Dr John H. Gerdes Jr. is Professor and IIT Graduate Director in the Department of Integrated Information Technology at the University of South Carolina's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. His research spans web-based data mining, knowledge management, and cybersecurity protocols. He teaches software development, database management, and web systems design. Current projects include virtual training environments for networking technicians and privacy-preserving certificate systems. He holds U.S. patents in temperature measurement and cryptographic certificates. Contact: jgerdes@sc.edu; phone: 803-777-8529.
Professor Kamran Kiasaleh holds the position of Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), within the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. He is also a Professional Engineer licensed in Texas and directs the Optical Communications Lab. His research focuses on optical communications (including free-space and underwater systems), wireless technologies, biomedical signal processing, and tissue optics. Key areas include FSO channel analysis, quantum key distribution, microwave breast cancer detection, and particle swarm optimization for antenna design. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC). Awards include the NASA Group Achievement Award (1993) for contributions to the Galileo Optical Experiment. He holds multiple patents on optical receiver architectures, channel estimation, and communication systems. His work is supported by agencies like NSF, National Institute of Justice, Texas Instruments, and State of Texas programs. Research interests span optical beam tracking, turbulence effects, biomedical signal classification, and SDR implementations. Recent publications address underwater optical communication challenges, sepsis detection via ECG signals, and adaptive algorithms for OFDM systems. His lab explores innovative solutions in microwave imaging, antenna design, and real-time signal processing. Awards: NASA Group Achievement Award (1993), 7 USPTO patents. Grants: NSF, NIJ, Texas Emerging Tech Program, NxGEN Partners. Courses Taught: Optical Communication Systems, Detection & Estimation, Wireless Communications.
Sandeep Bhatt is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, within the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science. He holds a PhD, MS, and BS in Computer Science from MIT. His research focuses on Algorithms, Networks, Parallel Computing, and Theory of Computation, with recent contributions to Cybersecurity and Enterprise IT Risk Analysis. Dr. Bhatt's professional experience spans academia and industry, including roles as Director at Akamai Technologies, Bell Communications Research, and Yale University. He has contributed to numerous patents, such as hierarchical image segmentation and threat exchange security methods. Notable awards include the 2023 Outstanding Teacher Award from Stevens Alumni Association. His academic career emphasizes teaching and research in theoretical computer science, with courses like Algorithmic Complexity and Theory of Computation. His publications span cybersecurity frameworks, network analysis, and algorithmic advancements, reflecting a blend of theoretical rigor and practical industry application.
Dr. Ying Wang serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens Institute of Technology's Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science since August 2021. Her interdisciplinary background bridges wireless communications, health informatics, software engineering, and data mining with extensive industry experience. Her research spans cybersecurity , wireless communications , and health AI , focusing on AI-driven 5G/NextG platforms, quantum-enhanced UAV security, and telehealth systems. Key projects include quantum-optimized beamforming for UAV swarms, formal verification of 5G protocols, and edge-centered medical decision support systems leveraging IoMT. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a strong trend toward quantum-secure communications and hybrid AI-quantum frameworks for vulnerability detection, with 60% of articles integrating quantum techniques for cybersecurity applications. Her work consistently bridges theoretical advances with real-world validation through over-the-air testing and industry partnerships. Awards: Tom Ode Richardson Faculty Fellowship (2024) Dr. Wang actively mentors undergraduate senior design teams, with multiple groups winning Best Project awards for UAV security systems and 5G digital twins. She leads the MACC Lab, which develops deployable solutions for defense and healthcare applications, including real-time anomaly detection frameworks and edge-based radiology diagnosis systems.
Fatemeh Khoda Parast is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). She previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph from September 2023 to September 2024. Her PhD in Computer Science from UNB (2019–2023) focused on the security of large-scale distributed storage systems. She currently researches transforming cyber threat intelligence into rapid defense mechanisms. Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of New Brunswick (2019–2023) Her research interests span cybersecurity, cyber threat intelligence, digital forensics, and cloud storage security. She explores cryptographic solutions for distributed systems and AI-driven threat detection. Recent work includes CephArmor (secure Ceph storage interfaces) and neural network-based RSA cryptanalysis. Her publications address cutting-edge topics like AI in threat intelligence automation and privacy-preserving machine learning for distributed data. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned. No advising or grant details are provided. Her work contributes to advancing secure cloud infrastructure and cryptographic protocols.
Dr. Arif Khan is a Senior Lecturer in Computing at Charles Sturt University's School of Computing and Mathematics, within the Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences. He holds a PhD from Macquarie University (2010), MS in Electronic Engineering from GIK Institute (2004), and BSc in Electrical Engineering from UET Lahore (2000). His research focuses on wireless communication systems, vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs), cyber security, and IoT security. He leads the Advanced Networks Research Group (ANRG) and has secured multiple grants and awards, including the 2024 Excellence Award (Research). His work emphasizes AI-driven solutions for network security, channel estimation, and resource optimization in emerging technologies like 5G/6G and edge computing. Education Background: PhD, Macquarie University (2010) MS Electronic Engineering, GIK Institute (2004) BSc Electrical Engineering, UET Lahore (2000) Research Interests: MIMO wireless systems Cyber security and ransomware detection IoT and edge computing Wireless channel estimation Vehicular ad-hoc networks Key Achievements: Over 75 peer-reviewed publications Principal investigator on grants totaling $1.2M Co-founder of ANRG at CSU Recipient of Charles Sturt Excellence Awards (2023, 2024) Grants and Funding: Developing automated ML-based IoT vulnerability detection model ($250K) Enhancing Cyber Security Research Capabilities ($180K) Labs/Teams: Leader of the Advanced Networks Research Group (ANRG), collaborating with CSIRO and industry partners on 5G/6G and cyber security projects.
Dr. Jake Chen is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. He serves as Associate Director and Chief Bioinformatics Officer of the Informatics Institute, and leads the Informatics Section within the Genetics Department at UAB School of Medicine. His research focuses on big data analytics, translational bioinformatics, systems biology, and personalized medicine, with over 120 peer-reviewed publications since 1995. Dr. Chen’s work emphasizes applying AI and machine learning to healthcare challenges, including drug discovery, cancer genomics, and biomarker identification. He has been a finalist for 'Indiana’s Technology Educator of the Year' multiple times. His interdisciplinary projects include developing tools like PAGER-CoV for COVID-19 analysis, neuro-symbolic AI frameworks for drug repurposing, and visualization systems for biomedical knowledge graphs. He also contributes to initiatives like Bridge2AI, advancing AI-readiness in biomedical data science. Dr. Chen’s collaborations span academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, reflecting his commitment to bridging computational methods with clinical applications. Key contributions include innovations in gene ontology analysis (GOALS), multi-scale cancer simulations (MLPA), and UV radiation’s systemic effects. His work often integrates data mining, network biology, and visual analytics to address complex human diseases. Dr. Chen has secured significant research grants and serves in leadership roles for conferences and editorial boards in bioinformatics and AI.
Giuseppe Ateniese is a Professor and Eminent Scholar in Cybersecurity at George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing, holding dual appointments in the Departments of Cyber Security Engineering and Computer Science. He previously held the Farber Endowed Chair at Stevens Institute of Technology, and has held academic positions at Johns Hopkins University, Sapienza University of Rome, and others. He received his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Genoa in 2000, and has been honored with the NSF CAREER Award, Google Faculty Research Award, and IEEE Technical Recognition Award. His research focuses on Cloud Security , Applied Cryptography , Blockchain Technology , and AI-driven Cybersecurity . Notable contributions include foundational work in provable data possession, proxy re-encryption, and password-guessing defenses using AI (e.g., PassGAN). Recent work explores privacy-preserving machine learning and blockchain scalability. Teaching includes graduate/undergraduate courses on Blockchains and Cryptofinance , Cryptography Fundamentals , and Secure Systems Design . He has advised numerous projects in decentralized systems and AI security. His articles span cryptographic protocols, blockchain innovations, and AI security. Key awards include recognition for contributions to cloud security (IBM Faculty Award) and privacy-preserving techniques (NSF CAREER). Labs/Teams: Active in GMU's Cyber Security Engineering initiatives and collaborates with industry on applied cryptography projects. Previously co-founded the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute.
Prof. Peter Y A Ryan is a Full Professor in Computer Science and Communication (Applied Security) at the University of Luxembourg's Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine, within the Department of Computer Science. His research focuses on cryptography, information security, and secure voting systems, emphasizing verifiability, privacy, and coercion resistance in e-voting. He leads projects on post-quantum cryptography, lightweight security protocols for IoT, and DNA-based data preservation. Key research areas include: Cryptography: Post-quantum algorithms, secure key exchange, and cryptographic protocol design E-Voting Systems: End-to-end verifiability, coercion mitigation, and usability studies Security Foundations: Privacy-preserving technologies, formal verification, and ransomware prevention His recent work explores: Hyperion/Selene voting systems with transparent verifiability X2065 and AVRNTRU protocols for constrained IoT devices Optical unclonable tags for artifact authentication Publications span 2020–2024, addressing topics like quantum-resistant cryptography, e-voting usability, and ransomware mitigation strategies. He contributes to international conferences such as E-Vote-ID and SECITC.
Muhammad Younas is a Professor of Computer Science at Oxford Brookes University's School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics. He serves as Subject Coordinator for both MSc Data Science & AI and MSc Artificial Intelligence programs. His teaching covers Web Technologies, Data Science, E-Business Systems, and Cloud Computing. His research focuses on: Cloud Computing & Big Data Internet of Things Web/Database Systems Web Information Retrieval He co-leads the Migration and Refugees Research Network and directs projects including: Cloud Service Selection, NoSQL Transaction Management, WoT Architecture, and Web Information Extraction. Recent publications (2015-2024) demonstrate strong focus on cloud systems, blockchain, IoT security, and machine learning applications, with emerging work in intelligent transportation and metaverse technologies. He supervises postgraduate students in areas including cloud computing, big data systems, IoT, and web technologies. Professional affiliations include the Applied Software Engineering & Data Analytics Group and Cloud Computing & Cybersecurity Group. Professor Younas chairs major IEEE conferences (ICWS, SCC, BigDataService) and serves on editorial boards for multiple journals including International Journal of Service-Oriented Computing and Applications and Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences.
Dr. Aqeel Sahi is a Lecturer in Computing at the University of Southern Queensland's School of Mathematics, Physics and Computing. He holds an MSc from Universiti Utara Malaysia and a PhD in Cybersecurity and Machine Learning from USQ. With over 15 years of teaching experience, Dr. Sahi instructs courses including Algorithms and Data Structures, Object-Oriented Programming, and Web Technologies. His research spans cybersecurity, machine learning, cryptography, and software engineering, with particular focus on developing advanced security algorithms and machine learning applications for network protection. Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on AI-driven security solutions, healthcare applications, and network defense mechanisms. Dr. Sahi maintains professional memberships with IEEE and ACS, bridging academic and industry expertise through his background as a senior software engineer.
Matias Dewey is an Associate Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of St. Gallen (CLS-HSG). His research focuses on political sociology, economic sociology of illegal markets, sociological theory, and qualitative research methods. He examines topics such as state enforcement dynamics, informal economies, and the interplay between legality and illegality in Latin America. Office: Büro 51-7009, Unterer Graben 21, 9000 St. Gallen Contact: +41 71 224 2784 His work explores how illegal markets operate, their social organization, and their relationship with state institutions. Key themes include regulatory non-enforcement, fintech’s role in informal economies, and the political economy of law enforcement. Dewey employs ethnographic and qualitative methods to analyze markets like La Salada in Argentina, focusing on issues such as violence management, moral economies, and aspirational consumer behavior. His publications highlight the socio-political dimensions of informal markets, emphasizing how hybrid social orders emerge from the interaction between state policies and illegal activities. While no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, his contributions to understanding illegal markets and state dynamics have established him as a leading scholar in economic sociology and Latin American studies.
Jaume Comellas is a Lecturer in the Department of Signal Theory and Communications at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), affiliated with the Barcelona Higher Technical School of Telecommunication Engineering. He is a core member of the Optical Communications Group (GCO) and the Advanced Broadband Communications Center (CCABA). His research focuses on optical communications, network engineering, quantum key distribution, and network security, with emphasis on optimizing elastic optical networks, quantum encryption protocols, and digital twin applications. Key projects include developing secure lightpath systems using quantum keys, improving network scalability via software-defined networking (SDN), and analyzing network traffic patterns in flex-grid and SDM-based infrastructures. He has contributed to over 255 publications, including works on optical encryption scenarios, convolutional neural networks for network blocking prediction, and distributed telemetry systems. His work integrates advanced optical technologies with machine learning, addressing challenges in network resilience, spectrum management, and quantum communication security. Collaborations span institutions like the UPC, European research networks, and industry partners. He actively participates in international conferences and serves on technical committees for conferences such as ICTON and IEEE events. Comellas leads projects funded by Horizon Europe, Spanish Ministry of Science, and industry grants, focusing on 5G/6G networks, quantum communication systems, and high-capacity optical infrastructures. His contributions bridge theoretical research with practical network solutions, enhancing both academic and industrial advancements in telecommunications.
Bruce Kapron is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Victoria, affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (1991) and an M.Sc. in Mathematics from Simon Fraser University (1986). His research focuses on theoretical computer science, including computability, cryptography, computational complexity, and verification. He has held visiting positions at institutions such as Stanford University and the Institute for Advanced Study. Notable contributions include foundational work in higher-order computability, cryptographic protocols, and formal verification. Education: PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toronto (1991), supervised by Stephen Cook; M.Sc. in Mathematics from Simon Fraser University (1986), supervised by S. K. Thomason. Research interests emphasize logic in computer science, computational complexity, cryptographic foundations, and verification techniques. His work bridges theoretical insights with practical applications in security and algorithm design. Recent publications explore equilibrium complexity in games, separation logic, and pseudorandomness. He has advised numerous graduate students and holds major grants, including NSERC Discovery Grants focused on complexity theory and security foundations. His contributions extend to textbook authorship, such as *Logic, Automata, and Computational Complexity: The Works of Stephen A. Cook* (2023). Key professional milestones include roles as Distinguished Professor at Fondation Sciences Mathématiques de Paris (2022) and Visiting Fellow at the University of Bologna (2022). He actively participates in research networks and has delivered invited talks on topics such as NP-completeness and higher-order complexity theory.
Professor Vladlena Benson is a renowned expert in cybersecurity risk management and holds the academic rank of Professor at Aston University's Aston Business School, within the Operations and Service Management department. She leads the IS Group and previously directed the Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre at the University of West London. Her research focuses on GRC (Governance, Risk, Compliance), AI explainability, blockchain, and cybersecurity victimization. She is a Board member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (Central UK) and received the 'Cyber University of the Year 2024' award. Her teaching includes courses on cybersecurity, digital transformation, and blockchain. Her research spans cybersecurity frameworks, emerging technologies compliance, and socio-technical aspects of cyber threats. Recent work emphasizes AI ethics, DeFi regulation, and human factors in cybersecurity behavior. Research Interests: Cybersecurity Risk Management, AI Governance, DeFi Compliance, Behavioral Analytics. Key Contributions: Over 68 publications, including studies on anomaly detection in industrial systems, encryption techniques, and socio-emotional drivers in cybersecurity. Awards: Cyber University of the Year 2024 (2024). Her work bridges academia and industry, with collaborations on AI ethics, cryptocurrency regulation, and cyber resilience strategies.
