Academic Staff

June 25, 2026, 12:30 a.m.
Muwafaq Mahdi Salih (PhD) Head of Department
None
Lecturer in Relator Spaces

Mathematics
College of Basic Education
University of Duhok

  • PhD in Relational Spaces and Their Applications, University of Debrecen, Institute of Mathematics, Debrecen, Hungary, 2022.
  • MSc in Group Theory, University of Nottingham, UK, 2013.
  • BSc in Mathematics, College of Basic Education, University of Duhok, 2008.

Since 2013, I have been actively engaged in higher education as a lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics at several universities in Iraq and abroad. I have served as a full-time lecturer at the University of Duhok since 2013, teaching a broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in mathematics, statistics, and related quantitative disciplines. My responsibilities have included supervising student research projects, mentoring students, developing course materials, and contributing to curriculum development and academic quality assurance.

From 2018 to 2022, I served as a Contract Lecturer at the Institute of Mathematics, University of Debrecen, Hungary. This experience provided valuable opportunities to teach in an international academic environment, collaborate with scholars from diverse backgrounds, and further strengthen my expertise in mathematics education and research.

Between 2014 and 2017, I worked as a Visiting Lecturer at Nawroz University, where I taught mathematics and statistics courses and guided students in developing analytical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and problem-solving skills. In 2016, I also served as a Visiting Lecturer at the American University of Kurdistan, contributing to undergraduate mathematics education through innovative teaching methods and student-centered learning approaches.

Throughout my academic career, I have remained committed to excellence in mathematics education, fostering critical and analytical thinking, and integrating research-informed teaching practices into the classroom. My experience across institutions in Iraq and Hungary has enhanced my ability to engage effectively with diverse student populations and adapt to different academic environments while maintaining high standards of teaching and scholarship.

Academic Leadership

Since 2023, I have served as Head of the Mathematics Department at the College of Basic Education, University of Duhok. In this role, I oversee curriculum development, support faculty advancement, and promote high standards of teaching, learning, and academic excellence within the department. My leadership philosophy emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement, and the creation of an environment in which both students and faculty members can achieve their full potential.

Beyond my institutional responsibilities, I have maintained active membership in leading international mathematical societies. I was a member of the European Mathematical Society (EMS) from 2020 to 2024 and the Australian Mathematical Society (AustMS) from 2021 to 2025. These affiliations have enabled me to remain engaged with current developments in mathematical research and education while strengthening my connections with the global mathematical community.

Through academic leadership and international professional engagement, I seek to contribute to the advancement of mathematics education at the University of Duhok and to participate actively in the broader scholarly community.

Conferences and Scientific Presentations

My research interests include topology, relator spaces, generalized uniform spaces, and connectedness properties. The outcomes of this research have been presented at numerous international conferences, workshops, and seminars in Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Slovakia, and Australia, reflecting active and continuing engagement with the international mathematics community.

In 2017, I presented my research at the 2nd International Scientific Conference hosted by the University of Zakho. My international academic activities expanded in 2019 with a presentation at the Analysis Research Seminar of the Institute of Mathematics at the University of Debrecen, Hungary.

During 2020, I actively participated in several international scientific events, including the 16th International Students' Conference on Analysis in Síkfőkút, the Síkfőkút Seminar of the Department of Analysis at the University of Debrecen, and the 34th International Summer Conference on Real Functions Theory organized by the Slovak Academy of Sciences. That same year, I also presented at the 9th Interdisciplinary Doctoral Conference at the University of Pécs and the 64th Annual Meeting of the Australian Mathematical Society.

In 2021, I presented at the 2nd International Hazar Scientific Researches Conference at Khazar University in Baku, Azerbaijan. This was followed by presentations in Turkey in 2022 at the 3rd International Siirt Conference on Scientific Researches and the 4th International Scientific Research and Innovation Congress held in Istanbul.

Most recently, I contributed research presentations to both the First and Second Duhok Workshops on Pure, Applied, Statistics and Educational Mathematics in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

International Training

As part of my ongoing professional development, I completed two international training programs at leading European universities. In [Year], I attended a course on Methods of Scientific Research at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, which enhanced my understanding of research design, data analysis, and contemporary approaches to scientific inquiry. In [Year], I participated in a Preparation Course on Academic Writing in Sciences at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, where I developed advanced skills in scholarly writing, academic publishing, and manuscript preparation. These experiences have significantly strengthened my research capabilities and continue to inform my work as a lecturer and researcher in mathematics and statistics.

Research

  1. Hasan, H., Salih, M., & Khalaf, A. (2025). A study on neutrosophic UP-algebra. International Journal of Neutrosophic Science, 26(02), 67–77.
  2. Mohammad, D., Ahmed, D., & Salih, M. (2025). The elliptic Sombor energy of graphs. Communications in Combinatorics and Optimization. Advance online publication.
  3. Rassias, T. M., Salih, M. M., & Száz, Á. (2025). Characterizations and set theoretic properties of some generalized open and fat sets in relator spaces. In Geometry and non-convex optimization (pp. 613–709).
  4. Ahmed, D., Salih, M., & Haje, D. (2024, August 18). Analyzing sub universe counts in finite semilattices: Unveiling the rankings and descriptions. arXiv.
  5. Rassias, T. M., Salih, M. M., & Száz, Á. (2022). Set-theoretic properties of generalized topologically open sets in relator spaces. In I. N. Parasidis, E. Providas, & T. M. Rassias (Eds.), Mathematical analysis in interdisciplinary research (pp. 661–730).
  6. Salih, M. M. (2022). Generalized open sets, minimality and connectedness properties in relator spaces [Doctoral dissertation, Debreceni Egyetem]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
  7. Rassias, T. M., Salih, M., & Száz, Á. (2021). Characterizations of generalized topologically open sets in relator spaces. Montes Taurus Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 3(3), 39–94.
  8. Salih, M., & Száz, Á. (2020). Generalizations of some ordinary and extreme connectedness properties of topological spaces to relator spaces. Electronic Research Archive, 28(1), 471–548.
  9. Abdullah, H., Ahmed, D., & Salih, M. (2018). Using Fibonacci number to integrate 2x2 and 3x3 matrices. Journal of University of Duhok (Pure and Eng. Sciences), 21(1), 1–5.
  10. Salih, M. (2018, June 11). Ordinary and extreme connectedness properties of relator spaces [Master's thesis, University of Duhok].
  11. Salih, M. (2018, June 11). Two illustrating examples on minimal and connected relators [Unpublished manuscript]. Department of Mathematics, University of Duhok.
  12. Ibrahim, H. Z., & Salih, M. (2017). A new type of weakly commutative groups. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 5(2), 228–231.
  13. Salih, M., & Ahmed, D. (2017). α-Q-fuzzy subgroup. Academic Journal of Nawroz University (AJNU), 6(3), 26–31.
  14. Salih, M. (2013, September). The search for trivial cyclically presented groups [Master's thesis, University of Nottingham].

My research interests are primarily focused on Relator Spaces and Algebra, with particular emphasis on the connections between these two areas. In the study of Relator Spaces, I am interested in generalized topological structures and their applications to fundamental concepts such as continuity, connectedness, and proximity. Relator spaces provide a flexible and powerful framework for extending classical topological ideas, offering new perspectives for investigating mathematical structures and their interactions beyond the scope of conventional topology.

In Algebra, my work centers on topological groups and the interplay between algebraic and topological structures. I am particularly interested in applying relator-theoretic methods to the study of algebraic systems, including groups and related structures, thereby establishing meaningful links between these disciplines. This intersection enables a deeper analysis of mathematical objects by combining the structural richness of algebra with the generality of relator-based topological frameworks.

More broadly, my research seeks to contribute to the advancement of modern mathematical theory through innovative approaches at the interface of Relator Spaces, Algebra, and related fields. Through this work, I aim to strengthen theoretical foundations while identifying new directions that enhance our understanding of the structural and relational properties underlying mathematical systems.