Ethics and Elegance: How Sustainability Shapes Luxury and Fast Fashion Perception in the UAE

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) by Radwa Abdelmaksoud entitled, “Ethics and Elegance: How Sustainability Shapes Luxury and Fast Fashion Perception in the UAE”, submitted in May 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Rania Semaan. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Approval Signatures, Completion Certificate, and AUS Archives Consent Form).School of Business AdministrationDepartment of Management, Strategy and EntrepreneurshipMaster of Business Administration (MBA

Determinants of Off-Balance Sheet Business in the Case of GCC Banking Sectors during Covid-19

A Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) by Mohamad Jomaa entitled, “Determinants of Off-Balance Sheet Business in the Case of GCC Banking Sectors during Covid-19”, submitted in August 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Abed Al-Nasser Abdallah. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Approval Signatures, Completion Certificate, and AUS Archives Consent Form).This study investigates the factors driving the use of off-balance sheet instruments’ usage among banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council during the Coronavirus Disease 2019. It aims to determine how macroeconomic conditions and growing credit risk influenced these banks' reliance on off-balance sheet instruments. Additionally, it explores how variations in off-balance sheet usage varied across banks based on institutional characteristics, such as bank size and profitability before, during, and after the pandemic. Lastly, the study aims to highlight the implications of increased off-balance sheet activity for financial stability and regulatory oversight during crisis periods, as indicated by the capital adequacy and loan ratios. The study used a sample of 79 banks from the Gulf Cooperation Council and employed a multiple regression model to identify the significant drivers of off-balance sheet activity. A Wilcoxon test finds no significant change in off-balance sheet activity over the three periods. However, regression models for the respective periods find bank size as the most significant determinant of off-balance sheet usage across all years, while loan ratio negatively impacted off-balance sheet activity. Profitability and liquidity exhibited weaker and largely insignificant effects. These findings underscore the role of institutional characteristics in shaping off-balance sheet activity, presenting valuable insights for policymakers and bank management in times of crisis.School of Business AdministrationDepartment of Accounting and Information SystemsMaster of Science in Accounting (MSA

The n-Total Graph of an Integral Domain

A Master of Science in Mathematics by Myriam Abi Habib entitled, “The n-Total Graph of an Integral Domain”, submitted in May 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Ayman Badawi. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Let n ≥ 1. This thesis introduces the n-total graph of an integral domain, denoted by n-TG(R) where R is an integral domain i.e. the only zero divisor of the ring R is 0. The n-total graph is an undirected graph with vertex set R. Two vertices x and y are connected by an edge if xⁿ + yⁿ Є D where D is a prime ideal or the union of prime ideals. This study will explore both the graph-theoretical and ring-theoretical properties of the n-total graph of an integral domain or a product of integral domains, such as connectedness, completeness, diameter and girth.College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Mathematics and StatisticsMaster of Science in Mathematics (MSMTH

Exploring Digital Competitiveness through Bayesian Belief Networks

This study assesses national digital competitiveness by analyzing interdependencies among key factors influencing overall performance. Unlike conventional ranking models that assume equal weighting of pillars, this study uses Bayesian belief network (BBN) models to capture complex, non-linear relationships, offering a more precise identification of critical determinants. The methodology involves constructing BBN models using data from the IMD Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2023 for 64 countries. Three states were assigned to variables—low, medium, and high performance—and the tree augmented naive Bayes (TAN) algorithm was applied to model interdependencies. Thefindings highlight future readiness and knowledge as the most influential pillars, with high-performing countries demonstrating strengths in these areas. Additionally, critical sub-pillars such as adaptive attitudes and regulatory frameworks play pivotal roles. Unlike traditional approaches, this study identifies ripple effects within sub-pillars, demonstrating how targeted improvements in key areas can amplify digital transformation. The results emphasize the importance of a holistic strategy that considers these interconnections rather than isolated improvements. By providing a data-driven prioritization of key factors, this study offers policymakers a novel framework for resource allocation and strategic interventions. It contributes to the literature by challenging traditional schemes, advocating for a more comprehensive understanding of digital competitiveness, and offering guidance for targeted interventions tailored to each country's unique context

Heat Treatment Effects on Chemical Short-Range Ordering and Mechanical Properties of NiV Alloy

A Master of Science thesis in Mechanical Engineering by Omran Radwan Chaker entitled, “Heat Treatment Effects on Chemical Short-Range Ordering and Mechanical Properties of NiV Alloy”, submitted in July 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Wael Abuzaid and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Mehmet Egilmez. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Mechanical EngineeringMaster of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME

An Adaptable Framework For Strategic Optimal Planning For EV Charging Technologies

A Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation in Engineering Systems Management by Sarah Mahmoud Atef Hosny Kandil entitled, “An Adaptable Framework for Strategic Optimal Planning for EV Charging Technologies”, submitted in April 2025. Dissertation advisor is Dr. Akmal Abdelfatah and dissertation co-advisor is Dr. Maher Azzouz. Soft copy is available (Dissertation, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).This thesis presents a comprehensive planning framework designed for large-scale highway networks, aiming to strategically allocate various electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies, including Fast Charging (FC), Battery Swapping Stations (BSS), and Wireless Charging Lanes (WCL), alongside renewable energy resources. This adaptable and scalable framework facilitates the deployment of charging technologies to extend the driving range of EVs with minimal downtime. The research adopts a multidisciplinary approach that combines dynamic traffic simulations and electrical grid optimization. This integration ensures the efficient placement and operation of charging infrastructures, effectively minimizing the waiting time for EV users and maintaining traffic flow and grid functionality at minimal costs. A critical finding is that in high congestion and penetration scenarios, EV load can exceed typical demands by up to 36%, highlighting the significance of EV future demands. Moreover, FCS and BSS can fully satisfy the charging demand. However, BSS incurs higher costs at increased penetration and congestion levels but offers significantly reduced waiting times compared to FC. Conversely, WCL alone fails to meet over 30% of vehicle charging needs, illustrating its limitations as a standalone option and emphasizing the need for its integration with other technologies. Strategically combining FC, BSS, and WCL offers the best balance of cost, service level, and load management. This combination achieves a cost reduction of 13.53% compared to the combined use of BSS and WCL and 2.2% compared to BSS alone. It also enhances service levels by 51.61% compared to FC alone and reduces peak load by 16.31% compared to FC alone, demonstrating a balanced approach that optimizes infrastructure efficiency and responsiveness. The integrated use of these technologies ensures a more equitable distribution of load across the grid, presenting a robust solution for managing the growing demands of EV charging in diverse traffic and congestion scenarios. Additionally, the framework validates the suitability of highway and transmission line settings for robust EV infrastructure deployment. It lays the foundation for future research and development in smart transportation networks, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach to support sustainable energy and transportation systems.College of EngineeringDepartment of Industrial EngineeringPhD in Engineering - Engineering Systems Management (PhD-ESM

INScription: Department of International Studies (INS) Issue #29 (March 27, 2025, Issue 7)

College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of International Studie

A New Feature Selection Method for Qualitative Variables

A Master of Science in Mathematics by Lama Sayegh entitled, “A New Feature Selection Method for Qualitative Variables”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Ayman Alzaatreh. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Mathematics and StatisticsMaster of Science in Mathematics (MSMTH

From Athens to Andalusia: The Enduring Legacy of Plato, Aristotle, and the Islamic Philosophers

This article explores the foundational contributions of key philosophers—Plato, Aristotle, Al-Fārābi, Ibn Sīna, and Ibn Rushd—to the history of philosophical thought. It investigates their major ideas across metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, and political philosophy, emphasizing their relevance across cultures and time periods. The study also highlights the enduring influence of their work on both Islamic and Western intellectual traditions, showing how reason and revelation were negotiated in the pursuit of truth

On the Commutants of Toeplitz Operators on the Harmonic Bergman Space

A Master of Science in Mathematics by Hasan Iqtaish entitled, “On the Commutants of Toeplitz Operators on the Harmonic Bergman Space”, submitted in May 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Abdel Rahman Yousef and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Issam Louhichi. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).A key issue in the theory of Toeplitz operators is the commutant problem, which concerns describing the collection of all bounded Toeplitz operators that commute with a given one. In this thesis, we deal with Toeplitz operators acting on the harmonic Bergman space of the unit disk in the complex plane. Specifically, we characterize the commutants Tƒ of the Toeplitz operator Tz+g, where g is an analytic function and where ƒ possesses a Fourier series truncated above, meaning that ƒ takes the form ƒ(re ͥᶿ) = ∑_(k=-∞)^N▒〖e ͥᵏᶿfk(r). Our main result states that such commutants Tf must be polynomials in Tz+g of degree at most one.College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Mathematics and StatisticsMaster of Science in Mathematics (MSMTH