PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Fakhreddine Karray

Also known as Fakhri Karray

Fakhreddine (Fakhri) Karray is an electrical engineer and IEEE Fellow whose work spans machine learning and intelligent systems. He earned an engineering diploma at the University of Tunis in 1984 and a PhD at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1989. From 1997 he worked at the University of Waterloo, where he was founding co-director of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute from 2018 to 2021. In August 2021, MBZUAI named him its provost, succeeding Ling Shao. As of October 2026, he is a professor of machine learning at MBZUAI and a professor emeritus at Waterloo.

Timeline

  1. 1984–1989

    Engineering degrees in Tunis and Illinois

    The University of Tunis grants him an electrical engineering diploma in 1984. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he completes a PhD in 1989.

  2. 1997

    Joining the University of Waterloo

    In 1997 he joins the University of Waterloo.

  3. 2004

    A soft computing textbook

    Soft Computing and Intelligent Systems Design, a textbook he coauthors, is published by Addison-Wesley in 2004.

  4. 2018

    Founder of Yourika

    In 2018 he joins Yourika as a founder.

  5. 2018–2021

    Co-directing the Waterloo AI Institute

    He serves as founding co-director of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute from 2018 to 2021.

  6. 2018–2021

    Fellowships and a paper award

    He becomes a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2018, and of the IEEE and the Engineering Institute of Canada in 2020. IEEE gives him the Best Land Transportation Paper Award in 2021.

  7. August 2021

    Provost at MBZUAI

    MBZUAI names him its provost in August 2021, succeeding Ling Shao.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor of machine learning at MBZUAI

    As a professor of machine learning at MBZUAI, he is also a professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo.

Sources and credits

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  1. Fakhreddine Karray - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Fakhreddine Karray | IEEE Vehicular Technology Society vtsociety.org. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. YOURIKA is utilizing AI to power the future of education - Accelerator Centre acceleratorcentre.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. MBZUAI appoints Professor Fakhreddine Karray as the new Provost – Intelligent CIO Middle East intelligentcio.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. Abu Dhabi builds quantum computer; New provost at MBZUAI middleeastainews.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Fakhri Karray, PEng | Electrical and Computer Engineering | University of Waterloo uwaterloo.ca. Checked 15 October 2026.