The Intelligent Systems Engineering Research Team is an academic research team within the School of Physics, Engineering, and Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire (UH). Led by Dr Pouria Sarhadi, the ISE team is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of intelligent systems through cutting-edge research and innovation.
Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are systems that operate without (or with minimal) human intervention, making independent decisions to carry out predetermined missions. The ISE team specialises in various aspects of AVs and has achieved success in the following areas:
The ISE team holds experience in developing theoretical and applied intelligent control solutions in the following areas:
Systems engineering is a holistic approach that ensures the successful delivery of a system through requirements analysis, system development, integration, verification, and validation, while also managing functions and resources throughout the entire system lifecycle. The ISE group offers research interests in the following areas:
Pouria Sarhadi (BEng, MSc and PhD) is a Senior Lecturer (A. Professor) in the School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire. He has worked as a research fellow at Queen's University Belfast (2021-2022), University of Surrey (2019-2021) and as an adjunct professor at the Babol Noshirvani University of Technology BNUT (2016-2018). He has held key roles to play in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and European Horizon projects and provided consultancy to different industries. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Member of IET (MIET), and also recognised as a UK 'Global Talent' by the UKRI. In the past 15 years, he has conducted research on a wide range of ground, marine, and aerial autonomous vehicles which has resulted in more than 50 peer-reviewed journal publications. Pouria is a member of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) and the Editorial Board of Applied Ocean Research (Elsevier). Furthermore, he is passionate about transforming academic theories into industrial products. Pouria's research studies include: control theory and applications, adaptive control and machine learning, autonomous vehicles as well as systems engineering.
Reza Jafari holds a BSc and a MSc in Electrical Engineering from K. N. Toosi University of Technology. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Hertfordshire, where his research focuses on improving electric vehicle (EV) dynamics and energy management through advanced reinforcement learning (RL) methods. He has hands-on experience with a range of industry-standard tools, including ANSYS Maxwell and COMSOL Multiphysics for electromagnetic analysis, as well as MATLAB/Simulink and Python for system modelling, control design, and machine learning algorithm development. His research interests encompass sustainable mobility, intelligent energy management, and the integration of renewable energy within transportation systems.
Klinsmann Agyei holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Energy and Natural Resources and an MSc in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence from ITMO University. He is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, focusing on advancing adaptive control systems through the integration of machine learning techniques. Klinsmann is proficient in Python, MATLAB, and C++, as well as expertise in CAD tools such as SolidWorks. He is experienced in communication frameworks like ROS 2, enabling seamless interaction with robotic systems. His research interests span adaptive control, data-driven decision-making, and the application of advanced machine learning algorithms to enhance system performance and robustness.
Pegah holds a BEng in Aerospace Engineering and is currently a part-time PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire. Her research focuses on developing amphibious fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAS) with multi-purpose applications. She investigates of the systems and algorithms for autonomously take off and landing in land and water environments. She is a UAS Pilot and serves as the Principal Technical Officer and Lab Manager for Aerospace, and is also the Safety Lead for the School of Physics, Engineering, and Computer Science (SPECS) at the University of Hertfordshire. Pegah is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). She is registered as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) with the Engineering Council and is an Associate Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (AMRAeS).
Sajid Fadlelseed (researcher) has received an MSc and a PhD in computer science from the University of Hertfordshire. His studies were supported by the National University, Sudan (NUSU). His current research interests include mixed-criticality scheduling, real-time embedded systems, fault tolerance, NoC architectures, and optimization techniques. Sajid has lectured modules in embedded systems and fault tolerance algorithms. He has conducted research on DRT services and Software Integrity Levels (SIL).
Hossein Rouzegar is a researcher at the Space Communication Research Group at the i2CAT Foundation in Barcelona, Spain where he leads the Software-defined Satellite research line. He earned his BSc in Electrical Engineering in 2011, MSc in Electrical Engineering and Control in 2014, in Iran. In 2020, he completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering at Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol with a focus on spacecraft formation flying control. In 2018, he served as a visiting researcher at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), collaborating with the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) in Barcelona. From 2022 to 2023, he was an assistant professor at Semnan University, Iran. His research interests include spacecraft formation flying control, optimal control, satellite networks, SDN/NFV in satellite constellations, and satellite flexible payload technologies.
Javad Enayati is currently R&D manager of Sander Elektronik AG in Switzerland specialising in intelligent emergency systems. He received a BSc degree in power electrical engineering from the Nooshirvani University Of technology, in 2009 an MSc and a PhD degrees in power electrical engineering from University of Semnan, in 2012 and 2017, respectively. His research interests include embedded system development, state estimation, system identification, wireless mesh systems, and automotive systems reliability.
Narjes Ahmadian is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran, Behshahr, Iran. She received a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from Guilan University, Rasht, Iran, in 2012, and the MSc and PhD degrees in Control Engineering from Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran, in 2015 and 2020, respectively. Her PhD research was focused on multilayer integrated adaptive controllers for vehicle lateral dynamics and steering system. She was an exemplary student in all her academic levels. Dr. Ahmadian has authored several peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. She has established two research laboratories and participated in the navigation research team's setup projects. Her research interests include Adaptive control, vehicle dynamics, navigation, and aerospace.
Behnaz Hadi (BEng, MSc, PhD) is a lecturer at the University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. She received her PhD degree in control engineering from the Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran, in 2022. She has conducted research in the areas of motion planning, formation control and obstacle avoidance in marine systems, as well as deep reinforcement learning with control applications. Her research interests include control theory and applications, machine learning in control applications, autonomous vehicles, and nonlinear control.
Hock C Gan (researcher) holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Hertfordshire. He is a researcher in various projects and a Visiting Lecturer in the University of Hertfordshire for the School of Engineering and the School of Computer Science. His interests include autonomous systems, machine learning, computer vision, blockchains, IoT security, voice discrimination, brain computer interfacing, software engineering and telecommunications.