Welcoming new faculty member Dr. Yasir Malik: Establishing hands-on cybersecurity defense program at Bishop’s
 

Welcoming new faculty member Dr. Yasir Malik: Establishing hands-on cybersecurity defense program at Bishop’s

“My first-class assignment I give to my students is to watch Snowden”

Dr. Yasir Malik is no stranger to Bishop’s University welcoming environment as he was once a post-doctoral research fellow at Bishop’s University in 2013. Before arriving at Bishops, he was an assistant professor for Concordia University in Edmonton and taught at New York Institute of technology as well. His classes and research at Bishops University are focusing on machine learning and cybersecurity.

Yasir explains that the major problem with cyberattacks usually stems from software vulnerability and accordingly, more trained experts to solve these growing problems are needed. Canada is lacking trained professionals, there is a need to invest and develop programs that can become future leaders in the domain.  Grants, collaborations and working closely with the government will be important in the next few years to implement protocols. Right now, no other program exists in any Quebec’s institutions to train the next generation of workers. Bishop’s University will be the first.

Dr. Malik wants to establish the first hands-on lab in the province of Quebec. He is looking forward to applying for the Discovery Grants, NSERC Alliance a collaboration with University de Sherbrooke and planning to apply to the CFI grant as his next step. These grants will provide the funding to start a new cyber-lab so that students can gain hands-on experience. The center will be an analytical lab aimed or intended to attract and train students and professionals as well as build or improve new models for software security.

Yasir will soon have his own lab website displaying upcoming projects and attracting future students to apply to graduate studies. With the start-up fund supported by Bishop’s University, he will have two graduate students under his supervision starting in September 2023.

Right now, he has 100% attendance to his class despite it not being mandatory. Students are keen to learn about the opportunities available in the cybersecurity domain.

Joannie St-Germain M.Sc. supporting the Research Office