Meet the Experts

Dr Temitope Omotayo

Senior Lecturer / School Of Built Environment, Engineering And Computing. LBU


Dr. Temitope Omotayo, a Senior Lecturer in Quantity Surveying and leader of the FUSP lab, holds a PhD and MSc from the University of Salford, UK. As a Chartered Construction Manager (MCIOB) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), he integrates Generative AI, BIM, and cost management to enhance UK construction productivity. He has led projects funded with over £2.5 million in Innovate UK grants, including the creation of costplan.ai, an AI-based construction cost estimation platform. Internationally, he secured a £31,000 British Council grant for AI-driven BIM research with the Middle East Technical University in Turkey. With 80+ publications, he also mentors PhD candidates and ensures research integrity as the Local Research Ethics Coordinator (LREC).

Professor Jiamei Deng

Professor / School Of Built Environment, Engineering And Computing, LBU


Dr. Jiamei Deng, a Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Control, and Energy at Leeds Beckett University since 2015, excels in data analytics, AI, and control system design across engineering fields. She holds two EU patents and has numerous publications in prestigious journals like IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems. Dr. Deng leads government-funded projects, including Smart online monitoring and Fault tolerant control for nuclear power plant safety, integrating AI for improved safety and security. As a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and Smart Energy Research Lab, she fosters collaborative research. She supervises PhD and master’s projects, teaches modules on data analytics and engineering systems control, and seeks industry collaborations and prospective PhD candidates.

Assoc. Prof. MEHMET KORAY PEKERİÇLİ

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koray Pekeriçli

Associate Professor / Department of Architecture, METU



Assoc. Prof. Dr. Koray Pekeriçli, with over two decades of experience in construction informatics, sustainability, and project management, holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Middle East Technical University, Turkey, and an MSc and PhD in Construction Management from Reading University, UK. He has worked as a Research Assistant at Middle East Technical University and as a Project Researcher at Carnegie Mellon University and Reading University. Since 2011, he has been an Assistant and Associate Professor at Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Dr. Pekeriçli’s consultancy projects, both local and international, focus on building detailing, BIM, and construction management. He teaches BIM to undergraduate and postgraduate students, using Autodesk Revit, and integrates software for enhanced learning.

Dr Ash Ahmed

Reader / School Of Built Environment, Engineering And Computing


Leading several undergraduate and postgraduate modules in the field of civil engineering materials science to primarily civil engineering students and also to construction, surveyors and architects.
Materials is an essential part of the built environment encompassing civil engineering, architecture, construction and surveying. I deliver modules across different undergraduate and postgraduate levels elaborating on the main construction materials, the properties and application in civil engineering / construction.

Dr Shariful Shikder

Senior Lecturer / School Of Built Environment, Engineering And Computing


Shariful Shikder, at Leeds Beckett University, specializes in BIM and construction management, blending teaching and research. With prior industry experience in the UK, particularly in BIM and project management, he contributed to EPSRC-funded projects at Loughborough University. His diverse research portfolio includes building simulation tools for optimized facility design, healthcare building energy performance, and sustainable design against climate change. His PhD focused on the thermal performance of residential buildings for older occupants. Currently, he teaches modules on Inter-professional Studies, Construction Safety Management, and more, while his research explores building performance, sustainability, 3D laser scanning, and virtual reality in construction.

Prof. Ali Murat Tanyer

Prof. Ali Murat Tanyer

Professor / Department of Architecture, METUBU



Ali Murat Tanyer, PhD, a distinguished Professor of Architecture at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, holds a BArch. from METU, an MSc from the University of Salford, UK, and a PhD in Construction Information Technology. His career includes roles such as Research Fellow at the University of Salford, UK, and currently, as a Professor at METU since August 2019. Notable projects he led include developing energy efficiency software for public buildings and establishing a curriculum on energy efficiency through Turkish-German collaboration, both funded by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ). Additionally, he contributed to developing a Smart City Road Map for Gaziantep Greater Municipality, funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

Anderson Akponeware

Lecturer / School Of Built Environment, Engineering And Computing


Anderson Akponeware, a lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, combines industry experience with academic insight. With a BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering from the University of Benin, Nigeria, an MSc in Construction Management from Loughborough University, UK, and a PhD in Energy and Sustainability in Construction from Teesside University, UK, he offers extensive knowledge. With over six years in industry roles like site manager and construction manager, Anderson collaborates with global industry partners to align research with trends. Currently, he works with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) to accredit the university’s MSc Construction Management programme. His research focuses on Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Design Science Research, and Industrial Cluster Decarbonisation. Anderson’s teaching includes Construction Management, Facilities Management, and Building Surveying, and he is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.