Moustafa Youssef Receives Excellence Award for Location Tracking Research
Moustafa Youssef, professor of computer science and engineering, was presented with the Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award at the Spring 2026 Commencement.
Commencement isn’t just a time to celebrate the graduates; it’s also a place to highlight the achievements of the incredible faculty who bring the University to life.
At the Spring 2026 graduate commencement ceremony, Moustafa Youssef, professor of computer science and engineering, was presented with the Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award.
“For me, receiving the AUC research excellence award is a deeply personal affirmation of the decision to return to my home and conduct world-class research from an Egyptian base,” shared Youssef. “While I have received recognition from the world's top organizations in my field, being awarded by my own people holds a unique and profound significance.”
Youssef’s research on quantum spatial computing bridges theory with real-world impact, redefining how we track location and sense our environment. Featured in top-tier journals and recognized with multiple best paper awards, his breakthroughs in quantum algorithms allow location-tracking systems to have a global reach. AUC has supported these endeavors by acquiring the first quantum computer in Egypt, speeding up his work in the field of quantum spatial computing.
“AUC has been a vital catalyst for these innovations, providing the support, creative freedom and dynamic environment necessary to pioneer,” Youssef proudly stated.
Simultaneously, he developed ‘infrastructure-light’ positioning systems. Technologies he created, such as UniCellular and ModeSense, accurately determine a user’s location and transportation mode using data from just a single cell tower. By eliminating the need for specialized hardware, these systems provide critical tracking in GPS-deprived environments—such as helping emergency responders pinpoint victims in high-rise buildings. Not only is this a significant contribution to the scientific community, it also saves lives.
Additionally, Youssef introduced the Human-as-a-Sensor paradigm, which uses brain-computer interaction to harness neural signals as advanced sensing nodes. This foundational work paves the way for future intelligent systems capable of understanding a user's destination directly through their brain activity.
“Beyond technical innovation, I prioritize societal impact and mentorship by driving global recognition for regional research and fostering student excellence,” he expressed.
Youssef co-led the first-ever Arab World Research Special Sections in the flagship Communications of the Advancing Spatial Computing (2021, 2024). Concurrently, he dedicated himself to cultivating the next generation of researchers at AUC, where undergraduate mentees have repeatedly won top honors in the prestigious worldwide ACM SIGSpatial Research Competition, proving they can compete with peers from the world's elite universities. Projects like the joint undergraduate thesis with the University of Waterloo further demonstrate how AUC fosters the global networks required for modern scientific discovery
“By showcasing regional talent on the global stage, our work proves that world-class scientific leadership can originate and thrive right here in the Middle East and Africa,” he affirmed.
Outside of the university sphere, the world of accurate location tracking touches lives locally and globally. “Locally, we are empowering the regional economy by developing tracking solutions specifically for low-end phones, which enables location-based applications tailored for developing countries,” he shared.
“The global impact of this research is felt every day by both the research community and normal people,” he added. “Our pioneering work in ‘sensor-less sensing’ has inspired new international standards for wireless networks, potentially turning every WiFi-enabled space into an intelligent environment that can detect movement or monitor health without requiring additional hardware.”
AUC’s Research and Creative Endeavors Award is another credit to a professor who has worked hard to excel in his field and showcase the talent of those around him. “My greatest joy remains watching AUC students excel on international stages,” Youssef said. “This honor is shared entirely with my graduate students, research assistants and global collaborators, whose dedication and hard work made these achievements possible.”
