Iyad Abu Doush is a Professor of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Program at Abdullah Al-Salem University in Kuwait. A consultant in Technology Accessibility and an invited expert with Mada (Qatar Assistive Technology Center), Dr. Abu Doush is a certified ABET Program Evaluator (PEV) and a Section 508 Trusted Tester. His research interests include Technology Accessibility, Human–Computer Interaction, Machine Learning, and Optimization algorithms. Dr. Abu Doush earned his B.Sc. in Computer Science from Yarmouk University (Jordan, 2001) and completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Science with Yarmouk scholarships, receiving his Ph.D. from New Mexico State University (USA) in 2009. He was awarded a Merit-based Enhancement Fellowship by NMSU for outstanding service as a teaching and research assistant. 

He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and supervised numerous senior projects and master’s theses. He has served as a reviewer and committee member for international journals and conferences. Dr. Abu Doush's endeavors have been generously supported by prestigious agencies, including The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), USAID, Microsoft, and others. His commitment to accessibility was exemplified by securing funds in 2016 from USAID to establish the first accessible computer laboratory for people with disabilities in northern Jordan at Yarmouk University, a testament to his vision of digital inclusivity. Dr. Abu Doush was selected to serve as a visiting researcher in the Universities of Malaysia,Vilnius University (via EU Erasmus Mundus EPIC), and Dartmouth College/USA through the Dartmouth-AUK Fellowship. From 2021 to 2024, he founded and directed the Office of Research and Grants at the American University of Kuwait, launching university-wide research policies, the Undergraduate Research Assistant program, and the PURE (Elsevier) research management system, while chairing/suppporting CRG, IRB, and the Faculty Speaker Series.

His work has been widely recognized, including being listed among the World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Scientists (Stanford/Elsevier) and receiving the Distinguished Researcher Award (2025) at Yarmouk University for the scientific and engineering colleges. He has led and supervised several award-winning initiatives, such as the GCC Research Competition–winning AI-driven “Smart Framework for GCC Farmers,” the Best Capstone Project “FitKit” AR sports app, and multiple student teams that achieved top ranks in ACM programming contests and robotics competitions in Kuwait and Jordan. 

• LinkedIn

• Research Gate

• Google Scholar

• Web Of Science

• SCOPUS

• ORCID

• DBLP

• YouTube

• GitHub

• Podcast دمج و تمكين (Inclusion & Empowerment)

Education:

Ph.D. of Computer Science /New Mexico State University - USA

Qualifications Summary

• Founded and directed the Office of Research and Grants (ORG) at the American University of Kuwait (2021–2024), advancing the university’s research infrastructure and strategic vision.

• Designed and executed a comprehensive institutional research strategy, resulting in six newly adopted research policies.

• Launched the Undergraduate Research Assistant program to cultivate student research capabilities and support faculty scholarship.

• Oversaw the implementation and integration of the PURE research management system in collaboration with Elsevier, facilitating systematic research tracking and reporting.

• Proposed and initiated the establishment of research centers aligned with national and regional research priorities (GCC and Kuwait).

• Chaired and supported institutional research bodies: Committee of Research and Grants (CRG), Institutional Review Board (IRB), and Faculty Speaker Series (FSS).

• Developed evaluation criteria for internal grants and faculty research awards; enhanced ethical oversight mechanisms in line with international standards.

• Extensive research experience in Accessibility, Human-Computer Interaction, Machine Learning, and Optimization algorithms. Authored and co-authored more than 100 journal and conference publications. High h-index and citation records.

• Digital Accessibility Expert with 10+ years of experience auditing digital platforms, developing inclusive content, and advising on WCAG compliance for global organizations, including USAID, US Embassy Kuwait, and Microsoft-funded projects.

• Consultant and trainer in the areas of digital accessibility and web accessibility; and member of the Arab Digital Accessibility – Mada (Qatar Assistive Technology Center) Expert Group “ADA-MEG”. Certified "Trusted Tester Web Certification" by Section 508

• Teaching experience in graduate and undergraduate computer science courses.

• Certified ABET Program Evaluator (PEV) with extensive expertise in ABET accreditation processes, including assessment planning, continuous improvement, and student outcomes evaluation. Conducted several official visits as a PEV to evaluate academic programs at higher education institutions, providing detailed reviews aligned with ABET’s criteria and contributing to accreditation decisions.

• Experience in writing funded research proposals.

• Organizing and judging university technological competitions.

• Podcast Host & Producer دمج و تمكين (Inclusion & Empowerment)

Research Interests:

* Human-Computer Interaction: Multi-Modal Navigation and Speech Interfaces.

* Digital Accessibility: Web Accessibility, Mobile Accessibility, and Intelligent Interfaces.

* Machine Learning: Evolutionary Algorithms, Optimization Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence methods.