Sharad Mehrotra is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), leading the Center for Emergency Response Technologies (CERT) and directing the NSF-funded RESCUE project. He previously served at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin (1993). His research focuses on data management, IoT systems, privacy-preserving technologies, and smart spaces, with contributions to frameworks like TIPPERS and MARS. Education: Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, 1993 Research Interests: His work bridges database systems, security, and IoT, emphasizing privacy in smart environments. Notable projects include sentient space technologies for disaster response, cryptographic methods for encrypted data queries, and semantic IoT integration. Recent efforts address privacy in multi-owner data systems and resilient community water infrastructure. Awards & Recognition: ACM Fellow (2024) SIGMOD Best Paper (2001), DASFAA Best Paper (2004) NAVWAR Innovation Award (2021) Outstanding Graduate Mentor (2005) Grants & Leadership: As RESCUE PI, he managed $12.5M NSF funding, developing crisis-response software deployed by emergency agencies. Collaborations include the Cal-IT2 institute (UCSD/UCI) and the US Navy’s TIPPERS platform. He co-leads initiatives like the NSF Civic Innovation Challenge for disaster resilience in aging communities. Labs & Teams: Directs UCI’s Information Systems Group and CERT, fostering interdisciplinary research with 60+ members. His teams produce open-source tools (e.g., SEMIoTIC, PrivacySphere) and engage in global partnerships via Fulbright Visiting Scholar programs.







