Welcome to My Academic Portfolio

Full Professor | Researcher | Educator

Driven by a deep passion for advancing scientific discovery through research, teaching, and innovation in Artificial Intelligence, Optimization, and Complex Systems.

About Me

Dr. Mahdi Khemakhem

Welcome! I am Dr. Mahdi Khemakhem, Full Professor of Computer Science with over 22 years of distinguished experience bridging academia and industry. Currently, I hold dual academic appointments at University of Sfax, Tunisia, and Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, where I lead research initiatives in Artificial Intelligence and Combinatorial Optimization.

My academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France (UPHF), France, and Habilitation (HDR) from University of Sfax. I am a recipient of Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency, awarded to exceptional professionals for outstanding contributions in Computer Science and AI. My research portfolio comprises 50+ publications with 1,200+ citations and an h-index of 13.

As a Senior Research Fellow at the Data Engineering and Semantics Research Unit (DES), I specialize in developing heuristics, metaheuristics, and AI-driven optimization algorithms for complex decision-making systems. My work spans diverse domains: logistics and transportation, cloud/fog computing, healthcare systems, green energy, and Industry 4.0. Beyond academia, I have successfully translated research into industry impact through consulting for FedEx-SMSA, co-founding Filloop.com, and delivering optimization solutions across multiple sectors.

I am passionate about mentoring the next generation of researchers, having supervised 7 Ph.D. and 11 M.Sc. students to completion, and teaching courses in AI, optimization, machine learning, and advanced computing across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.

Research Interests

Optimization Techniques

Heuristics, metaheuristics, matheuristics, and exact algorithms

Artificial Intelligence & ML

Deep learning, reinforcement learning, and federated learning

Logistics & Transportation

Vehicle routing, supply chain, and autonomous transportation

Cloud/Fog Computing

Distributed computing, edge intelligence, and fog architectures

Data Centers & Containerization

Microservices scheduling, container orchestration, and VM management

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT systems, sensor networks, and smart device optimization

Green Energy & Sustainability

Renewable energy scheduling and sustainable supply chains

Healthcare Systems

Medical waste management, COVID-19 prediction, and telemedicine

Smart Cities & Urban Systems

Urban infrastructure, crowd monitoring, and traffic management

Industry 4.0 & Manufacturing

Production scheduling, UAV allocation, and smart factories

Experience

Oct. 2024 - Present

Full Professor of Computer Science

ENET'COM, University of Sfax, Tunisia

Leading research in AI and optimization, supervising doctoral students, and contributing to curriculum development (currently on leave based in Saudi Arabia).

Aug. 2015 - Present

Professor of Computer Science

Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

Teaching AI, optimization algorithms, and advanced computing courses across Bachelor, Master, and PhD programs.

Feb. 2017 - Oct. 2024

Associate Professor (HDR)

ENET'COM, University of Sfax, Tunisia

Earned Habilitation (HDR) in Computer Science. Led research in vehicle routing, healthcare optimization, and logistics. Published in EJOR, Journal of Supercomputing, and EAAI.

Sep. 2009 - Feb. 2017

Assistant Professor

ENET'COM, University of Sfax & University of Gabes, Tunisia

Taught computer science courses and supervised graduate students. Built research foundation in vehicle routing and metaheuristics.

Sept. 2003 - Aug. 2009

Lecturer

University of Sfax & University of Gabes, Tunisia

Taught fundamental computer science courses and contributed to curriculum development.

Jan. 2021 - Present

Senior Research Fellow

Data Engineering and Semantics Research Unit (DES), University of Sfax, Tunisia

Research in AI and combinatorial optimization with focus on machine learning applications in transportation and cloud computing.

Sept. 2002 - Dec. 2020

Research Fellow

OLID Laboratory, University of Sfax, Tunisia

Research Fellow in AI and combinatorial optimization, developing advanced algorithms for complex decision-making systems.

2022 - Present

Co-Founder & Technical Advisor

Filloop.com

Technology startup with cloud-based ride-sourcing platform utilizing advanced optimization algorithms to connect shippers with carriers.

2013 - 2019

Operations & Logistics Consultant

FedEx-SMSA Express Transportation Co., Saudi Arabia

Designed optimization software for transportation and logistics operations in remote cities.

2012 - 2014

Optimization Consultant

Tunisian National Oil Office (TNOO), Sfax, Tunisia

Developed optimization software for olive oil collection using multi-compartment vehicles.

2011 - 2013

Logistics Consultant

EcoMed Company, Tunisia

Designed optimization software for collection and treatment of medical and biological waste.

2005 - 2007

Optimization Software Designer

CHAHIA - Tunisian Poultry Company, Sfax, Tunisia

Developed optimization software for poultry distribution using heterogeneous fleet of vehicles.

Recent Publications

Journal Article

A Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Optimization Approach for Containerized Microservice Scheduling in Hybrid Fog/Cloud Environments

A. Kallel, M. Rekik, M. Khemakhem

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence (EAAI), Volume 141, Pages 109745 (2025)
Q1, Impact Factor: 7.5

DOI
Conference Paper

DRL4HFC: Deep Reinforcement Learning for container-based scheduling in Hybrid Fog/Cloud system

A. Kallel, M. Rekik, M. Khemakhem

16th International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence (ICAART 2024), Rome, Italy
CORE Rank B

DOI
Journal Article

Optimal network-aware virtual data center embedding

A. Hbaieb, M. Khemakhem

International Journal of Network Management (IJNM), Volume 33, Issue 2, Pages e2223 (2023)
Q3, Impact Factor: 1.5

DOI
Journal Article

Toward Optimal Periodic Crowd Tracking via Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

K. Chebil, S. Htiouech, M. Khemakhem

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences (CMES), Volume 137, Issue 1, Pages 233-263 (2023)
Q2, Impact Factor: 2.4

DOI
Journal Article

Hybrid-based framework for COVID-19 prediction via federated machine learning models

A. Kallel, M. Rekik, M. Khemakhem

The Journal of Supercomputing (SUPE), Volume 78, Issue 5, Pages 7078–7105 (2022)
Q2, Impact Factor: 3.3

DOI

Top Cited Publications

Journal Article

Rich vehicle routing problems: From a taxonomy to a definition

R. Lahyani, M. Khemakhem, F. Semet

European Journal of Operational Research (EJOR), Volume 241, Issue 1, Pages 1-14
🏆 Lead Article | Q1, Impact Factor: 6.4

DOI
Journal Article

A multi-compartment vehicle routing problem arising in the collection of olive oil in Tunisia

R. Lahyani, L.C. Coelho, M. Khemakhem, G. Laporte, F. Semet

OMEGA - The International Journal of Management Science, Volume 51, Pages 1-10
🏆 Lead Article | Q1, Impact Factor: 6.9

DOI
Journal Article

A hybrid quantum particle swarm optimization for the Multidimensional Knapsack Problem

B. Haddar, M. Khemakhem, S. Hanafi, C. Wilbaut

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence (EAAI), Volume 55, Pages 1-13
Q1, Impact Factor: 8.0

DOI
Journal Article

Hybrid-based framework for COVID-19 prediction via federated machine learning models

A. Kallel, M. Rekik, M. Khemakhem

The Journal of Supercomputing (SUPE), Volume 78, Issue 5, Pages 7078–7105
Q2, Impact Factor: 3.3

DOI
Journal Article

A dynamic programming algorithm for the knapsack problem with setup

K. Chebil, M. Khemakhem

Computers & Operations Research (COR), Volume 64, Pages 40-50
Q1, Impact Factor: 4.6

DOI
View All Publications

Get In Touch

Office Location

Department of Mathematics and Business Intelligence
ENET'COM, University of Sfax
Sfax, Tunisia

Department of Computer Science
Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University
Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

Phone

Tunisia: +216.74.86.25.00
KSA: +966.1.15.88.83.80

Email

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