I work on the integration of IoT and AI into various sectors within smart cities, clean technologies, and ocean technologies. 

As part of my work under Microsoft’s AI for Earth grant, I focused on integrating IoT and Edge AI to provide farmers with a data-driven approach to monitor their harvest and soil health. This integration transforms farms into agricultural hubs within a smart city framework.

My academic and research endeavors in Canada and the EU focus on sensor microfabrication and integration into IoT and Edge AI systems. From 2017 to 2019, I was part of a graduate exchange program at KU Leuven in Belgium, conducting research at imec and EnergyVille.

I collaborate with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) programs that aim to provide academic and technical resources to underserved and disadvantaged groups. In addition, I am an active member of several community groups focused on sustainability and am becoming increasingly involved in policy regulation and recommendations.




Degrees and Certificates:

University of British Columbia, Canada [2020]-[2023]
Researcher – Postdoc fellow, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Simon Fraser University, Canada [2014]-[2021]
PhD, Mechatronics Systems Engineering

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium [2017]-[2019]
International Scholar, Engineering Science

Simon Fraser University, Canada [2008]-[2012]
BSc, Physics

 

Certificates

  • Google Project Management
  • Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate Microsoft
  • IoT Analysis Professional
  • MITx: Tools Academic Engagement in Public Policy
  • Stanford E-Learning: AI in Healthtech Specialization
  • Microsoft IoT Analysis Professional Certificate
  • 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
  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization – Eco-Industrial Park
  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization – Industry 4.0




Awards:

  • Nvidia Hardware Grant – UBC. 2023
  • 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 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 liked project 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




Publications:

  • Alsakka, Fatima, et al. “Digital twin for production estimation, scheduling and real-time monitoring in offsite construction.” Computers & Industrial Engineering 191 (2024): 110173.

  • Alsakka, Fatima, et al. “Computer vision-based process time data acquisition for offsite construction.” Automation in Construction 149 (2023): 104803.

  • Alsakka, Fatima, et al. “Computer vision applications in offsite construction.” Automation in Construction 154 (2023): 104980.

  • AlSakka, F. et al, “Computer Vision-Based Time Data Acquisition System in Construction Manufacturing: TiDA” Automation in Construction. 2022 Submitted.

  • 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

  • Govaerts, J., et al, “Progress in encapsulant-integrated multi-wire interconnection” 35th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition – EUPVSEC; 2018; pp. 71 – 74

  • 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

  • El-chami, I. et al. “A Vector Light Detector for Proximity Sensing Applications”. IEEE Sensors Conference, Orlando, pp. 1-3, Nov 2016

  • Shafiei, M. et al. “Effect of Experimental Parameters on Morphology of Electrospun MoO3 Incorporated Polyethylene Oxide Nanofibres” ICON conf. 2016

  • 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.

  • 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