools Academic Engagement in Public Policy
- Stanford E-Learning: AI in Healthtech Specialization
- Harvardx: TinyML: Fundamentals, Applications, and Deployment
- Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS / drone) Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations
- Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS / drone) Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations
Awards:
• Nvidia Hardware Grant - UBC 2022
• Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship - UBC 2021-2022
• Microsoft AI for Earth Grant award 2019-2020
• Microsoft AI UpSkilling Hackathon- Winner of popular project award 2020
• Agritech Hackathon- Winner of: Best Cloud Solution 2020
• Microsoft IoT Analysis Professional Certificate 2019
• Microsoft Professional Program for Internet of Things (IoT) track 2019
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) international scholar scholarship 2017-2019
• Top 25– Microsoft Online Challenge –AI Challenge: Sustainable Life, Toronto 2019
• Winner of the Lions’ Den Pitch award– What The Hack Brussels, Belgium 2019
• Winner of the audience award– What The Hack Leuven, Belgium 2019
• Winner of the healthcare section – What The Hack Leuven, Belgium 2019
• Most likes for Deloitte Online Garage Hackathon – Mobility– Amsterdam, Netherlands 2019
• Finalist- The Medical Device Development Centre 2019 Student Awards 2019
• Finalist- Transportation Innovation Challenge - Vancouver, Canada 2019
• Finalist- SFU Community Student Engagement Competition 2018/19
• Finalist- SFU Community Student Engagement Competition 2017/18
• 3rd place - Lumohacks Hackathon – Vancouver, Canada 2018
• Winner - Best hardware team - Lumohacks Hackathon – Vancouver, Canada 2018
• Winner - MolenGEEK IoT Hackathon, Brussels, Belgium 2018
• Winner- Coast Capital Savings Venture Idea Prize 2017
• International co-op award SFU 2017
• Graduate Fellowship MSE- Simon Fraser University 2016, 2017
• SFU - International travel research award 2016
• Nvidia Hardware Grant - UBC 2022
• Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship - UBC 2021-2022
• Microsoft AI for Earth Grant award 2019-2020
• Microsoft AI UpSkilling Hackathon- Winner of popular project award 2020
• Agritech Hackathon- Winner of: Best Cloud Solution 2020
• Microsoft IoT Analysis Professional Certificate 2019
• Microsoft Professional Program for Internet of Things (IoT) track 2019
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) international scholar scholarship 2017-2019
• Top 25– Microsoft Online Challenge –AI Challenge: Sustainable Life, Toronto 2019
• Winner of the Lions’ Den Pitch award– What The Hack Brussels, Belgium 2019
• Winner of the audience award– What The Hack Leuven, Belgium 2019
• Winner of the healthcare section – What The Hack Leuven, Belgium 2019
• Most likes for Deloitte Online Garage Hackathon – Mobility– Amsterdam, Netherlands 2019
• Finalist- The Medical Device Development Centre 2019 Student Awards 2019
• Finalist- SFU Community Student Engagement Competition 2018/19
• Finalist- SFU Community Student Engagement Competition 2017/18
• 3rd place - Lumohacks Hackathon – Vancouver, Canada 2018
• Winner - Best hardware team - Lumohacks Hackathon – Vancouver, Canada 2018
• Winner - MolenGEEK IoT Hackathon, Brussels, Belgium 2018
• Winner- Coast Capital Savings Venture Idea Prize 2017
• International co-op award SFU 2017
• Graduate Fellowship MSE- Simon Fraser University 2016, 2017
• SFU - International travel research award 2016
Publications:
o AlSakka, F. et al, Computer Vision-Based Time Data Acquisition System in Construction Manufacturing: TiDA" Automation in Construction. 2022 Submitted.
o AlSakka, F. et al, "Computer Vision and Ultrasonic Sensors in Construction Manufacturing: TiDA-v2"
2022. tb Submitted.
o Shafiei M et al, "Morphology of electrospun poly (ethylene oxide) ultra-fine fibres with incorporated MoO3 nanoparticles." Materials & Design. 2017 Jan 5;113:76-83.
o T. Borgers, et al. "Interconnection 1, 2, 3, 4.0: Buildup towards a PV Technology Hero?" 36th European
Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - EUPVSEC; 2019
o El-Chami, I., et al. “Determining the thermal behaviour of encapsulants and its impact on energy yield.” 35th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - EUPVSEC; 2018; pp. 273 – 277
o Govaerts, J., et al, “Progress in encapsulant-integrated multi-wire interconnection” 35th European
Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - EUPVSEC; 2018; pp. 71 – 74
o El-chami, et al. "A Silicon Vector Light Sensor for Proximity Sensing Applications". Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Solid- State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems, Transducers '17, pp. 163-167, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, pp. 18-22, June 2017
o El-chami, I. et al. "A Vector Light Detector for Proximity Sensing Applications". IEEE Sensors Conference,
Orlando, pp. 1-3, Nov 2016
o Shafiei, M. et al. "Effect of Experimental Parameters on Morphology of Electrospun MoO3 Incorporated
Polyethylene Oxide Nanofibres" ICON conf. 2016
o El-chami, I. et al. “Application of carbon nanotube and graphene nanocomposites for fabrication of micro-bolometers”, IEEE Sensors Conference, Busan, pp. 1-4, Nov 2015.
o V. Grayli, S., et al., "Room Temperature Deposition of Highly Sensitive Vanadium Oxide Films for Infrared
Light Sensing Applications" IEEE Sensors Conference, Busan, pp. 1-4, Nov 2015
o Shafiei M et al, "Morphology of electrospun poly (ethylene oxide) ultra-fine fibres with incorporated MoO3 nanoparticles." Materials & Design. 2017 Jan 5;113:76-83.
o El-Chami, I., et al. “Determining the thermal behaviour of encapsulants and its impact on energy yield.” 35th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - EUPVSEC; 2018; pp. 273 – 277
o Govaerts, J., et al, “Progress in encapsulant-integrated multi-wire interconnection” 35th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition - EUPVSEC; 2018; pp. 71 – 74
o El-chami, et al. "A Silicon Vector Light Sensor for Proximity Sensing Applications". Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Solid- State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems, Transducers '17, pp. 163-167, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, pp. 18-22, June 2017
o El-chami, I. et al. "A Vector Light Detector for Proximity Sensing Applications". IEEE Sensors Conference, Orlando, pp. 1-3, Nov 2016
o Shafiei, M. et al. "Effect of Experimental Parameters on Morphology of Electrospun MoO3 Incorporated Polyethylene Oxide Nanofibres" ICON conf. 2016
o El-chami, I. et al. “Application of carbon nanotube and graphene nanocomposites for fabrication of micro-bolometers”, IEEE Sensors Conference, Busan, pp. 1-4, Nov 2015.
o V. Grayli, S., et al., "Room Temperature Deposition of Highly Sensitive Vanadium Oxide Films for Infrared Light Sensing Applications" IEEE Sensors Conference, Busan, pp. 1-4, Nov 2015