Welcome to my website!

I am a graduate student in Computational Applied Mathematics and Operations Research at Rice University.

🧠My research is on parameter estimation in differential equations, applied to the field of computational neuroscience.

🖥️ I am passionate about applied mathematics, software engineering and high performance computing. Above all, I enjoy the excitement of tackling challenging scientific research problems.

📷 I recently got into photography and I enjoy adding captions to the pictures I take to bring them into perspective. Check out my page here.

👨‍💼 I am also interested in entrepreneurship. In fact, I cofounded a startup called Stoodie in Feb 2022, won Jury's choice award by Injaz Lebanon and several hackathons, and got funded by UNICEF Lebanon and the Kingdom of Netherlands. I also made it to national television in Lebanon. Check out my interview here at minute 12:20.

Website Last Updated: March 25, 2025.

Recent News

April 25, 2025

I have successfully completed a hybrid externship at Google with Karl Smayling, focusing on cloud sales engineering and product management.

April 21, 2025

I have successfully defended and submitted my Master's thesis on "Parameter Estimation of Neuron Models using Subset Selection and Dynamic Optimization".

March 15, 2025

I participated in a 4-day Ignite Entrepreneurship trek in Silicon Valley meeting successful entrepeneurs and VC companies organized by Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. Read more here.

February 18, 2025

I gave an invited talk entitled "Parameter estimation of neuron models using subset selection and dynamic optimization" at an online graduate research seminar organized by the Mathematics club at Lebanese American University.

October 13, 2024

I won the outstanding poster award out of 65 posters at the SIAM TX-LA conference held at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

September 17, 2024

The startup I mentored through the Injaz company program won the best social impact award at a national young entrepreneurs competition under the theme of "Innovate for Science Education".

July 16, 2024

I have been selected as a Top 50 finalist of the Chegg Inc. Global Student Prize 2024 among more than 11000 applications from 176 countries. I am also the only Lebanese and Arab to reach this stage of the prize this year.

Contact: Email | Linkedin

Check out my CV here.

Education

• M.A., Computational and Applied Mathematics, CGPA: 3.91/4.0, Rice University, May 2025
• B.S., Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science, CGPA: 3.97/4.0, Lebanese American University, May 2022

Research Talks and Presentations

• Confidence and Degeneracy in Parameter Estimation of Biophysical Neuron Models, Poster Presentation at Energy HPC 2025 Conference, Feb 25-27, 2025.
• Parameter estimation of neuron models using subset selection and dynamic optimization, Invited Talk at graduate research seminar organized by Mathematics Club at Lebanese American University, Feb 18, 2025.
• Confidence and Degeneracy in Sequential Parameter Estimation of Biophysical Neuron Models, Poster Presentation at SIAM TX-LA 2024 Conference, Outstanding Poster Award, Oct 11-13, 2024.
• Confidence and Degeneracy in Sequential Parameter Estimation of Biophysical Neuron Models, Poster Presentation at Research Training Group in Numerical Mathematics & Scientific Computing (NASC) Annual Workshop, Oct 4, 2024.
• Collocation and Galerkin Time Stepping Methods, Contributed Talk at NASC RTG Ranch Retreat, Apr 19-20, 2024.
• An All-At-Once Approach to Parameter Estimation in Neuron Models, Poster Presentation at SIAM TX-LA 2023 Conference, Nov 3-5, 2023.
• An All-At-Once Approach to Parameter Estimation in Neuron Models, Poster Presentation at Research Training Group in Numerical Mathematics & Scientific Computing (NASC) Annual Workshop, Oct 13, 2023.

Other Talks and Presentations

• The Journey to Unshakable Self-Belief, Accepted talk at Junior Achievements (JA) Global Leadership Conference, Apr 12, 2025.
• The Journey to Unshakable Self-Belief, Presentation to graduate international students at Rice University + Panel moderation of professionals from different resource offices at Rice University, Dec 5, 2024.
• A Glimpse into Graduate Mathematics, Discussion to undergraduate students at Lebanese American University interested to pursue graduate school, Dec 4 2024.
• Key Student-to-Student Tips, Presentation to incoming graduate international students during graduate student orientation at Rice University, Aug 20, 2024.
• Impostor Syndrome, Presentation to incoming graduate international students participating during the summer international buddy program at Rice University, Jul 21, 2023.
• Meet Mathematics Alumni, Discussion to undergraduate students during a Mathematics club virtual event at Lebanese American University, Dec 7, 2022.

Projects

• URL Shortener Service, Software Engineering Methodology Final Project
  • Implemented frontend using React and SpringBoot and backend using BigTable and deployed both on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
  • Tested latency of the system using JMeter Apache and optimized efficiency accordingly.
• Reduced Order Modeling of Heat Equation with Diffusion and Advection, Data Science and Dynamical Systems Final Project
  • Derived transfer functions and investigated different approximations of the impulse response of heat equations with diffusion and advection.
  • Applied model order reduction techniques such as Lyapunov balanced truncations, Loewner and Hankel frameworks using MATLAB of the infinite-dimensional and discretized heat equations and compared their Bode error plots.
• Vaccination Center Website, Database Management Systems Final Project
  • Developed a website using PHP, enabling patient registration for vaccinations and enhancing the efficiency of vaccination operations through the integration of robust functionalities and user-friendly interfaces.
  • Implemented a database system with an entity relationship (ER) diagram using MySQL, optimizing data management for all entities at the vaccination center.

Technical Skills

• Programming Languages: Python, MATLAB, Java, C++ (OpenMP, MPI, CUDA), Julia, SQL, HTML, PHP.
• Python Libraries: NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, Pandas, JAX, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, Keras.
• Software: Git, Pyomo, IPOPT, Bash, LaTeX.

Honors and Awards

• Outstanding Poster Award, SIAM TX-LA conference, Oct 2024.
• Global Student Prize 2024 Top 50 Finalist, Chegg Inc., July 2024.
• Recognition Award, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, May 2022.
• Hackathon Winner, Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center, Feb 2022.
• Top 2 Young Leader, Young Leaders Program, Saradar Bank and ESA Business School, Sept 2022.
• Jury’s Choice Award, TAQA Youth Well-being Championship, Injaz and UNICEF Lebanon, Nov 2021.
• Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator, Microsoft Education Center, Aug 2021.
• Hero Mathematics Tutor, MMKN Organization, May 2021.
• Full Merit Scholarship, Lebanese American University, Aug 2019.
• Top 16 National Exams, Lebanese Baccalaureate General Sciences National Exams, July 2019.

Teaching

• Computational Science, Grader, Rice University, Fall 2024.
• Iterative Methods and Unconstrained Optimization (Qualifying Exam Course), Grader, Rice University, Spring 2024.
• Advanced Numerical Analysis (Qualifying Exam Course), Grader, Rice University, Fall 2023.
• Differential Equations in Science and Engineering, Grader, Rice University, Spring 2023 & Spring 2025.
• Matrix Analysis, Grader, Rice University, Fall 2022.
• Calculus II, Teaching Assistant, Lebanese American University, Spring 2022.
• AI Hackathon, Trainer, Geek Express, Summer 2022.
• Programming, Instructor, Geek Express, Sept 2019 - July 2022.
• High School Mathematics, Coordinator and Tutor, MMKN Organization, Sept 2019 - June 2021.

Leadership and Service

• Ignite Entrepreneurship Trek to Silicon Valley Participant, Rice Alliance Ignite Trek, March 12-15, 2025
• Engineering Communication Coach, Rice Activate Engineering Communication Program, Aug 2024 - Present.
• Mentor, Injaz Company Program, June 2024 - Sept 2024.
• Graduate Panelist, Rice University GCURS, Oct 21, 2023.
• SIAM Treasurer, Rice SIAM Chapter, Aug 2023 - Aug 2024.
• International Buddy Program Leader and Graduate International Orientation Leader, Rice Office of International Students and Scholars. I got featured in Fall 2023 Newsletter page 12, May 2023 - Aug 2024.
• International Student Outreach Director, Rice Graduate Student Association, May 2023 - May 2024.
• Speaking Coach, TEDxRice. Read more about the event I helped organize here, Sep 2022 - Dec 2022.
• Professional Leadership Experience Coachee, Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University, Sep 2022 - Dec 2022.
• CMOR Diversity Lunch Organizer, CMOR Grad Seminar, Dec 2022 & April 2023.
• President, LAU Mathematics Club, May 2021 - May 2022.