Islam Ashry is currently a Research Scientist at Photonics Laboratory in the Division of Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences & Engineering (CEMSE) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering and M.S. in Engineering Physics at Alexandria University, Egypt, in 2003 and 2007, respectively. In December 2012, he earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering at Virginia Tech, USA, with a research focus on investigating the modification of spontaneous emission using layer-by-layer self-assembly. Before joining KAUST, he employed as a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Photonics Technology, Virginia Tech, to develop large scale fiber optical sensing networks with high sensitivity. Dr. Ashry has published around 40 journal/conference papers, has served as a reviewer for various IEEE/OSA journals, and he is a Senior IEEE Member.