Inaugural Departmental Seminar for Academic Year
On November 23rd, 2025, the Petroleum and Mining Engineering Department conducted its first departmental seminar of the 2025–2026 academic year. This well-attended session brought together the department’s academic staff along with several colleagues from other departments, creating an interdisciplinary environment for methodological discussion and knowledge exchange.
Seminar Presentation Details
Presenter: Prof. Dr. Tariq H. Karim
Specialization Area: Data Analysis
Seminar Title: How to Handle Outliers in Your Research
Comprehensive Seminar Overview
The seminar focused specifically on understanding and managing outliers—data points that significantly differ from the rest of a dataset. Prof. Dr. Tariq provided a comprehensive framework for addressing these critical statistical elements in research contexts.
Key Seminar Content and Insights
Outlier Definition and Origins:
Identification of data points with substantial deviation from dataset norms
Common sources including measurement errors and instrumental inaccuracies
Unusual conditions creating atypical but valid data observations
Genuine extreme events representing real-world phenomena of interest
Importance of Proper Outlier Management:
Statistical distortion prevention of averages and central tendency measures
Variability control ensuring accurate representation of data spread
Misleading conclusion avoidance through proper data interpretation
Important phenomenon recognition when outliers represent significant events
Research validity enhancement across petroleum, mining, and engineering studies
Interactive Conclusion and Practical Application
The seminar concluded with an open discussion session, where staff members engaged in:
Discussion Components:
Practical example exploration from various research domains
Experience sharing regarding outlier challenges in ongoing projects
Methodology exchange across different engineering disciplines
Problem-solving collaboration for common data analysis issues
Best practice development for future research undertakings
Interdepartmental Engagement and Impact
This seminar successfully fostered cross-departmental collaboration and demonstrated the department’s commitment to:
Departmental Objectives:
Methodological rigor enhancement in engineering research
Interdisciplinary dialogue promotion on common analytical challenges
Research skill development among academic staff
Academic year initiation with a focus on research excellence
Community building around shared methodological concerns
The engaging and insightful nature of this seminar established a strong foundation for ongoing methodological discussions throughout the academic year, benefiting researchers across multiple engineering disciplines within the university.
Keywords: Research Methodology, Outlier Analysis, Data Management, Statistical Methods, Petroleum Engineering, Mining Research, Data Integrity, Academic Seminar
