Profile

Masoud Shakiba

Unitec Institute of Technology

Domain of Research: AI; IoT; Automation

Dr Masoud Shakiba is a distinguished academic, researcher, and technologist with over two decades of extensive experience across both academia and industry. Currently a Senior Lecturer, Dr Shakiba has consistently demonstrated excellence in teaching, curriculum development, research leadership, student supervision, and stakeholder engagement. His multidisciplinary expertise spans Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous systems, and smart agriculture, with a strong emphasis on creating innovative, applied solutions to address real-world challenges. Dr Shakiba’s commitment to high-quality, student-centred education was recognised with the Unitec Teaching Excellence Award in 2023. His research has secured competitive funding from prominent bodies including KiwiNet, Unitec, Monash University, Malaysia Innovation Fund, and the Incentive Grant for Young Researchers. These efforts have contributed to significant advancements in AgriTech, AI-driven plant disease detection, autonomous vehicles, Smart Cities, and RFID technologies. He has authored over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations, covering areas such as smart agriculture, RFID systems, AI/IoT integration, and computing education. Throughout his career, Dr Shakiba has played a pivotal role in the development and delivery of innovative academic programmes and courses, including the New Zealand Diploma in Software Development, Robotic Process Automation, Capstone Projects, and Testing and Quality Assurance Management, consistently achieving outstanding student satisfaction. He has taught at 11 higher education institutions and contributed to the graduation of over 2,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Beyond his academic achievements, Dr Shakiba holds several leadership roles that bridge education, research, and industry. He is the founder of the Unitec AIoT Impact Lab and serves as the Industry Engagement Champion. Nationally, he has held leadership positions such as Chair of IT Professionals New Zealand (Auckland Branch). Additionally, he is the Director of TechTALK, an international seminar series that fosters industry-academia collaboration. Dr Shakiba is also the founder and former CEO of Shakiba Data Processing Ltd and Shakiba Open Technical and Vocational Training Institute. He has established and maintained strategic partnerships with leading organisations, including AWS and One NZ (Vodafone). A senior member of IEEE and a member of ACM, Dr Masoud Shakiba remains dedicated to advancing innovation in teaching, research, and technological development. He is driven by a global vision to create sustainable and inclusive impact across multiple disciplines.