Vijay Varadharajan

Brief Bio -- Professor Vijay Varadharajan

Vijay Varadharajan is currently Professor and Microsoft Chair in Innovation in Computing at Macquarie University (2001-todate). He is also the Director of Information and Networked System Security (INSS) Research. Before this he was Chairman of School of Computing and IT at University of Western Sydney (1996-2000).

Previously, Vijay has headed Security Research at HP Labs Bristol, UK (1988-1995). During his tenure at HP Labs., under his leadership, some 6 different security technologies were transferred into successful HP products in Divisions. He also headed the Technical Security Strategy Initiative at HP under the Senior Vice President. Before this, he was a Research Manager at British Telecom Research Labs. U.K (1987-88). From 1985 till 1987, he was Research Fellow and Lecturer in Computer Science at Plymouth and Reading Universities. He did his Ph.D in Computer and Communication Security in the U.K (1981-1984) from Plymouth and Exeter Universities in U.K., which was sponsored by BT Research Labs. He did his Electronic Engineering degree from Sussex University, UK (1978-1981). He was awarded the 1981 Prize of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, IEE, for outstanding performance at Sussex University and the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals Award (UK).

Vijay has had several visiting positions at different institutions over the years including Senior Research Scientist at Microsoft Research Cambridge UK, Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences at National University of Singapore, Invited Professor at French National Research Labs (INRIA), Invited Professor at the Indian Inst. of Technology, Research Scientist at Fujitsu Research Labs, Fellow at British Telecom Research Labs., UK and Visiting Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Vijay was on the Board of International Advisors of TCPA, USA, originally formed by HP, Microsoft, Intel, Sun and Compaq. Now TCPA is known as TCG and TCPA security specification is currently being in products endorsed by numerous companies. Vijay is a member of the Trustworthy Computing Academic Advisory Board (Microsoft, USA). He is also a member of the Australian Government’s Peak Security Advisory Body, ITSEAG, for the Ministry of Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy, Australia. Previously he has acted as an Expert in Security for the European Union and for the UK Dept. of Trade and Industry. He has also acted as consultant and architect for several projects in computing, financial and telecom organizations in the UK, US and in Australia. He has been the Technical Board Director of Computer Science at Australian Computer Society (1999-2006), and a member of the Board of Studies NSW Australian Government since 2005.

Vijay has published more than 280 papers in International Journals and Conferences, has co-authored and edited 8 books on Information Technology, Security, Networks and Distributed Systems and holds 2 patents. His research work over the years has contributed to the development of several successful secure commercial systems in the areas of Secure Distributed Applications, Secure Network Systems, Security Tools, Secure Mobile Systems as well as Cryptographic and Smart Card based Systems and secure financial, telecom and medical solutions. His current areas of research interest include Web Services Security, Secure Distributed Applications, Trusted Computing, Security Policies and Management in Distributed Systems, Internet Security, Secure Mobile Agents, Security in Mobile Networks, Wireless Security, Secure E-Commerce, Security Policies, Models and Architectures and Protocols. He has supervised successfully many PhD Research students in UK and Australia.

He has given 15 keynote speeches at international conferences, and has been a program committee member/chaired over 150 international conferences all over the world. He is an Editorial Board member of several journals including the prestigious ACM Transactions on Information System Security (USA), Journal of Information Security, Springer (Germany), Computer and Communication Security Reviews (UK) as well as the IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing (TDSC) and IEEE Security and Privacy (from 2009). His research work has been supported by industry such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, British Telecom and Fujitsu, as well as government agencies such Australian Research Council (ARC), UK Research Council (EPSRC), Australian Defense (DSD), Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet Australia and European Union (COST, EUREKA, ESPRIT, RACE).

He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS), a Fellow of the IEE, UK (FIEE), a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and Applications, UK (FIMA), a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Engineers (FIEAust), a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society (FACS) and a Senior Member of IEEE (SMIEEE).