Ahmed Abdeltawab Abdelgawad Salem Aboughonim

Ahmed has a Ph. D. in Information and Communication Technology from the University of Agder, and an M. Phil. in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen in Norway. He also received a B. Sc. in Telecommunication and Electronics from Zagazig University, and a Diploma in Information Technology from the Information Technology Institute in Egypt. He has been employed by the Information Technology Institute as a lecturer for a couple of years starting from 2000. In 2002, after the beginning of his System Dynamics master study, he joined the Information and Decision Support Center, the think tank affiliated with the Egyptian Cabinet of Ministers, to work as a modelling specialist, modelling team leader, then as the deputy manager of the economic issues programme for more than 6 years. In this duration, Ahmed has authored and co-authored many publications and policy papers in different areas like Egyptian agriculture, poverty, subsidies and others. By the end of 2008, he moved to Norway, where he worked for the University of Agder, GISNOR, and again for the University of Agder until now. His research and work focus on optimal public policy design via mathematical modelling, in addition to innovative ICT solutions development.

Education

Ph.D. in Information and Communication Technology (Norway, 2017)

University of Agder – ICT Dept.

M.Phil. in System Dynamics (Norway, 2004)

University of Bergen – Information Science Dept.

Diploma of Information Technology (Egypt, 2000)

Information Technology Institute – Computer Networks Dept.

B.Sc. (5 years) in Electronics and Telecommunications (Egypt, 1999)

Zagazig University – Electrical Engineering Dept.

Work Experience

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Norway, 2021–Present)

University of Agder – IS Dept.

ICT Consultant (Norway, 2020–2021)

Gibbs startup project

Researcher (Norway, 2017–2020)

University of Agder – ICT Dept.

iTRACK H2020 project

• Participate in doing research concerning building an automated scenario generator system that supports training humanitarian aid workers. Later design and implement the system
• Design a methodology for assessing the iTRACK integrated system
• Design and implement a reporting and evaluation system for the iTRACK integrated system

Smart Mature Resilience (SMR) H2020 project

• Participate in building a System Dynamics (SD) simulation model for the Resilience Maturity Model
• Develop a web-enabled version of the SD model with an easy-to-use GUI for training purposes

ICT Consultant (Norway, 2012–2016)

GISNOR

Support organisations in automating their business processes and building web-presence, including developing management software and websites/e-commerce solutions

Research Fellow (Norway, 2008–2012)

University of Agder – ICT Dept.

eGovernment Monitoring (eGovMon) VERDIKT project

• Participated in defining an eGovernment transparency indicator
• Built simulation models using SD focusing on eAccessibility and eParticipation
• Built Interactive Learning Environments for SD models to be used for training and as decision support tools

Department Executive Manager (Egypt, 2005–2008)

Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) – Economic Analysis Dept.

• Managed department projects (over 40 deliverables) and members (over 10 researchers and 3 experts)
• Participated in projects (5 deliverables) involved building mathematical models, statistical models, algorithms, software and databases
• Proposed and initiated a standalone modelling unit to serve other IDSC departments in designing and building models

Modelling and Scientific Development Team Leader (Egypt, 2005–2005)

Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) – Economic Analysis Dept.

• Led the modelling team (2 researchers), and participated in building mathematical models, statistical models, algorithms, software and databases (2 deliverables)

Modelling Specialist and Scientific Developer (Egypt, 2002–2005)

Information and Decision Support Center – Economic Analysis Dept.

• Participated in building mathematical models, statistical models, algorithms, software and databases (12 deliverables)

Network Engineer and Lecturer (Egypt, 2000–2002)

Information Technology Institute (ITI) – Computer Networks Dept.

• Participated in maintaining and operating ITI LAN and uplinks
• Lectured and supervised students (2 general intakes and 1 computer networks intake)
• Supervised and participated in selecting instructors for the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports to spread computer awareness among youth in central area Egyptian governorates

Other Selected Work Experiences

Participated in building an SD model to simulate the dynamics in the Egyptian automobile market to be used as a core for an Interactive Learning Environment titled “AutoDynamics©” for the benefit of Mohasboon, Egypt (Egypt, 2007)

Participated in building an SD model to simulate the dynamics in the Egyptian labour market for the benefit of Mohasboon, Egypt (Egypt, 2006)

Contributed to building an aggregate mathematical model to simulate the Egyptian economy growth to use its results in preparing the UNDP Egypt Human Development Report 2005 (Egypt, 2005)

Participated in designing and implementing a system to conduct eigenvalue analysis for SD models, using Matlab http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/36455 (Egypt, 2003)

Became Microsoft Certified Professional MCP and ISO 9001 qualified internal auditor (Egypt, 2001)

Participated in designing and implementing text chatting and VoIP standalone software, using Java/Java Media Framework API (Egypt, 2000)

Participated in designing and implementing an Expert System that helps in the field of Psychological Diagnosis, using Visual Prolog. This project has been tailored and used by the Egyptian Armed Forces Psychological Affairs Department (Egypt, 1999)

Designed and implemented an inventory control and accounting management system to run one pharmacy or more, using MS VB 6.0 http://www.planet-source-code.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=74346&lngWId=1 (Egypt, 1999)

Training

Model-based public planning, policy design, and management: a system dynamics approach at the University of Palermo (Italy, 2009)

IDSC Capacity building program 2007: Training for senior managers at Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH (Germany, 2007)

Microsoft Project: Beginners and Advanced Levels at New Horizons (Egypt, 2007)

People styles at work at Knowledge Academy (Egypt, 2006)

Managing people in a changing environment at Knowledge Academy (Egypt, 2006)

Coaching and Delegation at Knowledge Academy (Egypt, 2006)

Strategic planning and thinking at Knowledge Academy (Egypt, 2006)

Statistics at Cairo University (Egypt, 2004)

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer MSCE at Online Modern Solutions (Egypt, 2002)

ISO 9001 Auditor Training at the Information Technology Institute (Egypt, 2001)

Modelling Tools

• Matlab
• Vensim
• Forio Epicenter
• Insight Maker
• AnyLogic

Programming languages

• MS VB.Net/VB 6.0/BASIC
• Java
• Visual Prolog
• C/C++
• SQL

Operating Systems

MS Windows (client/server), Linux, and UNIX: Sun Solaris administration and shell scripting

Web development

administrating MS IIS, ColdFusion scripts, and HTML/CSS/JS

Teaching Experiences

C and C++, TCP/IP suite, MS Windows (Server/Client/Network Infrastructure), and LAN/WAN concepts

Languages

Fluent in English and Arabic (mother tongue), Basics in Norwegian and French

Web Profiles

LinkedIn Profile:

http://no.linkedin.com/in/ahgawad

Academia Profile:

http://agder.academia.edu/AhmedAbdelgawad

ResearchGate Profile:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed_Aboughonim