Dr. Nabil Adam is a highly distinguished Professor of Medicine and Computer & Information Systems at Rutgers University. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from Cairo University, two Master’s degrees, and a Ph.D. in Engineering from Columbia University. Dr. Adam specializes in healthcare technology, cybersecurity, clinical/healthcare informatics, and machine learning. As an accomplished professor, he has written 11 books and over 200 publications. Nabil holds chairman and vice-chairman positions on over 20 boards.
Not only does Dr. Adam hold a faculty position at Rutgers University, he has also recently established himself as a faculty member at the New Jersey Medical School, where he teaches Medicine. Nabil has mentored over 20 Ph.D. students and done his utmost to assist them with their theses and academic research.
Prior to becoming a professor, Nabil Adam spent over five years with the Department of Homeland Security assigned to the Science & Technology Directorate and the position of Program Chair for a variety of related committees and workshops including Modeling, Simulation, & Analysis for Homeland Security, Emergency Management: Incident, Resource, & Supply Chain Management workshop, and Future Directions in Cyber-physical Systems Security. He was responsible for mentoring engineers, scientists, and program managers. Prior to working with the Department of Homeland Security, Nabil was a Research Fellow for the NASA Center of Excellence in Space Data and Information Sciences. The goal of the program was to allow leading computer scientists to collaborate and conduct research in the Earth and space sciences. Nabil was chosen to participate in several initiatives including the Management of the Largest Unclassified Archive in the World, Data Warehousing/Mining of Earth Observing System Data & Information Systems and Geodata Modeling and Query in GIS.
Throughout his career, Dr. Adam has presented at national and international conferences on topics he specializes in, including Information Technology Applications in Biomedicine, Next Generation Information Technologies and Systems, Cyber Security Challenges Around the World. Nabil has also presented at the International Conference on Higher Education.
Due to Dr. Nabil Adam’s prolific career, he has earned more than 22 awards and recognitions. He has earned the FASIP Award an astounding 15 times, the IEEE 2012 Research Achievement & Leadership Award in Intelligence and Security Informatics, and the Dean Horace DePodwin Research Award.
As the co-founder of a variety of initiatives, Nabil Adam has had the opportunity to positively impact the world. A few of the initiatives he’s been involved with are the Rutgers Institute for Data Science, Learning & Applications, Regional Drinking Water Safety and Security Consortium, Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute, and the IEEE Computer Society Task Force on Digital Libraries. As an offshoot of a Rutgers University program, Dr. Adam also established the Science Summer Camp which works with inner-city students ranging from elementary to high school level.
Our Interview With Nabil Adam
What’s the most important thing we should know about you?
Nabil Adam: I value being kind to others and always try to lend a helping hand without expecting anything in return.
Name the most impactful lesson you learned from failure.
Nabil Adam: I’ve learned a great deal about perseverance and persistence.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Nabil Adam: I’m most proud of being able to make a difference in the lives of some of my students, postdoctoral associates, and colleagues.
Name a tool you use for work that you can’t live without.
Nabil Adam: My laptop is my number one tool; I would be lost without it.
What is your favorite hobby and why?
Nabil Adam: Skiing. I love being out in the fresh air, below the blue skies coming down the white slope is exceptionally exhilarating.
What excites you the most about your industry right now?
Nabil Adam: The most exciting aspect of Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence is its tremendous potential to bring about revolutionary changes in many application areas, including healthcare and cybersecurity.
What concerns you most about your industry right now?
Nabil Adam: The most concerning aspect of Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence is the potential adverse effects of automation and Artificial Intelligence.
What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?
Nabil Adam: The greatest risk I’ve ever taken is leaving my home country and immigrating to the US.
What tips do you have for getting a seat at the table?
Nabil Adam: If you want a seat at the table, it’s important to do the homework, listening to others, and then actively contribute.
Which do you value more, intelligence or common sense? Why?
Nabil Adam: I would have to say common sense; I believe everyone is intelligent in some respects.
What would you consider to be the perfect day?
Nabil Adam: For me, the perfect day is one where at the end of the day, I feel that I’ve taken some small steps toward where I want to be in my life.
