I am the Course Leader for BArch (Hons) Architecture Course. I have solid experience in research and teaching Architecture. I hold a BSc with honours, MSc and PhD in Architecture. Since 2002, I have worked in academia in four different countries namely Egypt, the UK, Turkey and Bahrain. I have taken up several academic roles including Tutor, Teaching Assistant, Assistant Lecturer, Research Associate, Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Course Leader, Course Director then Head of an Academic Department.
I am also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) in the UK. My research interests and publications focus on implementing simulation tools in understanding building physics, energy performance in buildings, retrofitting micro renewable sources of energy in urban areas and the effect of behavioural interventions on energy consumption in buildings, in addition to investigating the relationship between film and architecture. I have secured funding for several interdisciplinary research projects spanning across the institutions I have worked for.
I have strong experience in managing Higher Education academic courses related to the design and construction of the built environment. I have significant experience in designing academic courses and related modules in accordance with the standards of relevant international quality assurance and accreditation bodies.
My teaching and research supervision experience covers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate students. Based on my experience in academia and industry, I have provided professional consultative services to industry and private clients. Throughout my career I have worked with architects, engineers, researchers and students from different backgrounds. I am passionate about teaching in the Higher Education sector and I have won several awards in recognition of my practices in this sector.
I have experience as a Senior Resident at University students’ halls of residence which reflects my professional training in pastoral care as well as academic related matters in Higher Education. The combined experience I have gained in professional practice, teaching and research informs all my professional activities as an educator.
Professional memberships and activities
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), UK
- Member of the Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE)
- Member of the International Building Performance and Simulation Association (IBPSA)
- Chartered Architectural Engineer, Architecture Section, Egyptian Engineers Syndicate (EES)
- Member of the Society of Egyptian Architects (SEA)
Academic qualifications
- PhD in Architecture, Building Science. School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, UK.
- Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Newcastle University, UK.
- MSc in Architectural Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
- BSc in Architectural Engineering (Honours), Architecture Section, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Expertise
- Architectural design
- Residential buildings’ design
- Landscape design
- Construction supervision
- Building performance simulation
- Urban wind turbines
- International Higher Education collaborations
- Publishing design related magazines
Research interests
- Urban Wind Turbines
- Building Performance Simulation
- Energy Performance in Buildings
- Building Physics
- Environmental Design
- Sustainable Architecture
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Applications within the Built Environment
- Behaviour and Architecture
- Science Fiction Films and Architecture
- Renewables in Films
Grants
I have been active in research funding applications as a Principal Investigator and a Co-Investigator. The research funding I have been directly involved in reached a total of £1,770,500.
Enterprise and commercial interests
In addition to my academic experience, I have practiced Architecture since 2002 as an Architect, a Senior Architect and then a freelance Architect responsible for the design and construction supervision of a number of residential and landscape projects in Egypt. I have also provided professional consultative services for both the private and public sectors in Bahrain and participated in architectural competitions in Turkey. I participated in establishing a company providing Building Information Modelling (BIM) services and was the founding Managing Editor of an Architectural Design Magazine. I was a partner in a company trading in construction materials. In addition, I have had several chances to play a leading role in community engagement activities. Academically, I have been delivering a module on Innovation, Enterprise and Management.
Teaching
Since 2002, I have been involved in teaching and assisting in teaching a wide range of Architecture related modules at all levels.
Publications
Some Selected Publications:
- Abohela, I., (2023), Reflections on Extracurricular Activities (ECAs) as a Pedagogy in Architectural Education. Charrette, 8(2). Pp.100-113.
- Abohela, I., Ward, M. (2022) ‘Back to the Future: Future City and its Architecture in Science Fiction Films.‘, International Conference on the Leadership and Management of Projects in the Digital Age (ICLAMP, 2022), November 2022), 27 -28 November 2022. Pp. 69 - 82.
- Abohela, I., (2022) Fictional Architectures: The Fun Palace as a Cyber Space ', Second Cedric Price Day Catalogue, 12 September 2022. pp. 23 - 28.
- Abohela, I., Aristodemou, I., Hadaways, A., and Sundararajan, R. (2020) Assessing the Horizontal Homogeneity of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (HHABL) Profile Using Different CFD Software, Atmosphere, 11(10), pp. 1138-1164.
- Abohela, I., Lavin, N. (2020), The Height of Future Architecture: Significance of High versus Low Rise Architecture in Science Fiction Films. Applied Science University Journal, 04(01), pp. 57-66.
- Abohela, I., (2019) 'The Narrative of Renewable Sources of Energy in Science Fiction Films', Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences, 13(3), pp. 471-480.
- Abohela, I., (2018) ' On the Horizontal Homogeneity of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Profile in CFD Simulations', Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences, 12(4), pp. 825-829.
- Abohela, I., Hamza, N. and Dudek, S. (2013) 'Effect of roof shape, wind direction, building height and urban configuration on the energy yield and positioning of roof mounted wind turbines', Renewable Energy, 50(0), pp. 1106-1118.
- Abohela, I., Hamza, N. and Dudek, S. (2011) 'Urban Wind Turbines Integration in the Built Form and Environment', Newcastle University FORUM E-journal for Postgraduate Studies in Architecture, Planning and Landscape, 10(1), pp. 23-39.
- Abohela, I., Hamza, N. and Dudek, S. (2011) 'Assessment of wind flow within the built environment', Built and Natural Environment, pp. 81-94.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MtkVF6IAAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Islam_Abohela2