Invited Talks/Trainings/Sessions/Interviews and Miscellaneous
Invited Talks/Trainings/Sessions/Interviews and Miscellaneous
Leadership in Robotics and Control at IEEE GCWOT 2026
At the IEEE GCWOT 2026 Conference, Dr. Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro had the distinct honor of chairing the Robotics and Control Track Session alongside distinguished academics: Prof. Dr. M. Yousuf Irfan Zia (Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi), Prof. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry (Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan), and Prof. Dr. Maurizio Magarini (Politecnico di Milano, Italy). The session served as a dynamic forum for presenting cutting-edge research and fostering high-level technical discussions in robotics and advanced control systems. It brought together international researchers and scholars to exchange innovative ideas and explore emerging technological directions in the field. Chairing this session was both an honor and a privilege, providing an opportunity to contribute to meaningful academic dialogue and to support the global advancement of robotics and control engineering. Dr. Abro expresses sincere appreciation for the opportunity and values the inspiring exchange of ideas that marked the event.
Distinguished Academic & Diplomatic Engagement at IEEE GCWOT 2026, University of Málaga, Spain
The IEEE GCWOT Conference 2026, held at the University of Málaga, Spain, provided a remarkable platform for international academic exchange and collaboration. During the event, Dr. Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro had the distinct honor of meeting and shaking hands with His Excellency Dr. Zahoor Ahmed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Spain, and Prof. Enrique Nava Baro, marking a proud moment of diplomatic and academic engagement. The conference also facilitated meaningful interactions with prominent academic leaders from Pakistan, including Prof. Dr. Vali Uddin, Vice Chancellor of UIT University Karachi; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Afzal Haq, Vice Chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET); and Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Vice Chancellor of Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro. These engagements highlighted the growing global footprint of Pakistani academia and strengthened avenues for international collaboration. In addition to high-level meetings, the conference enabled valuable networking with faculty members and researchers from diverse international institutions, fostering opportunities for future research partnerships and interdisciplinary cooperation.
Keynote Address at IEEE IICT 2026, MUET Jamshoro
Dr. Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro had the distinguished honor of delivering the keynote address at the 1st IEEE International Conference on Innovations in Information & Communication Technologies (IICT 2026), held on 16 January 2026 at Mehran University of Engineering & Technology (MUET), Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. The keynote session fostered engaging discussions, thoughtful questions, and meaningful academic exchange, reflecting the growing momentum of research and innovation in ICT across the region. The event brought together researchers, practitioners, and students, creating a vibrant platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Dr. Abro extends his sincere appreciation for the warm hospitality extended by the organizers and participants. Special thanks are conveyed to Prof. Bhawani Shankar Chowdhry, Prof. Dr. Arbab Nighat, and Dr. Syeda Rabeea Jaffari for the kind invitation and excellent organization of the conference. He looks forward to continued collaboration and strengthening academic partnerships in the field of information and communication technologies.
Dr. Abro Explores Future Research Collaborations at PMU, Khobar Saudi Arabia
Dr. Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro, from the Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, had the honor of meeting Prof. Dr. Sagheer Abbass and Dr. Muhammad Attique Khan at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU), Khobar. The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and explore avenues for future research collaborations in cutting-edge domains. During the discussions, Dr. Abro also shared the innovation vision of Dr. Ayman M. Abdallah, the dynamic Director of the Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration at KFUPM, who is leading pioneering initiatives in aviation and space research for Saudi Arabia and beyond. Prof. Dr. Sagheer and Dr. Attique graciously hosted a visit to PMU’s state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence Research Center, showcasing their advanced facilities and ongoing projects. The interaction marks a promising step toward strengthening academic partnerships and joint research between PMU and KFUPM in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
Dr. Abro had been invited as a Session Chair at 21st IEEE CSPA 2025 in Penang Malaysia
I was indeed delighted to play my role as invited session chair and presented the certificates of participation to esteemed researchers at 21st IEEE International Colloquium on Signal Processing and Its Applications (CSPA) 2025 held on 7th-8th Feb 2025 at Parkroyal Penang Resort, Penang Island Malaysia. It was truly inspiring to witness cutting-edge research in control systems, signal processing, AI, and emerging technologies, and to engage with brilliant minds driving innovation in these fields. Grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this prestigious IEEE event and looking forward to more impactful collaborations ahead. A special thanks to the organising committee, fellow researchers, presenters for making this session a success. Special thanks to Prof. Nooritawati Md Tahir, Prof. Dr. Ramli Adnan, Dr Najidah Hambali, Dr. Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley, Dr. Rozita Jailani, and Dr. Mohd Hezri Fazalul Rahiman for having me as session chair.
KFUPM Undergraduate Researchers Excel at IEEE CSPA 2025
Three outstanding undergraduate researchers from IRC-ASE, KFUPM—Abdullah Nader Alkhater, Muhammad Salem Alsharief, and Rayan Ibrahim Almasawi—have made a remarkable impact at the 21st IEEE International Colloquium on Signal Processing & Its Applications (CSPA 2025) in Penang, Malaysia. Their research, selected from over 800 submissions, earned Best Research Paper Award nominations, with Rayan Ibrahim Almasawi receiving the Best Undergraduate Research Paper Award under the IEEE Control Systems Society. Their contributions focus on UAV advancements: Quadrotor UAV Precision Landing with Robust PID & Fractional Order PID (Alkhater), Input Delay Compensation for UAVs via Barrier Lyapunov & Fuzzy Pade Approximation (Alsharief), and Smooth Transition MMPC for High-Frequency Attitude Control (Almasawi). All research was conducted under Dr. Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro and Dr. Ayman M. Abdallah, with support from KFUPM’s Undergraduate Research Office. This achievement highlights KFUPM’s commitment to cutting-edge research in aerospace and autonomous systems, reinforcing its role as a global leader in innovation. We are proud of their contributions and look forward to more groundbreaking advancements.
Bridging Research Frontiers: Exploring Postdoc & Joint Funding Opportunities at KFUPM
I am delighted to share that I recently delivered an insightful session on "Exploring Collaborative Opportunities – Postdoc and Joint Fundings at KFUPM" during the first week of February 2025 at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia. In this session, I highlighted key prospects for postdoctoral research, joint funding initiatives, and collaborative projects at KFUPM, showcasing our center's dedication to advancing research in aviation, space exploration, and autonomous systems. I also had the privilege of sharing an inspiring message from our Director, Dr. Ayman M. Abdallah, reinforcing KFUPM’s vision for fostering impactful global partnerships. Looking forward to strengthening research collaborations between King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia and Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Malaysia, and driving innovation in cutting-edge technologies!
Strengthening Research Ties: KFUPM & UTP Collaboration Milestone!
I am indeed honoured to represent Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals - KFUPM, Saudi Arabia in presenting KFUPM’s memento to Prof. Dato Ir Ts Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib Abdul Mutalib, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. This exchange symbolises the strengthening of research collaborations between KFUPM and UTP, two leading institutions committed to innovation in aviation, space, and autonomous systems. In a moment of pride, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib, UTP Vice Chancellor presented me with a memento as a UTP alumnus, recognising my efforts in fostering ties between these research institutes. It was even more special to have my mentor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vijanth Sagayan Asirvadam, by my side during this occassion. Looking forward to impactful collaborations ahead!
Ministry of Environment Water and Agriculture invited Dr. Abro as Keynote at SAADEF
I was honored to join the recent Saudi Arabia AI and Drone Exhibition and Forum (SAADEF), hosted by Kingdom's Ministry for Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), to discuss key advancements in Drone Logistics. On the panel, I shared insights on how Generative AI is transforming drone delivery, the potential of swarm technology, and the importance of safety, compliance, and training in building a sustainable industry.
I also had meaningful exchanges with leaders such as Dr. Mansour Al Eid (Aerial Solutions), Khaled Abdusalem (Saudi Aramco), and Dr. Heechoon Kwon (South Korea), which opened new avenues for collaboration. At Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals KFUPM Saudi Arabia, we remain committed to pioneering innovations in aerial robotics and supporting the Kingdom’s technological goals.
Dr. Abro Engages with Saudi Space Agency on Innovative Cloud Seeding in Microgravity Project
Dr. Ghulam E Mustafa Abro recently had the opportunity to reconnect with the team from the Saudi Space Agency (وكالة الفضاء السعودية) during a meeting centered around the groundbreaking cloud seeding in microgravity project. This initiative, a collaboration between King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and the Saudi Space Commission, aims to push the frontiers of space research by exploring the potential of cloud seeding in space environments. During the discussions, Dr. Abro and the team exchanged insights on the project, which leverages microgravity to improve cloud seeding efficiency—a vital technology for water resource management, especially in arid regions. By simulating and experimenting with cloud formation in microgravity, researchers hope to unlock new methods to enhance precipitation processes.
Dr. Abro had been invited to conduct a Guest Lecture at UiTM Malaysia
On 6 June 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to deliver my virtual invited lecture as a Guest Lecturer on “Drone Applications for Oil and Gas Pipeline Inspection”. It was an absolute pleasure to share insights and knowledge with the bright minds of the Control and Instrumentation Engineering stream at Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia (UiTM) Malaysia.
Click here to see the video
On 19th March 2024, Dr. Abro had presented his guest talk on "UAV Detection, Security and Communication Advancements" Jointly with Dr. Lina Mohjazi from University of Glasgow United kingdom who spoke on "Potentials of UAV-Assisted Communications for Ubiquitous and Secure Connectivity". This session had been organized by IRC for Aviation and Space Exploration and managed by KFUPM Institute of Knowledge Exchange (KIKX). It was wonderful to engage in discussions with students and faculty, fostering knowledge exchange in this domain.
Click here to see more pictures and Click here to see recorded Session
On 11th March 2024, I was invited to present my guest talk on "Advancements in Quadrotor UAVs Using Digital Twin and Control Theories" at Sunway University Malaysia, where I shared insights about underactuated quadrotor models, digital twin integration, and innovations in autonomous flight control. It was wonderful to engage in discussions with students and faculty, fostering knowledge exchange in this domain. Click here to see more pictures
On 25th February 2024, My MS Student Mr. Mohssen and I had an incredible day showcasing swarm exercises to esteemed Prof. Dr. Charles Elachi, our center's expert mentor and former Director of NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL)-Caltech USA along with Dr. Ayman, Director IRC for Aviation and Space Exploration at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. It was indeed a dream come true to meet Prof. Dr. Charles Elachi under whose leadership, JPL accomplished over 20 missions, including Cloudsat, Jason 1 and 2, Aquarius, OCO-2, GRACE, SMAP, GRAIL, Mars Odyssey, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Phoenix, Cassini, Deep Impact, Stardust, Dawn, and Juno. Notably, three rovers—Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity—successfully explored Mars, providing invaluable insights about the red planet
On 19 February 2024, Dr. Abro had been invited to conduct a webinar on "Beyond Boundaries: Swarm Robotics in Space, Healthcare, and Beyond" jointly with Dr. Maria Kyrarini from Santa Clara University, USA through Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration and KFUPM Institute of Knowledge Exchange (KIKX). Click here to see more pictures
On 14th January 2024, Dr. Abro had been invited to attend the delegation from iSpace Japan to discuss the joint collaboration for lunar related research topics. This meeting had been presided by Dr. Ayman Abdallah Director for Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration, Staff and other researchers from Aerospace Engineering Department of KFUPM. Moreover, iSpace delegation had been led by Marchel Holle who is U.S. Government Relation Lead at iSpace and Roderick Ruhl, Head of Business Development & Partnership Europe.
On 5th January 2024, Dr. Abro had been invited to present an incredible virtual session on "A Scholar's Tale: The Unforgettable Chapters of my PhD and Beyond" where Dr. Abro delved into the journey that shaped his academic odyssey. In addition to this, he shared his PhD journey at the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. The session reflects on the highs and lows, and explore the pivotal theme of why a Post-doc is essential for PhD graduates before diving into full-time faculty roles. For recorded sessions, please click here
On 17th December 2023, Dr. Abro had been invited as a Judge for the Digital Flight Controller Project Exhibition 2023 which was mainly organized under the course of "Digital Techniques for Aerocraft Applications" at Aerospace Engineering Department of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The other co-organizer of this event was Aerospace Club of KFUPM.
On 16th December 2023, Dr. Abro had presented his technical talk as an invited speaker at 5th International Workshop on Functional Reverse Engineering of Machine Tools (WRE 2023) on "Optimizing Operations: Control Theory & Digital Twin Applications in Quadrotor UAVs". This workshop, mainly funded by the Provincial Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, supported by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, IEEE Inc, and hosted by Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology Swabi Pakistan.
On 13th September 2023, Dr. Abro had been presented with the token of appreciation for his PEC CPD talk which he conducted on "Exploring the True Perks of Research and Learning the Golden Tips to Get Foreign Scholarship" by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Areeb Ahmed Head of Electrical and Communication Engineering Department, on behalf of President Mohammad Ali Jinnah University Karachi Pakistan named Prof. Dr. Zubair Ahmed Shaikh.
On 16th August 2023, Dr. Abro had been presented with the certificate of appreciation for his PEC CPD talk which he conducted on "Impact of Unmodelled Dynamics on Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles" by Engr. Dr. Najeeb Haider Jafri Director College of Engineering Pakistan Air Force Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology (PAF-KIET), Karachi Pakistan. During Session Dr. Najeeb gave him University Momento as well.
In a significant academic rendezvous, Dr. Abro, the driving force behind fostering international academic collaborations, met with Prof. Dr. Valiuddin, the esteemed Vice Chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan. The two distinguished scholars engaged in a cordial tea meeting on August 16, 2023, where Dr. Valiuddin warmly commended Dr. Abro for his pivotal role in fortifying the academic ties between Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in Malaysia and Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan. This cross-border alliance promises to usher in a new era of knowledge exchange and collaborative research, demonstrating the power of academic diplomacy in today's interconnected world.
How to Navigate Postgraduate Life in Malaysia: Podcast
Mr. Abro had been invited to deliver his experience about his PhD studies that he got from Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia from 2020 to 2023. He discussed important aspects of one's postgraduate life in Malaysia including all problems.
As a researcher, Mr. Abro attended Delegates from Tenby Schools Ipoh on 13th July 2023 and described all on-going research works on Unmanned Autonomous and Electric Vehicles under Embedded Control Lab at Centre for Automotive Research and Electric Mobility (CAREM), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. In the end Mr. Abro along with his junior mates Mr. Jaya and Mr. Hassan presented the live demonstration of projects as well.
Pictures can be seen on this link (see the details)
As a former Chair IEEE UTP Student branch, Dr. Abro Presented a tocken of appreciation to Dr Dur Muhammad Soomro who came to UTP for presenting his guest talk on "Frequently Occurred Errors in Technical Writing" on 23rd June 2023.
Dr. Dur Muhammad Soomro has been teaching for long time in UTHM Malaysia and now currently he is serving as Associate Professor in faculty of electrical engineering. In the picture from left to right is Ghulam, Mr. M Sani (Chair IEEE UTP SB 2023), Dr. Dur Muhammad Soomro (Guest Speaker) and Md Mahmudllah (Secretary IEEE UTP SB 2023).
Pictures can be seen on this link (see the details)
An Invited Talk at Symposium on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing
Mr. Abro had been invited to deliver his research findings as a knowledge sharing session at annual Symposium on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing organized by IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS) Malaysia Chapter on May 30, 2023, at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Mr. Abro Could not join physically; thus, he delivered his talk using MS Teams.
As a researcher, Mr. Abro attended Delegates from Institut Teknologi Bandung Indonesia on 26th May 2023 and described all on-going research works on Unmanned Autonomous and Electric Vehicles under Embedded Control Lab at Centre for Automotive Research and Electric Mobility (CAREM), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia.
Pictures can be seen on this link (see the details)
It was an honour for me to accompany the official Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Malaysia delegate during their visit to the Center for Automotive Research and Electric Mobility (CAREM) on 26th January 2023. I described how our mentors/leadership are involved in a variety of projects, including AI in Mobility, Electrified Powertrain, Energy Management, IoT-enabled Systems for Electric Vehicles, Internal Combustion Engine, EV Battery, Thermal Management, and many others, in collaboration with postgraduate students and research staff. Thanks to Kundan Kumar for his technical support during this visit.
On January 20, 2023, I had the honour of accompanying an official SRM Indian Institute Delegate along with about 40 UG students to the Center for Automotive Research and Electric Mobility (CAREM). During the visit, I told them about our center's current research projects and how they could participate virtually and apply for admission here to pursue a research career in automotive research.
Mr. Abro visited Living Lab which is powered by the Direction of Innovation and Business Relations of Telecom SudParis. A living lab is a place of technological co-design, where the user is one of the main participants and where his expectations become a priority from the start. Since 2016, Télécom SudParis, a major engineering school in the digital field, has had its own collaborative research space . Named Evident (Intelligent living space for dependent people), and created in partnership with the Center Hospitalier Sud Francilien , the IBISC laboratory of the University of Evry and Telecom School of Management, it is based on an apartment equipped with a network of sensors and connected objects.
Mr. Abro has been appreciated by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia for his efforts and for representing UTP at Telecom SudParis, France. He participated in two PG level courses and worked in two research projects that resultes in one Q1 SCI Indexed Publication and One International IEEE Conference Publication (see the complete story here)
As a researcher, after the breakthrough of COVID-19, Mr. Abro attempted to find possible solutions by reviewing the literature and studying various mathematical models to compute the reproductive co-efficient of this novel coronavirus, and I am pleased to see that my research contributions are now available in the WHO COVID-19 Research Database.
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia also appreciated the efforts (see the details)
Mr. Abro has attended a wonderful session on "Speech Diarization" by Dr. Yannis Tevissen and Prof. Sonia Gracia on 19th May 2022. Interacted with eminent scholars and had a fruitful discussion on other related areas of AI in Signal Processing and Speech Recognition.
On 11th May 2022, Mr. Abro Interacted with the team members of Intel Evo and enjoyed playing with flight simulator in their installed showrooms. In the end I am thankful for blessing me the iTAG by intel evo (Anti-lost/theft device) which is much needed in today's time.
On 5th May 2022, Mr. Abro Presented Ajrak Which is the sign of love and respect in Sindh to Ms Stephanie Marimoon who is the Manager International Student Affairs at Telecom SUDParis, France.
On 14th April 2021, Mr. Abro took the students of Westlake International School, Kampar for visit different departments of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia. He also conducted a hands-on training on MATLAB and Simulink for these students. In return he had been acknowledged with a certificate of appreciation by Dr. Ku Zilati Ku Shaari, Dean Faculty of Engineering, UTP.
An interview: Robotics for sewerage lines in Karachi, Sindh Pakistan
A final year project funded and supported by Hamdard University, Karachi, Pakistan for the idea of sewerage lines of Karachi. This sewer robot has capability to clear the line and also identifies the reason of blockage. Thus, our team had been invited on one of the leading media channels of our state.
Technical and Research Paper Writing & Publishing
On 26th February 2022 Chair IEEE UTP Student Branch Engr. Ghulam E Mustafa Abro has been invited by IEEE Nigeria Section to talk over two different technical topics. The event was also supported by IEEE Robotics and Automation Society - Malaysia Chapter.
MAT+UINO: Interactive Workshop on MATLAB & How to interface with Arduino Boards
IEEE UTP SB with the support of E3S2 invited Mr. Abro to conduct two days technical workshop titled as "MAT+UINO: Interactive Workshop on MATLAB & How to interface with Arduino Boards". This workshop covers how to use tools and features provided in MATLAB. Besides that, it offers students the chance to learn how to interface with controller boards, especially Arduino boards with MATLAB.
IEEE HAC & SIGHT GRANT SHARING SESSION
How to Acquire IEEE HAC and SIGHT Grant Fundings & Contribute to your Society? this session has been organized by IEEE Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) Student Branch to guide an impact creating grant proposals for humantarian activities and projects for students of all levels
Study of COVID-19 in the light of Control Systems
This was a webinar session conducted for two different audience around the globe. They asked various questions and appreciated the simulation results too. The main objective of this session was to create an interest among the students of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for control systems and for performing mathematical modelling for any epidemiological complex model such that COVID-19.
Seeking admission in MS/PhD Program at Malaysia on GA/GRA
A free style session with Somalian Students, session arranged and organized by Mutri Doon society, Somalia in english language. Thus, anyone may use it to pursue higher studies in Malaysia specifically in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia