Towfeeq Fairooz from Hyderabad, India graduates with a PhD from Ulster University today, marking the culmination of a journey that exemplifies resilience, innovation, and personal growth.
Speaking ahead of his graduation ceremony, Towfeeq said:
“I began my PhD journey at Ulster University in September 2020, diving into a project I was passionate about—using AI to improve healthcare diagnostics. My research focused on developing image analysis techniques to enhance the accuracy of biosensors for disease detection, especially in cardiac and thyroid conditions. I was able to successfully propose several approaches, pushing diagnostic accuracy up to around 98%, which could be especially valuable in resource-limited healthcare settings.”
Towfeeq’s academic journey was marked by significant challenges, but his determination never wavered. Beginning his PhD during the COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges in the early stages of his research when lockdowns led to uncertainty for lab access. Being far from his family—his wife and two children who were back at home in India —added another layer of personal challenge:
“Starting my PhD during the pandemic was incredibly challenging, navigating those constraints while being far from my family in the beginning was tough. Thankfully, they joined me in the second year of my PhD, which made a huge difference. Balancing the demands of research with family responsibilities tested my patience and resilience, but their unwavering support and understanding kept me going, even when I was often unavailable due to research commitments.”
Throughout these trials, the support of his colleagues and supervisors at Ulster and the collaborative environment in which they worked, played a crucial role.
“I am deeply grateful for the steadfast guidance of my supervisors, whose insights and encouragement were invaluable. The camaraderie of my colleagues and fellow researchers was equally important—there was always a sense of shared purpose and learning.”
Towfeeq reflects on the many hours spent analysing literature, developing frameworks, and debugging complex programming codes:
“Each part of the journey was a learning experience. There were many setbacks, but every one of them taught me something valuable. These challenges sharpened my problem-solving skills and deepened my expertise.”
Reaching the end, submitting his thesis and successfully passing his viva marked a monumental achievement for Towfeeq:
“It’s not just the award itself that fills me with pride but the transformation I experienced along the way. This PhD journey has fortified my resilience, broadened my skills, and sparked an enthusiasm for what lies ahead.”
His supervisor, Dr Jim McLaughlin said of Towfeeq:
“Towfeq arrived from India to commence a project as part of the Cross Border SEUPB funded Eastern Corridor for Medical Engineering Centre at Ulster just as we were closing laboratories due to the outbreak of Covid-19. With his research project focused on Artificial Intelligence, applied to lateral flow systems, this immediately created an issue in relation to developing samples, testing, validation and gathering data. However, as an experienced engineering he was able to pivot his skills, and develop a range of simulations, and virtual concepts to allow him to experiment remotely. Importantly, due the importance of his research, the application of lateral flow devices, readers and cloud-based analytics had immediate relevance to the ongoing pandemic. For that reason Towfeeq was one of the first researchers back in the lab which eventually allowed him to complete an important PhD with high-quality research outputs. Both Professor Finlay and myself have been impressed with his own resilience and ability to learn fast especially through one of our most difficult and challenging research environment periods we can recall.”
With his PhD now complete, Towfeeq is excited about the future. He has decided to stay with Ulster and is currently working as a research associate in the School of Engineering, focusing on AI-driven solutions for business challenges.
“I feel fortunate to build on these experiences in my current role. This next chapter is one that I am eagerly looking forward to.”
For anyone considering higher education, especially those facing challenges, Towfeeq offers this advice:
“Don’t let anything hold you back. There will always be challenges, but with the right support, you can achieve anything. If I can do it, so can you. Ulster University provided me with the resources, support and kindness I needed to succeed, and that made all the difference.”
As he prepares to graduate, Towfeeq reflects on the journey that has transformed his life:
I’m incredibly proud to be part of the Class of 2024,” he says. “This has been an unforgettable experience, and I’m excited for the next chapter in my life.”