Two assistant professors have joined the faculty of the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science this fall. Please welcome Assistant Professors Doowon Kim and Alex Williams.
Assistant Professor Doowon Kim
Assistant Professor Doowon Kim
PhD in Computer Science, the University of Maryland
Kim’s research interests include computer security (data-driven security and usable security) and computer networks (Internet measurement). Particularly, he is interested in identifying the root causes of security threats by understanding actors (e.g., adversary and end-users) involved, with data-driven and human-centered perspectives (e.g., usability study). Kim was awarded the 5th Annual NSA Best Scientific Cybersecurity Paper (2017) and the Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship (2019). His works on the code-signing PKI have generated interest from media such as Ars Technica, the Register, Schneier on Security, and Threatpost.
“I am really thrilled to be joining such an amazing EECS team this fall,” Kim said. “This department is vibrant and rapidly growing and has outstanding students, which led me to be drawn to UT.”
Assistant Professor Alex Williams
Assistant Professor Alex Williams
PhD in Computer Science, the University of Waterloo
Williams leads UT’s Laboratory for Transformative Work where he introduces and evaluates new systems, algorithms, and techniques that seek to improve the modern workforce’s productivity and well-being. His research is inherently interdisciplinary, often intersecting human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, machine learning, and workplace studies. Before joining UT, Williams spent several months working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California. He has also worked in several additional teams across Microsoft Research, Mozilla Research, ORNL, and the University of Oxford—many of whom he continues to collaborate with today.
“I’m fortunate to complement the exceptional faculty at Tennessee’s flagship institution with a new flavor of computing research,” Williams said. “Further, I’m elated to have the opportunity to engage with UT’s exceptional student body in the classroom, across departments, and within new research engagements. As a native Tennessean, I couldn’t be more at home.”