Mariam Alzaabiمريم
مريم الزعابي

Engineering things that know where they are.

I'm Mariam, an Emirati software engineer in Abu Dhabi. I build algorithms in signal processing, AI and GNSS, and I like turning hard problems into clean, working code.

Open to freelance projects
See my work Work with me
FIX 3D 24.4539° N, 54.3773° E SATS 12
About

Curious by default, precise by training.

I studied computer engineering at Khalifa University, then went deeper into artificial intelligence for my master's, where I researched brain-inspired spiking GANs that help underwater robots see through murky water. Along the way I found the problems I enjoy most sit where math meets real-world signals: noisy data, tight constraints, and answers that have to be right.

Today I work as a software engineer in the GNSS and defense sector, and I'm steadily growing into space technology. Satellites, orbits and the signals they send down are what pull me forward, and in 2024 I trained in remote sensing and geospatial analytics with the UAE Space Agency. Before that I helped turn Jais, the Arabic large language model, into a product at MBZUAI. Outside work I keep building side projects, learning new tools, and improving things that could work better.

Based
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Now
Software engineer, GNSS and defense
MSc
Computer Science (AI), Khalifa University
BSc
Computer Engineering, Khalifa University
Languages
Arabic (native), English (C1)
Space
UAE Space Agency, Space Applications training (2024)
Master's thesis · Khalifa University · 2022 to 2024

Neuromorphic GAN-assisted computing architecture for image dehazing in underwater navigation

Underwater, light scatters and fades fast, so cameras see a blue-green haze. That makes navigation hard for underwater robots. I trained GAN-based dehazing models on underwater datasets and built them with spiking neural networks, the brain-inspired models that run efficiently on neuromorphic hardware. The goal is clearer images in real time, using little power.

Illustration only, drawn in the browser. Not output from the thesis model.

  1. ICRA 2023 Workshop · May 2023Efficient Hybrid Spiking GAN for Underwater Image DehazingEmbodied Neuromorphic AI for Robotic Perception
  2. UAE GSRC 2023 · Mar 2023GAN-Based Underwater Image DehazingUAE Graduate Students Research Conference
  3. WANLP 2022 · Oct 2022Gulf Arabic Diacritization: Guidelines, Initial Dataset, and ResultsSeventh Arabic Natural Language Processing Workshop
What I work on

Three frequencies I'm always tuned to.

L1 · SIGNALS

Signal processing and GNSS

Algorithms that turn raw, noisy measurements into reliable positions and insight. My current day-to-day, in Python, MATLAB and C/C++.

L2 · MODELS

Applied AI

Spiking and generative models for computer vision, Arabic NLP from diacritization to text generation, and forecasting for smart homes. Models that do something useful.

L5 · SEARCH

Algorithms and optimization

Genetic algorithms, swarm optimization, hashing schemes and graph ranking. I enjoy making the hard search fast.

Selected projects

Things I've built and taken apart.

Each one is on GitHub. Filter by the kind of problem.

PRN 01 · BIOINFORMATICS↗

Multiple Sequence Alignment with metaheuristics

Aligning biological sequences with a genetic algorithm and Tuna Swarm Optimization, benchmarked on BAliBase and scored with sum-of-pairs, entropy and gap-penalty metrics.

JuliaPythonGenetic algorithmSwarm optimization
PRN 02 · ARABIC NLP↗

Arabic text generation

Generating Arabic text with AraGPT2 transformer models, with Farasa and PyArabic preprocessing.

TransformersAraGPT2Python
PRN 03 · ENERGY↗

SaveSmart

My senior design project for the KU smart home at Solar Decathlon Middle East, which placed 2nd in energy efficiency. It forecasts solar output and power use, and recommends when to run appliances, through a Xamarin app.

Keras LSTMIoTC# Xamarin
PRN 04 · SCHEDULING↗

University course scheduling

A hybrid genetic and ant colony approach that schedules classes, rooms and instructors without clashes, backed by SQLite.

PythonGenetic algorithmAnt colony
PRN 05 · WEB↗

PyCoLab

A Flask web app for Python learners, with an in-browser IDE, project notes and a reporting dashboard.

FlaskSQLAlchemyJavaScript
PRN 06 · HARDWARE↗

Arduino SpeedMath

A mental-math reaction game with an LCD, keypad, IR sensor, RGB LED and speaker. Featured on Arduino Project Hub.

ArduinoCElectronics
PRN 07 · DATA STRUCTURES↗

Cuckoo vs chaining hashing

Both collision strategies implemented and compared head to head, plus a perfect-hashing companion project.

PythonHashingBenchmarks
PRN 08 · EDTECH↗

Lesson planner

Built for the Digicode-Ed Challenge at Coders HQ: a ChatGPT-powered tool that helps teachers create lesson plans tailored to their students.

PythonFlaskOpenAI API
Flight log

Where I've been so far.

  1. Since Sep 2024

    Software Engineer

    GNSS and RF projects, defense sector · Abu Dhabi

    Building and maintaining software tools that automate technical workflows for GNSS projects.

  2. Apr to Aug 2024

    Space Applications Trainee 🛰 Space

    UAE Space Agency · Abu Dhabi

    Trained in geospatial analytics and remote sensing through a UAE Space Agency initiative, working on practical space projects.

  3. Jan 2024

    Algorithm Engineering Trainee

    MBZUAI, CIAI Engineering Team · Abu Dhabi

    Helped turn Jais, the leading Arabic large language model, into a real product.

  4. 2022 to 2023

    Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant

    Khalifa University · Abu Dhabi

    Ran labs for COSC-101 with 50+ students and assisted on COSC-434, Intro to Machine Learning.

  5. Summer 2021

    Intern

    Children's National Hospital · Washington, D.C.

    Built RestEasy, a cross-platform app prototype in C# and Xamarin.Forms that monitors children's nighttime asthma.

Training and programs

Always in training, including for orbit.

Apr to Aug 2024 · UAE Space Agency

Space Applications

Hands-on training in geospatial analytics and remote sensing: turning satellite imagery and Earth-observation data into answers, through practical space projects.

Remote sensingGeospatial analyticsEarth observation
Certification · Safran

Skydel Advanced Course

Advanced training on Skydel, Safran's software-defined GNSS simulator for generating and testing satellite navigation signals.

GNSS simulationRF
2023 · Dubai

Samsung Innovation Campus

AI course with the UAE Office of AI and the National Program for Coders.

2022 · Dubai

Sibaq Lahja, Coders HQ

Immersive Arabic NLP program, building toward an Arabic diacritizer.

2021 · Abu Dhabi

42 Abu Dhabi Piscine

Four intensive weeks of C, shell, git and algorithms, with daily projects and exams.

2022 · Google

Data Analytics Professional Certificate

Spreadsheets, SQL, R and data visualization.

2022 · Khalifa University

Python for Data Science

Six-week hands-on training.

LearnQuest

Ethics in the Age of AI

Specialization on building and using AI responsibly.

Hackathons and awards

A few good launches.

  • Winner
    Pioneers 4.0 Hackathon, 4th editionMoIAT and EDGE Group · Mar 2024. Optimized blending schedules against production needs, with a real-time monitoring dashboard.
  • 2nd place
    Solar Decathlon Middle East, energy efficiencyDEWA · Nov 2021, with the Khalifa University smart home team.
  • 1st place
    National Physics Olympiad, theoretical examUAE Ministry of Education · May 2016. 6th overall.
  • Judge
    AI National Championship 2023, ChatGPT categoryUAE Ministry of Education · Sep 2023.
  • Hacker
    BioHack3D, Digicode-Ed Challenge, Pioneers 4.0 1st and 2nd editionsNYU Abu Dhabi, Coders HQ, MoIAT and EDGE · 2022 to 2023. Cybersecurity, AI for education, and predictive maintenance.
  • Honors
    Dean's List, Golden Key, IEEE student chapter vice presidentKhalifa University · 2017 to 2021.
Toolkit

What I reach for.

PythonPyTorchNumPypandasMATLABC / C++C#JavaJuliaSQLRGitLinuxDockerFlask
Off the clock

The rest of the signal.

Music

Always playing somewhere nearby.

Philosophy

Asking why, then asking it again.

Cinema

Stories, framing, and a good soundtrack.

Learning

Picking up something new on purpose.

Improving things

If it can work better, I want to try.

Freelance and collaboration

Have a problem that needs a good algorithm?

  • Algorithm design, optimization and performance work
  • Signal and data processing in Python or MATLAB
  • Machine learning prototypes, including Arabic NLP
  • Python tools, automation and small web apps
Get in touch
LinkedIn ↗ GitHub ↗ Medium ↗