KAUST Fellowship Award
Published:
Awarded the prestigious KAUST Fellowship to pursue MS and PhD studies at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, joining the Communication Theory Lab.
Posts by Collection
awards
Third-Place Prize at IEEE SusTech 2023 Student Poster Contest
Published:
Awarded third-place prize at the 10th IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability (IEEE SusTech 2023) for research on RIS-Assisted Visible Light Communication for Outdoor Applications.
ICTP-Arab Fund PhD Fellowship
Published:
Awarded the competitive ICTP-Arab Fund PhD Fellowship to conduct research on Delay Tolerant Networking for rural connectivity.
IEEE ICC 4MT Competition Winner
Published:
Won second place at the IEEE ICC Four Minute Thesis (4MT) Competition for Super-LoRa project.
Falling Walls Lab KAUST 2025 Finalist
Published:
Selected as a finalist at Falling Walls Lab KAUST 2025 for a DTN concept that brings Internet-like connectivity to remote areas.
CEMSE Dean’s List Award
Published:
Recognized on the CEMSE Dean’s List for exceptional academic achievements and research dedication, placing in the top 20% of the student population.
6G Summit Young Scholar Competition Winner
Published:
Won second place in the 6G Summit Young Scholar Competition for the vision video ‘When the Body Speaks.’
Saudi Aramco Digital Hackathon Winners
Published:
Won second place at the 3rd Saudi Aramco Digital Hackathon for an AI-enhanced sensing and sensor-fusion project.
portfolio
projects
RIS-Assisted Visible Light Communication for Outdoor Applications
Published:
Pioneering research on using Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) to overcome line-of-sight blockage and enhance reliability in outdoor visible light communication systems, with applications in UAV networks, V2X communications, and smart cities.
TV White Space IoT Deployment with Microsoft Research
Published:
Joint KAUST–Microsoft Research field deployment of TV White Space IoT radios, demonstrating long-range, low-power connectivity for real-world sensing applications.
Hybrid RF/FSO Maritime Connectivity: Connecting Remote Islands
Published:
Real-world deployment of hybrid Free Space Optics and Radio Frequency links to deliver 20 Gbps connectivity to a remote island 19 km offshore in the Red Sea.
DTN for Equitable Digital Learning in Rural Areas
Published:
DTN framework that delivers digital learning content to rural communities by leveraging transport-based data mules.
DTN for Rural Connectivity via Public Transport Systems
Published:
DTN architecture that uses public transport as data mules to deliver Internet-like connectivity to remote areas.
Super-LoRa: Making Long-Range IoT Faster and Smarter
Published:
Super-LoRa is a novel design that multiplies data rates for long-range IoT while staying low-power and practical, validated on real software-defined radios and campus-wide experiments.
LoRaWAN Gateway Mesh: Experimental Evaluation and Protocol Analysis
Published:
Hands-on evaluation of the RAK and ChirpStack LoRaWAN Gateway Mesh protocol, focusing on real hardware testing, system design, and performance limitations.
publications
Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for RSMA-Based VLC Systems
Published in Optical Wireless Communication Conference, Jakajima, 2023
A conference paper on integrating RIS with RSMA for VLC systems.
S. Abdeljabar and M.-S. Alouini. (2023). “Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for RSMA-Based VLC Systems.” Optical Wireless Communication Conference, Jakajima.
[Link] | [PDF]
Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Outdoor Visible Light Communications
Published in IEEE Internet of Things Magazine, 2024
Design considerations for RIS-assisted outdoor VLC links under practical constraints.
S. Abdeljabar, M. W. Eltokhey, and M.-S. Alouini. (2024). “Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for Outdoor Visible Light Communications.” IEEE Internet of Things Magazine.
[Link] | [PDF]
Sum Rate and Fairness Optimization in RIS-Assisted VLC Systems
Published in IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society, 2024
Optimization of RIS-assisted VLC systems balancing sum rate and user fairness.
S. Abdeljabar, M. W. Eltokhey, and M.-S. Alouini. (2024). “Sum Rate and Fairness Optimization in RIS-Assisted VLC Systems.” IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society.
[Link] | [PDF]
TinyML4D: Scaling Embedded Machine Learning Education in the Developing World
Published in Proceedings of the AAAI Symposium Series, 2024
Scaling embedded ML education with best practices and global workshops.
—, S. Abdeljabar, —. (2024). “TinyML4D: Scaling Embedded Machine Learning Education in the Developing World.” Proceedings of the AAAI Symposium Series.
[Link] | [PDF]
Overcoming Maritime Connectivity Challenges with Hybrid RF/FSO Links
Published in IEEE Globecom Workshops, 2024
Hybrid RF/FSO link design and field insights for maritime connectivity.
F. S. Alqurashi, S. Abdeljabar, A. Trichili, and M.-S. Alouini. (2024). “Overcoming Maritime Connectivity Challenges with Hybrid RF/FSO Links.” IEEE Globecom Workshops.
[Link] | [PDF]
Bridging the Educational Divide: A Delay-Tolerant Networking Approach for Equitable Digital Learning in Rural Areas
Published in arXiv (Submitted to the IEEE Technologies and Society Magazine), 2025
DTN framework that delivers digital learning content in rural areas by leveraging transport-based data mules.
S. Abdeljabar and M.-S. Alouini. (2025). “Bridging the Educational Divide: A Delay-Tolerant Networking Approach for Equitable Digital Learning in Rural Areas.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2511.20334.
[Link] | [PDF]
Delay-Tolerant Networking to Extend Connectivity in Rural Areas Using Public Transport Systems: Design And Analysis
Published in IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2025
Design and analysis of DTN using public transport systems to extend rural connectivity.
S. Abdeljabar, M. Zennaro, and M.-S. Alouini. (2025). “Delay-Tolerant Networking to Extend Connectivity in Rural Areas Using Public Transport Systems: Design And Analysis.” IEEE Internet of Things Journal.
[Link] | [PDF]
Super-LoRa: Enhancing LoRa Throughput via Payload Superposition
Published in IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2025
A payload superposition technique to increase LoRa data rates with minimal hardware changes.
S. Abdeljabar and M.-S. Alouini. (2025). “Super-LoRa: Enhancing LoRa Throughput via Payload Superposition.” IEEE Internet of Things Journal.
[Link] | [PDF]
teaching
AMCS211 Numerical Optimization
Graduate Course, KAUST, 2023
Teaching Assistant with Prof. George Turkiyyah.
AMCS215 Mathematical Foundations of Machine Learning
Graduate Course, KAUST, 2023
Teaching Assistant with Prof. George Turkiyyah.
Embedded Machine Learning (TinyML) Workshop
Workshop, KAUST Academy & ICTP, 2024
Teaching Assistant in collaboration with Prof. Marco Zennaro (ICTP, Italy).
AMCS211 Numerical Optimization at King Fahad Security College
Graduate Course, King Fahad Security College, Riyadh & KAUST Academy, 2024
Teaching Assistant with Prof. George Turkiyyah (Spring 2024 and Spring 2025).
AMCS202 Applied Mathematics
Graduate Course, KAUST, 2024
Teaching Assistant with Prof. Sabine El Khoury and Prof. Alexandra Gomes (Summer 2024); with Prof. Alexandra Gomes and Prof. Jenny Li (Summer 2025).
Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) to Bridge the Educational Divide - International Baccalaureate Extended Essay
Mentoring, KAUST, 2024
Guided a high school student on research using Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) to deliver educational content to remote areas as part of International Baccalaureate Extended Essay.
AMCS250P Applied Linear Algebra at King Fahad Security College
Graduate Course, King Fahad Security College, Riyadh & KAUST Academy, 2025
Lead Teaching Assistant with Prof. Sabine El Khoury (Spring 2025 and Fall 2025) for Bridging and Masters Programs;
Workshop on TinyML Engineering for IoT
Workshop, KAUST Academy & ICTP, 2025
Lead Teaching Assistant and Local Organizer. Collaborated with Prof. Marco Zennaro (ICTP, Italy) and Prof. Pietro Manzoni (Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain).
Introduction to AI for High School Students
Workshop, KAUST Academy, 2025
Lead Instructor for the High School Summer Program (HSSP) as part of STEPs (KAUST’s college preparation initiative).
AI Specialization Projects - KAUST Academy
Mentoring, KAUST Academy, 2025
Direct mentor for two student groups in the Artificial Intelligence Specialization program at KAUST Academy, supporting project development, technical implementation, and AI/ML best practices.
LoRa Mesh Networks - Saudi Summer Internship (SSI)
Mentoring, KAUST, 2025
Direct mentor for two undergraduate students in the Saudi Summer Internship (SSI) program at KAUST (LinkedIn Post).
LoRa Mesh Experimental Testbed - TRIL Fellow, ICTP
Mentoring, ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics), Italy, 2025
Direct mentor for a TRIL (Training and Research in Italian Laboratories) Fellow at ICTP, Italy.
LoRaWAN Gateway Mesh Experimental Research - CTL Lab at KAUST
Mentoring, Communication Theory Lab (CTL), KAUST, 2025
Direct mentor for an undergraduate intern at the Communication Theory Lab at KAUST as part of the Microelectronics Winter Camp (MEWC 2026) (LinkedIn Post).
AMCS241 Stochastic Processes
Graduate Course, KAUST, 2026
Teaching Assistant with Prof. Mohamed-Slim Alouini.