Mushtak Al-Atabi

Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi is a professor of mechanical engineering and currently the Provost and CEO of Heriot-Watt University, Malaysia. His research interests include thermofluids, renewable energy, biomechanical engineering, engineering education, human development, happiness and academic leadership. He is an Honorary Chair at the School of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Birmingham (UK) and the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Engineering Science & Technology. Professor Al-Atabi has published three books, “Think Like an Engineer”, "Shoot the Boss", and “Driving Performance” and he has numerous research publications, awards and honours. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE) and a member of the executive committee of the Global Engineering Deans Council.

Professor Al-Atabi is an innovative educator, he pioneered the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) and delivered the first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) in Malaysia. Under his leadership, Taylor’s School of Engineering became the first non-US school to have a Grand Challenges Scholar Programme aimed at developing graduates who are able to address the 14 Grand Challenges for engineers in the 21st Century. He also trains executives from multinational corporations including banks and energy companies.