Thomas Zacharias

Dr. Thomas Zacharias is a Lecturer in Cybersecurity at the School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow. His research focuses on cryptographic approaches to Cybersecurity and Privacy, emphasizing formal modeling, design, and analysis of secure systems. He holds a PhD in Cryptography from the University of Athens, with prior work as a Senior Researcher at the University of Edinburgh.

Education

• PhD in Cryptography, University of Athens
• MSc in Theoretical Computer Science
• BSc in Pure Mathematics
• BEng in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research Interests

Dr. Zacharias specializes in electronic voting systems (e-voting), privacy-preserving communication, blockchain protocols, multi-party computation, and cryptographic foundations. His work bridges theoretical contributions with practical applications, such as the Pebble project for decentralized e-voting solutions. Recent research explores decentralization in distributed protocols like e-voting and blockchain.

Publications

His publications span advancements in cryptographic protocols, blockchain security, and e-voting systems. Key areas include decentralized voting, privacy-preserving mechanisms, and formal verification of security properties. Recent work addresses challenges in blockchain dynamics and contingent service payments.

Awards & Grants

Recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Tezos Foundation for the Pebble project, where he serves as Co-Investigator. This project aims to develop and commercialize decentralized e-voting systems.

Teaching & Supervision

• Supervised PhD student Nikolaos Lamprou on e-voting systems in the quantum and classical settings.
• Teaches Cybersecurity Fundamentals (H) (COMPSCI4062) at the University of Glasgow.

Labs & Professional Engagement

A co-founder of the Pebble project and active member of the IET’s e-voting working group. Served on program committees for major conferences including CRYPTO, PKC, and PETS.