Mohammad Arif Hossain - ECE PhD Student of the Month - November 2021
Mohammad Arif Hossain is a Ph.D. candidate at the Helen and John C. Hartmann Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). He is currently working under the supervision of Distinguished Professor, Dr. Nirwan Ansari. His research areas include Cloud and Edge Computing, Distributed Machine Learning, Future Generation Wireless Networks, etc. Mr. Hossain has published several research articles in Q1 journals such as IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, Sensors, etc., and conferences. He also contributed to several IEEE Standardizations (IEEE 802.15.7r1, IEEE 802.15 TG7, IEEE 802.15 IG DEP). He serves as a reviewer for different journals including IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, etc.
What attracted you to NJIT?
My main motivation for pursuing a doctoral degree at NJIT was to benefit from the intense and rich research experience that NJIT can provide. While searching for prospective Ph.D. programs, I was deeply impressed by the research expertise of the faculty of the ECE Dept. at NJIT. I was also motivated by the success of alumni and the diversity of international students at NJIT. There are many well-renown researchers in the department, and it is my privilege to be within the same department.
What do you think would be an impactful move in your research area?
I believe artificial intelligence (AI) will be the next frontier for next-generation wireless networks; it has brought a paradigm shift to the architecture, optimization, and intelligent management of networks. The application of AI algorithms in networking is vast via distributed machine learning, deep learning algorithms, etc. With the resurgence of Machine Learning (ML) and AI, it would be very smart to utilize them for the management of wireless networks in my research area.
If you have been a Teaching Assistant, please describe your teaching experience.
I have been working as a TA since Fall 2019. I have assisted in teaching and grading different courses ever since. Currently, I am teaching FED 101 where students are introduced to basic engineering design elements, tools for computer simulation, project design and development, technical writing, oral presentations, etc. This course also helps students decide their major by introducing them to hands-on experiences. From my teaching experience, I found that students grasped the basic concepts of engineering rather quickly and retained them when they were reinforced with practical implementations. Some other important factors of teaching students from my experience are to give them chances to solve new problems on their own and create an environment that will foster the students’ creativity. However, the most important experience of my teaching is to culture the hidden capabilities of students. Many students are unaware of their potentials until given the right opportunities. I discuss with them their concerns and learning strategies. I work with them after class or even in open lab sessions. The students are not the only ones who have benefitted, I too have benefitted. My communication skills have improved as well as my teaching and mentoring skills.
What are some of the most mesmerizing moments during your time in the ECE Department and at NJIT?
Some of the most mesmerizing moments during my time in the ECE Department and at NJIT includes
- The publications of my first work in a prestigious Q1 journal (IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing) after a 14-month long revision period.
- Meeting my supervisor for the first time in a group meeting and having a very long meeting with other lab members discussing a research topic. It was the first time I understood how researchers could spend two hours on a single equation!
Where do you (hope to) see yourself in five years?
I see myself as a faculty member in a research-oriented university in five years. Furthermore, I see myself working on cutting-edge research areas such as advanced AI for next-generation wireless networks, AI-driven extended reality (XR), Internet of Intelligence, Cloud computing, Edge computing, etc.
Share a non-technical thing that you have learned from the wisdom of your advisor.
I have learned many technical skills from my advisor. However, one of the most important non-technical things I have learned from my advisor is to have patience during a hard time and not let the problem slow me down. Many a time, I would be disappointed in receiving research paper decisions, but it is all a part of the research process. We must exploit constructive criticism and better ourselves and our works. The life-changing realization I have learned from my advisor is what Albert Einstein said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."