Michel Cukier

MICHEL CUKIER is a Professor of Reliability Engineering at the University of Maryland, serving as Director of the Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES) and affiliated with multiple institutions including the Center for Risk and Reliability, Maryland Cybersecurity Center (MC2), and UMIACS. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science (National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse, 1996) and a B.S. in Physics Engineering (Free University of Brussels, 1991).

• Affiliations: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science.
• Leadership roles: Director of ACES, PI/Co-PI on NSF-funded projects, and SFS Program Lead.

Research Interests: Focuses on dependability, cybersecurity, and software supply chain security. Explores fault tolerance, intrusion tolerance, and user behavior in cybersecurity contexts. Recent work investigates risk perception in cyberspace, secure software development practices, and cybersecurity education outreach.

Publications: Over 90 peer-reviewed papers in journals and conferences, emphasizing software supply chain security, intrusion detection, and cybersecurity education. Recent themes include IoT device vulnerabilities, secure software development, and game-based learning for equity in STEM.

• Key Awards: 2023 Higher Education Power List, USM Regents Mentoring Award, NSF CAREER Award (2003).

Advising & Grants: Mentors ~20+ graduate students and leads major grants such as the SFS-ACES Program and the S3C2 Center. Focus areas include workforce development, cyber policy, and experiential learning through internships and summer camps.

Labs & Initiatives: ACES Program (first U.S. undergraduate honors program in cybersecurity), CyberSTEM outreach, and research collaborations with organizations like the Laboratory for Telecommunication Sciences.