Halil Ali is a Lecturer in Data Science (Education Focused) at the School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University. His research spans privacy-preserving machine learning, blockchain technologies, and cybersecurity. Key research areas include federated learning , quantum-enhanced AI , secure biometrics , edge unlearning , and privacy in healthcare data . His recent publications focus on resilient AI systems , blockchain applications , and ethical data handling in emerging technologies. His work demonstrates expertise in integrating machine learning with blockchain security across domains like IoT, smart grids, and metaverse healthcare. He contributes to practical frameworks for zero-trust architectures , lightweight consensus protocols , and quantum-classical hybrid models .
Ron Steinfeld is an Associate Professor in the Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity at Monash University, Australia. He holds editorial roles in Designs Codes and Cryptography (since 2017) and has served on technical committees for top-tier conferences like ASIACRYPT, CRYPTO, and EUROCRYPT. His research focuses on quantum-safe cryptography, lattice-based cryptography, and blockchain security, with over 80 refereed publications and AUD$4M+ in research funding. Education: BSc Mathematics and Physics (Monash University, 1998) BE (Hons., First Class) Electrical and Computer Systems (Monash University, 2000) PhD Computer Science (Monash University, 2003) Research Interests: Design and analysis of cryptographic algorithms, quantum-safe protocols, lattice-based security foundations, and blockchain applications. His work underpins NIST standard algorithms like Kyber and Dilithium through structured lattice problem research. Recent Articles Trends: Focus on privacy-preserving blockchain protocols, post-quantum signature schemes, encrypted data search, and cryptographic applications in adversarial AI. Recent work includes fair Bitcoin watchtower schemes and genomic database privacy solutions. Awards: ASIACRYPT 2015 Best Paper Award Advising & Grants: Supervises PhD projects on quantum-safe cryptography and blockchain security. Leads initiatives like the AUD$4M ARC-funded Quantum Information Technology project. Collaborates with industry partners including CSIRO/Data61. Labs/Teams: Key contributor to Monash’s cybersecurity and cryptography research groups, involving interdisciplinary projects on materials discovery ( Æinstein initiative) and post-quantum blockchain security.
Marcus Smith is an Associate Professor in Law at the Charles Sturt University , where he teaches LAW222 Technology Law and directs the Bachelor of Laws program. He holds advanced degrees from the Australian National University (PhD, LLM) and the University of Cambridge (MPhil). His research spans technology law and regulation , focusing on genomic data governance biometric identification AI ethics blockchain policy cybersecurity surveillance law He leads the Contemporary Threats to Australian Security research group and serves as Chief Investigator on an NHMRC-funded project (MRF2015531) addressing genomic dataset governance. His recent work analyzes algorithmic bias in facial recognition AI in healthcare blockchain's regulatory challenges post-pandemic cybercrime surveillance ethics data security frameworks He actively supervises PhD and honours students in technology law and contributes to law reform through submissions to international bodies like the UN Human Rights Council .
Dr. Amin Sakzad is an Associate Professor in the Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity at Monash University's Faculty of Information Technology. His research focuses on lattice-based cryptography, wireless communications, and post-quantum security protocols. He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Amirkabir University of Technology (2011) and has held academic roles at Carleton University and Monash since 2012. Dr. Sakzad’s expertise spans lattice coding theory, MIMO systems, and privacy-preserving technologies for genomic databases and blockchain applications. He leads multiple ARC-funded projects, including work on secure databases (SRDBMS) and post-quantum cryptographic primitives for FinTech and energy sectors. His research has been recognized through awards such as the FIT Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2021). Key collaborations include projects on blockchain security (CollinStar Lab), genomic data privacy, and energy market cybersecurity. His work addresses UN SDGs through contributions to quality education (SDG 4) and industry innovation (SDG 9). Recent publications highlight advancements in lattice-based cryptography (e.g., CRYSTALS-Kyber variants), privacy-preserving energy trading, and secure blockchain protocols like FPPW watchtower systems. His research bridges theoretical cryptography with practical implementations in embedded systems and 5G telecommunications. Grants: 16 active/completed projects including $1.2M in ARC funding Advising: Supervising PhD projects on lattice applications in post-quantum crypto and blockchain Labs: Core member of Monash’s Software Defined Telecommunications (SDT) Lab and CollinStar Lab
Aggelos Kiayias FRSE is Chair in Cyber Security and Privacy and Director of the Blockchain Technology Laboratory at the University of Edinburgh. He is also Chief Scientist at blockchain technology company Input Output. His academic work spans over two decades with more than 200 publications in cryptography, blockchain, and security. Dr. Kiayias received his Ph.D. from the City University of New York and was an undergraduate at the University of Athens Mathematics department. His research focuses on computer security, privacy, applied cryptography, and foundations of cryptography with particular emphasis on blockchain technologies, distributed systems, e-voting, secure multiparty protocols, and identity management. His recent work demonstrates continued innovation across multiple dimensions of blockchain technology, with publications spanning theoretical foundations, practical implementations, economic modeling, and privacy-preserving techniques. The research output shows strong emphasis on security analysis, consensus protocols, transaction processing, and economic incentives within decentralized systems. His work bridges theoretical cryptography with real-world blockchain applications. Among his notable recognitions are an ERC Starting Grant, Marie Curie fellowship, NSF Career Award, Fulbright Fellowship, election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2021, and the BCS Lovelace Medal in 2024. He has served as program chair for major conferences including the Cryptographers' Track of RSA (2011), Financial Cryptography (2017), Real World Crypto Symposium (2020), and Public-Key Cryptography Conference (2020), and as general chair of Eurocrypt 2013. Professor Kiayias has supervised over 20 PhD students, many of whom have gone on to academic positions at institutions including Imperial College, Stanford University, Royal Holloway University London, University of Glasgow, University of Sydney, and Virginia Commonwealth University. His current advisees include Yu Shen, Amirreza Sarencheh, and Christina Ovezik with expected graduations between 2025-2026. He leads the Blockchain Technology Laboratory at the University of Edinburgh and is involved in several major blockchain research projects including Panoramix and Fentec. His research has received significant funding from the European Union (Horizon 2020, ERC), UK research councils (EPSRC), US agencies (NSF, DHS, NIST), and Greek research bodies.
Sushmita Ruj is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. She serves as the Faculty of Engineering Lead for the UNSW Institute for Cybersecurity (IfCyber) and as the Taste of Research (ToR) Coordinator within the School of Computer Science and Engineering. Her academic journey includes previous positions as a Senior Research Scientist at CSIRO's Data61 (2019-2022), Associate Professor at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, and Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore. Dr. Ruj's primary research interests focus on applied cryptography, post-quantum cryptography, cybersecurity, blockchains, and data privacy. She designs practical, efficient, and provably secure protocols for real-life applications, with particular emphasis on critical infrastructure including smart grids, cloud computing, ad hoc networks, and data sharing frameworks. As quantum technology advances, her work increasingly focuses on developing quantum-safe algorithms to ensure a more secure Internet infrastructure. Her research spans multiple domains including cryptographic key management, proofs of storage, verifiable computation, vector commitments, and privacy-enhancing technologies for cloud and IoT environments. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward post-quantum cryptography solutions, with particular emphasis on blockchain applications, DNS security, and privacy-preserving protocols for industrial IoT. The research shows increasing focus on practical implementations of theoretical cryptographic concepts, with applications across multiple sectors including finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Her work bridges the gap between theoretical cryptography and real-world security challenges, with growing emphasis on the transition from classical to quantum-resistant systems. Best Paper Award at ACISP 2024 JNCA Best Survey Award (2023) NSW Innovation Award (iAward) Merit Winner (2022) Women in Science Award from CSIRO (2020) ACM Senior Member (2016) IEEE Senior Member (2015) Samsung GRO award (2014) Dr. Ruj has successfully mentored numerous PhD and Master's students, with many of her former students now holding academic positions at institutions like IIT Indore, TU Wien, and CISPA Helmholtz Center. She has secured significant competitive funding including multiple Australian Research Council (ARC) grants, Samsung GRO Award, NetApp Faculty Fellowship, Cisco Academic Grant, and IBM Research grant. Her current research portfolio includes projects on blockchain-based quantum-safe digital medical passports, embedding trust in digital IDs, and resilience of supply chain unstructured data. As Faculty of Engineering Lead for IfCyber, Dr. Ruj plays a key role in UNSW's cybersecurity research initiatives. She has served on editorial boards for prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security and has held leadership positions in major conferences such as ACISP 2021 and Indocrypt 2020. She was also a member of the working group on "Blockchain For Cybersecurity" for the National Blockchain Roadmap of Australia and the first Blockchain Working group set up by the Reserve Bank of India.
Dr. Kanchana Thilakarathna is a Senior Lecturer in Distributed Computing at the University of Sydney's School of Computer Science, and a member of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing. They hold a PhD from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a B.Sc. Eng (Hons) from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Prior to academia, they worked as a Research Scientist at CSIRO/Data61 and had industry experience as a Mobile Radio Network Engineer. Research Interests : Dr. Thilakarathna focuses on cybersecurity, privacy in mobile and IoT systems, mixed reality privacy, and distributed computing platforms. Their work emphasizes user-centric solutions like the Yalut social media app, which enables decentralized data sharing. Key themes include privacy-preserving techniques, edge computing, and secure federated learning frameworks. Recent Work : Recent articles (2023–2025) explore machine unlearning for large language models, federated learning security, and IoT network slicing using P4 programmability. Their work on synthetic video traffic generation (VideoTrain++) and drone detection (DronePrint) demonstrates cross-disciplinary innovation. Awards : Malcolm Chaikin Prize (2015), Meta Research Awards (2020/2022), and Heidelberg Laureate Fellowship (2019). Grants : ARC Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing (2024), NSW Defence Innovation Network Projects (2024/2021), and Facebook Research Awards (2022/2020). Students : Advising 4 current PhD students on topics like wireless trust establishment and machine unlearning. Labs/Teams : Part of the Centre for Distributed and High Performance Computing and Sydney Nano Institute.
Professor Gregor Verbic is a faculty member at the University of Sydney in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering , where he serves as Director of the Centre for Future Energy Networks . Previously, he held an assistant professor position at the University of Ljubljana and was a NATO-NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Waterloo. His career spans academic research, industry leadership as Head of Interenergo's Investment Department, and extensive collaboration with IEEE. PhD in Electrical Engineering (University of Ljubljana) Senior IEEE Member Research Interests focus on transforming power systems to zero-carbon grids through: Aggregation and control of distributed energy resources (DERs) Frequency control with wind generation and electric vehicles Stochastic optimization for multi-energy systems Smart home energy management with phase change materials Notable Contributions include: 2006 IEEE prize paper for voltage instability prediction 2010-2024: 15 recent publications on DER coordination, network tariffs, and low-inertia grid stability Teaching includes courses on: ELEC3203/ELEC9203: Electricity Networks ELEC5213: Engineering Optimisation ELEC5206: Sustainable Energy Systems Labs & Initiatives Centre for Future Energy Networks The Net Zero Institute
Dr. Azadeh Ghari-Neiat is a Senior Lecturer in Software Engineering at the University of Queensland's School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She completed her PhD in Computer Science from RMIT University in 2018. Prior to joining UQ, she held academic positions at Deakin University as a Senior Lecturer and at the University of Sydney as a postdoctoral research fellow. Her research focuses on the intersection of Internet of Things (IoT), Mobile Computing, Crowdsourcing, and Cybersecurity. She develops innovative solutions for enhancing connectivity and security in modern computing environments through crowdsourced approaches. Key areas include service composition in sensor clouds, trust management frameworks, and optimization of drone-as-a-service systems. Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on IoT service ecosystems, with recent work exploring blockchain applications and machine learning techniques for dynamic systems. The research trends show evolution from fundamental service composition to AI-driven optimization in distributed environments. Dr. Ghari-Neiat leads projects involving energy service crowdsourcing and secure architectures for cyber-physical systems. Her work maintains strong emphasis on practical applications in delivery systems, UAV networks, and IoT marketplaces.
Dr. Liyi Zhou is a Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the University of Sydney, specializing in systems security, blockchain, and AI. His research focuses on developing automated and adaptive security tools using machine learning and reinforcement learning. He co-founded D23E.ch, a platform addressing blockchain security and privacy challenges. Research interests include AI-driven vulnerability detection, large security models, real-time intrusion prevention, advanced program analysis (fuzzing/symbolic execution), and privacy-preserving systems. He actively recruits PhD students for projects advancing AI in cybersecurity. Notable achievements include pioneering 'sandwich attacks' discovery in DeFi protocols, contributing to Ethereum Foundation grants, and receiving bug bounties from Flashbots and Ethereum Foundation for vulnerability disclosures. His work has been published in venues like IEEE S&P, USENIX Security, and SIGMETRICS. Teaching includes the course INFO2222. He seeks collaborations and funding to bridge academic research with real-world industry problems, emphasizing practical impact.
Chris Speed is a Professor of Design for Regenerative Futures at RMIT University, Australia, and Director of Regenerative Futures. Previously, he held academic roles at the University of Edinburgh, including leading the Institute for Design Informatics and co-designing the Edinburgh Futures Institute. His research focuses on design-driven solutions for social, environmental, and economic challenges, leveraging data and emerging technologies. Key areas include blockchain applications, sustainable design, and regenerative systems. Affiliations: RMIT University (Current), University of Edinburgh (2012–2024) Grants: £7.4m Creative Informatics (UK), £5m DECaDE (Digital Economy) Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles on design informatics, regenerative futures, and blockchain ethics. Research interests span Design Informatics, Human-Computer Interaction, and Sustainable Design. He has supervised 23 PhD/MPhil students and pioneered projects like OxChain (blockchain for charitable giving) and Creative Informatics (data-driven creative industries). Awards: Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2020), Chancellor’s Award for Research (University of Edinburgh, 2020). Collaborations include BBC, Oxfam, and the Digital Catapult. His work emphasizes co-creation with communities to address systemic challenges, such as climate action and cultural value measurement.
Sri AravindaKrishnan Thyagarajan is a Lecturer at The University of Sydney's School of Computer Science, specializing in cryptography. He focuses on enhancing security and fairness in distributed systems, blockchains, and multi-party computations with applications in post-quantum cryptography. His work spans top-tier conferences like ACM CCS and IEEE SP. Education: B.Tech, Computer Science & Engineering, National Institute of Technology Trichy, India (2011–2015) M.Sc., Computer Science, Saarland University, Germany (2015–2016) Ph.D., Applied Cryptography, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany (2016–2021) Research Interests: Cryptography (classical and post-quantum), blockchain security, cryptocurrencies, fairness in multi-party computations, privacy-preserving protocols, and decentralized systems. Recent Articles: Focus on cryptographic protocols for blockchains, threshold cryptography, verifiable randomness, and secure atomic swaps. Recent work includes advancements in post-quantum signatures, distributed randomness generation, and privacy-preserving payment systems. Awards: Nominated for GI Dissertationspreis 2021 Advising & Grants: Advising Ankit Kapoor. Active in program committees for CCS, IEEE SP, and FC. Currently Program Chair for Crypto Valley Conference 2025. Labs/Teams: Part of the Sydney Blockchain Centre and cybersecurity cluster at the University of Sydney. Collaborates globally with institutions like NTT Research, Carnegie Mellon University, and Bocconi University.
Professor Ibrahim Khalil is a faculty member in the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Bern (2003) and has extensive industry experience in Silicon Valley focusing on secure network protocols. His research spans Security, Privacy, Federated Learning, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and Distributed Systems. He leads high-impact projects funded by ARC grants (DP250100582, DP220100215, etc.) and international initiatives like the EU’s SELFY project. His work addresses challenges in secure AI data analytics, privacy-preserving systems, and critical infrastructure protection. Khalil supervises PhD/Masters students on topics ranging from federated learning security to quantum-enhanced machine learning. Education: PhD in Computer Science (University of Bern, 2003); prior roles at EPFL, Osaka University, and industry tech hubs. Research Interests: Privacy-Preserving Technologies Blockchain Applications in Healthcare and Supply Chains Quantum Computing for Machine Learning Secure Edge Computing and Federated Learning IoT Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection Grants & Collaborations: Over 10 major grants since 2017, including ARC Discovery/Linkage Projects and international partnerships (QNRF, EU). Notable projects include Privacy-Aware Digital Twins for Critical Infrastructure and Federated Learning frameworks for GenAI models. Advising & Labs: Active supervisor of 25+ research projects since 2013, focusing on anomaly detection, secure data analytics, and blockchain-based systems. Collaborates with industry partners on defense and healthcare tech.
Dr. Nour Moustafa is an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow at the School of Systems & Computing (SysCom) , University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra , Australia. He leads the Intelligent Security Group and focuses on developing AI/ML-driven cybersecurity frameworks for smart systems. Educated at Helwan University (BSc/MSc in Information Systems) and UNSW (PhD in Cybersecurity). Research Interests include intrusion detection, threat intelligence, privacy preservation, digital forensics, and cyber resilience, with methodologies spanning statistical analysis , machine learning , and deep learning applied to IoT , Edge/Cloud , and Industrial IoT environments. His work emphasizes federated learning for privacy preservation, blockchain for secure AI, and digital twins for network self-healing. Notable contributions include the TON-IoT , Bot-IoT , and UNSW-NB15 datasets for cybersecurity evaluation. Scientific Awards : 2020 Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship ACM Distinguished Speaker IEEE Senior Member He has served as guest associate editor for IEEE Transactions journals and held leadership roles in conferences like IEEE TrustCom . His research bridges academia and industry, with over 75 publications in top-tier venues.
Associate Professor Jiakun Liu (FAustMS) is affiliated with the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney . He holds a BSc from Zhejiang University (2006) and a PhD from the Australian National University (2010). Following a Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton (2010-2013), he served as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong (2013-2024), securing an ARC DECRA in 2014 and an ARC Future Fellowship in 2024. Specializes in nonlinear elliptic/parabolic PDEs with applications in geometry and optimal transportation Research focuses on Monge-Ampère/Hessian equations , regularity theory, and geometric flows Contributions to convex geometry , minimal surfaces, and stochastic PDEs . His 2024-2023 publications in Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics , Advanced Nonlinear Studies , and Archive for Rational Mechanics demonstrate expertise in free boundary regularity , noncompact Minkowski problems , and global geometric analysis . Recognized with ARC Future Fellowship and conferences organized across Australia-China collaborations.
