This year, SBASSE presented the inaugural Dean's award for PhD supervision to Dr Maryam Mustafa after receiving enthusiastic nominations from the School’s PhD students.

The Dean, Dr Walther Schwarzacher wanted to give recognition to the key role that a PhD supervisor plays in student life at SBASSE and explore the qualities and practices that define a great PhD supervisor. The students were invited by the Dean to highlight what makes their PhD supervisor truly special. 
After careful consideration, the Dean decided to award Dr Maryam Mustafa (from the Dept of Computer Science) a shield, followed by a celebratory dinner with her students and the Dean.

The SBASSE has also launched its first PhD supervision manual this year, which outlines the key qualities of effective PhD supervisors and best practices as highlighted by the students.
 

In a significant stride towards improving maternal health outcomes in Pakistan, Dr. Maryam Mustafa from the Department of Computer Science at SBASSE LUMS along with her Co-PI Dr. Beena Ahmed at the University of New South Wales, have been awarded the Google Academic Research Award for 2024 (GARA). This honor acknowledges her innovative research aimed at addressing the pressing challenges faced by pregnant women in underserved communities.
Dr. Mustafa's pioneering project, APPA: AI Antenatal and Postnatal Pregnancy Assistant, harnesses the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop an AI, speech based virtual midwife capable of delivering critical information and support in Urdu to expecting mothers. Designed specifically for low-literate pregnant women, APPA provides accessible at-home resources, timely reminders, guidance, and support directly through smartphones through speech.
The Google Academic Research Award not only recognizes Dr. Mustafa’s outstanding research but also highlights the transformative role of technology in improving maternal health care outcomes in low and middle income countries. As Dr. Mustafa advances her project, APPA has the potential to significantly improve maternal health outcomes in Pakistan, reducing mortality rates and enhancing care quality for mothers and their children.
For more information about Dr. Maryam Mustafa’s innovative work, visit her website here. 
This award underscores Dr. Mustafa’s commitment to integrating technology and healthcare to serve the most vulnerable communities, and we look forward to the positive changes her efforts will bring to maternal health in Pakistan. 
Congratulations to Dr. Mustafa on this well-deserved recognition!
 

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Agha Ali Raza has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with Tenure in the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Raza completed his PhD from the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in 2015. He joined LUMS as an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in January 2020, following his tenure as an Assistant Professor at Information Technology University, Lahore, from 2015 to 2019.

Dr. Raza’s research spans speech and natural language processing and machine learning, with a focus on enhancing IT access for underserved and offline populations. His work includes the development of practical, speech-based service systems accessible via phones. Dr. Raza serves as an Associate Editor for the ACM Journal on Computing and Sustainable Societies and has been a member of organising committees for top conferences in his field. As a teacher, his innovative use of the flipped classroom model has fostered student engagement, and he has actively contributed to several School and University committees.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Raza on this significant achievement and in wishing him continued success at LUMS!