Years ago, I was uncertain whether pursuing a PhD was the right path for me. The decision felt daunting until my advisor at the time, Joseph Bonneau, shared a reflection about his own doctoral journey. He described those years as "the best five years of his life"1, a time filled with personal growth, discovery, and profound fulfillment. Without any reservation, I can say my experience since has indeed lived up to every bit of that promise.
I cherish the freedom to explore new ideas, the excitement of collaborative discovery, and the satisfaction of watching concepts evolve into tangible realities. My time in grad school has been a gift, shaped by the generosity and wisdom of my mentors. And I want nothing less for my own students.
My research interests broadly lie at the intersection of security and privacy, networking, and Internet measurement. Specifically, some of my current directions include:
You do not have to focus on these exact topics. My goal is to work with you to identify security problems that 1) have practical impacts; and 2) align with your interest and benefit from your expertise.
Besides having a fairly solid foundation in computer science, there are really just two essential qualities I look for:
While specific technical skills (e.g., fuzzing, ML, basic security/networking literacy) are helpful, they can also be acquired over time. What truly matters, and cannot be taught, is your genuine interest for the work.
The best way to reach out is via email. Please include a brief introduction about yourself, your CV, your research interests, and explain how you think I can help you achieve your research goals.
1 This sentiment is shared by many faculty members I've talked to. While I always took it as a glowing reflection on the PhD experience, there's an alternative interpretation: perhaps, for those who stay in academia, life peaks during their doctoral years and it's only downhill from there. Check back in a few years. I might have an update. ↩︎