Dr. Hasan Al Nashash awarded the Roderick French Distinguished Service Award at AUS

Dr. Hasan Al Nashash, Professor of Electrical Engineering at American University of Sharjah (AUS), was awarded the Roderick French Distinguished Service Award for his longstanding and meritorious service to AUS.

The Roderick French Distinguished Service Award is awarded by the AUS Faculty Senate to a faculty member for their dedication, commitment and service to AUS and its mission. The award is named in honor of Dr. Roderick French, who served as the founding Chancellor of AUS from 1997 to 2002 then as a member of the AUS Board of Trustees until 2015. He passed away in 2022. 

“I am thrilled to receive the Roderick French Distinguished Service Award. I am happy and honored to have been able to contribute to building a world-class university and support the UAE society. I am also grateful to my colleagues who nominated me as well as to the Faculty Senate for this prestigious recognition. I give sincere thanks to my colleagues, faculty and staff for their support and commitment. These accomplishments wouldn't have been possible without them. I must also thank my wife and children for accompanying me on this journey,” said Dr. Al Nashash upon receiving the award.

Since joining AUS in Fall 1998, Dr. Al Nashash has held several leadership roles. He has served as  Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the College of Engineering (CEN); Founding Director of the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering Program, which was the first of its kind in the GCC; Founding Coordinator of the PhD in Biosciences and Bioengineering Program; and Interim Director of the Biosciences and Bioengineering Research Institute. He also served on numerous committees and led the first accreditation committees for several undergraduate and graduate programs.

“AUS supported and nurtured my academic growth which allowed me to contribute meaningfully to both academia and society. It provided me with all the resources to explore, expand and develop my skills. My colleagues and I will continue to advance on all fronts, improving teaching outcomes, exploring new research directions, and seeking new collaboration opportunities with local communities. This is why it is vital to increase university funding for both research and teaching to achieve its vision. I also strongly advise my younger colleagues to make the most of the available resources to enhance their academic growth, support their students, and benefit society at large. Hard work will eventually pay off,” said Dr. Al Nashash.

Dr. Al Nashash also helped set up CEN’s Neuroengineering Research Lab, to contribute to the understanding and treatment of the human nervous system. Supported by AUS, he pursued academic and research assignments at Texas A&M University, Johns Hopkins University and the National University of Singapore. His efforts earned him the AUS Excellence in Research Award in 2003 and The CEN Teaching Excellence Award in 2016. He has authored and co-authored more than 150 journal and conference papers, six book chapters and has two issued US patents.

His research collaborations include studying the effects of isolation on astronauts with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, supporting epileptic patients with Rashid Hospital, and serving on the Advisory Committee at the Center for Innovation and Technology at Al Noor Training Center in Dubai. He also served in the leadership of several local, regional and international committees such as the IEEE-EMBS Standards Committee and the Middle East and Africa’s Representative on the IEEE-EMBS Administrative Committee. He also founded the AUS-IEEE EMBS Student Chapter and initiated the IEEE Students’ Day back in 2005. 

“Several faculty members were nominated by their colleagues this year. All nominations were meritorious. Dr. Hasan Al Nashash, who has served AUS and its students since 1998, was chosen this year to receive this award for his outstanding contributions. From creating new courses and programs, leading a PhD program, establishing laboratories, chairing significant university committees, to organizing conferences at AUS and receiving awards in teaching and research excellence, Dr. Al Nashash is an exemplary recipient of the Roderick French Distinguished Service Award,” said Dr. Nawar Al-Hasan Golley, President of the AUS Faculty Senate.

He is currently working with a team of scientists and engineers to establish a new research center for advanced experiments in biosciences and bioengineering to develop new technologies and therapies, and ultimately improve human health.

The Roderick French Distinguished Service Award commemorates AUS’ founding chancellor’s dedication to international education and his pivotal role in establishing AUS as a respected institution in the region. Chancellor French oversaw the construction of the AUS campus, recruited distinguished faculty, and achieved the university's first accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. His legacy includes fostering partnerships with universities worldwide and contributing to the development of the UAE’s higher education sector.