Hi, I'm Safdar Aqeel (PhD)

I am an enthusiastic computer scientist and practitioner with excellent academic records and 12+ years of experience working on multiple R&D and industrial projects that span the area of software design & development, IT architecture, machine learning, AI, and cloud infrastructure. I am a results-driven, customer-focused, articulate, and analytical person who thrives in challenging and diverse tasks.

Currently, I am holding multiple roles, including serving as Lead IT Architect at DNB and as Chief AI Officer at Tech Quest. Previously, I worked as a part-time CTO at Intiri a startup in the interior design domain. Before that I worked as a Ph.D. research fellow at Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway, and as a research fellow at the Quality Engineering & Software Testing (QUEST) Laboratory in Islamabad, Pakistan.

I received my Ph.D. degree in application of Machine Learning and AI for Software Engineering problems from University of Oslo, Norway in 2020. Prior to that, I completed my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Science from the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU), Islamabad campus, Pakistan, in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

Journals

• Evaluating UML Modeling Tools based on Modeler's Productivity - A Replicated Study, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Muhammad Zohaib Iqbal, Muhammad Uzair Khan, submitted to an international journal, 2021

• Recommending Faulty Configurations for Interacting Systems Under Test Using Multi-Objective Search, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Tao Yue, Shaukat Ali, Published in the ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), 2021

• Quality Indicators in Search-based Software Engineering: An Empirical Evaluation, Shaukat Ali, Polo Arcaini, Dipesh Pradhan, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Tao Yue, Published in the ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM), 2020

• A Framework for Automated Multi-Stage and Multi-Step Product Configuration of Cyber-Physical Systems, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Hong Lu, Tao Yue, Shaukat Ali, Kunming Nie, Published in the International Journal of Software and Systems Modeling (SoSym), 2020

• Using multi-objective search and machine learning to infer rules constraining product, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Hong Lu, Tao Yue, Shaukat Ali, Published in the International Journal of Automated Software Engineering (ASE), 2019

Conferences

• Mining Cross Product Line Rules with Multi-Objective Search and Machine Learning, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Hong Lu, Tao Yue, Shaukat Ali, published in Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (GECCO), 2017.

• Evaluating Variability Modeling Techniques for Supporting Cyber-Physical System Product Line Engineering, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Tao Yue, Shaukat Ali, Hong Lu published in System Analysis and Modeling Conference (SAM), 2016.

• An Empirical Evaluation of UML Modeling Tool- An Experiment, Safdar Aqeel Safdar, Muhammad Zohaib Iqbal, Muhammad Uzair Khan published in European Conference on Modeling Foundations and Applications (ECMFA), 2015

Thesis

• Improving Post-Deployment Configuration of Cyber-Physical Systems Using Machine Learning and Multi- Objective Search (Ph.D. Thesis), Safdar Aqeel Safdar, University of Oslo, Norway 2021

• A Comparative Study of UML Modeling Tools (MS Thesis), Safdar Aqeel Safdar, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST-NU) 2015

• Post-Deployment Configuration Recommendation: In this project, we proposed a multi-objective search-based technique that recommends the configurations for a system of systems to ensure the correct behavior of the system using software constraints. The proposed approach is published in a journal paper in the ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology (TOSEM).

• Facilitating the Automated Configuration of CPS Product Lines: In this project, we proposed a conceptual framework to support the automated configuration of CPS product lines, which involves variability modeling, constraint specifications, and different automated functionalities of a configuration tool. The proposed framework is published in a journal paper in the International Journal of Software and Systems Modeling (SoSym).

• Mining Cross Product Line Rules: In this project, we proposed a technique, which combines machine learning and multi-objective search algorithms to mine the rules specifying the abnormal behavior of system. The results are published in a conference paper at GECCO-2017 and a journal paper in the International Journal of Systems and Software (JSS).

• Variability Modeling for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs): In this project, we proposed a set of variation points and modeling requirements to capture the variabilities of CPS product lines. Further, we evaluated four existing variability modeling techniques based on proposed framework. Results of this project are published in a conference publication at SAM-2016.

• Evaluation of UML Modeling Tools: In this project, we evaluated the capabilities of UML modeling tools in terms of modeler’s productivity using controlled experiments. Evaluation results of initial experiment are published in a conference publication at ECMFA-2015 and results of replication are in process of publication at an international journal.

During my Ph.D. I worked in the field of Software Product Line Engineering. More specifically, my Ph.D. focused on improving the post-deployment configuration of Cyber-Physical System Product Lines with the help of Machine Learning and AI techniques

During my masters at FAST-NU, I studied a variety of computer science and software engineering courses. Additionally, I conducted research in the field of Model-driven Software Engineering and Empirical Software Engineering. In my master thesis, I evaluate the usability of different UML modeling tools and the productivity of Modelers using human-based controlled experiments.

During my Bachelor at FAST-NU, I studied a variety of courses covering wide range of topics such as software analysis &design, coding, testing, data structure, algorithm analysis, project management, data mining, and other business aspects such as marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. Moreover, I also studied several courses on mathematics including calculus, linear algebra, numerical analysis, and statistics & probability.

• Enterprise-Level IT Strategy: Contributed to developing DNB's IT strategy, ensuring technology initiatives aligned with the long-term organizational vision.

• KYC & Customer Onboarding Architecture: Led the architecture and roadmap for KYC and customer onboarding solutions, driving regulatory compliance and operational efficiency across global business units.

• Global KYC Solution Implementation: Designed and implemented a standardized KYC platform across DNB's global business units, ensuring seamless customer verification, risk assessment, and compliance with evolving financial regulations.

• Corporate Lending – Integration Architecture: Defined integration principles, metadata standards, and integration patterns (event-driven, API-based, and batch processing) to enable seamless interoperability between Snowflake, Kafka, Salesforce, core banking systems, and other DNB systems, enhancing data consistency and operational agility.

• Event Hub Platform: Designed and developed a high-performance Kafka-based platform, enabling real-time data exchange and scalable event-driven workflows across the DNB.

• API-First Approach: Architected and deployed RESTful APIs using Java and Python on AWS infrastructure, optimizing secure data exchange and integrating third-party compliance services.

• CI/CD & DevOps Enablement: Spearheaded the implementation of CI/CD pipelines, reducing deployment time and enhancing software quality through automation across multiple projects/teams.

• Cloud & Infrastructure Optimization: Managed and optimized AWS cloud infrastructure, leveraging cloud-native services to enhance performance, security, and cost efficiency.

• Solution Architecture: Designed and implemented resilient, scalable, and secure architectures across multiple business domains, including KYC, customer onboarding, and corporate lending, ensuring regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and seamless user experiences.

• Technology Evaluation & Adoption: Assessed and introduced emerging technologies (Kubernetes, Kafka, cloud services, DevOps tools) to enhance system performance, scalability, and compliance capabilities.

• Roadmap & Strategy: Developed the initial technology roadmap, aligning it with business objectives and long-term scalability.

• Tech Stack: Identified and documented the appropriate tech stack for the AI-driven interior design platform.

• Product Architecture: Designed a scalable and modular architecture, ensuring flexibility for future enhancements.

• DevOps & Cloud Infrastructure: Established foundational DevOps practices, including CI/CD pipelines and cloud infrastructure setup.

• MVP Development: Oversaw the technical setup and MVP implementation to validate core functionalities.

• Investor & Board Presentations: Assisted in crafting technical presentations to communicate feasibility and product vision to investors.

• Talent Strategy: Defined hiring needs and developed a cost-effective recruitment plan for future scaling, while also onboarding short-term technical personnel.

• Collaboration: Collaborated with industrial partners like Cisco Norway and various international researchers to conduct the research.

• Research Articles: Published 4 journal and 2 conference articles along with many technical reports in international journals and conferences.

• Experimentation: Designed and executed various experiments to test my research hypotheses and applied my research in the industry settings.

• Algorithms Development: Designed and implemented machine learning and evaluation algorithms for different research problems

• Academic Services: Presented my research at conferences and workshops and reviewed articles for international conferences and journals, contributing valuable insights to the academic community.

• Collaboration: Collaborated with various international researchers to conduct the research.

• Research: Conducted research on Model-driven Software Engineering and published 1 conference article besides contributed to others' research.

• Experimentation: Designed and executed human-based experiments to test my research hypotheses.

• Organised Conference: Lead and organised an international three days conference with the help of student volunteers. Also, organized several industry professionals meetups focusing on software testing.

• Academic Services: Contributed to several research discussions, peer reviews along with reviewing the articles for international conferences and journals.

• Business Development: Generate leads and acquire customers

• Events Management: Organized a number of formal and informal events in different cities of Pakistan.

• Vendors Management: Identified vendors and negotiated contracts while controlling costs and ensuring service delivery.

• Business Development: Spearhead efforts to acquire customers

• Financial Management: Oversee budgeting and financial planning

• Team Building & Management: Managed a small team of 5-6 DevOps engineers.

• Web Development: Contributed to the projects development