Muhammad Abusaqer

Professional Bio

Muhammad Abusaqer is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Cybersecurity at Minot State University. His work is grounded in machine learning, data mining, and cybersecurity. His research focuses on developing analytical tools that assess social media discussions on cybersecurity incidents, improving the understanding of cyber threat narratives. He is also engaged in projects related to AI-generated text and large language models.

In his teaching, Muhammad combines practical experience with digital tools—such as Pearson Revel and Cengage MindTap—and hands-on labs in ethical hacking to make complex concepts accessible. His courses emphasize active learning and critical thinking, moving beyond traditional lectures.

As a mentor, he has guided several student teams through undergraduate research projects, leading to student-led publications and presentations at academic symposiums. His commitment to academic service is also reflected in his involvement in organizing and chairing academic sessions.

Contact

Office: 110 Model Hall, Minot, ND 58707

Awards

• NDSU Teaching Assistantship: Recognized for academic merit and teaching excellence within the Computer Science Department at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND during my Ph.D. studies.
• Fulbright Fellowship: Honored for academic excellence and leadership potential, emphasizing my dedication to international cultural exchange.
• National Merit Scholarship: Awarded for exceptional academic achievements and potential, recognizing my status as a top scholar nationally.

Grants

• Empower Grant, Minot State University (Spring 2023): The MSU Empower Grant is designed to enhance the academic experience at Minot State University by supporting initiatives that increase student enrollment and advance academic standards. More about the grant can be found here. This grant has been instrumental in elevating the university's profile in cybersecurity education through practical activities of participation in the National Cyber League competitions and hosting expert keynote speakers. My initiative is directed towards enhancing the Cybersecurity and Operations major within the Department of Math & Computer Science, providing students with hands-on experiences that are pivotal for professional success.
• Zamalah Grant, Bank of Palestine (Academic Year 2014/2015): This grant supports Palestinian academics in gaining international exposure and enhancing educational practices at Palestinian universities. Detailed information about the Zamalah Program can be found here. I utilized this grant for my doctoral studies at Virginia Tech and then North Dakota State University, focusing on innovative technologies of AI.
• Fulbright Alumni Development Grant (Fall 2008): The Alumni Development Grant aids Fulbright alumni in furthering their educational and professional development. Learn more about this grant here. I leveraged this opportunity for a scholarly stay at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I specialized in Learning Management Systems to enhance educational methodologies.

Research

Research Statement

My research in computer science centers on harnessing advanced natural language processing, cybersecurity, and machine learning techniques to devise practical solutions for emerging digital threats. During my Ph.D. Study at North Dakota State University, I have developed a Cybersecurity NLP Identifier and Grader that automatically analyzes and classifies social media content related to cybersecurity incidents. This project aims to enhance cyber threat intelligence by pinpointing the most important and relevant security issues. It also exemplifies my commitment to translating theoretical insights into impactful, real-world applications.

My scholarly contributions include:

• Implementing automated methodologies to categorize large volumes of cybersecurity news, thereby streamlining the dissemination of critical security information.
• Analyzing public sentiments during major global events using deep learning techniques.
• Applying state-of-the-art NLP models (such as GPT, BERT, and RoBERTa) for robust offensive language detection.

Looking ahead, I plan to develop domain-specific large language models tailored for cybersecurity and integrate ethical, privacy-preserving strategies into AI systems. These initiatives, combined with my proven ability to secure research funding and mentor emerging scholars, ensure that my work not only advances academic understanding but also drives practical improvements in cybersecurity.

Publications and Presentations

Submitted / In Preparation

• [1] M. Abusaqer (2025). “A Comparative Analysis of Transformer and Traditional ML Models for Cyberbullying Detection on Twitter (now X).” Submitted to COMPSAC 2025 Harnessing the Power of Intelligent Systems: Shaping the Future, Toronto, Canada, July 8–11, 2025.
• [2] M. Abusaqer, “New Cybersecurity-Specific Social Media Dataset.” Manuscript submitted to Journal of Cybersecurity and Privacy.
• [3] M. Abusaqer, “Advanced Feature Engineering & Mathematical Relevance Framework.” Manuscript to be submitted to IEEE Access.
• [4] M. Abusaqer, “Empirical Comparison with Traditional and Advanced ML/NLP Methods.” Manuscript in preparation.
• [5] M. Abusaqer, “Real-World Tool Utility & Recommendations for Adoption.” Manuscript in preparation.

Published

• [6] A. Pun, B. Olson, and M. Abusaqer (2025). “Predicting Student Academic Performance: Using Machine Learning and Clustering.” In Proceedings of the 57th Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium (MICS 2025), April 4–5, 2025.
• [7] D. Degele, and M. Abusaqer (2025). “Analyzing Ransomware Incidents in Healthcare: Patterns and Risk Assessment.” In Proceedings of the 57th MICS 2025, April 4–5, 2025.
• [8] T. Khan and M. Abusaqer (2025). “Evaluating Quick-Commerce Platforms: A Sentiment and Topic Modeling Analysis of User Reviews.” In Proceedings of the 57th MICS 2025, April 4–5, 2025.
• [9] J. Jensen and M. Abusaqer (2024). “Global Echoes of the FIFA World Cup 2022: Sentiment and Theme Analysis via Deep Learning and Machine Learning on Twitter.” In Proceedings of the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium 56th - MICS 2024, April 5–6, 2024, Minneapolis, MN. (Direct Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [10] S. Khan, K. Khan, and M. Abusaqer (2024). “Text Detection between an AI Written Passage vs. a Human Written Passage.” In Proceedings of the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium 56th - MICS 2024, April 5–6, 2024, Minneapolis, MN. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [11] T. Smith and M. Abusaqer (2024). “Predicting Campus Crime Based on State Firearm Policy.” In Proceedings of the Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium 56th - MICS 2024, April 5–6, 2024, Minneapolis, MN. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [12] M. Abusaqer and C. Fofie (2023). “Cyberbullying Classification Using Three Deep Learning Models: GPT, BERT, and RoBERTa.” In Proceedings of the 55th MICS 2023, March 31–April 1, 2023, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [13] M. Abusaqer and Q. Sullivan (2023). “Darknet Traffic Classification Using Deep Learning.” In Proceedings of the 55th MICS 2023, March 31–April 1, 2023, Cedar Falls, IA. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [14] A. Scott, J. T. Snow, and M. Abusaqer (2023). “Automated Categorization of Cybersecurity News Articles through State-of-the-Art Text Transfer Deep Learning Models.” In Proceedings of the 55th MICS 2023, March 31–April 1, 2023, Cedar Falls, IA. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [15] M. Abusaqer, M. B. Senouci, and K. Magel (2023). “Twitter User Sentiments Analysis: Health System Cyberattacks Case Study.” In Proceedings of the 2023 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Information and Communication (ICAIIC), Bali, Indonesia, pp. 018–024. doi: 10.1109/ICAIIC57133.2023.10067026. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [16] M. Abusaqer and K. Magel (2022). “Comparison of Students’ Learning and Engagement on an Online Course Before and After the Spread of COVID-19.” In Proceedings of the 54th MICS 2022, PP 251–257, April 1–2, 2022, Milwaukee, WI. (Link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [17] M. Abusaqer and K. Magel (2019). “Teaching Computer Packages to Students Different in Everything” In Proceedings of the 52nd MICS 2019, April 5–6, Fargo, ND. (Conference Presentation Schedule link | PDF | Publication Details)
• [18] Y. Bhardwaj, M. Abusaqer, and M. Pérez-Quiñones (2004). “General Interface Description of Websites Using CLICK and UIML.” Technical Report T.R. 04-37, Dept. of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, 2004. (link | PDF | Publication Details)

Conferences’ Professional Service

• Co-Coordinator, Minot State AI & Data Summit – Oversaw student participation and project presentations from MICS 2023 and 2024, with two student teams winning top awards. (April 29, 2024)
• Session Chair: AI Classification, Midwest Instruction and Computing Symposium (MICS) 2024, April 5, 2024. Facilitated discussions and Q&A sessions, contributing to a productive academic exchange.
• Session Chair: Deep Learning, MICS 2023, April 1, 2023. Led discussions and ensured effective session flow, enhancing the symposium's academic rigor.
• Represented Al-Aqsa University at international events, including the Erasmus Mundus Fellowship summit in Belgium (2010) and in Delhi, India (2008).

Poster Presentations

• Poster Presentation at Midwest Machine Learning Symposium (MMLS), Minneapolis, MN – Presented research on public sentiment analysis regarding health system cyberattacks. (May 20–21, 2024)

Invited Talks

• Software Testing Talk, Computing Forum, Community College of Applied Science and Technology, Gaza, Palestinian Territories – Discussed the importance of software testing in modern computing environments. (June 6, 2006)

See all publications on Google Scholar.

Teaching Experience

Innovative Pedagogical Practices and Outcomes

I continually integrate new digital tools, virtual labs, and interactive project-based learning into my courses. By aligning course content with current industry trends and research, I ensure that students not only learn the fundamentals but also gain practical skills applicable to real-world challenges. My commitment to mentorship is reflected in the numerous student-led projects and presentations, many of which have led to published research and conference participation.

Minot State University

• Software Engineering and Testing – Spring 2023, Spring 2025
  Developed a curriculum that integrates hands-on labs with industry-relevant projects, fostering critical problem-solving skills.
• Defensive Network Security – Fall 2023, Spring 2025
  Designed course content that emphasizes real-world case studies and simulations to prepare students for cybersecurity challenges.
• Vulnerability Analysis – Fall 2023, Spring 2025
  Focused on practical methods for identifying and mitigating software vulnerabilities, bridging theory with applied practice.
• Applied Cryptography – Fall 2022, Spring 2024
  Developed and updated course materials that integrate current cryptographic protocols with interactive learning modules.
• Ethical Hacking – Fall 2022, Spring 2024
  Employed a blend of lecture, lab, and collaborative projects to ensure students gain hands-on cybersecurity skills.
• Computer Science II – Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024
  Covered advanced topics in object-oriented programming and data structures with a focus on software design principles.
• Computer Networks I – Fall 2022, Fall 2023
  Taught both theoretical and practical aspects of network design, protocol analysis, and network security.
• Mobile and Wireless Security – Spring 2023
  Introduced cutting-edge security practices for mobile and wireless systems, emphasizing hands-on lab experiences.

Visit my Minot State University faculty website for more details.

Previous Teaching Experience

North Dakota State University (During PhD Studies)

• Business Use of Computers (CSCI/MIS 116) – Developed interactive course modules that enhanced student engagement and digital literacy.
• Microcomputer Packages (CSCI 114) – Delivered hands-on instruction in common software applications, laying the groundwork for practical computing skills.

Al-Aqsa University (As Instructor)

• Artificial Intelligence – Introduced foundational and advanced AI concepts with a focus on practical applications and ethical considerations.
• Operating Systems – Provided in-depth coverage of OS concepts with a blend of theory and lab work.
• Web Programming – Taught modern web development techniques, emphasizing both front-end and back-end integration.
• Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming – Focused on building strong programming fundamentals and logical thinking skills.
• E-commerce – Integrated real-world business scenarios with technical instruction to illustrate online business models.

University College of Applied Sciences (As Instructor)

• Computer Networking – Delivered comprehensive instruction on network administration and security practices.
• Linux – Provided hands-on training in Linux fundamentals, command-line operations, and system management.
• Introduction to Programming – Taught programming fundamentals using modern languages and tools.
• Introduction to Computers – Offered an overview of computer systems and digital literacy, tailored for beginners.

Professional and Community Services

Academic Service

• Faculty Senate Member: Member of the Faculty Senate at Minot State University (2024–Present).
• Academic Assessment Committee Member: Serving on the Academic Assessment Committee at Minot State University (2024–Present).
• Department Chair & Vice Dean Roles: Held leadership positions at Al-Aqsa University, overseeing departmental and graduate studies development, including launching the university’s first Learning Management System with Moodle.
• Curriculum Development: Central figure in the comprehensive overhaul of the Computer Science curriculum at Al-Aqsa University in 2012.
• Scientific Conference Committee: Contributed to the organization of the college’s second scientific conference in 2013.
• Faculty Recruitment: Participated in the recruitment process for new faculty members in 2012.

Community Engagement

• Lions Club AI Presentation (2023): Introduced community members to cutting‐edge AI concepts, focusing on the current usage of ChatGPT and its future trends.
• Cybersecurity Student Association: Active member at North Dakota State University, engaging in discussions and activities, Fargo, ND (October 2021 - May 2022).
• Leadership Board Member: Served on the Palestinian Fulbright Alumni Association (PFAA), steering strategic initiatives (2006 - 2015).
• Alumni Career Fairs Organizer: Played a pivotal role in the First and Second Alumni American Universities Career Fairs in Palestine (2010, 2012), connecting alumni with potential employers.
• Electoral Volunteer: Volunteered in the Palestinian general election, aiding in the administration of electoral proceedings.

These roles demonstrate my commitment to academic service, collaborative improvement, and community engagement within higher education.

AI Explorations

AI-enhanced Image Gallery: A showcase of images enhanced and transformed by AI, demonstrating the power of machine learning in visual arts.

Did you know? AI-driven neural style transfer can blend the essence of famous art styles with your own photos, creating entirely new visual experiences. Explore how technology meets creativity in the images below!

Original Picture

AI Enhanced Pictures