Dr Ashraf Mahmud is an enthusiastic, AI-driven solutions thinker and Assistant Professor at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and serves as Secretary of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society (VTS), UK and Ireland Chapter. He is an active researcher within the DELTA Research Group and the Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Communications and Networks (AVCN) Institute at UWS.
Strategic Academic Leadership
Dr Mahmud provides strategic academic leadership as Programme Leader for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at UWS, where he leads curriculum design, programme development, quality assurance, and industry-aligned innovation. He has played a key role in developing and validating new programmes in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Cyber Security, embedding professional certifications and research-led teaching to enhance graduate employability.
Academic & Professional Background
He has held academic posts at the University of Reading, the University of Bedfordshire, and York St John’s University, with leadership responsibilities as Module Leader for:
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Big Data Analytics and Cloud Computing
- Computer System Structure
- Database Systems
He has extensive experience in managing large cohorts, supervising postgraduate and undergraduate research projects, mentoring early-career academics, and contributing to academic governance and external examining activities.
Research Excellence & Expertise
Dr Mahmud was a Research Associate on the UKRI-funded ReFLEX project at Heriot-Watt University, contributing to whole-system modelling for Smart Grids in Orkney. He holds multidisciplinary Master’s degrees in Computer Science and Statistics, which underpin his applied, data-driven research approach.
"He completed his PhD in Computer Science in 2019, focusing on demand response pricing models using simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation for Smart Grid applications."
Core Research Interests: Smart Grids, Smart Cities, Data Science, Internet of Things, and Computer Networking.
With over 15 years of industry and professional experience, Dr Mahmud brings a strong, inclusive, and impact-focused academic leadership profile to international collaboration and visiting appointments.