Dr Kay Atefi

Dr Kay Atefi is the Program Director and Lecturer in Cybersecurity within the School of Computer Science at the University of Hull. He leads the University of Hull Cyber Security programme (BSc & MSc), designing and developing Cybersecurity modules, overseeing programme quality, student experience, and industry-relevant curriculum development. He is also a member of the Dependable Intelligent Systems (DEIS) Research Centre at the University of Hull. The centre conducts research across a wide range of applications, including autonomous vehicles, multi-robot systems for healthcare and industrial automation, drone swarms for infrastructure maintenance and logistics, as well as AI and machine learning safety and security. DEIS also focuses on developing advanced machine learning algorithms and generative AI techniques to support diverse real-world tasks. Dr Kay Atefi has extensive expertise spanning cybersecurity, digital forensics, ethical hacking, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven anomaly detection. His career seamlessly bridges the gap between enterprise security operations and cutting-edge academic scholarship.

Prior to his appointment at Hull, Dr Kay Atefi established a formidable track record across higher education and senior industrial leadership. He recently served as a Research Fellow in Machine Learning and Cybersecurity, where he spearheaded critical research into the vulnerabilities of machine learning models trained on sensitive data within Trusted Research Environments (TREs). His industrial portfolio includes senior executive roles, including Director of Research and Development, where he led enterprise-scale vulnerability mitigation, established robust identity management frameworks for IoT environments, and designed technology-driven ventures across the healthcare, automation, and real-estate sectors.

Dr Kay Atefi earned his PhD in Cybersecurity, specialising in the optimisation of AI-based Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). An internationally recognised scholar, he has published extensive peer-reviewed research in leading IEEE venues and international journals covering adversarial attacks, cybersecurity, and software transparency. Beyond his research and academic leadership, Dr Kay Atefi serves as a prolific scientific reviewer for over thirty prestigious international IEEE symposia and global computer science journals.

In addition to his academic qualifications, Dr Kay Atefi holds several internationally recognised professional cybersecurity certifications, including Certified Security Analyst (ECSA), Certified Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and Certified Data Recovery Professional(CDRP). These credentials underscore his strong engagement with industry-aligned practice and applied cybersecurity education.