Md Abrar Jahin
AI Researcher and Multidisciplinary Scientist
Kuril Mia Bari Road
Vatara
Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh
Contact: abrar.jahin.2652[at]gmail.com;
mdabrar.jahin[at]oist.jp
This is Md Abrar Jahin, CSCA™; however, you can call me Abrar.
I obtained my B.Sc. Eng. in IPE (2024) from the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). I am proud to have received the prestigious Dean’s Award three consecutive times during my freshman, sophomore, and junior years (2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021).
My research interests lie at the confluence of efficient deep learning, classical and quantum machine learning, explainable AI (XAI), uncertainty quantification, and physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), with applications in high-energy physics, healthcare, and supply chain optimization. My prior work spans graph representation learning, natural language processing (NLP), operations research, and comparative genomics. I aim to pioneer methodologies to solve complex problems by either hybridizing different techniques or adopting ideas from seemingly unrelated fields to create novel, interdisciplinary solutions. My background in Industrial & Production Engineering and extensive research experience in comparative genomics help me approach challenging issues in machine learning from a uniquely interdisciplinary perspective. This distinctive lens allows me to conceptualize and implement efficient, unorthodox strategies that go beyond conventional machine learning frameworks.
Early Research Achievements
From my first year (2018), I began learning C/C++ and Python for problem-solving while maintaining academic excellence. I participated in international Mathematics (2019) and Astrophysics (2020) Olympiads at the undergraduate level, tackling complex research problems. My first taste of success on the international stage came from solving these research questions using my own algorithms, which significantly boosted my confidence and solidified my decision to switch and pursue a research career in AI. Since then, I have never stopped or looked back. I continuously invest in lifelong learning and deeply believe in the loyalty of knowledge and its enduring value.
As a Bangladeshi undergraduate student, I seized a unique opportunity to undertake two international research internships in the same year. As the team leader and winner of the “Smart Roads – Winter Road Maintenance Hackathon 2021”, I was offered a 3-week Machine Learning research internship at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway. During this internship, I contributed to the DIT4BEARs Smart Roads project.
I earned a fully-funded scholarship as a ‘Research Intern’ (October 2021) at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), where I conducted research on perfectly conserved sequences in humans and other species under the supervision of Professor Jonathan Miller (PhD in Biology, Cambridge; PhD in Physics, Caltech) in the Physics and Biology Unit (Miller Unit). Building on my previous achievements, I was offered another opportunity in 2023 as a ‘Visiting Research Student’ at OIST. Since 2024, I have been collaborating actively as a ‘Visiting Researcher’ with Professor Miller, Dr. Zifcakova, Dr. Biller, Dr. Lajbner, and Dr. Pnini on the evolutionary dynamics of strongly conserved sequences in vertebrates and insects.
I am the first undergraduate in Bangladesh whose thesis focused on Quantum Machine Learning (QML) and achieved remarkable success by being published in Nature Scientific Reports, setting several new records:
- First instance of any thesis from KUET accepted by a ‘Nature Portfolio’ journal five to six months before the graduation of any student.
- First instance of any article or thesis from my department (Industrial Engineering and Management, KUET) being published in a ‘Nature Portfolio’ journal, irrespective of student or faculty status.
- First successful research related to ‘Quantum Computing’ published from KUET.
- First work on the application of Explainable Quantum Machine Learning in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) domain.
I received an encouraging email in 2023 from Professor Junyu Liu (Assistant Professor, Department of CS, University of Pittsburgh), a renowned quantum information and machine learning scientist. Professor Liu was impressed by my undergraduate thesis, which he came across on arXiv preprint while it was under review.
My Personal Perspectives about Life in Academia
I firmly believe that being a researcher is not just a career but a way of life that demands perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to advancing knowledge. Under the supervision of Professor Jonathan Miller at OIST, I had the privilege of conducting PhD-level computational research while balancing the demands of my undergraduate studies. During this time, I observed the pressures of the publish-or-perish culture in academia but remained committed to conducting meaningful and ethical research. Under his guidance, I gained invaluable insights into how groundbreaking science is conducted, no matter how long the process might take. Professor Miller’s mentorship profoundly shaped my research approach, and being part of his lab was a transformative moment when his colleague, Professor Svante Pääbo, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine (2022). The research I was pursuing at that time closely aligned with Professor Pääbo’s work, reinforcing my confidence in the potential impact of my efforts and elevating my aspirations to new heights.
Over the past several years since 2021, my experiences in academic research have solidified my conviction that academia is the ideal environment for me to thrive. I am drawn to its emphasis on ethics, honesty, and rigorous inquiry, values that resonate deeply with my personal philosophy. Unlike industry, where outcomes are often more predictable, academia challenges researchers to confront uncertainty and solve complex problems over long timescales. Achieving smaller milestones in research—despite their challenges—has brought me unparalleled satisfaction and reaffirmed my passion for this field. I look forward to immersing myself in a highly competitive and intellectually stimulating environment that will push me beyond my comfort zone. I thrive under peer pressure and view it as an opportunity to grow. My philosophy of success is simple: I seek out individuals smarter than myself, collaborate with them, and learn from their expertise. My leadership experiences have taught me that while I cannot excel in every domain, I can bring brilliant minds together to achieve impactful solutions for the greater good of science and humanity. Throughout my academic journey, I have combined technical expertise, research acumen, and interpersonal skills to accomplish ambitious goals that often seemed beyond reach.
Personal and Professional Ethics
During my academic journey, I have consistently upheld personal and professional ethics, often navigating challenging situations that tested my principles. Early in my sophomore year, I experienced an incident that highlighted the importance of vigilance and integrity in academia. A predatory journal, without my consent, published my internship report. As a novice in the academic world, this was a daunting challenge. However, after thorough research and consultation, I took decisive action by reporting the matter to COPE and directly confronting the journal with firm demands to remove my work. My persistent efforts were successful, and this experience taught me the significance of standing up for ethical principles, even when faced with intimidating circumstances. It also instilled in me a lifelong commitment to protecting the credibility and authenticity of scholarly work.
Later, while working under Dr. Mohammad Arafat Hussain (Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School) on a collaborative research project, I encountered a situation where a coauthor attempted to alter the authorship order without consent. Upholding my commitment to ethical research practices, I reported the issue to Dr. Hussain, who resolved it appropriately. This reinforced my understanding of the importance of transparency and accountability in collaborative work.
In another instance, during the Lorentz-Equivariant Quantum Graph Neural Network project, I had to manage a team of four researchers. When two members struggled to contribute meaningfully, I reassigned them to a simpler project while completing the majority of the work independently to meet deadlines. This required balancing diplomacy with ethical responsibility, ensuring fairness to all team members while maintaining the quality of the research.
These experiences have deeply influenced my approach to research and teamwork, instilling a strong foundation in ethical principles and equipping me to handle complex challenges professionally and fairly. I strive to uphold these values in all my academic and professional endeavors.
Childhood Education and Academic Achievements
My educational journey has been profoundly influenced by my experiences at Mirzapur Cadet College and Bogra Zilla School (BZS). These institutions have played a pivotal role in shaping my character and academic success. Through these formative years, I acquired essential qualities such as perseverance, stepping out of my comfort zone, taking responsibilities, and the determination to overcome challenges. I also learned the value of selfless friendship, leadership, and the importance of following a chain of command. Moreover, I developed skills in extempore speech, time management, decision-making, and task prioritization.
My academic achievements were recognized through Government Board Scholarships in PSC (2006), JSC (2013), SSC (2016), and HSC (2018) exams. Notably, I secured the 17th position in the Rajshahi Board in the PSC exams.
During my time at BZS for primary education, I excelled in a highly competitive academic setting, consistently achieving top ranks in annual academic assessments. I actively participated in various quiz competitions, securing victories in three competitions organized by renowned entities such as the United Nations and Kishore Kantho. Additionally, I organized a quiz competition on a rolling basis, engaging students in subjects like primary-level Olympiad maths, English, and general knowledge (both national and international categories). This initiative not only kept students involved but also generated revenue, with each set of quiz questions priced at 2 Taka and a grand prize of a video game DVD (FIFA 2010), resulting in approximately 500 Tk in revenue during 2010-2011. These experiences have significantly influenced my academic journey, fostering a deep-seated passion for continuous learning and personal growth.
News
Nov 8, 2024 | Valeriy M., PhD, MBA, CQF (author of bestselling “Practical Guide to Applied Conformal-Prediction”) shared his optimistic views about our latest research article “Human-in-the-Loop Feature Selection Using Interpretable Kolmogorov-Arnold Network-based Double Deep Q-Network” (available as arXiv preprint).
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Oct 10, 2024 | Our 2 articles got accepted for publication in PLOS ONE and Nature Scientific Reports, respectively: [1] Shahriar*, H., Islam, M.S., Jahin*, M.A., Ridoy, I.A., Prottoy, R.R., Abid, A., Mridha, M.F. (2024). Exploring Internet of Things Adoption Challenges in Manufacturing Firms: A Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process Approach. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2309.12350 [2] Jahin, M.A., Shovon, M.S.H., Mridha, M.F., Islam, M.R., Watanobe, Y. (2024). A Hybrid Transformer and Attention Based Recurrent Neural Network for Robust and Interpretable Sentiment Analysis of Tweets. Nature Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.00297 |
Jul 14, 2024 | Cierra Choucair (pursuing MS in CS @CU Boulder, USA) shared her optimistic insights on Twitter about our latest research article, ‘TriQXNet’ (not yet published), which is available as a preprint and featured this work on ‘The Daily Qubit’. [1] Labs, U. (2024, June 25). The Daily Qubit. The Daily Qubit. https://www.thedailyqubit.com/p/issue-97
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Jul 11, 2024 | Valeriy M., PhD, MBA, CQF (author of bestselling “Practical Guide to Applied Conformal-Prediction”) shared his opinion about our latest research article “TriQXNet: Forecasting Dst Index from Solar Wind Data Using an Interpretable Parallel Classical-Quantum Framework with Uncertainty Quantification” (available as arXiv preprint).
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Jul 10, 2024 | Our 2 research articles got published in Q1 journals (both Scopus and Web of Science indexed). [1] Saha, A. K.*, Jahin, M. A.*, Rafiquzzaman, Md., & Mridha, M. F. (2024). Ergonomic Design of Computer Laboratory Furniture: Mismatch Analysis Utilizing Anthropometric Data of University Students. Heliyon, e34063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34063 [2] Ahmad, K.*, Islam, M. S., Jahin, M. A.*, & Mridha, M. F. (2024). Analysis of Internet of things implementation barriers in the cold supply chain: An integrated ISM-MICMAC and DEMATEL approach. PLOS ONE, 19(7), e0304118. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304118 |
Jun 19, 2024 | Thanks to the organizers for selecting me anonymously as a reviewer for being among one of the top emerging young AI Researchers. It’s an honor for me as IEOM conferences are the topmost and the most prestigious in the field of “Industrial Engineering and Operations Management.” |
Apr 24, 2024 | We’ve just hit the “submit” button for SpecX, our groundbreaking XAI-Powered Web App for Sentiment-Driven Disease Profiling & Specialist Allocation, in this year’s MIT Solve Challenge 2024 in the 2024 𝐺𝐿𝑂𝐵𝐴𝐿 𝐻𝐸𝐴𝐿𝑇𝐻 𝐸𝑄𝑈𝐼𝑇𝑌 𝐶𝐻𝐴𝐿𝐿𝐸𝑁𝐺𝐸 track. |
Apr 16, 2024 | My research article, titled “𝐀 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬,” has been published in the 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 (Scopus Indexed, IF=2.143, Citescore=0.9)! |
Feb 28, 2024 | Successfully arranged Research Counseling Program (Part-1), from KRS IEM Research Unit. The keynote speaker was Shawkat Shakil (PhD Candidate in ME, The University of Toledo, USA) from IEM’14, KUET. |
Feb 28, 2024 | I successfully defended my B.Sc. undergrad thesis! Thesis Title: “Supply Chain Backorder Prediction Using Interpretable Hybrid Quantum-Classical Neural Network” published in Nature Scientific Reports). upervised By: Dr. Md. Saiful Islam, Associate Professor |
Feb 8, 2024 | I developed the first-ever LaTeX template for B.Sc. Undergrad Thesis of KUET! Template |
Feb 5, 2024 | Our research article, “𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 – 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬,” got accepted for publication in 𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 of Springer, a top-tier journal [I.F. = 9.7 (2022), Q1 ranking, Citescore = 14.1, SJR = 1.581, and H-index = 79]. It’s Q1 both in Scopus and WoS-based indexing. |
Nov 2, 2023 | The ‘Team Aurora’ lead by me got Global Nomination in NASA Space Apps Challenge 2023! |
Oct 19, 2023 | My undergrad thesis has been accepted to be published in Nature Scientific Reports, even 5-6 months before graduation. |
Nov 7, 2015 | A long announcement with details |