Meet AUC's 2025 Faculty Merit Awardees

AUC honored two faculty members during the June 2025 undergraduate commencement for their distinguished contributions to research and academic service at the University. 

This year’s winners are: 

• Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors: Tamer ElBatt, professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering 
• Excellence in Academic Service: Hoda Mostafa, professor of practice and director, Center for Learning and Teaching 

"I am truly honored, humbled and gratified by this major recognition from AUC."

ElBatt has made impactful contributions in the areas of wireless communications, networking, mobile computing, machine learning over networks, and ICT for Good, including digital health. He has been recognized as one of the top 2% most impactful scientists globally in the Stanford-Elsevier's Scopus database of the most cited scientists. He was also recently selected as a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and was the only Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer affiliated with Egypt or Africa in the 2023-2024 class and the second since the program started in 2005.

"I am truly honored, humbled and gratified by this major recognition from AUC,” said ElBatt. “This award means a lot to me, and it's due to the grace of Allah, the constant support of my family and the great support of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the school and the University, as well as the immense dedication, knowledge and skills of the talented researchers, students and collaborators whom I had the privilege of working with over the years at AUC.” 

“I am honored to be part of such a vibrant community of peers who contribute to and value the vital role of service in creating a culture of excellence.”

Serving as director of the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) since 2018, Mostafa has shown sustained institutional service. She is chair of the Quality of Education Task Force, served on numerous committees and task forces on academic excellence, and was a member of the AUC Learning Spaces Strategic Plan Task Force. She also contributed to major University initiatives, such as AUC Road to College and AUC Online. In addition, she spearheads design thinking activities at AUC and represents the University in the Global Design Thinking Alliance and Design Thinking in Afrika in partnership with the University of Cape Town.

“This award represents a special milestone in my academic and service career at AUC,” said Mostafa. “I am honored to be part of such a vibrant community of peers who contribute to and value the vital role of service in creating a culture of excellence.”