Qingzhao Zhang

Qingzhao Zhang is an incoming Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Arizona, starting in Fall 2025. Previously, he completed his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan under the supervision of Professor Z. Morley Mao. His academic journey bridges computer science, electrical engineering, and cybersecurity disciplines with a focus on practical security applications.

Dr. Zhang's research spans computer security at the intersection of system security, artificial intelligence, and cyber-physical systems. His work addresses critical security challenges in safety-critical applications, particularly connected and autonomous vehicles. His research methodology combines formal verification, system building, and security analysis to develop practical solutions for real-world security problems. His expertise extends to blockchain security, industrial control systems, and AI security, demonstrating a broad yet cohesive research vision.

Analysis of Zhang's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on security challenges in emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on autonomous systems. His work demonstrates strong technical depth across multiple domains, from low-level network protocols to high-level AI systems. The trajectory of his research shows increasing sophistication in addressing complex security problems in cyber-physical systems, with recent work expanding into large language model security.

• Reviewer for ICLR 2025, ICRA 2025, ACM Multimedia 2024
• Artifact Evaluation Reviewer for Usenix Security 2022
• Pre-Review Task Force for NSDI 2025
• Teaching experience in Multidisciplinary Design Program at University of Michigan (2022-2023)

Dr. Zhang is actively recruiting PhD students for Fall 2026 and research interns. His research group focuses on developing security solutions for next-generation AI and cyber-physical systems, with particular emphasis on autonomous vehicles and critical infrastructure security. He maintains strong industry connections through his applied research in automotive security and blockchain technologies.