Jihene Kaabi Ep Harrath

Dr. Kaabi's teaching interests span several areas of computer science, with a particular emphasis on artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and problem-solving. She enjoys teaching at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels and connecting theoretical foundations with practical applications and emerging technologies.

Interests include:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• AI for Cybersecurity
• Optimization and Intelligent Decision-Making
• Data Structures and Algorithms
• Computer Architecture and Assembly Language
• Programming and Problem-Solving
• Research Methods in Computer Science and Cybersecurity
• Graduate and Doctoral Research Seminars
• Graduate Research and Dissertation Mentoring

Dr. Kaabi's research interests lie at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and operations research, focusing on developing intelligent, optimization-based approaches to complex real-world problems. Her work combines algorithmic methods, data-driven techniques, and interdisciplinary applications across areas such as cybersecurity, computer vision, precision agriculture, and intelligent decision-making.

Interests include:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• AI for Cybersecurity
• Deep Learning and Computer Vision
• Explainable and Trustworthy AI
• Optimization and Operations Research
• Intelligent Decision-Making and Algorithm Design
• Scheduling and Routing Optimization
• AI for Precision Agriculture
• Privacy-Preserving and Secure AI
• Applied AI and Interdisciplinary Intelligent Systems

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Kaabi has received recognition for academic excellence, teaching, research, and scholarly contributions. These honors reflect achievements across different stages of her international academic career.

Selected Honors and Awards: 

• Top Scopus Contributor Award, Bahraini Women’s Day, 2019
• Best Faculty Member, University of Ha’il, 2009–2010
• Ph.D. Scholarship, Ministry of Higher Education, France, 2001–2004
• Best Master’s GPA, University of Besançon, France, 2001
• Best Paper Award, International Conference on Intelligent and Innovative Computing Applications (ICIAI), 2021

Dr. Kaabi's professional certifications reflect her commitment to continuous development in teaching and the effective use of technology in higher education.

Certifications:

• Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) — Microsoft
• Effective Online Teaching Practices — ACUE
• GRANT1x: Proposal Planning for Grant-FundedProjects — University of Alaska Fairbanks

Dr. Kaabi's research has been supported by funded projects in artificial intelligence, machine vision, precision agriculture, smart transportation, optimization, and scheduling. These projects reflect her interest in applying computational and AI-based approaches to real-world challenges.

Selected Research Grants:

• Enhancing Crop Yield via Transfer Learning and Satellite Imagery — Dakota State University, 2024–2026 — $175,000
• Traceable Machine Vision Systems for Saudi Plants toward Zero-Defect Manufacturing and Zero-Waste Ambitions (ZDM & ZWA) — Research, Development & Innovation, Saudi Arabia — SAR 1,000,000
• Design of Efficient Algorithms for Smart Transportation Systems and Vehicle Routing Problems — University of Bahrain, 2020–2022 — $6,600
• Scheduling Parallel Machines under Availability Constraints — University of Bahrain, 2015–2017 — $6,600

Dr. Kaabi's research has resulted in peer-reviewed publications spanning artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, operations research, optimization, scheduling, computer vision, and intelligent systems. Her work has appeared in international journals and conference proceedings, with recent research focusing increasingly on AI and its applications in cybersecurity, precision agriculture, computer vision, and intelligent decision-making.

Selected Journal Articles:

• Shakya, B., El-Gayar, O., Kaabi, J., & Ahmed, K. M. “Small-Object Detection at the Edge: A Pareto-Efficient Benchmark of Lightweight YOLO Models on UAV and Overhead Datasets.” IEEE Access, 2026.
• Phang, K., & Kaabi, J. “Privacy in Flux: A 35-Year Systematic Review of Legal Evolution, Effectiveness, and Global Challenges (U.S./E.U. Focus with International Comparisons).” Journal of Cybersecurity and Privacy, 2025.
• Kaabi, J., Harrath, Y., & Price, E. “Utilizing Ensemble Learning Techniques to Enhance Corn Price Prediction: A Case Study on South Dakota.” Agronomy, 2025.
• Harrath, Y., Adohinzin, O., Kaabi, J., & Saathoff, M. “Bridging Domains: Advances in Explainable, Automated, and Privacy-Preserving AI for Computer Science and Cybersecurity.” Computers, 2025.
• Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., Alaradi, E., Alnoaimi, M., & Alawadhi, N. “An Algorithm Based on Priority Rules for Solving a Multi-Drone Routing Problem in Hazardous Waste Collection.” International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 2024.
• Kaabi, J., Harrath, Y., Mahjoub, A., Hewahi, N., & Abdulsattar, K. “A 2-Phase Approach for Planning of Hazardous Waste Collection Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.” 4OR: A Quarterly Journal of Operations Research, 2023.
• Mohamed, Z., Ksantini, R., & Kaabi, J. “Convolutional Dynamic Auto-Encoder: A Clustering Method for Semantic Images.” Neural Computing and Applications, 2022.
• Mahjoub, A., Kaabi, J., & Harrath, Y. “Absolute Bounds of List Algorithms for Parallel Machines Scheduling with Unavailability Periods.” International Transactions in Operational Research, 2021.
• Kaabi, J. “Modeling and Solving Scheduling Problem with m Uniform Parallel Machines Subject to Unavailability Constraints.” Algorithms, 2019.
• Kaabi, J., & Harrath, Y. “Scheduling on Uniform Parallel Machines with Periodic Unavailability Constraints.” International Journal of Production Research, 2019.

Selected Conference Papers:

• Doumnande, R., & Kaabi, J. “The Human–AI Trust Calibration Model (HATCM): A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Awareness, AI Literacy, and Protective Behavior in AI-Assisted Cybersecurity Decision-Making.” CARS, 2026.
• Adohinzin, O., Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., & Al-Hammouri, A. “A Comparative Evaluation of Tree-Based Ensemble Methods and Transformers for IoMT Intrusion Detection.” IEEE World AI IoT Congress (AIIoT), 2026.
• Wambui, D., Gyawali, R., Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., Ahmed, K. M., & Mehmood, A. “Advancing Food Security Through Hyperspectral Crop Anomaly Detection Using Deep Unsupervised Learning.” International Conference on the AI Revolution: Research, Ethics, and Society (AIR-RES), 2026.
• Shakya, B., Hai, J., Mehmood, A., Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., Wambui, D., Gyawali, R., & Ahmed, K. M. “Privacy-Utility Tradeoffs in Federated Learning for Hyperspectral Crop Imagery.” International Conference on the AI Revolution: Research, Ethics, and Society (AIR-RES), 2026.
• Bowman, B., Thomas, T., & Kaabi, J. “Cyber Deceptive Countermeasures.” CARS, 2024.
• Hassan, F., & Kaabi, J. “An Efficient Heuristic to Solve a Multi-Objective Scheduling Problem in a Cloud Environment.” 2nd International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence (ICIAI), 2021.
• Abdulsattar, K., Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., & Mahjoub, A. “A Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm to Solve a Real-Life Travelling Salesman Problem.” IEEE GCC Conference and Exhibition, 2017.
• Harrath, Y., Kaabi, J., Ben Ali, M., & Sassi, M. “Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm-Based Method for Job Shop Scheduling Problem: Machines Under Preventive and Corrective Maintenance Activities.” Conference on Data Mining and Optimization, 2012.

Book Chapter:

• Mohamed, A. T., Ksantini, R., & Kaabi, J. “An Incremental Deep Learning Approach for Pricing Prediction Strategy in the Insurance Industry.” In Transformations in Banking, Finance and Regulation, World Scientific, 2024.

**For a complete and updated list of publications, please visit Dr. Kaabi's Google Scholar profile at https://shorturl.at/XC4AM **

Dr. Kaabi actively shares her research with academic and professional communities through presentations, seminars, and research-focused events.

Selected Presentations:

• Research Presentation, DSU Residency Week — Spring 2026: Presented my research to the Dakota State University community, highlighting current research activities, recent contributions, and ongoing research directions.