In recognition of their exceptional and continuous contributions to advancing scholarship, excellence in teaching, and their unwavering dedication to the strategic mission and vision of Habib University, six faculty members have been promoted to senior positions within their respective programs.
(L-R) Basharat Issa, Dr. Ahmad Usman, Dr. Aamir Hasan, Dr. Humaira Jamshed, Dr. M Shahid Shaikh
For the first time in Habib University’s history, three distinguished faculty members have been promoted from Associate Professor to Full Professor positions; all three promotions have been made in the Electrical and Computer Engineering program. These esteemed individuals are Dr. Mohammad Shahid Sheikh, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Operations; Dr. Aamir Hasan, Vice President of Academic Affairs; and Dr. Shafayat Abrar, also in the Electrical and Computer Engineering program.
Each of these professors have been integral to Habib University’s journey and contributed greatly to the University’s pedagogical mission, exemplifying academic excellence and innovation.
A founding faculty member at Habib University, Dr. Mohammad Shahid Shaikh is a stalwart, who joined Habib University as an Associate Professor twelve years ago. He has held various leadership roles, including Program Director of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program, Dean of the Dhanani School of Science and Engineering, as University Registrar, and currently Interim Dean for Academic Operations. Dr. Shaikh has consistently demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarship, offering courses across disciplines, including in the Habib Liberal Core. He shares, “this promotion is a significant milestone in my academic career. As I step into this new role, I am excited to continue contributing to the vibrant intellectual life of the University and to furthering our shared commitment to academic excellence. I look forward to supporting the liberal arts mission of the University and to participating in initiatives that will enrich the lives of our students and faculty.”
Since joining Habib University in 2018, Dr. Aamir Hasan has exemplified leadership and service. He has held key roles such as Program Director of the ECE program, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Accreditation, and most recently, Vice President Academic Affairs (VPAA). Despite significant administrative responsibilities, Dr. Hasan has maintained an outstanding record of teaching and research at Habib University. As a motto, he often quotes, “As a faculty member – the care, efforts and passion you instill in your classes and students, define who you are.”
Dr Shafayat Abrar joined Habib University in 2017 and taught a wide spectrum of courses in the ECE program and developed new ones, including Mobile Robotics and Engineering Economics. A passionate teacher and accomplished scholar, he is among the most well-published faculty at Habib University. He has also provided research mentorship to junior faculty and students, both within and outside the university.
Additionally, the University is proud to announce the promotion of several other distinguished faculty members to senior ranks. Among them are Dr. Humaira Jamshed in the Integrated Sciences and Mathematics (iSciM) program, Dr. Ahmad Usman in the Electrical and Computer Engineering program, and Mr. Basharat Issa in the Comparative Humanities program. Their exceptional contributions and dedication have earned them these well-deserved advancements.
Dr. Humaira Jamshed joined Habib University in 2019 and has offered a broad range of courses in health sciences. She is an accomplished scholar with a strong portfolio of publications in respected journals. Dr. Jamshed has created several exciting natural science electives, making them accessible to students from the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She designs and teaches her own courses with an integrated approach for example, Bioscience in Cinema that uses films to make bioscience more interesting; Family, Marriage, and Kinship, as taught from a biology and anthropology perspective; Global Health and Disease, that fuses studies in the Social Development and Policy program with Biology. Moreover, Dr Jamshed provides her students a chance to get published in international journals. She also chairs the Institutional Review Board and oversees the review of all human-subject research at Habib University.
Dr. Ahmad Usman joined Habib University in 2019 and has offered unique courses and labs not only in the ECE program but also in other programs in the Dhanani School of Science and Engineering. He has served as Program Director of the ECE program and played a key role in supporting the program’s accreditation. Dr. Usman is an active researcher, but his most standout contribution is supervising undergraduate research, which has led to several peer-reviewed publications by his students.
Regarding his promotion, Dr Usman said, “Habib University has provided me with a truly supportive environment to grow as an educator and researcher. The Office of Teaching and Learning has been exceptional in enriching my teaching through continuous pedagogical training and development, while the Office of Research has facilitated access to funding, research, development, and collaboration opportunities. Additionally, the university’s daycare facility offers a nurturing space that allows me to focus on my work, knowing my child is well cared for. This holistic support system enables me to fully engage in my teaching, research, mentorship, and service to the community.”
Mr. Basharat Issa joined Habib University as a Lecturer in 2020. He actively teaches courses in the Habib Liberal Core and offers electives that engage students from within and beyond the Comparative Humanities program. Mr. Issa is also an active researcher, having produced a book chapter and a video documentary. Additionally, he has mentored students as a patron of several student clubs. Mr Issa said, “My journey at Habib University has been truly enriching, and I am deeply honored to receive this promotion. This milestone reflects the unwavering support of the university’s leadership and community. Joining Habib has been a rewarding decision, allowing me to contribute to a mission of critical, engaging, and contextually relevant liberal arts education in Pakistan. The unparalleled space and support here have profoundly shaped my academic goals. I owe much to the mentorship of colleagues and the curiosity of my students. I look forward to furthering our shared mission of fostering knowledge and cultivating the ethos needed to consciously live in a fragmented world.”
President of Habib University Wasif Rizvi congratulated the exceptional faculty members on their appointments and expressed faith in their commitment to the mission of transforming the landscape of higher education in Pakistan. He also thanked the external reviewers, faculty members on the Provisional Committee on Faculty for their feedback and the Office of Academic Affairs for their diligence in making these new appointments.
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