Biography

Dr. Muhammad Shahid Anwar is a researcher and educator specializing in Virtual Reality (VR), Gaming, Esports, and the Metaverse, with a strong focus on user-centered evaluation, immersive experience design, and AI-driven Quality of Experience (QoE) modeling. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and was recognized among the Top 2% most-cited scientists worldwide in 2025 (Stanford/Elsevier Scopus-based database).

He is associated with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia, where he teaches cutting-edge courses such as XR Representations I (Foundations of Immersive & Spatial Design) and XR Representations II (Advanced XR designing and development), equipping students with cutting-edge skills in AR/VR/XR technologies, immersive storytelling, ethical design, and machine learning–based UX evaluation. His teaching equips students with expertise in immersive technologies, immersive storytelling, ethical design, XR design Process, and machine learning–based UX evaluation, using advanced platforms.

Previously, Dr. Anwar was an Assistant Professor in the Department of AI & Software at Gachon University, South Korea. He holds a Ph.D. in Information and Communication Engineering from the Beijing Institute of Technology, China (2021), with a dissertation on QoE Evaluation of 360-degree Virtual Reality Videos. He also earned an M.Sc. in Telecommunications Technology from Aston University, Birmingham, U.K. (2012).

With over nine years of academic and industry experience, Dr. Anwar has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, secured 3 patents, and accumulated 2000+ citations (h-index: 27 Google Scholar / 22 Scopus). His research spans education, immersive gaming, healthcare, smart cities, and intelligent transportation systems, with a consistent focus on enhancing human-technology interaction.

His work integrates machine learning, QoE/QoS optimization, and immersive system evaluations to advance next-generation digital experiences. He is particularly passionate about user research and human-technology behavior, addressing methodological challenges in QoE measurement and designing systems that foster user delight and engagement.

 Dr. Anwar has been honored with several awards, including the Outstanding Scholar of the Year 2020 (CSC Scholarship Council, China) and the Excellent Student of the Year 2020 (Beijing Institute of Technology, China). 

Research Interest: Extended Reality, Machine learning/AI, Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality/Metaverse, UX and QoE, Immersive gaming and media, VR Healthcare and Education, 360 degree videos, HCI and immersive media experience, and Evaluation.