Mohsen Ghafouri is an Associate Professor at the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering (Concordia University). His research focuses on cybersecurity, smart grids, and cyber-physical systems with emphasis on securing energy infrastructure against cyber-attacks. Key areas include detection and mitigation of false data injection attacks, grid resilience against load-altering threats, and secure transactive energy markets. Research interests include wide-area monitoring systems (WAMS), microgrid control, and integration of renewable energy sources. He has developed frameworks for real-time anomaly detection in power systems, blockchain-based security solutions, and machine learning approaches for cyber threat identification. His work addresses vulnerabilities in smart grid components like IEC 61850 substations and EV ecosystems. Recent publications (2024-2025) highlight advancements in securing FACTS controllers, EV charging systems, and distributed energy resources. He has proposed novel mitigation strategies using reinforcement learning, graph neural networks, and federated learning. No scientific awards or grant details are provided in the source text. No advising relationships or lab affiliations are explicitly stated.
Amr Youssef is a Professor at the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Concordia University. His research focuses on applied cryptography, network security, cyber-physical systems security, blockchain, and privacy. He has contributed extensively to securing smart grids, IoT devices, and web applications through cryptographic protocols and machine learning-driven solutions. His work addresses critical challenges in cybersecurity, including e-voting systems, fault-tolerant differential protection, and privacy-preserving communication protocols. He explores vulnerabilities in modern systems such as SSO permissions, JavaScript exploits, and stalkerware tools, while developing frameworks like MEGR-APT for APT detection and TEE-Receipt for non-repudiation. Youssef’s research integrates interdisciplinary approaches, combining cryptography with AI (e.g., vision transformers for power quality analysis) and leveraging trusted execution environments (TEE) for secure computing. His projects often involve collaboration with industrial standards (e.g., IEC 61850), emphasizing practical implementations in real-world systems.
Dr. Mohammad Zulkernine is a Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Cyber-Physical System Security at Queen’s University’s School of Computing (Faculty of Arts and Science). He leads the Queen’s Reliable Software Technology (QRST) research group and directs the Queen’s Centre for Security & Privacy. His research focuses on secure software systems for cyber-physical systems, including autonomous vehicles, IoT, and cloud computing. Dr. Zulkernine holds a cross-appointment in Electrical and Computer Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario. Education: BSc (Bangladesh BUET), MEng (Japan), PhD (University of Waterloo). He joined Queen’s in 2003 and has held sabbaticals at University of Trento, Italy and Irdeto Canada. He has published over 250 papers, led 35+ research projects, and supervised 120+ students. Awards include Canada Research Chairs (Tier I and II), Queen’s Excellence in Graduate Supervision Award, and Distinguished Supervision Award from the School of Computing. Research Interests: Cyber-Physical System Security, Software Reliability, IoT Security, Vehicle Networks, Secure Software Engineering, and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment. Active industry collaborations include EU-funded projects and Canada-Africa initiatives.
Rong Zheng is a Professor in the Department of Computing and Software and a member of the School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University, Canada. She holds a Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Mobile Computing and serves as Acting Chair of the Computing and Software department from July to December 2025. She is also an Associate Member of the Electrical & Computer Engineering department. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA Master of Engineering (thesis) in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Dr. Zheng's research lies at the intersection of mobile computing, wireless networking, and machine learning, with a strong focus on applications for aging populations. She directs the NSERC Smart Mobility for the Aging Population CREATE program. Her work encompasses sensor development, wireless network design, and mobile data analytics to address real-world challenges in healthcare, mobility, and data center monitoring. She has developed innovative solutions like the MacQuest campus navigation app and has captured first prize in indoor localization competitions. Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward applying wireless sensing technologies (particularly acoustic, Wi-Fi, and mmWave) to health monitoring and mobility assessment for older adults. There's a strong emphasis on developing efficient edge computing solutions that can process data in real-time on resource-constrained devices, as exemplified by her TeamNet framework for collaborative inference on the edge. Her work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications that have social impact. Scientific Awards: Tier-1 Canada Research Chair in Mobile Computing US National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2006) Joseph Ip Distinguished Engineering Fellow (2015-2018) Dr. Zheng leads the Wireless System Research Group (WiSeR) at McMaster University, which has secured significant funding including a $1.65M NSERC CREATE grant for smart mobility research for older adults. Her research has been supported by multiple funding agencies including NSERC, NSF, UH GEAR, and DURIP. She actively mentors graduate students and has developed specialized courses including CAS 772 (Mobile Data Analytics) and CAS 781 (Mobility in the Aging Population). The WiSeR group conducts impactful research on communication, networking, and data analytics issues in Cyber Physical Systems, with applications spanning healthcare, smart infrastructure, and data center monitoring. Their work on data center infrastructure monitoring networks has been featured in EurekAlert and Data Center Dynamics, and they've made significant contributions to indoor localization technology.
Dr. Hiren Patel is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. He holds a Doctorate in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech and previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley under Edward A. Lee. His research focuses on real-time embedded systems, computer architecture, machine learning hardware, and cybersecurity. He teaches courses like ECE 150 (Programming), ECE 320/429 (Computer Architecture), and ECE 327 (Digital Systems). Research Interests: Cyber-physical systems and hybrid architectures Hardware/software co-design methodologies Predictable cache coherence protocols IoT and edge computing systems Security in embedded and real-time systems Recent work emphasizes cache coherence solutions for safety-critical systems and GPU acceleration strategies. His publications address challenges in multicore predictability, FPGA bandwidth optimization, and autonomous robotics orchestration. No specific awards are listed, though his extensive publication record indicates significant contributions to embedded systems research. He currently oversees graduate student applications focusing on his core research areas.
Magdy M. A. Salama is a Professor and University Research Chair at the University of Waterloo's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. He holds a P.Eng. license and is a Fellow of the IEEE. His research spans Energy Systems (Power Quality, Smart Grids, Renewable Energy) and Biomedical Engineering (Medical Imaging, Sleep Analysis). He has authored/co-authored over 460 publications and supervised numerous graduate students. Education: PhD (University of Waterloo), M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Cairo University). Awards include the IEEE Fellow distinction, University Research Chair, and multiple teaching/research awards from the University of Waterloo. Research trends in his articles focus on Smart Grid resiliency, renewable integration, cyber-physical security, and biomedical applications of AI. Notable projects include voltage sag mitigation, EV fleet electrification, and blockchain-based energy trading platforms. Scientific Awards: IEEE Fellow, University Research Chair, Teaching Excellence Award (2000) Grants/Consultation: Extensive industry and institutional collaborations on power systems and biomedical tech. Labs/Teams: Active in High Voltage Lab, Smart Grids Research Group, and Medical Image Processing Lab.
Bilal Farooq is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the Master of Engineering in Interdisciplinary Engineering (MEIE) at Toronto Metropolitan University, holding the Canada Research Chair in Disruptive Transportation Technologies and Services within the Department of Civil Engineering. His educational background includes a PhD from the University of Toronto (2011), MASc from Lahore University of Management Sciences (2004), and BSc from the University of Engineering and Technology (2001). Dr. Farooq's research pioneers disruptive transportation solutions through cyber-physical systems, AI/machine learning applications, behavioral modeling, and optimization techniques. His work specifically targets on-demand multimodal systems, sustainable urban transportation, urban air mobility, automated vehicles, and extended reality applications, addressing critical urban mobility challenges with human-centered approaches. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trend toward quantum-enhanced computational methods, privacy-preserving federated learning frameworks, and sustainability-focused decarbonization strategies across transportation domains, with increasing emphasis on human factors and real-world implementation. Notable scientific awards include: Ontario Early Researcher Award (2018) Canada Research Chair (2017) MassMotion Academic Pedestrian Modelling Project of the Year (2016) Québec Early Researcher Award (2014) Dr. Farooq actively supervises graduate students and secures significant research funding through his Canada Research Chair position and Early Researcher Awards. He directs the Laboratory of Innovations in Transportation (LiTrans), which develops interdisciplinary solutions integrating mathematics, engineering, computer science, and economics to address emerging transportation challenges. LiTrans focuses on disruptive transportation technologies, complete streets design, cyber-physical systems, pedestrian dynamics, resilience, and climate change impacts, collaborating with industry and government partners to translate research into practical urban mobility innovations for smart cities worldwide.
Shiva Nejati is a Professor at the University of Ottawa 's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science . He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toronto and previously worked as a Senior Scientist (2012-2019) and Scientist (2009-2012) at the SnT Centre (University of Luxembourg) and Simula Research Laboratory. Research focus: Software engineering for cyber-physical systems (autonomous vehicles, IoT), blending formal verification, machine learning, and search-based testing Key tools developed: ARIsTEO, SOCRaTEs, SimCoTest, EPIcuRus Editorial roles: Associate Editor for EMSE Journal (2025–), ASE Journal (2025–), IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering (2020–2024) His work combines formal methods , empirical software engineering , and AI/ML to address verification challenges in complex systems, particularly through evolutionary algorithms and surrogate modeling . Notable collaborations include industry partners in telecommunications, automotive, and aerospace sectors. Recent publications emphasize large language models for requirements analysis, adversarial testing of vision systems, and multi-objective optimization for test generation. His Sedna Research Lab actively trains graduate students in these cutting-edge methodologies.
Ahmad Al-Dabbagh is an Assistant Professor in Manufacturing Engineering and holds a Principal's Research Chair in Control Systems (Tier 2) with the School of Engineering at The University of British Columbia. As a Senior Member of IEEE and ISA, he contributes significantly to the field of resilient automation and control systems through research, teaching, and professional service. His academic journey includes postdoctoral fellowships at Imperial College London, the University of Toronto, and the University of Alberta, where he also earned his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Al-Dabbagh's research focuses on designing resilient automation and control systems by addressing critical challenges in fault diagnosis, cyber security, and alarm management. His work spans theoretical foundations and practical applications in industrial control systems, with particular emphasis on detection and isolation of faults and cyber attacks, control reconfiguration, event-triggered control, remote state estimation, and alarm systems design. His research interests also extend to causality analysis, prediction methods, and root cause analysis for industrial processes. His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to control systems security and reliability, with recent work focusing on sophisticated methods for detecting false data injection attacks, analyzing alarm correlations using advanced machine learning techniques, and developing recommender systems for human operators in industrial environments. The trajectory of his research shows an evolution from foundational control theory toward increasingly complex applications in cyber-physical security and human-system interaction in industrial settings. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (CGS – D3) Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship Governor General's Academic Medal (Gold) As a graduate student supervisor, Dr. Al-Dabbagh mentors the next generation of control systems engineers while maintaining an active research program. He serves as an Associate Editor on the IEEE Control Systems Society Conference Editorial Board and is a licensed Professional Engineer in British Columbia and Ontario. His teaching portfolio includes courses such as System Identification, Digital Enterprise, Systems and Control, and Internet of Things, reflecting the breadth of his expertise. Dr. Al-Dabbagh leads the Okanagan Laboratory for Control Systems Research, where his team develops innovative approaches to enhance the security and reliability of industrial automation systems. The laboratory serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research that bridges theoretical control engineering with practical industrial applications, particularly in the energy, manufacturing, and process industries.
Victoria Lemieux is a Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Arts, School of Information, and Cluster Lead for Blockchain@UBC, Canada’s largest research cluster focused on blockchain technology. Her research centers on risks to trustworthy records in blockchain systems and their impact on transparency, financial stability, and human rights. She has pioneered Canada’s first research-oriented graduate blockchain training program and organized multiple interdisciplinary summer institutes. Education: Ph.D. in Archival Studies from University College London (2002), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP, 2005). Affiliated with UBC’s Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, Sauder School of Business, and Institute for Computers, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS). Research interests span blockchain technology , trustworthy records , risk management , information governance , and visual analytics , with recent work addressing healthcare data frameworks, Web3 AI integration, and socio-cultural dynamics of decentralized systems. She has published extensively on blockchain applications in archives, land transactions, and privacy-preserving technologies. Scientific Awards : 2015 Emmett Leahy Award 2015 World Bank Big Data Innovation Award 2016 Emerald Literati Award 2016 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award Supervision: Currently accepts doctoral students in Computational Archival Science and blockchain-related archival research. Affiliated with the Blockchain@UBC cluster and multidisciplinary research teams exploring decentralized systems for social good.
Rajesh Karki is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Engineering. He holds a B.E., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in related fields. His research focuses on power system reliability, renewable energy integration, and microgrid resilience, with particular emphasis on addressing challenges posed by extreme weather, cyber threats, and decarbonization targets. Dr. Karki’s work spans theoretical modeling, probabilistic analysis, and practical implementation strategies for smart grids, energy storage systems, and distributed generation. His educational background includes advanced degrees in electrical engineering, complemented by professional engineering licensure (P.Eng.). His research has explored diverse topics such as wind energy curtailment mitigation, energy storage optimization, and demand response mechanisms in developing economies like Nepal. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on grid resilience, reliability economics, and cyber-physical system security. Key themes in his work include: (1) quantifying the reliability value of energy storage in active distribution systems, (2) modeling cyber-physical threats to microgrids, and (3) developing frameworks for extreme weather-resilient infrastructure. Despite the volume of his publications (over 50 articles), no specific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided materials. His research often intersects technical, economic, and policy dimensions of sustainable energy systems.
Lei Lei is an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph, specializing in Computer Engineering. Her research focuses on Machine Learning/Deep Reinforcement Learning, Internet of Things (IoT)/Internet of Vehicles (IoV), Mobile Edge Computing, and Smart Grid Optimization. She explores cutting-edge applications in energy-efficient systems, autonomous vehicles, and intelligent transportation networks. Her work integrates advanced AI techniques with real-world challenges in communication and control systems. Key research areas include optimizing electric vehicle charging schedules using hierarchical deep reinforcement learning and enhancing vehicular networks through 6G communication protocols. She has pioneered methods for joint communication-control systems, securing federated learning models, and developing robust resource allocation strategies in IoT and edge computing environments. Lei Lei’s publications emphasize interdisciplinary solutions, bridging computer science, electrical engineering, and transportation systems. Her recent work addresses challenges in smart grid security, multitimescale control systems, and the application of AI tools like ChatGPT in connected vehicles. She is affiliated with the AI Affiliated Faculty at the University of Guelph, reflecting her contributions to artificial intelligence research.
Deepa Kundur is the Professor & Chair of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto. She earned her BASc, MASc, and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the same institution in 1993, 1995, and 1999, respectively. Current roles: IEEE Spectrum Advisory Board Conference leadership: General Chair of 2018 GlobalSIP Symposium, TPC Co-Chair for IEEE SmartGridComm 2018, among others Her research focuses on cybersecurity , signal processing , and complex dynamical networks , particularly in smart grid applications. She has authored over 200 publications and pioneered techniques for detecting false data injection attacks, enhancing grid resilience, and integrating machine learning into power systems. Her recent work spans quantum learning for grid security , LLM-based mental health prediction , and resilient control systems . She has received 14 best paper recognitions, including IEEE SmartGridComm (2015) and IEEE INFOCOM Workshop (2008). Fellowships: IEEE Fellow (2015), Canadian Academy of Engineering Fellow (2016), Massey College Senior Fellow (2019) Teaching awards: Tenneco Meritorious Teaching Award (2005), Gordon Slemon Teaching of Design Award (2002) Early career honors: NSERC Scholarships (PGS A/B), Canada Scholarship She leads the Kundur Research Group , developing models for cyber-physical systems in smart grids and autonomous vehicle networks. Her team explores reinforcement learning for grid defense , transmissibility-based fault detection , and privacy-preserving smart grid analytics .
Dr. Mohamed Hassan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at McMaster University. His research focuses on Cyber-Physical Systems-on-Chip (iCPSoCs) , emphasizing design, analysis, and deployment for critical domains like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Autonomous Cars, and healthcare systems. Key research areas include hardware/software codesign, real-time systems, embedded systems, and security. He teaches courses such as COMPENG 4DM4 (Computer Architecture) and COMPENG 4DS4 (Embedded Systems) . His work bridges foundational theories (e.g., scheduling, AI) with infrastructure-level innovations (e.g., compilers, memory systems). The Fanos Research Lab he leads explores interdisciplinary solutions for efficient CPS-on-Chip, addressing challenges in multicore predictability, memory latency, and edge computing. Recent contributions include frameworks for explainable memory-centric workloads and techniques to accelerate TinyML inference. Dr. Hassan serves on Technical Program Committees for conferences like RTAS and OSPERT, highlighting his role in advancing real-time embedded systems research.
Dr. Saiedeh Razavi is an Associate Professor and the inaugural Chair in Heavy Construction at McMaster University's Department of Civil Engineering, directing the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics (MITL). She holds a multidisciplinary background with degrees in Computer Engineering (B.Sc., Sharif University), Artificial Intelligence (M.Sc., Iran), and Civil Engineering (Ph.D., Waterloo). Her research focuses on smart infrastructure, connected mobility, and construction safety, funded by NSERC and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Key areas include transforming construction management through AI, autonomous vehicles, and smart work zones. Education: B.Sc. (Sharif), M.Sc. (Iran), Ph.D. (Waterloo) Research Interests: Smart cities, connected vehicle systems, data fusion, risk analysis, and sustainable logistics Leadership Roles: Director of MITL, Associate Chair (Research), and lead of national/international multidisciplinary projects Her work bridges academia, government, and industry to enhance mobility and safety. Notable grants include NSERC funding for transformative transportation systems. Awards include teaching excellence and innovation in team-based projects. Grants & Projects: NSERC, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and industry collaborations Labs/Teams: MITL, CPS-based construction safety initiatives, and autonomous vehicle research groups
