Ashok Vardhan Raja

Ashok Vardhan Raja is an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity in the Department of Computer Information Technology and Graphics at Purdue University Northwest's College of Technology. His research focuses on securing AI-integrated Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), particularly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), to enhance robustness against cyber threats. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Science (Computer Science) from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2023), an M.S. in Cybersecurity Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (2019), and a B.S. in Software Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (2017).

His expertise spans AI-enabled UAV cybersecurity, Cyber-Physical Systems security, machine learning applications in defense mechanisms, and sensor-driven anomaly detection. Raja's work emphasizes developing hybrid algorithms and experimental platforms like the UAV Cybersecurity Laboratory Platform (UCLP) to simulate and counteract adversarial attacks.

Research trends in his publications highlight a strong focus on UAV security through machine learning, adversarial attack mitigation, and infrastructure protection. He explores both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations, such as real-time anomaly detection and synthetic data generation for cyberattack modeling in critical systems.

Raja teaches courses on cybersecurity and AI, and his lab facilities at PNW support hands-on experimentation with UAV cybersecurity challenges. His contributions address emerging threats in autonomous systems, emphasizing the intersection of AI and physical infrastructure resilience.