Sam Malek

Sam Malek is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and Director of the Software Engineering and Analysis Lab (SEAL). He holds a B.S. from UCI (2000) and M.S./Ph.D. from the University of Southern California (2004/2007). His research focuses on software engineering, security, accessibility, and self-adaptive systems, emphasizing tools for large-scale software analysis and protection. Malek has received prestigious awards, including the ACM SIGSOFT Test of Time Award (2020) and NSF CAREER Award (2013). His work bridges technical and human factors in cybersecurity, leveraging interdisciplinary approaches in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences.

Malek leads the Institute for Software Research (ISR) and has been funded by agencies like the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and NSF. His lab develops frameworks such as FUSION for self-adaptive systems and tools like Ma11y for accessibility testing. He also directs GAANN-funded cybersecurity initiatives to strengthen graduate education. Malek’s contributions span academic leadership, including editorial roles for top journals and expert testimony in intellectual property litigation.

Research interests include secure software architectures, mobile computing vulnerabilities, and inclusive technology. His work addresses socio-technical challenges, such as balancing human behavior with technical safeguards against cyberattacks. Malek actively recruits Ph.D. students in software engineering to advance these critical areas.