(Syed) Waqar Nabi

(Syed) Waqar Nabi

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at University of Glasgow

Supervision

PhD / MRes Applicants

I am currently recruiting PhD students, and you can look at some proposals I have floated on our School’s website here (search for any part of my name).

You can propose your own projects as well in any of the areas I have listed on my Research page.

Please reach out to me if you are interested. You don’t have to have a full research proposal prepared before hand, but it would be good if you can share a brief of your idea, or indicate which of my proposals you might be interested in and why. You will eventually need to write a more detailed researh proposal, and you can see guidance and sample proposals here.

If you use Generative AI in any way at all for preparing your research proposal, please make sure you have followed Glasgow University’s Generative AI Guidance for Researchers. My personal prefernce is to take a minimalist approach to using Gen AI.

I recorded a video in Nov 2025, discussing my research, aimed primarily at potential research students, which you can watch here (slides here).

MSci Project Supervision

If you are a current student at School of Computing at Glasow who is looking to do an MSci (integrated Masters), I am open to supervising MSci projects in any of the areas noted in my page on Research. You can also look PhD and L4/MSci projects noted below.

PhD Students - Current and Past

Rahim Ullah (2025 - )

3D Medical Imaging in a Resouce-Constrained Environment
Co-supervisors: Dr Hasan Abbas, Dr Fani Deligianni

Jomon Palakudy (2025 - )

Designing Assessment and Pedagogical Frameworks for Awarding Qualifications
Co-supervisor: Dr Maria Kallia

Mariusz Szczepaniak (2025 - )

Exploring RISC-V extensions for energy-efficient DNN Models
Main supervisor: Dr Nikela Papadopoulou

Fatimah Hazza A Alshamrani (2025 - )

Assessing Large Language Models as Virtual Lab Assistants in Data Analytics Education
Main supervisor: Dr Mireilla Bikanga Ada

Xingjian Fu (2025 - )

Vision Transformer Algorithm Accelerator Based on FPGA
Main supervisor: Dr José Cano Reyes

Robert Szafarczyk (2021 - 2025)

Compiler-Hardware Co-Design in the High-Level Synthesis of Irregular Code
Main supervisor: Prof Dr Wim Vanderbauwhede)

Supervision of Level 4 / MSci / MSc Projects

I supervise a number of projects at these levels every year. I float some ideas every year through the relevant channels, but if you’re interested in doing a project with me and wish to propose something, I am happy to discuss this.

The following lists note some projects I am currently supervising or have supervised in previous years.

Computer Systems

  • Exploring Compiler Optimisations for SME: Towards Energy-Efficient AI Model Execution
  • Investigating acceleration of ocean models on GPUs by translating Fortran to CUDA code
  • Lightweight Machine-Learning Model for TB Detection
  • FPGA-based Graph Neural Networks for real-time particle tracking
  • An LLVM based compiler for Sigma16
  • Automatic code translation from C to OpenCL for acceleration on GPUs
  • Automatic C to OpenCL code translation for scientific models
  • Automatic OpenCL Code Generation and Execution for C-Family Code Optimization
  • Static analysis of executable code for detecting backdoors
  • Using OpenCL for accelerating deep-Learning on FPGAs
  • Range type attributes and number representations for FPGAs using LLVM framework
  • Transformation of pipe-based OpenCL kernels into an LLVM-based intermediate representation
  • Using FPGAs for accelerating scientific models from the domains of fluid dynamics
  • Development and optimisation of quantum computing simulators with a study of quantum algorithms

Computing Education

  • Small Language Models and their Effectiveness in Computing Science Education
  • Using LLMs to Enable Mastery Learning in Education
  • Understanding the representation of high-level programming structures in low-level assembly language
  • An apprenticeship portfolio management web-based application integrated with frameworks of competencies to enhance work-based learning
  • Flashcardio: A digital learning tool, utilising AI to enhance learning

IT and Web Applications

  • Reimagining the Writer’s Workspace with Write Simply: An Integrated Web Application for Streamlined Story Development
  • Development of an online shopping mall website based on Microservices Architecture
  • Gla Corner Lane: a campus’s second hand goods trading web application
  • Map-integrated Dining Experience Discovery Platform
  • Family health management cooperation Mobile Application： Carelink
  • An LLM-based education tool for gradually learning representation of high-level programming structures in low-level assembly language
  • ClubWise: A Role-based Solution for Grassroots Football Club Management