UWindsor Engineering professor Dr. Mitra Mirhassani has been recognized as one of Canada's top 20 women in cyber security.
Mirhassani, an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering, was honoured by IT World Canada (ITWC) for her innovative cyber security research and dedication to helping others better understand the function and connectivity of our devices.
She was chosen out of more than 170 nominations for women working in cyber security across a wide variety of organizations and roles, including CISOs, company founders, professors, directors and women holding numerous specialty positions in both the public and private sectors.
“What worries me most is the health and security of the devices that we build and buy,” says Mirhassani, who leads UWindsor’s Analog and Mixed Signal Research Lab.” There are many challenges in our way to understand the complexity of the process.”
Mirhassani’s latest research includes the investigation of cybersecurity issues that arise when using electric vehicle fleets with battery charging infrastructure and improving the security of autonomous and connected vehicles.
“We are thinking about mobility and autonomous cars more and that's where I see these innocent electronic devices and think ‘we don't know who made you and what information you're keeping and how you are storing our data,’” she says.
“So, the health of manufacturing is something that I'm deeply concerned with these days.”
UWindsor Engineering Dean Mehrdad Saif says female leaders in technology sectors serve as role models and mentors to future generations of female technology innovators.
“I am ecstatic to know that Dr. Mirhassani, one of our own female faculty role model leaders, as well as a prolific researcher in the area of cyber-security of electronic systems, was amongst the honorees,” Dr. Saif says. “I congratulate Dr. Mirhassani for this great achievement and wish her continued success.”
The top 20 honourees were recognized July 23 during a 75-minute virtual celebration hosted by ITWC.