Dr. Nur Zincir-Heywood (B.Sc. & M.Sc. & PhD in Computer Science and Engineering, Ege University, Türkiye) has worked for Dalhousie University since 2000. She is currently a Dalhousie Distinguished Research Professor and the Associate Dean of Research in the Faculty of Computer Science.

Her research lies at the intersection of communication networks, services, cyber security, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML). Given the ecosystem of hyperconnected devices and users as facilitated by the Internet, Dr. Zincir-Heywood’s research explores the use of intelligent and autonomous systems for maintaining the health of networks, services, and cyber security. This relates to understanding how to create cyber resiliency when humans, services and machines interact; and to develop security, privacy, and trust mechanisms that can adopt and meet users’ needs dynamically.

Dr. Zincir-Heywood regularly collaborates with industry, government, and the not-for-profit sector, having contributed to patents for indoor geo-fencing and access control environments, and having her work on traffic analysis incorporated into industrial products and services. She has published over 250 fully refereed journal and conference papers in high impact venues in her field. She has been an Associate Editor for the top three journals of her field, namely the IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management (TNSM), Springer Journal on Network and System Management and Wiley International Journal on Network Management. She has also been the Lead Editor of Special Issues showcasing AI/ML in the IEEE TNSM since 2020. She is a strong believer in the communication and promotion of STEM fields and has been a frequent speaker on cyber related topics through various regional and national media outlets such as Canadian Press, CBC, CTV and Global.

Furthermore, Dr. Zincir-Heywood has been a member and chair on several research grant review panels of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) including Alliance CSE, Alliance Mission, Strategic Project, Collaborative Research & Development, Research Tools & Instruments, and Discovery Grant grant review panels. Additionally, she has represented NSERC at international review panels.