Kami Vaniea

Biography

Dr. Kami Vaniea is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where she leads the Technology Usability Lab in Privacy and Security (TULiPS). Her research focuses on making security and privacy technologies accessible to end-users, developers, and system administrators. Prior to this role, she held positions at the University of Edinburgh (2015–2023) as Reader (Associate Professor) and Indiana University (2014–2015).

Education

• PhD in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, 2012
• BSc in Computer Science, Oregon State University, 2005

Research Interests

Her work spans cybersecurity, privacy, human-computer interaction, and phishing mitigation. Key areas include:

• Developer-centered privacy and security practices
• Phishing detection and user education
• Smart speaker privacy in multi-user environments
• Patch management challenges for system administrators
• Virtual reality applications in authentication systems

Affiliations

• Technology Usability Lab in Privacy and Security (TULiPS)
• Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Waterloo
• Games Institute and Design Informatics at University of Edinburgh

Teaching

She teaches courses such as ECE 458 (Computer Security) and ECE 750 (Special Topics in Computer Software), emphasizing practical cybersecurity principles and emerging threats.

Grants and Projects

Her projects include funded research on phishing mitigation strategies, smart speaker privacy, and developer education in privacy-by-design. She collaborates internationally on initiatives like the REPHRAIN Center for Privacy and Online Influence.