Group

Profile | LinkedIn | Google Scholar | CV (pdf)

Student Hours: Mondays 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Research Interests: Cybersecurity, cyber-resiliency, autonomous vehicle security, and IoT/OT/IIoT.

Education:

• PhD, University of Arizona, 2015, Electrical & Computer Engineering
• MS, Northeastern University, 2010, Electrical & Computer Engineering
• BS, Bahcesehir University, 2008, Electrical & Electronics Engineering (with a minor in Computer Engineering)

Brief Bio:

Cihan Tunc has been an assistant professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at the University of North Texas (UNT) since 2020. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 2015 (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) and served as a Research Assistant Professor there before joining UNT. Dr. Tunc was also a visiting researcher at the NIST. He has published over 50 papers on cybersecurity, drone security, IoT, and cloud computing management. Dr. Tunc is an associate editor for Springer Cluster Computing.

Amal Alshehri is a  Ph.D. student at the University of North Texas. Her research focuses on Internet of Things (IoT) security, zero-trust architecture, and trust evaluation methodologies. She received her MS degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and her Bachelor's degree in Information Systems from King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia.

LinkedIn
Google Scholar 

Victor Morales is a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSCE) at University of North Texas with over 15 years of industry experience in information technology and engineering. His research spans cloud computing security, computational trust, Zero Trust architectures, Internet of Things (IoT), and Industrial IoT (IIoT) security.

He holds an M.Sc. in Information Technology from Southern New Hampshire University and a B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Escuela Militar de Ingeniería.
Victor is currently engaged in multiple research efforts, including:
XAI-Based Anomaly Detection to Enforce Zero Trust in OT/ICS Networks, combining explainable machine learning, flow-based anomaly detection, and Zero Trust enforcement logic for industrial control system environments.

He has published peer-reviewed research on trust evaluation using game theory for IoT environments, cloud security, and enhanced IoT trust modeling. His work addresses longstanding challenges in computational trust by bridging theoretical foundations with practical implementation across cloud infrastructures and distributed sensor-driven systems.

I am delighted to introduce myself as an accomplished Computer Science graduate with honors pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field. My academic excellence and passion for computer science have always motivated me to excel. I have developed a strong foundation in computer science concepts and programming languages, making me proficient in coding and well-versed in algorithms. I am also adept at problem-solving and have honed my analytical skills through various projects and assignments. I aim to translate my academic prowess into practical experience, contributing to real-world projects and making a meaningful impact. I believe in staying updated with the latest technologies and am always eager to learn new skills and techniques. I am highly motivated and dedicated, and I possess excellent communication skills. I am confident that my skills and experience will enable me to contribute significantly to any project I undertake.

Autonomous car-drone communication security.

Crowd counting and monitoring using drones.

Robert is a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of North Texas, where his research focuses on the application of large language models to malware detection and analysis. His current work explores semantic reasoning over obfuscated JavaScript using MITRE ATT&CK-based threat classification, investigating whether LLMs can learn to detect malicious intent from code behavior rather than syntactic patterns alone. His broader research interests span system security, AI-driven threat detection and mitigation, and the security of operational technology and cyber-physical systems (OT/CPS) networks.

Prior to his doctoral studies, Robert served as Adjunct Faculty in the Computer Science Department at Midwestern State University, where he instructed at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Texas A&M University, College Station.

Danielle is an aspiring MS in Cybersecurity student, who is working on her thesis about Phishing Site Detection and Clustering Using Graph Embedding. 

Short Bio:

Burak Tufekci was a PhD student focusing on developing machine learning-based intrusion detection systems for IoT and drones. With extensive experience as a research assistant at the University of North Texas, he has explored the vulnerabilities of autonomous systems, devising robust countermeasures to enhance their security. Burak has a rich digital and hardware design engineering background, contributing to significant projects involving FPGA implementations and cybersecurity frameworks. He has been honored with several awards, including first place at the SIEMENS Tech for Sustainability competition. His technical expertise spans Python, Verilog HDL, and platforms like Linux and Raspberry Pi. 

Currently, Dr. Tufekci is a Senior Engineer - FPGA Security in JMA Wireless, Dallas, TX. 

Latest CV: pdf

 

Currently a PhD student in our group.

Currently a PhD student in our group.