Working with me

This page provides details (in Q&A style) about what you can expect when you work with me. While this information applies primarily to PhD applicants to my group, many of the details are also useful for undergraduate and masters students that are interested in working with me.

I am always interested in working with motivated students with whom I share research interests. Go to the bottom of the page to figure out the best way to reach me!

What are your research interests?

My research interests lies in the intersection of computer security, privacy, and networking. This encompasses a large set of impactful problems that shape the future of an open and resilient Internet, all of which I am interested in working on. My group's current projects focus on using empirical methods to study and defend against large-scale network connection tampering attacks, especially those that impact Internet freedom. This includes detecting, measuring, and defending against attacks such as Internet censorship, geoblocking, and surveillance. However, my research interests extend far beyond these issues -- I am interested in working on a wide variety of network security problems, and I am always open to chatting about new projects in the area.

What research will I be doing?

We use the Internet for everything today. As the Internet's importance increases, powerful adversaries are trying to compromise user security and privacy, increasingly monitoring and restricting Internet traffic. Almost everybody in the world experiences some form of connection tampering, censorship, surveillance or other attacks that impact their digital security and privacy. Your research will help protect against these large-scale attacks, improving online security and freedom, paving the way for a more safe and accessible Internet.

You will be working on impactful and practical research problems in the network security area, broadly defined. Primarily, you will be developing skills and working on state of the art research in the networking and security areas. My group's work within these communities tend to focus on practical issues that address security and privacy concerns that users are facing today, rather than years into the future. I do not have a pre-set agenda for students' research: I'm investing in supporting your research interests and finding a good fit of problems.

Why should I join UCSC?

UCSC is a top public research institution located in beautiful Santa Cruz, CA, with a long history of impactful research that focuses on innovation, social justice, and sustainability. You will be working in one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States nestled in the redwood forests above the seaside city of Santa Cruz. If you're a fan of nature, there's no better place to be: imagine getting out of our lab and immediately entering hundreds of miles of trails through the redwood forests. Or go the other way to surf on the beautiful pacific ocean or lounge on one of the many beaches. And all in perfect weather, year around!! It's not all nature though - Santa Cruz has a vibrant downtown, and big cities like San Jose and San Francisco are very close (which means there are also great airports nearby).

Besides the trees and the beaches, UCSC and the Baskin School of Engineering has a lot more to offer:

What is your advising style?

My advising style is flexible and centered around what works best for both my students and me. I highly value open communication and aim to work with each student to develop a personalized approach that meets their needs—and to stick to it. When working with me, you can expect these core principles:

What skills do I need to have before I apply?

I primarily look for two important requirements: First, my ideal students are those that care deeply about the big-picture research problem my group works on, and are invested in creating positive impact through both research as well as their contributions to the group and community as a whole. More specifically, I’m looking for students who are passionate about making the Internet safer, and are interested in learning and participating in academic research. Second, students must have a strong foundation in computer science, especially in topics such as networks and security. However, note that specific experience in the exact research area is not a necessity. My goal is to take your interests and expertise and find research problems in the network security area that would benefit from them.

Okay, I'm in! How do I apply?

The best way to establish your interest in working with me is through email. Send me a note with your CV, a short description of your research experience and interests, and why you think we'd be a good fit (based on the above information!). For potential PhD students, you should also apply to UCSC CSE's PhD program and mark me as a potential advisor. For the 2025 Fall Cycle, the deadline for applying is December 20, 2024.