Boquan Li | Cyber Threat | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Boquan Li | Cyber Threat | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at College of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Engineering University, China

Dr. Boquan Li is a Tenure Track Associate Professor at the College of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Engineering University, where he has served since January 2024. Prior to this, he was a Research Scientist at the School of Computing and Information Systems, Singapore Management University, from April 2022 to December 2023. Dr. Li holds a Ph.D. in Information Engineering from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and a Bachelor of Engineering from Harbin Engineering University. His research interests focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, deepfake detection, and speaker recognition, with numerous publications in leading international conferences and journals. Dr. Li is also an active peer reviewer for prestigious journals like IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering.

Profile:

Education:

Dr. Boquan Li holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he specialized in Information Engineering at the Institute of Information Engineering. He completed his Ph.D. in January 2022, building a strong foundation in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science. Prior to his doctoral studies, Dr. Li earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the School of Software at Harbin Engineering University in June 2016. His comprehensive academic background has equipped him with expertise in cutting-edge technologies, enabling him to contribute significantly to research in AI and cybersecurity.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Boquan Li has a diverse professional background in both academia and research. Since January 2024, he has been serving as a Tenure Track Associate Professor at the College of Computer Science and Technology, Harbin Engineering University, where he contributes to teaching and research in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Prior to this role, Dr. Li worked as a Research Scientist at the School of Computing and Information Systems, Singapore Management University, from April 2022 to December 2023. In this capacity, he was involved in cutting-edge research on deepfake detection, speaker recognition, and digital forensics. His professional experience highlights his expertise in developing innovative solutions to cybersecurity challenges and advancing research in AI-driven technologies.

Research Interests:

Dr. Boquan Li’s research interests focus on cutting-edge areas of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and multimedia forensics. He is particularly interested in deepfake detection, where he explores the vulnerabilities and robustness of detection systems across various domains. His work also covers speaker recognition, digital forensics, and adversarial attacks, aiming to develop defense mechanisms against cyber threats. Additionally, Dr. Li has a strong interest in cross-modal fusion techniques, particularly in audio-visual speech recognition, and domain adaptation methods for enhancing the accuracy of AI models across diverse datasets. His research contributes to advancing secure and reliable AI systems.

Skills:

Dr. Boquan Li possesses a diverse skill set that encompasses advanced computational techniques and a robust understanding of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. He is proficient in developing and implementing deep learning models, particularly for applications in image and audio processing. His expertise extends to cybersecurity measures, with a focus on identifying vulnerabilities in AI systems and creating effective defense strategies against adversarial attacks. Additionally, Dr. Li is skilled in data analysis and statistical methods, enabling him to interpret complex datasets and derive meaningful insights. His strong programming skills in languages such as Python and proficiency with machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch further enhance his research capabilities in the field of computer science and technology.

Conclusion:

Dr. Boquan Li’s research addresses critical issues in AI security, deepfake detection, and adversarial defenses, areas of increasing importance in today’s technological landscape. His innovative work, combined with his academic and research experience, positions him as a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. His contributions have practical applications in cybersecurity and AI ethics, demonstrating both academic excellence and real-world impact.

Publication Top Noted:

  • How Generalizable are Deepfake Image Detectors? An Empirical Study
  • Two-stage Semi-supervised Speaker Recognition with Gated Label Learning
    • Authors: Xingmei Wang, Jiaxiang Meng, Kong Aik Lee, Boquan Li, Jinghan Liu
    • Year: 2024
    • Conference: International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence
    • Type: Conference paper
  • Assessing Backdoor Risk in Deepfake Detectors
    • Authors: Jiawen Wang, Boquan Li, Min Yu, Kam-Pui Chow, Jianguo Jiang, Fuqiang Du, Xiang Meng, Weiqing Huang
    • Year: 2024
    • Conference: IFIP WG 11.9 International Conference on Digital Forensics
    • Type: Conference paper
  • CATNet: Cross-Modal Fusion for Audio–Visual Speech Recognition
    • Authors: Xingmei Wang, Jiachen Mi, Boquan Li, Yixu Zhao, Jiaxiang Meng
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Pattern Recognition Letters
    • DOI: 10.1016/j.patrec.2024.01.002
  • A Residual Fingerprint-Based Defense Against Adversarial Deepfakes
  • FakeFilter: A Cross-Distribution Deepfake Detection System with Domain Adaptation
    • Authors: Jianguo Jiang, Boquan Li, Baole Wei, Gang Li, Chao Liu, Weiqing Huang, Meimei Li, Min Yu
    • Year: 2021
    • Journal: Journal of Computer Security
    • DOI: 10.3233/jcs-200124
  • Restoration as a Defense Against Adversarial Perturbations for Spam Image Detection
    • Authors: Jianguo Jiang, Boquan Li, Min Yu, Chao Liu, Weiqing Huang, Lejun Fan, Jianfeng Xia
    • Year: 2019
    • Conference: International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks
    • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30508-6_56

Abdullahi Arabo | Malware Analysis | Best Researcher Award

Assoc Prof Dr. Abdullahi Arabo | Malware Analysis | Best Researcher Award

Abdullahi Arabo University of the West of England, United Kingdom

Summary:

Dr. Abdullahi Arabo is an accomplished academic and researcher with extensive expertise in cyber science, network security, and educational pedagogy. Currently serving as an Associate Professor of Cyber Science at the University of the West of England, he is responsible for research, teaching, learning, and pedagogical development. Dr. Arabo mentors staff and students, contributes to strategic development and policy formation, and holds several leadership roles, including Programme Leader for the MSc Cyber Security. He has also engaged in consultancy roles with CEG Digital and Coventry University, where he mentors master and PhD students and helps develop inclusive and innovative curricula. Dr. Arabo has a rich history of academic involvement, previously serving as a Senior Lecturer and leader of various research units and programmes at the University of the West of England and a Sessional Tutor at WMG, Warwick University.

Profile:

Education:

Dr. Abdullahi Arabo earned his PhD in Network Security from Liverpool John Moore’s University, where he studied from 2007 to 2011. His thesis was titled “User-Centred and Context-Aware Identity Management in MANets.” Prior to this, he completed his MEng (Hons) in Computing at Swansea University from 2004 to 2007.

Professional Experience:

Dr. Abdullahi Arabo has been serving as an Associate Professor of Cyber Science at the University of the West of England since August 2023. In this role, he is responsible for research, teaching, learning, and pedagogical development. He mentors other staff, develops, and evaluates degree and research projects and programmes both internally and externally. Dr. Arabo contributes to various UWE strategic development, policies, and regulations by invitation. He also serves as a Quality Assurance Specialist and leads the UWE-wide Awarding Gap Community of Practice (CoP). Furthermore, he is a member of the APP Monitoring Group, the Artificial Intelligence in Education Working Group, and the Assessment Offence Officers Working Group, where he leads a sub-group on AI in Assessment Offences. Dr. Arabo is also a member of CREC CATE, an elected UWE Academic Board Member representing teaching staff for the college on the Learning, Teaching, and Student Experience Committee, responsible for academic governance, academic standards, and the quality of the student experience. Additionally, he is a member of the School Board of Studies and the Programme Leader for the MSc Cyber Security. Since May 2023, Dr. Arabo has been engaged with CEG Digital in a consultancy role, mentoring master students and contributing to pedagogy developments for other universities partnered with CEG. This role also involves mentoring PhD students and contributing to other offerings from CEG. From April 2023 to November 2023, he consulted with Coventry University, mentoring master cyber security students and assisting university staff in delivering an up-to-date, inclusive, and innovative curriculum, sharing his practices to enhance the wider education sector. Previously, from 2013 to July 2023, Dr. Arabo was a Senior Lecturer in Computer Networks and Mobile at the University of the West of England, where he led the Cyber Security Research Unit Programme (CSRU), now UWECyber. He was also the Leader of the BSc (Hons) Enterprise Computing and played a significant role in developing the MSc Cyber Security programme. He was actively involved in teaching, research, knowledge exchange, and outreach activities and initiatives. Between 2021 and February 2023, Dr. Arabo served as a Sessional Tutor at WMG, Warwick University, supervising MSc Cyber Security Engineering projects. This consultancy was by invitation and provided a transformative learning experience for the four students he mentored and WMG as a whole. Since 2021, Dr. Arabo has been involved with NCC Education in a consultancy role, contributing to content development for the cloud virtualisation and security module, delivery, partnership development, and accreditations.

Awards:

Dr. Abdullahi Arabo has received several prestigious awards in recognition of his contributions to the field of cyber security and education. Notably, he has been honored with the Most Cited Papers award for his impactful research publications. Additionally, he has received the Best Paper award at conferences, acknowledging the excellence and significance of his research work. These accolades reflect Dr. Arabo’s commitment to advancing knowledge and practice in his field.

Patents:

Dr. Abdullahi Arabo holds several patents in the field of network security. He, along with F. El-Mousa and T. Dimitrakos, was granted patents for “Sandboxing User Access on Mobile Device” with EU filing numbers E01733 and E01733b. Additionally, Dr. Arabo and his colleagues have a pending patent titled “Sandboxing Mobile Behaviour Based on Running Environment” in the United Kingdom, with filing number A32401, which was issued in February 2013 and is awaiting a decision.

Publications:

COVID-19 pandemic cybersecurity issues

Authors: B Pranggono, A Arabo

Citations: 269

Year: 2021

Mobile malware and smart device security: Trends, challenges and solutions

Authors: A Arabo, B Pranggono

Citations: 91

Year: 2013

Cyber security challenges within the connected home ecosystem futures

Authors: A Arabo

Citations: 78

Year: 2015

Detecting ransomware using process behavior analysis

Authors: A Arabo, R Dijoux, T Poulain, G Chevalier

Citations: 70

Year: 2020

Privacy in the age of mobility and smart devices in smart homes

Authors: A Arabo, I Brown, F El-Moussa

Citations: 69

Year: 2012

MIAEC: Missing data imputation based on the evidence chain

Authors: X Xu, W Chong, S Li, A Arabo, J Xiao

Citations: 46

Year: 2018

Identity management in the internet of things: The role of MANETs for healthcare applications

Authors: C Chibelushi, A Eardley, A Arabo

Citations: 39