Mahtab Shahin is a Postdoctoral Researcher based in Tallinn, Estonia, with a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Tallinn University of Technology. Her research focuses on association rule mining for big data and cloud technology. She holds an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from Azad University of Najafabad and Isfahan, Iran.
Mahtab’s career began in Iran, where she developed a question-answering system using the ant colony algorithm. She later worked as a Big Data Engineer at the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Center (AIRE) in Estonia, predicting rare association rules using technologies like Spark and Hadoop. Her expertise spans big data, cloud computing, and algorithm design, and she is eager to leverage these skills in her role at EMERA.
How do you see your role in the Horizon 2020 ERA Chair project?
I’m eager to apply my expertise in big data and cloud computing to real-world maritime problems.
Why is Estonia/TalTech the best place for the ERA Chair project in maritime security?
TalTech is a hub for cutting-edge research and innovation in Estonia, especially in the digital space. The location of Estonia by the Baltic Sea and TalTech’s expertise in e-Governance and big data make it an ideal place for maritime safety research. For a project like this, we have access to the latest technology, outstanding infrastructure, and a strong network of international partnerships.
What are the main challenges of the project?
Our biggest challenge is integrating the vast amount of maritime data from multiple countries. Each dataset has its own unique characteristics, so integrating them all while ensuring privacy and security is not an easy task. In addition, we need to build models that are accurate, scalable, and adaptable to ever-changing regulations and environmental standards.
How do you see the future of the Center?
With the rapid advancements in AI, big data, and cloud technologies, we have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible in the maritime industry to become an international center of maritime safety research. We will be able to increase collaboration and funding by using technology to improve maritime safety and sustainability.
What would be the main lessons you would take away from the project?
There are so many stakeholders involved in the maritime sector, from ship operators to environmental regulators, that collaboration is essential to addressing the challenges we face. Another big lesson is how powerful data can be when used responsibly—it’s amazing how much insight we can gain from large datasets and how these insights can drive positive changes in the industry.
Contact: mahtab.shahin@taltech.ee
