Associate Professor of Industrial EngineeringKing Abdulaziz University
I use decision science and artificial intelligence to solve real industrial problems, from recycling streams and workplace safety to smart cities.
29 publications since 2019, by topic and year. Select a number to see those papers.
| Topic | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI & machine learning | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |||||
| Decision-making (MCDM) | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 18 | ||
| Sustainability & recycling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| Safety & healthcare | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||
| Smart cities & development | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||
| Operations & performance | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | |||
| All publications | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 29 |
A paper that spans two topics is counted in both rows.
I’m an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at King Abdulaziz University. I earned my B.S. at KAU, my M.S. at the University of Central Florida and my Ph.D. at the University of Miami. Alongside academia, I’ve worked in the private sector, including as a planning engineer at Fluor Arabia, and that experience shapes how I see the field: industrial engineering isn’t theory from a book, it’s a practical way to tackle real, complex problems every day.
That’s why I care about making complex concepts simple and clear for my students, and connecting them to real-world cases.
My research focuses on AI and its applications, machine learning, multi-criteria decision-making, sustainability and recycling, all driven by the same goal: contributing to a more sustainable and advanced world.
Six areas, one thread: better decisions with data.
Deep learning and data-driven models for real operations, from detecting PET bottles in recycling streams to shaping smart-city strategy.
5 papersAHP, BWM, TOPSIS, DEMATEL and VIKOR, plus new methods such as RAMS-RATMI, for ranking, selection and prioritization.
18 papersContamination in single-stream recycling, waste collection programs and sustainable building systems.
8 papersSafety climate in the workplace and the root causes of late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
3 papersTechnology efficiency, citizen satisfaction and the factors that drive human development.
3 papersSimulation, scheduling, inventory and efficiency analysis (DEA) for factories, banks and universities.
12 papersInvestigating key operational factors for robotic grinding quality using ensemble machine learning
Bafail, A. A., & Bafail, O. (2026). PeerJ Computer Science, 12, e4147.
Bafail, O., & Miski, A. (2026). PeerJ Computer Science, 12, e3884.
Bafail, O., & Miski, A. (2026). Journal of Industrial and Management Optimization, 22(4), 1981–2013.
2023
Simulation of truck activity at the loading stations, combined with AHP and TOPSIS to rank improvement options. Spreading platform use across the day raised operational efficiency by 27.9%.
2023
A BWM-based TOPSIS model that ranks HVAC systems against international sustainability criteria. For the studied building, a mini-package ductless system was the best fit.
2022
A step-by-step analysis of mechanical completion and handover, from the acceptance committee and punch lists to the completion certificate, with recommendations to make each step more efficient.