AUC Professor Moustafa Youssef Receives Research Excellence Award for Location-tracking Innovations

Moustafa Youssef, professor of computer science and engineering at The American University in Cairo (AUC), was presented with the Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award at AUC's Spring 2026 Commencement, in recognition of research that is transforming how location tracking works, from quantum computing breakthroughs to technologies that help emergency responders find people in GPS-deprived environments.

"For me, receiving the AUC research excellence award is a deeply personal affirmation of the decision to return to my home and conduct world-class research from an Egyptian base," said Youssef. "While I have received recognition from the world's top organizations in my field, being awarded by my own people holds a unique and profound significance."

Youssef's research bridges theory with real-world impact, redefining how location is tracked and how systems sense their environment. His work has been featured in top-tier journals and recognized with multiple best paper awards, and his breakthroughs in quantum algorithms are allowing location-tracking systems to reach a global scale. AUC has supported these efforts by acquiring the first quantum computer in Egypt, accelerating his work in the field. "AUC has been a vital catalyst for these innovations, providing support, creative freedom and dynamic environment necessary to pioneer," Youssef said.

Simultaneously, Youssef developed "infrastructure-light" positioning systems, including UniCellular and ModeSense, which accurately determine a user's location and mode of transportation using data from just a single cell tower, removing the need for specialized hardware. These systems provide critical tracking in environments where GPS does not work, such as high-rise buildings, helping emergency responders pinpoint victims more quickly. Not only is this a significant contribution to the scientific community, but it also saves lives. 

Additionally, Youssef introduced the Human-as-a-Sensor paradigm, which uses brain-computer interaction to harness neural signals as advanced sensing nodes, laying the groundwork for future intelligent systems capable of understanding a user's intention directly through their brain activity. 

Youssef co-led the first-ever Arab World Research Special Sections in the flagship Communications of the Advancing Spatial Computing (2021-2024). He also dedicated himself to cultivating the next generation of researchers at AUC, where his undergraduate mentees have repeatedly won top honors in the prestigious worldwide ACM SIGSpatial Research Competition, competing successfully against peers from the world's leading universities. A joint undergraduate thesis project with the University of Waterloo further demonstrates how AUC fosters the global networks required for modern scientific discovery. 

The impact of Youssef's research is felt both locally and globally. Locally, his team is developing tracking solutions built specifically for low-end phones, helping bring location-based applications to developing countries and supporting the regional economy in the process. Globally, his pioneering work in "sensor-less sensing" has inspired new international standards for wireless networks, potentially turning every WiFi-enabled space into an intelligent environment that can detect movement or monitor health without requiring additional hardware.

"My greatest joy remains watching AUC students excel on international stages. This honor is shared entirely with my graduate students, research assistants and global collaborators, whose dedication and hard work made these achievements possible," Youssef concluded.