Zhixin Pan, Ph.D., (MSCS ’17, Ph.D. CS ’22), Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) alum, received the European Design and Automation Association (EDAA) Outstanding Dissertation Award. Pan’s dissertation, titled “Defending systems against malicious attacks using machine learning,” focused on machine learning techniques to counter various malicious cyber-attacks, such as malware and ransomware. Using machine learning, he has developed detection models for Trojan horse attacks and enabled real– time detection of evasive attacks.
“It is my honor to receive this award, and I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Prabhat Mishra for his great support and guidance all through the process,” Pan said. “I would like to also extend my sincere appreciation to the entire EDAA reviewing committee for considering me to be among the esteemed recipients of the award.”
Pan received his bachelor’s in software engineering from Huazhong University in 2015, before completing a master’s degree in computer science at the University of Florida in 2017. He continued his education at UF and received a Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2022.
Pan is now an associate professor at the joint college of engineering of Florida A&M University and Florida State University.
In recognition of the importance of university research to the advancement of design automation and test, and to encourage young researchers to work in the field, EDAA has established an award for outstanding Ph.D. dissertations in four categories. Each category has one awardee per year.
By Drew Brown
Marketing and Communications Specialist