Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir

Professor, Senior Member IEEE, PhD (Electronic & Electrical Engineering), FHEA

  • High Street, Henry Building South

    PA1 2BE Paisley

    United Kingdom

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Interested in PhD studies in Digital Connectivity and Innovation?<br/>We welcome self-funded applicants to join the UWS Digital Connectivity and Innovation Centre (DCIC). Email me with your CV and research interests to discuss next steps.

Willing to speak to media

20072025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Area of academic expertise - outline

Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir is a Professor of Digital Technologies and AI at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and Director of the Digital Connectivity & Innovation Centre (DCIC). With over two decades of international academic and industry experience, his work focuses on wireless communications, AI-enabled systems, digital health, and smart infrastructure. He has secured over £7 million in research funding from British Council, Qatar National Research Fund, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Scottish Government, and the European Commission (Erasmus+) and over £2 million in knowledge exchange partnerships from Innovate UK, leading major regional and international research and innovation projects. Previously, he has worked as PI/Co-PI on several commercial and research projects funded at Texas A&M University, Qatar, Carleton University, Canada and KAUST, Saudi Arabia.

Professor Shakir has supervised over 50 PhD students and Post Doctoral Research Fellows across institutions in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and authored 10 books.

His contributions to research and innovation have been recognised through numerous prestigious awards, including the Knowledge Exchange Excellence Award, Centre for Engineering, Education and Development, Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi Award for Education, Scottish Muslim Association, Fred W. Ellersick Award from the IEEE Communications Society, the Innovate UK Award of Excellence, the Herald Higher Education Project of the Year Award, and the STEM Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion Award from the Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators (SAMEE). A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Senior Member of IEEE, and member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland, he is widely regarded as a leader in the field of digital connectivity.

Professor Shakir holds several prominent external appointments. He is Executive Chair of the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2026), Chair of the Ayrshire Digital Economy Ecosystem (ADEE) Strategic Board, and a Board Member of the Ayrshire 5G Innovation Region. He also serves as Chair of the IEEE Public Safety Technology Smart Algorithm and Informatics Committee, and Chair of the IEEE Communications Society Backhaul Networking Emerging Technology Committee. A sought-after keynote speaker and policy advisor, Professor Shakir continues to shape the future of digital infrastructure, innovation, and AI across the UK and globally.

Dr. Shakir received B.E degree in Electrical engineering from one of the top universities in Pakistan, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, in 2002 and the MSc degree in Communications, Control and Digital Signal Processing and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Electronic engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, in 2006 and 2010, respectively. 

Area of academic expertise - outline

  • 6G and 5G Networks: Non-Terrestrial Networks, Small cell densification, ultra-reliable and low-latency systems, energy efficiency for communication networks, private 5G networks.
  • Generative AI and AI/Machine Learning: Advanced data analytics, predictive maintenance, automation in engineering and healthcare, Large Language Models (LLMs) for industry automation.
  • Internet of Things (IoT) and Applications: Remote condition monitoring, environmental monitoring, water and energy management, healthcare and wellbeing, climate change applications.

Current research activities

Recent External Research Funding 

Duration

Projects

Role

Funding

Agency/Funder

2024-2025

5G Innovation Region  – Digital Connectivity and Innovation Centre

PI

£1m

North Ayrshire Council/Dept Science and Information Tech.

2023-2024

AI enabled environment monitoring

PI

£67k

British Council

2023-2027

Warning system for Extreme weather events, Awareness Technology for Healthcare, Equitable delivery, and Resilience (WEATHER)

Co-I

£2.3m

National Institute for Health Care Research

2021-2023

mmWave-based future dense networks with UAV backhauling and AI-driven enhancement

PI

$508k

Qatar National Research Fund

2020-2021

AI enabled Social Distancing App - Stay Safe Scotland

PI

£20k

Scottish Govt.

2018-2021

ATHIKA: Advanced Training in Health Innovation Knowledge Alliance  

Co-PI

£220k

Erasmus Plus

Recent Knowledge Exchange Partnerships 

Duration

Projects

Role

Funding

Agency/Funder

2025-2028

KTP Project: Kooltech – AI automation and predictive maintenance  

PI

£322,233

Innovate UK

2025-2028

KTP Project: Booth Welsh – AI automation for control engineering   

PI

£320,863

Innovate UK

2022-2025

KTP Project: The VR Hive

Co-I

£236,198

Innovate UK

2021-2024

KTP Project: Phoenix Instinct – AI and IoT enabled smart wheelchair  

PI

£286,979

Innovate UK

2021-2023

KTP Project: Kube Nets Ltd – AI enabled automation for networks

PI

£190,942

Innovate UK

2020-2021

The design and manufacture of a novel liquid milk piglet feeding system

Co-I

24,000

Co-Innovate & INTERREG VA

2020-2023

KTP Project: Fido Tech – AI enabled water leakage

PI

£262,083

Innovate UK

2018-2020

KTP Project: Modo – AI enabled data centre

Co-PI

£185,332

Innovate UK

Research Team:

KTP Associates /Post Doctoral Fellow

PhD Students (Current): (Director of Studies - first supervisor)

 

PhD Students (Graduated Supervised / co Supervised):

  • Shahriair Al-Ahmed (2018-2022)
  • Ifiok Anthony Umoren (2017-2022)
  • Yusufu Gambo (2018-2022)
  • Dong Wang (2016-2019)
  • Carlos Hoyos Barceló (2015-2019)
  • Thepparit Sinthamrongruk (2015-2019)
  • Wuchen Tang (2012-2015)
  • Hafiz Atta Ul Mustafa (2012-2015)
  • Hina Tabassum (2010-2014)
  • Nariman Rahimian (2012-2015)

MSc Students:

  • Edward Boakye (2023)
  • Blessing Ajaye (2023)
  • Hayfa Almansoori (2023)
  • Tolulope Peter Makinde (2023)
  • Sana Ullah Manzoor (2023)
  • Usman Bhatti (2023)
  • Kingsley Nnadi (2023)
  • Vivian Ogechukwu Iloghalu (2023)
  • Shahzaib Raza (2023)
  • Kyle Hickie (2023)
  • Kenneth MacKenzie (2022)
  • Pavan Kumar Mujumdar (2021-2022)
  • Jack Law (2021-2022)
  • Venkata Naveen Kumar Divvela (2020-2021)
  • James Black (2020-2021)
  • Rory Nisbet (2019-2020)
  • Kaun Zhang (2019-2020)
  • Sorin Neagoe (2019-2020)
  • Sony Thomas (2019-2020)
  • Victor Ekaette (2019-2020)
  • Michael Okonkwo (2019-2020)
  • Maddasar Shahid (2019-2020)
  • Muhammad Waqas (2019-2020)
  • Craig Middleton (2019-2020)
  • Yingbo Zhu (2018-2019)
  • Obabiolorunkosi Malaolu (2018-2019)
  • Constance Farrell (2018-2019)
  • Nicky Carr (2018-2019)
  • Matthew Swinburne (2018-2019)
  • Tanveer Ahmed (2017-2018)
  • Syeda Sanober Jaffery (2017-2018)
  • Heather Brown (2017-2018)
  • Adil Arif (2017-2018)
  • Nilupulee Anuradha Gunathilake (2017-2018)
  • Madlena Padova (2016-2017)
  • Aqib Shehzad (2016-2017)

Hons Students:

  • Ibrahim Elnoor (2023)
  • Stephen Houston (2023)
  • Cameron Dickson (2023)
  • Imtiaz Khan (2023)
  • Mohammed Alidinar (2021-2022)
  • James Lochhead (2021-2022)
  • Casey Hunter (2021-2022)
  • Adrien Chabaud (2020-2021)
  • Cailean Mcleash (2020-2021) 
  • Brian Downie (2020-2021)
  • Mohamud Ibrahim (2019-2020)
  • Darren Duff (2019-2020)
  • John Inglis (2019-2020)
  • Andrew Cooper (2018-2019)
  • Robert Mackiewicz (2018-2019)
  • Greg Francis (2018-2019)
  • Donald Carroll (2018-2019)
  • Edgars Griga (2017-2018)
  • Craig Torlay (2017-2018)
  • David Conolly (2016-2017)
  • Shannon Cuddihy (2016-2017)

External visitors:

  • Ryan Miller (Isobel Mair School, Newton Mearns) 2025
  • Widad Belaoura (National Polytechnic School, Algeria) (2024 & 2018)
  • Takeshi Hirai (Osaka University, Japan) 2023
  • Matthew Campbell (Castlehead High School) 2020
  • Ben Anderson (Castlehead High School) 2020
  • Matthew Campbell (Castlehead High School, Paisley) (2020)
  • Andrea Voisin-grall (Aix-Marseille University, France) (2019)
  • Romain Menguy (Aix-Marseille University, France) (2018)
  • Muhammad Zainul Abideen (Eastwood High School, Newton Mearns, Glasgow) (2017)

 

Target collaborative companies

I would like to collaborate with national and international companies with in following domain (but not limited):

  • Information communication and technology 
  • Cellular and mobile operators and vendors
  • Device/sensor manufacturers
  • Smart city (transportation, energy, buildings, healthcare)

Target collaborative organisations

I would like to collaborate and build prolific ties with the following types of national and international organization: 

  • Ministries and Govt. bodies 
  • Local Councils and social welfare bodies 
  • National/international research labs/centrer
  • Standardization and development organizations

Other areas of expertise available for knowledge exchange

  • Smartphone Application development 
  • Commercialisation and development
  • Servitisation 
  • Industry 4.0
  • Smart teaching and learning approaches 

Current teaching activities and interests

  • COMP11061 Internet of Things and Applications (PG)
  • COMP11062 Mobile Networks and Smartphone Applications (PG)
  • COMP11060 Emerging Topics in Smart Networks (PG)
  • COMP09022 Data Communications and Networks (UG)

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action

External positions

Chair Stakeholder Board: Ayrshire Digital Economy Ecosystem – ADEE, pan-Ayrshire strategic board for Regional Economic Strategy, Ayrshire. , North Ayrshire Council

1 Jan 2025 → …

Executive Chair: IEEE International Conference on Communications, IEEE ICC 2026, Glasgow, Scotland, May 2026., IEEE Communications Society

1 Jan 2023 → …

External Examiner Post Graduate Taught Program Embedded Wireless Systems, University of York

20 Sept 202231 Dec 2024

Member The Royal Scociety of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland, Royal Society of Edinburgh

11 Jul 2022 → …

Chair , Technical Committee on Smart Algorithms and Informatics IEEE Public Safety Technology (PST) Initiative

10 Mar 202231 Dec 2024

External Expert, COST Association

18 Dec 202031 Mar 2021

Member Scottish Parliament Framework Agreement Covid-19 Pandemic, Scottish Parliament

12 Jun 202031 Dec 2024

Editorial Board Member IEEE ComSoc Technology News, IEEE Communications Society

1 Jan 2019 → …

Full Member EPSRC Peer Review College, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

15 Nov 2018 → …

Chair IEEE ComSoc Emerging Technologies Initiative: Backhaul/fronthaul networking & communications), IEEE Communications Society

1 Sept 2015 → …

Keywords

  • QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
  • Wireless communications
  • 5G Technologies
  • Communications Theory
  • Smart City and applications
  • Network flying platforms
  • Green networks
  • Small cells
  • Heterogeneous networks
  • internet of things
  • 6G Networks
  • artificial intelligence
  • Machine learning

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