Mohammad Ali Salahuddin is a Research Assistant Professor at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo , specializing in networking and machine learning. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Western Michigan University (2014), with prior academic roles at Université du Québec à Montréal and Concordia University. His research spans 5G network slicing, vehicular networks, and secure content delivery systems. Education: Ph.D. (2014, Western Michigan University); M.S. (2003, Western Michigan University); M.S. (2001, SZABIST); B.S. (1999, FAST-NUCES) Dr. Salahuddin's research focuses on 5G/6G network softwarization , autonomous threat mitigation , and machine learning for network management . His work integrates reinforcement learning and federated learning for scalable solutions in SDN/NFV , IoT , and edge computing . Recent studies address data drift in encrypted traffic classification and DDoS detection using outlier exposure-based federated learning . He has received multiple best paper awards at IEEE/IFIP NOMS (2023, 2022), IEEE CNOM (2021), and Kenneth C. Sevcik Outstanding Student Paper Award (ACM SIGMETRICS, 2021). His NSF-funded projects include vehicular cloud resource management and localization techniques. Dr. Salahuddin actively contributes to academic service as Vice-Chair of IEEE KW Section's Communications Society and TPC member for top conferences.
Jun Li is a Professor at the University of Oregon within the College of Arts and Sciences . He serves as the Director of the Network & Security Research Laboratory and Founding Director of the Center for Cyber Security and Privacy. His academic career spans over 100 peer-reviewed publications and significant contributions to cybersecurity, networking, and distributed systems. PhD (UCLA, 2002) - Outstanding Doctor of Philosophy M.E. (Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1995) - Presidential Scholarship B.S. (Peking University, 1992) His research focuses on Cyber Security & Privacy , Computer Networking , and Distributed Systems , particularly examining: DDoS defense mechanisms Internet routing security DNS security Blockchain applications IoT security protocols Social bot detection Recent work (2023-2024) emphasizes adaptive DDoS filtering, cryptojacking detection, and security frameworks for smart homes. His publications span top-tier venues like IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing , ACM Transactions on Internet of Things , and INFOCOM . Scientific honors include: ACM Recognition of Service Award University of Oregon Faculty Excellence Award Ripple Faculty Fellowship Multiple best paper awards He has received funding from the NSF (including CAREER award), DHS , Intel , Narus , Ripple , and the State of Oregon . His work extends to patents in hybrid peer-to-peer security protocols.
Mathias Fischer is Professor for Computer Networks at the University of Hamburg since December 2021, affiliated with the MIN Department of Informatics. He previously served as an assistant professor at Universität Hamburg (2016-2021), University Münster (2015-16), and held postdoctoral positions at the International Computer Science Institute/UC Berkeley (2014-15) and the Center for Advanced Security Research Darmstadt/TU Darmstadt (2012-14). His educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from TU Ilmenau (2012) and a diploma in Computer Science from the same institution (2008). He also served as Head of Data Literacy Education in IT Support at the University of Hamburg's ISA Center. Professor Fischer's research spans critical areas of modern network infrastructure, with particular emphasis on IT and network security , resilient distributed systems , and network monitoring . His work addresses fundamental challenges in cybersecurity including botnet monitoring, intrusion detection, and critical infrastructure protection. His research group actively investigates P2P networks and develops innovative approaches to network security that balance functionality with privacy preservation. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on privacy-enhancing technologies, network security protocols, and resilient distributed systems. His research trajectory shows increasing attention to practical implementations of security solutions for edge computing environments, digital twin networks, and time-sensitive networking applications. The work demonstrates sophisticated integration of cryptographic techniques with network architecture design to address emerging security challenges in distributed systems. Among his notable recognitions are the Claussen-Simon Competition for Universities (2019), the University Prize of the Claussen-Simon Foundation (2019), and an Outstanding Paper Award at ACSAC (2018). Claussen-Simon Competition for Universities (2019) University Prize of the Claussen-Simon Foundation 2019 Outstanding Paper Award at ACSAC (2018) Professor Fischer leads multiple significant research projects including SOVEREIGN (Technologically sovereign security monitoring), RESISTANT (Resilient zero-trust platform for aircraft), and Dynamic situational awareness for rescue teams. His research group comprises numerous doctoral and master's students working on cutting-edge network security challenges. Current projects focus on developing resilient data and AI platforms for crisis situations, security monitoring for critical infrastructures, and innovative home network security solutions. The Computer Networks research group at the University of Hamburg, led by Professor Fischer, maintains active collaborations with industry and academic partners. The group operates specialized laboratories focused on network security testing, intrusion detection systems, and resilient network architectures. Current research directions include QUIC protocol security, federated learning security, and privacy-preserving network analytics, with strong emphasis on practical implementations that address real-world security challenges.
Roberto Perdisci is the Patty and D.R. Grimes Distinguished Professor in the School of Computing at the University of Georgia. He serves as Director of the University of Georgia Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy and Faculty Fellow at the Center for International Trade and Security. PhD in Computer Engineering (2007) and MS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (2003) from the University of Cagliari, Italy Current appointments since 2020 include Professor and Graduate Program Faculty in the School of Computing Research Interests span cybersecurity, network security, machine learning for threat detection, and forensic analysis of cybercrime. His work focuses on: Web-based social engineering attacks Robocall and voice spam mitigation DNS and CDN security analysis Malware behavior tracking Differential privacy in telecom systems Post-mortem cybercrime investigation Scientific Contributions include: 15+ years of publications at top venues (IEEE Security & Privacy, USENIX Security, ACM WWW, etc.) Co-inventor of 2023 patents for real-time attack mitigation Keynote speaker at IMC 2025 on internet measurement advancements Advising & Leadership involves mentoring graduate students and organizing workshops like the IMC 2025 Student Workshop. His lab develops systems like WEBRR for forensic replay of web attacks and TRIDENT for social engineering defense.
Natalija Vlajic is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at York University's Lassonde School of Engineering. She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ottawa and an M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Manitoba. Dr. Vlajic is a highly accomplished researcher with over 80 publications in international conferences and journals, specializing in cybersecurity with a focus on industrial control systems. Her primary research interests include network and information security, communication systems and network protocols, cybersecurity of industrial systems, machine learning applications in security, and system performance evaluation. She has made significant contributions to the understanding of security risk management, bot and DDoS attacks, user privacy, IoT security, and sensor networks. Her work bridges theoretical security concepts with practical applications in critical infrastructure protection. Dr. Vlajic's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on Industrial Control Systems security, particularly addressing vulnerabilities through innovative approaches like risk-based cryptoperiod optimization, attack tree modeling using MITRE ATT&CK framework, and advanced bot detection techniques. Her research combines traditional security methodologies with machine learning and data analytics to develop more robust protection mechanisms for critical infrastructure. NSERC University Faculty Award Faculty-Wide Excellence in Teaching Award Departmental Mildred Baptist Teaching Award Best Poster Award at ACM/IEEE ICCPS (2023) Best Paper Award at HoTSoS (2018) Dr. Vlajic actively mentors graduate students including Gabriele Cianfarani, Melina Najimi, Stefan Petrovic, Shadi Sadeghpour, Daniel Brown, and Jazdeep Sarai. Her research group has received significant recognition, with students presenting at major conferences like GradCon hosted by Waterloo's Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute. She serves as a co-editor for the IEEE Communications Magazine special issue on Security of Communication Protocols in Industrial Control Systems. Her research is conducted through the Security Research at York (SecRAY) initiative, focusing on practical security solutions for industrial systems, web applications, and IoT environments. The group maintains strong industry connections and collaborates on real-world security challenges, particularly in the domain of critical infrastructure protection.
Dr. Majd Latah is a Researcher (Postdoc) at the Department of Informatics, University of Hamburg, working under Prof. Mathias Fischer. His research focuses on cybersecurity for mission-critical systems, software-defined networking (SDN), and blockchain integration in network security. He holds a PhD from Ozyegin University. Key research areas include secure aircraft systems, decentralized security frameworks, and digital twin networks. His work emphasizes blockchain-based authentication protocols (e.g., HostSec, DPSec) and hybrid intrusion detection systems for SDNs. He has collaborated on projects like DTN-Core and CWT-DPA, addressing cross-domain authorization and distributed security challenges. Latah has published extensively on SDN security, blockchain applications, and AI-driven network optimization. His contributions span both theoretical frameworks (e.g., AI-enabled SDN overviews) and practical implementations (e.g., DoS attack detection systems). Affiliations include the Computer Networks research group at UHH, where he contributes to lab activities and team projects. His educational background includes studies at Ozyegin University under Dr. Kübra Kalkan.
Prof. Noa Zilberman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, leading the Computing Infrastructure Group. Her research bridges micro-level architectures and large-scale networked systems, focusing on sustainable computing, data systems, and in-network machine learning. She holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in relevant fields, with over 15 years of industrial experience, including a role as Senior Principal Chip Architect at Broadcom's Network Switching group. Before Oxford, she was a Fellow and Affiliated Lecturer at the University of Cambridge. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining computer architecture, programmable hardware, and data science. Current projects include optimizing LiDAR frame transmission via in-network ML, designing smart grids, and enhancing IoT privacy through federated learning. She has contributed to advancing carbon-aware networking and edge computing solutions. Zilberman’s publications reflect her expertise in in-network computing, cybersecurity, and AI governance. Her articles span technical innovations like DINC (Distributed In-Network Computing) and practical applications such as mitigating DDoS attacks using programmable switches. She actively mentors DPhil students, including those involved in breakthrough AI models for creative gameplay design. Awarded a Fellowship at Cambridge, her career bridges academia and industry, addressing real-world challenges through cutting-edge networked systems research.
Dr. Nick Pitropakis is an Associate Professor at the School of Computing Engineering and the Built Environment (Edinburgh Napier University). He actively contributes to cybersecurity research through 39 publications, focusing on threat intelligence sharing , cloud security , IoT security , and privacy-preserving technologies . CyberHunt - Automated Threat Hunting for Critical Infrastructures (Funder: Norway RC) TRUST Platform - Crossborder Data Federation (Funder: UKRI) AI-based Biometric Authentication (Funder: Data Lab) His research combines graph theory for attack path analysis and blockchain for secure threat intelligence sharing. Key publication areas include: LLMs in threat hunting Chaotic encryption schemes Adversarial machine learning Distributed ledger applications Scientific contributions span 19 journal articles, 15 conference proceedings, and 2 book chapters. Collaborates with Prof Bill Buchanan and Dr Pavlos Papadopoulos on cybersecurity standardization and trusted computing .
Angelo Spognardi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Sapienza University of Rome, leading the Network Security Lab group since March 2020. He teaches courses including Practical Network Defense and Programming Unit 2 for Computer Science and Cybersecurity programs. His research spans information security , with emphasis on fake phenomena in social media , fake content analysis in review systems, adversarial machine learning , and network security for resource-constrained devices . His work integrates bio-inspired models for bot detection and focuses on resilient metrics against disinformation campaigns. Recent publications explore LLM-powered bot detection and IPv6 security. He leads the Prebunking research project predicting coordinated inauthentic behaviors in social media. His lab promotes initiatives like CyberX Mind4Future , offering cybersecurity training with virtualized labs and hackathons. Master's students in Cybersecurity under his guidance achieve 100% placement with top salaries in Italy. Spognardi maintains active collaborations with the Sysma group at IMT Lucca and previously worked with DTU IoT Center and CNR's Institute of Informatics and Telematics. His industry impact includes frameworks like SafeDroid for Android malware detection and analyses of IoT broker vulnerabilities.
