Dr. Nahina Islam
PhD (RMIT), MEng (LatrobeUni), BScEng(BUET), MACS, MIEEESenior Lecturer - ICT
School of Engineering and Technology
Institute for Future Farming Systems, Centre for Intelligent Systems
Dr Nahina Islam is a Senior Lecturer and researcher in the College of Information and Communication Technology at Central Queensland University, Australia. She has a strong track record in teaching and research, supported by multiple industry- and government-funded projects, high-quality publications, and recognised achievements in artificial intelligence, deep learning and machine learning applications, Internet of Things (IoT), smart farming, smart technologies, green energy, and wireless communications.
She is the Cluster Lead of the AI and Data Science Research Cluster within CQU’s CML-NET Research Centre, a research lead at CML-NET, and a member of the Institute for Future Farming Systems, where she works closely with interdisciplinary teams and industry partners to support the translation of research into practice. Dr Islam also serves as a reviewer and track chair for leading international journals and conferences and is an active member of IEEE, ACS, and IEEE Women in Engineering.
She holds a PhD in Telecommunication Engineering from RMIT University, a Master’s degree from La Trobe University, and a Bachelor’s degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Background
Dr. Islam completed her PhD from RMIT University in 2017, Masters in Electronic Engineering from Latrobe University in 2012 and Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2009. Her PhD research topic was ‘Energy Efficient Wireless Communication’, where she proposed energy efficient algorithms for terrestrial networks as well as Aerial base stations (UAVs). She developed a reinforcement learning (i.e. Markov decision process) based decision making algorithm towards an energy efficient system. This algorithm was applied to different applications, such as, to design energy-efficient base stations in terrestrial communication network and Aerial network; and to take energy efficient and delay aware handover decision in LTE-A heterogeneous network. Currently, she is working on several industry and government funded projects on the area of data analytics, IoT, image processing and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her research work is focused on various applications of AI and IoT-based smart farming and smart environment.
Universities Studied At
Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and technology, Bangladesh.
Masters in Electronic Engineering, Latrobe University, Australia.
PhD in Communication Engineering, RMIT University, Australia.
Universities Worked At
Sessional academic, RMIT University, Australia.
Research Assistant, Monash University, Australia.
Sessional academic, Charles Sturt University, Australia.
Lecturer, Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia.
Awards
- Recipient of the Vice-Chancellor's Value Award 2025 for Exceptional Research Leadership and Commitment to Mentoring Research Students.
- Recipient of the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Best Practice in Learning and Teaching 2025 (Higher Education category).
- Nominee on the Awards for Excellence in 2025.
- CSIRO ON Prime facilitator prize winner (CQU's IoE Research Team), November 2023.
- CSIRO ON Prime performance bonus award, CQU Smart IoT and Drones Team, 2022.
- Best paper award for 'Early Weed Detection Using Image processing and Machine Learning Techniques in an Australian Chilli Farm' in Agriculture Journal in 2021.
- Group winner award and overall (overall Australia) winner in 5- minute research pitch at CQU 2019.
- Won the 2nd price in 3-minute thesis competition at SECE research day, RMIT’ 2014.
- Scholarship from DATA61, CSIRO, Australia for pursuing PhD.
- RPS (RMIT PostGraduate Scholarship) Scholarship from SECE, RMIT University for pursuing PhD.
- Scholarship (Tuition fee waiver 2011-2012) from LaTrobe University for Master degree, Melbourne.
- Deans Scholarship for excellent academic results. (from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology).
Media Citations
AEA grant success: Fresh funding for AI, drone research in weed management ( 07 July 2025)
AEA grant announcement (4 July 2025)
Autonomous weed-targeting AI drones a sky-high success (EATP Project demo news) (24 February 2025)
Farming Ahead- IoT-augmented drones to take war on weeds to the skies (15 February, 2023)
Grain Central- CQU’s drones take war on weeds to the skies. (10 February, 2023)
Previous teaching
Professional Memberships
Member of Australian Computer society (ACS)
Member of IEEE
Computer Software
Prog Languages: Python, C/C++, Embedded C, Java, MATLAB, Verilog, MySQL, SQLite, MS Access ▪ Professional Word Processing: MS word, Latex, Tex ▪ General Office Software: MS Project, Visio, Word, PowerPoint; Adobe Photoshop ▪ Software: PSPICE, Quartus, NIOS, CST, Altium, CelPlanner, Labview. ▪ Statistical Analysis: MS Excel
Editor
Guest Editor, Special Issue “Artificial Intelligence and Automation in Sustainable Smart Farming” in Remote Sensing (Impact factor 4.509, Scopus Cite score 6.1), Deadline for Submissions: 31 August 2020.
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/special_issues/AI_smart_farming
An Intelligent, Adaptable, and User-Friendly Weed Management system
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Schemes: Australian's Economic Accelerator (AEA) Innovate Program; CQU Contribution; Camzilla cash contribution_FS; IMPEXPO GROUP PTY LTD; CONNECT AUZ PTY. LTD
Total Funding: $1,286,194.00
Artificial lntelligence-Enabled Secure Signal Processing and Connectivity for Autonomous Sensors
Grant: Scholarship (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes:
Total Funding: N/A
Automating Security Compliance Reporting for IoE devices in Critical and Sensitive Applications Using AI-Driven Algorithms
Grant: Scholarship (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Schemes: CSIRO Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Graduate Program
Total Funding: N/A
Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Secure Signal Processing and Connectivity for Autonomous Sensors (AI-SSPCAS)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Schemes: CSIRO Data61 Next Generation Graduates Program Grant - Regional Stream THROUGH RMIT
Total Funding: $513,268.00
Development of Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for detection and growth stage classification of Chinee apple and Navua Sedge weeds based on UAV captured imageries
Grant: Contract Research (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Schemes: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Queensland - Development of AI Algorithms - Contract Research
Total Funding: $2,700.00
Implementing AgTech in large scale herb crop production
Grant: Contract Research (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes: Contract Research - Botanical Food Company Pty Ltd - Implementing AgTech in large scale herb crop production
Total Funding: $42,000.00
Artificial Intelligence driven internet of Drones for targeted weed spraying (EATP 038)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 2: Other Public Sector)
Funding Schemes: Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships Program: Round One
Total Funding: $447,608.00
SeaGrow: Native Nurseries to Support Large Scale Seagrass Restoration
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes: Great Barrier Reef Foundation Blue Carbon Grant 2022
Total Funding: $1,506,201.00
SEAD: Seagrass enhancement via Ariel Drones
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes: Australian Ethical Foundation - Project funding
Total Funding: $90,909.09
NB2: Assessing practical interventions to reduce calf wastage and herd mortality in northern systems (P.PSH.1314)
Grant: Competitive Grant (Category 1: Aust Competitive Grant)
Funding Schemes: Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA); Meat & Livestock Australia Donor Company MLA-DC
Total Funding: $865,767.78
Vice-Chancellor's Award for Best Practice in Learning and Teaching - Higher Education - 2025
Grant: Award - Internal (Ineligible)
Funding Schemes:
Total Funding: N/A
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 4602 Artificial intelligence
- 4605 Data management and data science
- 4611 Machine learning
Current Capacity
Current Supervision
Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing - Image Processing
Communications Technologies - Wireless Communications
Internet of Things (IoT), Machine learning, deep learning, Image Processing, Smart farming
