The Cyber Security Research Group, operating under the Data Science & Engineering Research Unit (DSERU) in the Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences of CSU, has successfully organised a two-day strategic workshop on February 7-8, 2024, at the International Hotel in Wagga Wagga. This event aimed to foster connections among key stakeholders in the cybersecurity field, establishing a cross-disciplinary platform for the exchange of innovative research ideas, discussions on state-of-the-art advancements, and the exploration of activities that will drive CSU’s research in cybersecurity.
With the participation of approximately 22 esteemed cybersecurity researchers, the workshop provided a dynamic platform for sharing insights and experiences from a spectrum of cybersecurity projects and research activities. This collaborative endeavour aimed to boost CSU’s research activities in the cyber security domain, leveraging the collective expertise of the CSU researchers. The knowledge and connections cultivated during these sessions are expected to enrich ongoing endeavours and create opportunities for future funding in various cybersecurity domains.
The inaugural session commenced with welcoming remarks by A/Prof. Rafiqul Islam (Leader Cybersecurity research group) and speeches from distinguished CSU faculty members, including Prof. Lihong Zheng (Director DSERU), Prof. Anna Shillaber (Head of School, SoCME), and Prof. Ganna Pogrebna (Executive Director AICF Institute). The session featured insightful presentations from representatives of the AICF Institute, Dr. Fendi Santoso (Senior Research Fellow, AICF Institute), shedding light on AICF’s research directions and potential collaborative opportunities. Subsequent sessions focused on presentations by Cybersecurity PhD/Postdoc researchers, showcasing ongoing cybersecurity endeavours and fostering interactive discussions.
Day two of the workshop explored specific projects by CSU academics, presenting their latest research insights and potential collaboration opportunities. Notable presentations were delivered by Dr. Michael Bewong, A/Prof. Nicholas Pawsey, Dr Felicity Small, Dr Arash Mahboubi, Dr Quazi Mamun, Dr Muhammad Khan, Prof. Chris Blanchard and their respective teams.
The workshop also featured a presentation by Associate Dean (Research) Professor Zahid Islam on highlighting the success of Cybersecurity CSU research projects and activities, the strength of our research team at CSU, and possible opportunities for collaboration within CSU and external stakeholders. He also advised us to explore the possibility of accessing the Capital Expenditure budget of CSU and other funding sources to establish a cyber security and data science lab that will host state-of-the-art facilities and will be used for teaching, research, consultancy and so on.
The keynote presentation on CS CSU’s future vision and collaboration, delivered by Professor Michael Friend, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), highlighted the university’s current strengths and outlined future collaborative strategies. This presentation follows a pivotal brainstorming session moderated by Prof. Michael Friend. Participants engaged in discussions on CSU’s future cybersecurity vision and collaboration strategies. The session explored key areas such as issues and challenges, assets/resources, focus areas, funding bodies, and next steps, aligning research endeavours with the university’s strategic goals. The session concluded with the formation of a working committee tasked with guiding future directions for cybersecurity research at CSU.
The workshop concluded with reflections by A/Prof. Rafiqul Islam highlights participants’ inspiration and motivation to collaborate and innovate, driving impactful discoveries in the field of cybersecurity. This workshop represents a significant milestone in CSU’s cybersecurity research journey, fostering collaboration and innovation to address complex challenges in the digital landscape.
For more details, please contact:
Workshop Chair: A/Prof. Rafiqul Islam
Email: mislam@csu.edu.au