IEEE HONET - Speakers

GIKI, Topi, Pakistan | December 02-04, 2025

workshop/symposium speakers

Higher Education Forum: Emerging Technologies, Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Domain Title: Unexplored Dimensions of Innovation-New Paradigm for Global Collaborations in Era of AI
Khizar Bhutta, Ph.D. Program Leader – Manufacturing & Apprenticeship Solutions Kinexus Group, Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
Emerging technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) are dramatically changing society in the ways we live, work, interact with others, and educate our students. These changes are enabled by such emerging technologies as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality, Blockchain, Robotics, Drones, Nanotechnologies, Genomics and Gene Editing, Quantum Computing, and Smart Manufacturing. The interplay of these technologies is impacting all sectors across the globe at unprecedented speed, and the time needed to remake the world is getting shorter (less than a year) in contrast to previous industrial revolutions — (1) Steam- and water-powered mechanization (centuries), (2) mass production and electrical power (multiple decades), and (3) Electronics and IT (decades).	Khizar Bhutta

Speaker Biography: Driving innovation at the nexus of advanced manufacturing and emerging semiconductor technologies, Dr. Khizar M. Bhutta is a distinguished Innovation Director with over 15 years of experience spanning corporate R&D, high-tech manufacturing, and academic research. He has led complex, cross-sector initiatives that deliver scalable technologies, accelerate digital transformation, and strengthen industrial competitiveness. Renowned for bridging strategic vision with deep technical execution, Dr. Khizar has consistently translated cutting-edge science into market-ready solutions advancing organizational growth and fostering innovation ecosystems across public-private partnerships. His core expertise includes innovation engineering, new product development, high-volume manufacturing, and large-scale program leadership. As Manufacturing and Apprenticeship Solution Program Leader at Kinexus Group, Dr. Bhutta drives Industry 4.0 integration by aligning emerging digital technologies with modern manufacturing practices. In collaboration with the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, Tooling U-SME, and Nanoridge Materials, he leads national efforts to expand smart manufacturing adoption and cultivate a sustainable semiconductor talent pipeline through innovative apprenticeship models. Dr. Khizar’s technical portfolio spans tactile and disruptive innovation, additive manufacturing, intellectual property strategy, and consumer-driven product design. He partners closely with C-suite leadership to convert complex capabilities into measurable business value. His innovations include micro- and nanoelectronic semiconductor devices, silicon photonics, wide bandgap semiconductors for AI-integrated sensing, functional nanomaterials, cold plasma therapeutics, and circular economy solutions for advanced manufacturing. Earlier in his career, he launched several high-impact R&D programs, including the development of a high-purity germanium detector research facility at the University of South Dakota in partnership with The Sanford Underground Research Facility, and The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA. He also served as Research Professor at the Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications at UNC Charlotte, and began his career in Silicon Valley as Lead Scientist, pioneering photonic devices and solid-state light engines for aerospace, biomedical, defense, and consumer applications. Dr. Khizar holds a Ph.D. and completed postdoctoral research in Optical Sciences and Engineering from the University of North Carolina, with a focused specialization in photonic architectures and reconfigurable semiconductor device platforms for high-performance optoelectronic applications. He is the inventor of more than 45 patents, author of over 100 scientific publications, and a frequent keynote speaker at global technology forums and industry symposia.

Higher Education Forum: Emerging Technologies, Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Domain Title: Effective Teaching and Learning in the Era of AI
Ahmed S. Khan, Ph.D. Professor of Electrical Engineering Fulbright Specialist Scholar Ex. Dean of the College of Engineering & Information Sciences DeVry University, Addison, Illinois, IL 60101, USA
Emerging technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) are dramatically changing society in the ways we live, work, interact with others, and educate our students. These changes are enabled by such emerging technologies as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality, Blockchain, Robotics, Drones, Nanotechnologies, Genomics and Gene Editing, Quantum Computing, and Smart Manufacturing. The interplay of these technologies is impacting all sectors across the globe at unprecedented speed, and the time needed to remake the world is getting shorter (less than a year) in contrast to previous industrial revolutions — (1) Steam- and water-powered mechanization (centuries), (2) mass production and electrical power (multiple decades), and (3) Electronics and IT (decades).	Ahmed S. Khan
Among these emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the most transformative technology in the history of humankind. The stakeholders, policy shapers, and decision makers of the present and future need to be educated not only about AI’s technical capabilities, but also about its social and ethical implications and its intended and unintended consequences, so that they can guide society to its appropriate applications, alert society to its failures, and provide a vision to society in helping to solve its associated challenges and issues in a wise and humane manner. The talk will explore AI’s Intended and Unintended Consequences & Social and Ethical Implications via following critical domains and questions: Ethical Consideration · How to ensure that AI is developed and used ethically with the help of appropriate regulation? · How to deal with AI’s biases and inequalities induced via mathematical models? Privacy and Data Security · How to protect user data and maintain privacy? · What types of regulations are required to ensure privacy and security? Transparency and Accountability · How to ensure AI decision making processes are transparent? · Who is accountable for AI-induced errors? Public Trust and Acceptance · How to develop public trust in AI technologies? · How to educate the public in fostering an informed understanding of AI technologies? Safety and Security · How to ensure that design of AI systems are safe and secure? · How to address the potential risks of autonomous AI technologies? Regulatory and Legal Issues · What legal frameworks are required to govern AI development and deployment? · How to synchronize development of regulations with the swift pace of AI development? Discussion on these critical questions will be helpful in navigating the complexities and challenges of AI adoption — for all stakeholders — in ensuring that its benefits are maximized while minimizing potential risks.
Speaker Biography: Dr. Ahmed S. Khan is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar selected by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).Dr. Khan has more than 40 years of progressively responsible experience in instruction (online and onsite), applied research, curriculum development, program and institutional accreditation (ABET & NCA/HLC), management, and supervision of academic programs at DeVry University. Dr. Khan held many academic positions that include Senior Processor, Chair, and Dean of the College of Engineering & Information, DeVry University, Addison, Illinois, USA. Dr. Khan also served as the National Curriculum Manager at the national headquarters of DeVry University, where he provided leadership by supervising and managing curriculum development and implementation of BSEEt, MSEE & MBA online & onsite programs at 25 DeVry campuses located in the United States and Canada. Dr. Khan received an MSEE from Michigan Technological University, an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management, and his Ph.D. from Colorado State University. His research interests are in the areas of Nanotechnology, New Teaching & Learning Techniques, and Social and Ethical Implications of Technology. He is the author of many educational papers and presentations. He has authored/co-authored many technical books, including the Science, Technology & Society (STS) series of books (used globally in the academic programs of more than 200 Universities) that include Technology and Society: Issues for the 21st Century & Beyond, and Nanotechnology: Ethical and Social Implications, to stimulate, inspire, and provoke awareness of technology’s impact on society. Dr. Khan is a life senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), and a life member of American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). Dr. Khan also served as program evaluator for the accreditation agency ABET.

Symposium on Smart Sensing for e-Healthcare Applications using IoT, AI and ML Technologies Title: Future-Proofing Healthcare Education: Five Technologies Reshaping Care
Syed Qutbuddin Hassan ("Hassan") Founder and CEO Aspire Pakistan
AI, Augmented Reality (AR), CRISPR, Smart Robots, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are accelerating change across the care continuum, from drug discovery and trial design to diagnostics, triage, hospital operations, remote procedures, and prevention. In this fast-paced talk, we’ll map near-term, real-world shifts (what’s already working, where risks lie, and what’s next) and translate them into plug-and-play curriculum elements educators can adopt now: AI-augmented clinical reasoning and safety auditing; data/device literacy (EHRs, imaging, wearables); AR-assisted simulation; robotics teamwork and workflow design; and CRISPR ethics/regulatory readiness. We close with a vision for Pakistan to capture value from this wave of healthcare innovation through talent development, research collaboration, and responsible, outcomes-focused adoption.	Syed Qutbuddin Hassan (Hassan)

Speaker Biography: Syed Qutbuddin Hassan (“Hassan”)—Tamgha-e-Imtiaz awardee; founder and CEO of Aspire Pakistan, National Idea Bank, National AI Think Tank, and Ideagist; former CIO, Species360; 20+ years leading AI/software teams across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia.