People
The School of Modeling, Simulation & Training
Research Group
The OptiSim Lab brings together faculty leadership, postdoctoral scholarship, doctoral research, and undergraduate inquiry across optimization, simulation, artificial intelligence, digital twins, cybersecurity, logistics, and autonomous systems.
Team at a Glance
- 1 Lab Director
- 1 Postdoctoral Scholar
- 3 Doctoral Researchers
- 1 Undergraduate Researcher
Lab Director
Prof. Ghaith Rabadi
Lab Director
Ghaith Rabadi is a professor and the director of the School of Modeling, Simulation and Training. Formerly he was a professor of engineering management and systems engineering at Old Dominion University and is the former vice president for research and development at Princess Sumaya University for Technology. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in industrial engineering from UCF in 1999 and 1996 respectively, and his B.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Jordan in 1992. Prior to joining the faculty at Old Dominion as an assistant professor in 2002, he was a postdoctoral scholar on NASA-funded projects for one year and a visiting assistant professor at the UCF Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems for another year.
He also worked as a research director at Productivity Apex, a modeling and simulation company based in Orlando. He has published two books and numerous peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He received the NASA Faculty Fellowship and he worked at the NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia as a faculty fellow.
He was awarded the NASA Software Invention Award and the NASA Board Action Invention Award. His research has been funded by NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Virginia Port Authority, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, MITRE Corporation, STIHL, CACI, Sentara Hospitals and Qatar Foundation. He received the Fulbright Specialist Program award. His research and teaching interests include planning and scheduling, operations research, simulation modeling and analysis, and supply chain management and logistics. He is a co-founder and the chief editor for the International Journal of Planning and Scheduling.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Murtadha Alsayegh
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Murtadha Alsayegh is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Central Florida’s School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training. His research focuses on multi-robot coordination, decentralized decision-making, secure multi-party computation for cyber-physical systems, and cybersecurity simulation. He develops simulation-driven AI frameworks that integrate reinforcement learning, mathematical optimization, and distributed control to enable resilient coordination in heterogeneous robotic teams.
His work spans applications in disaster response, autonomous systems, and digital twin–enabled logistics. Dr. Alsayegh actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students and contributes to advancing simulation-based education and research in intelligent autonomous systems.
Doctoral Researchers
PhD Candidate
Ahmad Bany Abdelnabi
Ahmad Bany Abdelnabi is a PhD Candidate and Graduate Teaching Assistant whose research focuses on developing intelligent, resilient, and adaptive transportation and delivery systems. His work integrates operations research, artificial intelligence, digital twin technologies, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to address complex challenges in next-generation logistics and mobility.
He holds two master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering and Modeling & Simulation, and has authored multiple peer-reviewed journal and conference publications. His current doctoral research centers on learning-based optimization approaches for the truck–drone routing and coordination problem, with the goal of enhancing efficiency and adaptability in emerging delivery networks.
Ahmad has received several awards and competitive scholarships, including the UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science Award of Excellence in Graduate Teaching Assistantship, NSF travel grants, an IEEE scholarship, and an Erasmus+ Scholarship. He has also served on the technical committees of international conferences such as ANNSIM and IEEE DTPI, and has held the role of Proceedings Chair for the ANNSIM conference for two consecutive years.
PhD Student
Costi Al-Dalou
Costi Al-Dalou earned his bachelor’s degree from Princess Sumaya University for Technology in Amman, Jordan, and is currently a Ph.D. student and information security and networks engineer. His experience spans cybersecurity, cyber risk management, IT governance, digital twins, and modeling and simulation studies, with additional background in machine learning and reinforcement learning.
He previously served as President of the ISACA Student Group and is currently the Treasurer of Modeling and Simulation Knights. His work focuses on advancing secure, resilient, and intelligent systems for complex environments.
PhD Student
Mohammad Baniabdelnabi
Mohammad Baniabdelnabi is a Modeling and Simulation M.S. student at the University of Central Florida, focusing on hybrid agent-based and discrete-event simulations for logistics, urban infrastructure, and autonomous systems. He has hands-on experience developing control and coordination algorithms for drone swarms using ROS 2, Python, and leading simulation platforms such as AnyLogic and NetLogo.
His work spans data-driven optimization, fleet utilization, and infrastructure-aware decision support for complex operational environments. As a Graduate Research Assistant, he contributes to the development of computational models and simulation frameworks that support systems engineering and performance analysis.
Undergraduate Researcher
Mariana Ramirez Velasco
Undergraduate Researcher
Mariana Ramirez Velasco is a Computer Engineering and Game Design student at the University of Central Florida (UCF), with a strong background in modeling & simulation, engineering, and leadership. Served as the Professional Development Co-Chair for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) at UCF, she has excelled skills in both technical and leadership roles.
Her experience includes working on NASA’s Artemis II and III missions, where she contributed as project manager in model & simulations, software development, quality engineering, RS-25 software, White Room Simulation, and the Orion Capsule.
Join the Team
OptiSim Lab supports collaborative research in optimization, simulation, intelligent systems, cybersecurity, and digital twins. Prospective students and collaborators are welcome to connect through OptiSim@ucf.edu.