Graduate Programs FCSE

Introduction

The Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FCSE) is one of the five faculties at GIK Institute. FCSE offers two programs (1) Computer Science, and (2) Computer Engineering leading to Bachelor (BS), Master (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

FCSE employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the Institute. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, FCSE asserts primary consideration to the terminal degree in the discipline. FCSE also considers competence, effectiveness and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experience in the field; professional licensure and certifications; honors, awards, and recognition; continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching, research, scholarship and student learning outcomes.

Graduate Programs

The Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FCSE) offers Master (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in both Computer Science and Computer Engineering. Both Computer Science and Computer Engineering are multifaceted disciplines and have an assortment of applications in fields ranging from arts and humanities to business and all areas of science, engineering and technology.

Computer science is the scientific and practical approach to computation and its applications. It is the systematic study of the feasibility, structure, expression, and simulation or implementation of the algorithms and methodical procedures that underlie the acquisition, representation, processing, storage/retrieval, communication of, and access and dissemination of information. Frequently, computer science is also be considered as the study of automating algorithmic processes that scale. A computer scientist specializes in the theory of computation and the design of computational systems.

The field of Computer Science can be divided into a variety of theoretical and practical disciplines. Some fields, such as computational complexity theory which explores the fundamental properties of computational and intractable problems, are highly abstract, while fields such as computer graphics emphasize real-world visual applications. Still other fields focus on challenges in implementing computation. For example, programming language theory considers various approaches to the description of computation, while the study of computer programming itself investigates various aspects of the use of programming language and complex systems. Human–computer interaction considers the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable, and universally accessible to humans. A graduate degree in Computer Science produces experts in one or more of these fields.

Computer engineering is a discipline that integrates fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems combining hardware, software or firmware. Computer engineers generally have training in electronic engineering or electrical engineering, software design, and hardware-software integration instead of only software engineering or electronic engineering. Computer engineers are involved in many hardware and software aspects of computing, from the design of individual microcontrollers, microprocessors, personal computers, and supercomputers, to circuit design. This field of engineering not only focuses on how computer systems themselves work, but also how they integrate into the larger whole.

Usual tasks involving computer engineers include writing software and firmware for embedded microcontrollers, designing VLSI chips, designing sensors or mixed signal circuit boards, and designing operating systems. Computer engineers are also suited for robotics research which relies on using digital systems to control and monitor electrical systems like motors, communications, and sensors.

Computer Engineering students are allowed to choose areas of in-depth study early on because the full breadth of knowledge is used in the design and application of computer engineering systems.

Both graduate programs require individual curricula. The graduates of these programs will be able to meet the highest standards of training for leadership in the computer science and computer engineering professions, including research, teaching, and high technology industry and R&D organizations. FCSE strongly supports the idea of using modern equipment and technologies to enhance the knowledge and learning capabilities of the students and to provide them with a stimulating and challenging environment essential for high quality education. Emphasis is laid on the innovative and practical applications of computer science and computer engineering to the software and hardware needs of the global society and industry in general and Pakistani society and industry in particular. Alongside the research activities for academic pursuits, the faculty of FCSE is actively involved in collaborative research and consultancy work with the local industry and R&D organizations and frequently invites speakers from these organizations. The summer internship of the undergraduate students in industry has added strength to such linkages.

Development of techniques that can ultimately be incorporated into a computing system to make it more efficient and available for a large class of users is a matter of principal concern to the computer scientists and engineers. Such developments need to be supported by effective usage of suitable hardware. The graduate programs of the FCSE addressed these concerns with a focus on the following research areas.

The graduate program at the Faculty of Computer Science & Engineering (FCSE) may be pursued with a specialization theme, depending upon the research interests of the available faculty, in one of the following areas:

i. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

ii. Algorithms and Computational Theory

iii. High performance computing

iv. Machine Learning & Data Mining

v. Network Communication and Distributed Systems

vi. Signal and Image Processing and Computer Vision

vii. Software and Systems Engineering

The FCSE offers courses leading to both Master’s (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

FCSE and FEE establish an Inter-Faculty TeleCon Research Lab

Asima Sarwar completed her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and graduate degrees in Computer Systems Engineering from UET Peshawar. She served as a Research Assistant at the Secured IoT Devices Lab, UET Peshawar, for two years while pursuing her master’s program. During her tenure, she contributed to HEC-funded projects, pitched innovative ideas, and developed strong problem-solving and strategic thinking skills. Currently, Asima is a Graduate Assistant on a full scholarship at GIK, working under the Computer Engineering discipline on an NRPU-funded project, supervised by Engr. Dr. Muhammad Usman and Dr. Masroor Hussain. She is passionate about exploring entrepreneurship and creating impactful opportunities.

Ms. Fatima Khalid

Ph.D. Computer Science

Supervisor: Dr. Muhammad Hanif

Research Area: Deep learning, Computer Vision, Adversarial attacks, Explainable AI
Research Topic: Development of Adversarial Attacks and Defenses for Deepfake Detection

Ms. Fatima Khalid is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Ghulam Ishaq Khan (GIK) Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology as Graduate Assistant (Level-4) on full scholarship. Her research focuses on developing adversarial attacks and defenses for robust deepfake detection, aiming to address the growing challenges posed by advanced deepfake technologies. She completed her MS in Data Science with distinction from the University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila, where she earned a gold medal for her thesis titled “Deepfake Videos Detection using Deep Learning.” After her MS, she worked as a Research Assistant at the Multimedia Signal Processing (MSP) Lab, contributing to the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) project “A Unified Framework for Benchmarking Deepfakes Detection Algorithms.” Her work involved designing four novel deepfake detection algorithms and implementing a web based prototype for visual, audio, and multimodal detection. Her research interests include adversarial attacks, medical AI, computer vision, and multi-modal deepfake detection.

Ms. Syeda Sana Bukhari

Ph.D. Computer Science

Supervisor: Dr. Shahab Uddin Ansari

Research Area: Big Data Analysis, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, AI based medical diagnosis, AR/VR

Research Topic: AI-Powered Phonocardiogram based Early Heart Disease Diagnosis

Syeda Sana Bukhari is an emerging researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, focusing on multiple heart diseases early diagnosis with phonocardiograms. With a strong academic foundation, she holds a master’s degree in “Electrical and computer engineering” from Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea where she achieved outstanding foreign student award scholarship. She also has experience of working for a multi-national organization NetSol Technologies as a software engineer. Her current research aims to use AI models to assist physicians with early heart diseases diagnosis. Driven by curiosity and commitment to innovation, she believes that even the smallest discoveries can lead to transformative changes, inspiring a better future for all.

Engr. Zeeshan  Danish

Ph.D. Computer Engineering

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ghulam

Research Area: Security of Autonomous Vehicles

Engr. Zeeshan Danish is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering under the prestigious Faculty Development Program scholarship by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. He is affiliated with the Department of Computer Engineering, where he is dedicated to advancing research in the security of autonomous vehicles, addressing critical challenges related to safety, privacy, and resilience in intelligent transportation systems.
He began his academic career as a Lecturer in the Department of Software Engineering at the University of Malakand, a public sector university, where he has been serving for more than six years.
His academic and professional journey reflects a strong commitment to excellence, with a focus on developing innovative solutions to enhance the reliability and security of emerging technologies. Through his research, he aims to contribute to the development of robust frameworks that ensure the safe integration of autonomous vehicles into modern society.

Ms. Nimra Bari
Ph.D. Computer Science
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Ghulam Abbas
Research Area: Information Security, AI base Security, Cryptography, Machine Learning, Deep learning
Research Topic: Efficient and Secure Signcryption Scheme for the Internet of Things (IoT)

Ms. Nimra Bari is pursuing her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Ghulam Ishaq Khan (GIK) Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology. Her research focuses on developing an efficient and secure for the Internet of Things (IoT), addressing the unique security challenges of IoT devices and networks. She completed her MS in Information Security from COMSATS University Islamabad, where her thesis title was, “A Filter-Based Feature Selection Framework to Detect Phishing Attacks using Machine Learning,”. She started her academic career as a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Women University Swab, where she has served for multiple years. Her interests include cryptography, information security, machine learning, and Deep learning
 focussing on securing IoT networks and systems against evolving cyber threats.