Marwa Sharawi

Dr. Marwa Sharawi is an Assistant Professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK). She holds B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in Information Technology from the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence at Cairo University, Egypt. Her master’s research focused on optimizing intrusion detection systems using soft-computing techniques, while her doctoral research explored intelligent routing and lifetime optimization in wireless sensor networks.

With more than two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Sharawi has held academic positions at AUK, the Arab Open University, the British University in Egypt, Middlesex University Dubai, the University of Sharjah, and Modern Sciences and Arts University. Her experience encompasses teaching, student advising, academic leadership, curriculum development, program coordination, accreditation, quality assurance, and applied research.

Before joining AUK, Dr. Sharawi served as Dean of the Faculty of Computer Studies at the Arab Open University’s Egypt Branch. She also held several leadership roles, including Egypt Branch Representative, Faculty Representative, General Course Coordinator, Academic Advisor, and Chair of the Accreditation Committee. She contributed to program revalidation and served on committees related to examinations, research, strategic planning, quality assurance, and institutional governance.

At AUK, Dr. Sharawi contributes actively to teaching, student mentorship, and institutional service. She helped organize IEEE EDUCON 2023 and mentored students participating in the IEEEXtreme 17.0 Programming Competition. She also received an AUK research grant and serves as a Capstone Coordinator and member of the Accreditation, Capstone Exhibition, Academic Quality, and Grade Appeals committees.

Dr. Sharawi is the Founder and Supervisor of the AUK Cybersecurity Club, where she forms, mentors, and prepares student teams for cybersecurity Capture-the-Flag (CTF) competitions. She also serves as the ChatGPT Champion for CEAS, promoting the responsible and innovative integration of generative artificial intelligence into education. As part of this work, she developed specialized instructional GPTs supporting networking simulations, programming mentorship, conceptual tutoring, and assessment preparation.

Dr. Sharawi also serves as the Kuwait Local Lead and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the NASA Space Apps Challenge. Through these roles, she promotes innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of technology-driven solutions to challenges facing Earth and space.

Her multidisciplinary research interests include artificial intelligence, machine learning, data mining, metaheuristics, nature-inspired optimization, cybersecurity, intrusion detection, digital forensics, cryptography, ethical hacking, computer networks, wireless sensor networks, and human–computer interaction. Her work also extends to brain–computer interfaces, post-quantum security, sustainable computing, renewable-energy optimization, intelligent healthcare applications, and educational technologies.

Dr. Sharawi has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles, indexed international conference papers, and scholarly book chapters. Her research has appeared in Q1 and Q2 journals and prominent venues, including IEEE Access, Applied Soft Computing, Scientific Reports, Journal of Sensors, The Journal of Supercomputing, Energy Reports, Mathematics, IEEE conference proceedings, and Springer publications. She is also a member of the CEAS Intelligent Software Systems and Internet Systems and Optimization research groups.

Dr. Sharawi serves as Associate Editor of ICCK Transactions on Swarm and Evolutionary Learning and as an Editor and Editorial Board Member of Springer’s Encyclopedia of Engineering Optimization and Heuristics, where she is also Section Editor for Linear Programming. She has served as a Session Chair for IEEE EDUCON and as a member of the Program Committee for the Special Track on Computational Intelligence in Medical Imaging at the IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems.

Her scholarly service also includes reviewing for IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence, IEEE Access, Mansoura Engineering Journal, Knowledge-Based Systems, the International Journal of Imaging Systems and Technology, the International Journal of Communication Systems, and the European Alliance for Innovation.

A Certified Professional Trainer through the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), United Kingdom, Dr. Sharawi is committed to student-centered, research-informed, and experiential education. Through her teaching, research, leadership, and mentorship, she prepares students to address emerging developments in computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity with creativity, technical competence, ethical awareness, and professional integrity.