Dr. Noor Zainab Habib is an Assistant Professor in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society at Heriot-Watt University Dubai Campus. She is an academic and researcher in Civil and Transportation Engineering, with a strong focus on sustainable infrastructure and green materials.

She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Malaysia, MSc in Transportation Engineering, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from N.E.D University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan.

Noor’s research experience is in highway materials, green building materials, and reducing CO₂ emissions. Her work focuses on the preservation of depleting natural resources, the use of easily available, low-cost, locally sourced materials, and household-generated waste. Her research focuses on low-carbon sustainable building materials, ranging from pavement materials to roofing tiles, that incorporate waste generated by industry or the home.  

Noor’s contribution to applied research and innovation projects, including serving as a principal investigator on a collaborative project awarded a Gold Medal in the Invention category at the International Invention Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX), Malaysia, for her work on “Environmentally friendly roofing tiles” which addresses the issue of depletion of natural resources and CO₂ emissions by using waste vegetable cooking oil.

She is actively involved in teaching, research, and postgraduate supervision. Her research interests include transportation network performance, professional driver behaviour, highway materials, sustainable construction materials, and infrastructure resilience.

Noor has published more than 40 articles in peer-reviewed, high-impact journals, conference proceedings, and book chapters, and collaborates on interdisciplinary and international research activities.

 She remains engaged in research aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and welcomes opportunities for academic collaboration and doctoral supervision.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Dubai Campus Course Leader for all Geotechnics courses.
• CECM Dissertation Coordinator.
• Senate Member (2024-2027).
• EGIS Dubai Inclusion Coordinator, since 2023.
• EGIS Dubai EDI Coordinator, January 2026.

Research interests

• Highway Materials
• Bio-Based Material
• Waste vegetable oil
• Asphalt Rheology
• Airport Pavement structure & design
• Recycled Asphalt Pavement
• Recycle Rubber Tyre Pavement

Funded Research Projects:

Funding body: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Research Fund (UTARRF)

Award Value: MYR 32,000

Position: PI

Duration: One year (From 01/07/2014 – 01/07/2015)

Status: Completed

Project Title: Development of Sustainable and Energy-efficient Roofing Tiles Using Vegetable Oil as a Binder.

Funding body: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Research Fund (UTARRF)

Award Value: MYR 56,500.00

Position: PI

Duration: One year (From 01/08/2015 – 31/07/2016)

Status: Completed

Project Title: An investigative study of the utilization of waste engine oil and vegetable oil as a binder for the production of environmentally friendly E -Vege Roofing Tile

Funding body: Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)

Award Value: MYR 121'200

Position: PI

Duration: Two years (From 01/08/2015 to 31/07/2017)

Status: Completed

Project Title: Fundamental study on the binding characteristics of catalyzed waste oil.

Funding body: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Research Fund (UTARRF)

Award Value: MYR 42,600.00

Position: CO-PI

Start/Finish Dates: One year (From 20/12/2018 – 19/12/2019)

Status: Completed

Project Title: Fundamental Study of the Binding Characteristic of Glycerine Pitch in the Production of Green Building Materials

Funding Body: SCF Global Research Challenges Research Fund Grant (GCRF)  

Award Value: £13,489.00

Postion: Co-PI

Start/Finish Dates:  One Year ( 2019-2020)

Status: Completed

Project Title: Sustainable solutions improving quality of life in urban South-East Asia. 

Funding body: Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)

Award Value: MYR 92, 638.00

Position: Co- PI

Duration: Two years (From 1/09/2022 to 31/08/2024)

Status: Completed

Project Title: Analysis of binding mechanisms of treated glycerine pitch as a potential replacement of traditional binder of roofing tile.

Funding body: Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia

Award Value: IDR 50 million.

Position: Co- PI

Duration: One year (From 03/06/2025 to 03/06/2026)

Status: Ongoing

Project Title: Investigation of the Interface Strength between existing and new flexible pavement in deep patching for runway rehabilitation works.