Dr Rafiq Swash is a seasoned professional with a decade of experience in international technology-driven industries, academia, and world class research centres. In particular, he has years of professional working capability in autonomous vehicles, connected robotics, AI-enabled algorithms, visual information search and retrieval, advanced 3D imaging and display.

In the post-graduate sphere, Dr Swash has completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Electronic and Computer Engineering and BEng in Computer Systems Engineering at Brunel University London; Oxford Entrepreneurship: Venture Finance at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford; Cambridge High Impact Leadership at University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

He has been actively involved in a multitude of research projects namely, the lead research scientist and contributed hugely in multi-million funded innovation research projects RUSHES (FP6-045189-STREP: Audio-visual Search Engine), 3DVIVANT (FP6-IST-7-248420-STREP: Advanced 3D imaging and display technologies.), IoRL: Internet of Radio Light (H2020-ICT-2016-2: Complex wireless communication project develops a safer, more secure, customizable and intelligent building network that reliably delivers increased throughput) and CEPROQHA (QNRF) for cultural heritage digitization and preservation of Qatar.

Dr Swash is a recipient of many outstanding awards such as Top 100 Leaders in Education by Global Forum for Education and Learning USA, the prestigious Vice-Chancellor's Doctoral Research Prize, E&T Innovation Awards 2020 finalist, IEEE Broadcast Technology Society 2013 Best Paper Award BTS’13, Academic Achievement Award, First BEST poster presentation prize in UG, Best UG Project Award in Electronic and Computer Engineering; Graham Hawkes prize, Chancellor prize and the Brunel University Medal for overall excellence achievement.

A true entrepreneur, Dr Swash has a proven track record of establishing deep tech companies internationally and is recognised as a visionary thought leader in the maritime industry. He spent his early career in the deep tech industry and has worked as a senior software engineer, implementation manager, technical lead, senior technology architect and technical director in Europe and USA.