Zulal Sevkli, Ph.D.

Education

• Ph.D., Computer Science & Engineering, Gebze Institute of Technology, Turkey, 2010
• M.S., Computer Science, Fatih University, Turkey, 2003
• B.S., Computer Science, Istanbul University, Turkey, 2000

Research Interests

• Evolutionary Machine Learning
• Natural Computing
• Deep Learning
• Bioinformatics Problems and Applications
• Metaheuristics Optimization
• Multi-objective optimization
• Swarm Intelligence
• Combinatorial Optimization Problems
• Data optimization in IoT
• Context Aware Applications
• Mobile Sensing Applications

Research Bio

Dr. Sevkli has taught a wide range of courses across the computer science curriculum and supervised undergraduate and graduate research. Dr. Sevkli has authored or co-authored nineteen peer-reviewed publications. Besides the research with graduate students, she is also a strong proponent of working with students in undergraduate research projects. She supervised many undergraduate research/senior projects. Many project groups under her supervision completed their projects successfully and got awards from competitions and undergraduate conferences.

Dr. Sevkli's research focuses on designing and applying bio-inspired metaheuristics and machine learning algorithms to develop decision support systems. The application areas she has been working on are green transportation and logistics optimization problems, supply chain management, real-world optimization problems, entertainment systems, bioinformatics, and machine/deep learning system architectures.

Dr. Sevkli received her Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Gebze Institute of Technology (2010), her M.S. in Computer Engineering from Fatih University (2003), and her B.S. in Computer Engineering from Istanbul University, Turkey (2000).

Dr. Sevkli joined the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Miami University in 2021. She previously worked as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Denison University, OH from 2018 to 2021, as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA in 2015, as an Assistant Professor at Fatih University, Turkey from 2012 to 2016, and as an Assistant Professor at King Saud University, KSA from 2010 to 2012.

Teaching Interest

• Computer Programming (C, C++, Java, Python)
• Object Oriented Programming
• Data Structures
• Data Systems
• Database Management Systems
• Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science
• Analysis of Algorithms
• Natural Computation
• Evolutionary Machine Learning
• Heuristic Optimization

Academic Experience

Journal Publications

1. Karadayi-Ataş, P., Sevkli, A.Z. & Tufan, K. A VNS based framework for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease converted from mild cognitive impairment. *Optim Lett* (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11590-021-01816-y
2. Asil Oztekin, Lina Al-Ebbini, Aise Zulal Sevkli, Dursun Delen “A Decision Analytic Approach to Predicting Quality of Life for Lung Transplant Recipients: A Hybrid Genetic Algorithms based Methodology”, European Journal of Operational Research, 266, 2018, 639-651 (SCI Journal)
3. Aise Zulal Sevkli, Khorshid Hamza, “A General Variable Neighborhood Search for Solving Sudoku Puzzles: Unfiltered and Filtered Models”, Journal of Soft Computing, Springer, 2018 (SCI- Expanded)
4. Aise Zulal Sevkli, Bekir Guler, , “A Multi-Phase Oscillated Variable Neighbourhood Search Algorithm for a Real-World Open Vehicle Routing Problem”, Applied Soft Computing, Vol. 58, 128-144, Sep, 2017 (SCI-Journal)
5. Aise Zulal Sevkli, Luvai Motiwalla, Hamdy Fadl Abdulkarem, “The Design and Implementation of Context-aware Mobile Hadith Learning System”, Int. J. Mobile Learning and Organization. 2017, Vol 11. No :4 pp: 295-313 DOI:10.1504/IJMLO.2017.10007385
6. Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, “Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization for Team Orienteering Problem”, Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences, Vol: 20 (2) pp 231- 239, 2012 (SCI-Expanded)
7. Khawlah A. Al- Rayes, Aise Zulal Sevkli, Hebah F. Al-Moaiqel, Haifa M. Al-Ajlan, Khawlah M. Al-Salem, Norah I. Al- Fantoukh, "A Mobile Tourist Guide for Trip Planning", IEEE Technology and Engineering Education (ITEE), Volume 6 (4) pp:1-6, 2011
8. Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, “StPSO: Strengthened Particle Swarm Optimization”, Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences, Vol: 18 (6), pp. 1095- 1114, 2010. (SCI Expanded)

Refereed Conference Proceedings

• Sevkli, Mehmet; Sevkli, Aise Zulal; and Cosgun, Oslem, "Comparison of Data Mining and Mathematical Models for Estimating Fuel Consumption of Passenger Vehicles" ( 2019). 14th Annual MWAIS 2019 Conference, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USMWAIS 2019 Proceedings. 34. https://aisel.aisnet.org/mwais2019/34
• Lina Al-Ebbini, Asil Oztekin, Zulal Sevkli, Dursun Delen, “Predicting Quality of Life for Lung Transplant Recipients: A Hybrid Genetic Algorithms-based Methodology” , 2017 IEEE Jordan Conference on Applied Electrical Engineering and Computing Technologies (AEECT), Proceedings of AEECT 2017, IEEE, Oct 11-13, 2017
• Bekir Güler, Aişe Zülal Şevkli, "Oscillated Variable Neighborhood Search for Open Vehicle Routing Problem", ICONIP 2015,22nd International Conference on Neural Information Processing, Istanbul/Turkiye, Nov. 2015, LNCS, Vol. 9491, pp 182-189
• Khorshid Adel Hamza , Aise Zulal Sevkli, “A Variable Neighborhood Search for Solving Sudoku Puzzles”, 6th International Conference on Evolutionary Computation Theory and Applications, Rome, Italy, October, 2014
• Hamdy Fadl Addulkarem, Aise Zulal Sevkli, “A Context Aware Mobile Application for Cutural Learning” , 3rd International Conference on Context –Aware Systems and Applications, Dubai, UAE, October, 2014
• Henda Ouertani Chorfi , Aise Zulal Sevkli, Fatiha Bousbahi, “Mobile Learning Adaption through a Device Based Reasoning”, Cyprus International Conference on Educational Research (CY-ICER 2012), In Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences , Vol 57 pp. 1707-1712, Elsevier Feb 8-10 2012, Lefkosa, North Cyprus,
• Henda Ouertani Chorfi , Aise Zulal Sevkli, Fatiha Bousbahi, "From e-learning to m learning: Context- aware CBR System", The 19th International Conference on Neural Information Processing (ICONIP 2012), Doha, Qatar, Nov. 2012, LNCS 7666 pp 528-534.
• Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, “Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization for the Orienteering Problem”, Evolutionary Computation (CEC), 2010 IEEE Congress , Barcelona, Spain, July 2010
• Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, "Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization for Team Orienteering Problem", International Symposium on Innovations in Intelligent Systems and Applications Proceedings, (INISTA 2010), İstanbul/Turkiye, Jun. 2010 (Best Paper Award)
• Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, Ozgur Keles, "Particle Swarm Optimization for Orienteering Problem", International Symposium on Innovations in Intelligent Systems and Applications Proceedings, (INISTA 2007) , İstanbul/Turkiye, Jun. 2007,
• Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, "A Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Function Optimization", European Workshops on the Applications of Evolutionary Computation (EvoWorkshop'08), Naples/ Italy, Mar. 2008, LNCS, Vol. 4974, pp. 585-595
• Zulal Sevkli, Erdogan Sevilgen, "Variable Neighborhood Search for Orienteering Problem", International Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences (ISCIS'06), Istanbul/ Türkiye, Nov. 2006, LNCS, Vol. 4263, Jun. 2006, pp. 134-143
• Zulal Sevkli, Mine Mercan, Atakan Kurt, "A Middleware Approach to Storing and Querying XML Documents in Relational Databases", LNCS, Vol. 3261 , Oct. 2004, pp. 223-232

Conference Papers with Undergraduate Students

• Paul Bass and Aise Z Sevkli, “Sequential and Parallel Scattered Variable Neighborhood Search for Solving Nurikabe”, ICVNS2021 The 8th International Conference On Variable Neighborhood Search, March 15-19,2021 (was acceptanced to present and will be published by Springer in Lecture Notes in Computer Science Series)
• Paul Bass and Aise Z Sevkli, “A Scattered Neighborly Approach to Solving Nurikabe”, Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, p 59, CCSC 2020 Midwest, September 25, 2020, Virtual Conference.
• Logan Mallory and Aise Z Sevkli, “Optimizing Neural Network Architecture with A Coarse Genetic Algorithm”, Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, p 71, CCSC 2020 Midwest, September 25, 2020, Virtual Conference.
• Ethar AlZaid, Lama Al-Frayh, Lama Al-Meshkhas, Monira Al-Delaimi, Reem Al-Shammari, Aise Z Sevkli “A Mobile Application for Riyadh Zoo”, in Proceedings of the Fourth Undergraduate Research Conference in Applied Computing URC 2012, Dubai, UAE, April 2012
• Manal Al-Hammad, Kholoud Al-Mousa , Reem Al-Rabeeah , Lama Al-Medbal , Manal Al Onaizan, Aise Zulal Sevkli, “Volunteering Portal: Stay Connected to the Arabic Volunteering World”, in Proceedings of the Second Undergraduate Research Conference in Information Systems (UCIS 2012), Carnegie Mellon University, Doha, Qatar, April 2012
• Manal Al-Hammad , Kholoud Al-Mousa , Reem Al-Rabeeah , Lama Al-Medbal , Manal Al Onaizan, Aise Zulal Sevkli, “Volunteering Portal”, in Proceedings of the Fourth Undergraduate Research Conference in Applied Computing URC 2012, Dubai, UAE, April 2012
• Khawlah A. Al- Rayes, Aise Zulal Sevkli, Hebah F. Al-Moaiqel, Haifa M. Al-Ajlan, Khawlah M. Al-Salem, Norah I. Al- Fantoukh, "A Mobile Tourist Guide for Trip Planning", in Proceedings of the Third Undergraduate Research Conference in Applied Computing URC 2011, Dubai, UAE, April 2011 (Best Presentation Award)

Book Chapters

• Mehmet Sevkli, Aise Zulal Sevkli, “A Stochastically Perturbed Particle Swarm Optimization for Identical Parallel Machine Scheduling Problems”, by the book "Bio-Inspired Computational Algorithms and Their Applications" edited by Shangce Gao, ISBN 978-953-51- 0214-4, InTech, March 3, 2012

Master Theses Supervised

• Abdulkarem, H.F. " The Effect Of Context-Aware Applications On The Progress Of M-Learning", Master Thesis, Department of Computer Engineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey, June 2014
• Hamza, K. A, "Solving Sudoku Puzzles with Metaheuristics, Master Thesis, Department of Computer Engineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey, May 2015
• Güler B., "A Study on Metaheuristic Methods for Open Vehicle Routing Problems", Master Thesis , Department of Computer Engineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey, Jun 2015.
• Ali Abbas Younis ALARABO, "A New Globally Convergent Computational Spectral Conjugate Gradient Algorithm for solving Complicated Nonlinear Test Problems", Fatih University, Jan. 2016

Graduation Project Supervised

• Endri Dani, Havva Feyza Mete, Bünyamin Atik, Ahmet Erkoç, " Komşu Komşu Huu:Location Based Social Network”, Computer Engineering Department , Fatih University, Jun 2015 o Won 2nd place in the FuBig Best Project Competition in Fatih University, Jun 2015.
  • Won 2nd place in the FuBig Best Project Competition in Fatih University, Jun 2015.

• Fatih Mehmet Savgı, Fatih Karateke, İsmail Furkan Kantar, Burak Karaçalı, "A Social Network Mobile Application for City Guide", Computer Engineering Department, Fatih University, Jun 2015

• Fatih TURGUT, Kerem DURAK, Numan Halid ARTIŞ, Safa Kadir TOKAY, "Myfatih: Official Student Information System Of Fatih University", Computer Engineering Department, Fatih University, Jan 2016
  • Won 2nd place in the FuBig Best Project Competition in Fatih University, Jan 2016.
• Hebah Al-Moaiqel, Haifa Al-Ajlan, Khawlah Al-Rayes, Khawlah Al-Salem, Nora Al-Fantoukh , " A Mobile Tourist Guide For Trip Planning", King Saud University, CCIS, Information Technology, 2011 - Won 2nd place in the AEC Competition for Best Project in CCIS in Jun 2011.
  • Best Presentation Award in Third Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research on Applied Computing (URC2011), 4-5, 2011, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Afnan Hanawi, May AL-Khalifah, Mashael Al-Mahdi, Mayssam AL-Khalifah, Nouf Al-Thabit "TV Guide Application for Android Mobile Operating System", King Saud University, CCIS, Information Technology, 2011
• Ethar AlZaid, Lama Al-Frayh, Lama Al-Meshkhas, Monira Al-Delaimi, Reem Al-Shammari “A Mobile Application for Riyadh Zoo”, King Saud University, CCIS, Information Technology, 2012
  • Won 2nd place in the AEC Competition for Best Project in CCIS in Jun 2012
  • 3rd place Award for outstanding projects in the Information Technology IT Project Fair in CCIS, May 2012
• Manal Al-Hammad , Kholoud Al-Mousa , Reem Al-Rabeeah , Lama Al-Medbal , Manal Al-Onaizan " Volunteering Portal", King Saud University, CCIS, Information Technology, 2012

Reviewer

• Applied Soft Computing (Certificate of Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing Award, September 2017)
• Applied Mathematical Modelling
• Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments
• Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences
• Medical & Biological Eng & Computing (MBEC)
• IEEE Access
• The International Symposium on Innovations in Intelligent Systems and Applications (INISTA).

Seminars

• “Metaheuristic Techniques for Real-life Optimization Problems”, Denison Scientific Association (DSA), Denison University, Granville, OH, March 27th 2019
• “Life in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait” Global Connection Workshop with GHS, Denison University, Granville, OH, Feb 13th, 2019
• ‘’My academic career journey”, Sharing our stories, Worthington Interfaith Neighbors (WIN), Old Worthington Library, Feb 26th , 2019, Columbus, OH, US.

Conference & Workshop Participation

• Tri-State Women in Computing Conference: An ACM-W Celebration, Feb 14-15, 2020
• Metacognitive Methods on Display, Sciences Division Faculty Workshop, Denison University, Jan 27, 2020, Granville, USA
• Leading Effective Virtual Meetings, Central Ohio Technical College, June 22,2020
• Southern Data Science Conference, April 11-12 2019, Atlanta, GA, US
• Deep Learning at Scale Workshop by Google Team, April 13, 2019 , Atlanta , GA US
• Ohio Celebration Women in Computing, Feb 22-23, 2019, Huron OH
• Working with iGen: Understanding the New Generation of Students, Fall Faculty Symposium, Denison University, Aug 27, 2019, Granville USA