Ph.D./Master Students

[Multiple Ph.D./Master's Positions in Fall 2026] I will be joining the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as an Assistant Professor (Computer Science Program) in the CEMSE division. I’m seeking talented students (Fall 2026 and thereafter) who are passionate about tackling research challenges in cybersecurity and mobile computing with backgrounds in computer science and electrical engineering.

I am especially interested in prospective candidates with strong interest to explore areas such as:

• Cyber-physical Systems (CPS) Security: We will focus on side-channel analysis in IoT and embedded systems, security and privacy in emerging CPS platforms, including extended reality (XR), medical devices, AV/UAV, LEO satellites, and humanoid robots.
• Machine Learning Systems (MLSys) Security: We will focus on the security of systems deployed with on-device ML/AI models (e.g., critical survelliance systems), and investigate potential attack surfaces (e.g., physical adversarial attacks) and defense mechanisms (e.g., TEE).
• Mobile Computing: I am also interested in building battery-free CPS/IoT with energy harvesting technologies (e.g., RF, solar, kinetic), and achieving low-power, high-efficiency communications and mobile/EV charging (wired and wireless).

Our group aims to conduct high-quality research and publish papers in top-tier security/mobile computing/network conferences or journals, such as IEEE S&P (Oakland), CCS, USENIX Security, NDSS, MobiCom, MobiSys, SenSys, UbiComp, SIGCOMM, NSDI. Note that the underlined conferences are those I did not publish (or submit) during my Ph.D. study, and I will be appreciated if you can achieve these through our collaborations.

You are welcome to send me an email to introduce yourself (enclosed with your CV and transcripts), and answer the three questions: (1) which topic you want to do? (2) what you know about my work and which papers you've read? (3) why you want to do Ph.D. with me? Do not be discouraged if I respond late, because I might just be putting off all applications until the same decision-making schedule (probably on weekends). Any evidence of research aptitude (e.g., publications, previous research projects, well-formed thoughts, or some crazy ideas) will strengthen your application substantially.

[Admission Process & Entry Requirements] All admitted students automatically receive the KAUST Fellowship (worth $70K-$80K per year), which covers the entire cost of your stipend and tuition in addition to providing accommodation, health insurance, and relocation assistance, and more. Therefore, funding is not a problem, while gaining admission is the only step that remains.

KAUST's admission process recognizes that academic scores are not the only measure of a student's potential. Our admission process are made by a committee that considers the applicant pool as a whole, and we take a holistic view when reviewing each application, considering both academic achievements and personal qualities, such as motivation and potential impact in the scientific community. Please make sure you have satisfied the entry requirements (e.g., GPA, English language scores) for Master's, Ph.D., or the Master's/Ph.D. programs, and then submit your applications with required materials (e.g., CV, statement of purpose, recommendations) through our online portal by indicating me as your supervisor. There is no cost to submit an application to study at KAUST. Note that the official deadline for PhD applications of the Fall 2026 cohort is approximately January 2026.

[Relocation to KAUST & Life in KSA] Students admitted to the University receive full support for their relocation. All of our students live in residential accommodation on campus provided by the University. Being a campus environment, everything is conveniently located – close by is the academic center of KAUST, social facilities such as the cinema and Discovery Square which hosts events and screenings of sports events, and essentials such as grocery and retail stores, a pharmacy and the health center (Virtual Campus Tour).

KAUST is located on the shores of the Red Sea, near Thuwal, about a 45-minute drive north of Jeddah. The modern international airport in Jeddah connects to over 150 global destinations. Living in Saudi Arabia offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the country’s rich cultural and historical heritage. You can experience vibrant cities like Riyadh and Jeddah while discovering stunning landscapes, from mountain ranges and deserts to volcanic fields. With the rapid expansion of tourism, you can visit ancient sites like the Nabataean tombs at Al-Ula, relax at beautiful Red Sea resorts, and enjoy exciting sporting events, including Formula 1 motor racing, professional golf, boxing, and wrestling.

Visiting Students/Interns

The Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE) Division at KAUST offers exceptional internship and visiting student research opportunities for undergraduate and master's students to engage in cutting-edge research within applied science and engineering. Our lab welcomes visiting students and summer internships to participate into our research projects.

[For Saudi Students] Saudi recent graduates, senior undergraduates, or current master's students in related areas can apply for the Saudi Summer Internship (SSI) program to participate a 6-10 week research project in our lab.

[For Other Visiting Students] Students from other nationalities can apply the KAUST Visiting Student Research Program (VSRP) internship. It is an exciting three-to-six-month research internship opportunity that provides research experience for highly qualified and motivated STEM students to work alongside leading faculty and researchers on impactful projects in our lab.

More details about SSI and VSRP vacancies and applications in Summer 2026 will be released soon.

Postdocs

Currently, I don't have a plan to recruit postdoc researchers. Thank you for the attention.