Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta

August 2012 Commencement Speaker: Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta

Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta is an internationally known expert in cyber security.

A professor of computer science at the University of Memphis, Dr. Dasgupta received the Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award this spring, during Faculty Convocation.

Dasgupta joined the U of M as an assistant professor of computer science in 1997 and was promoted to professor in 2004. Dasgupta has taught a variety of computer science courses as well and developed and introduced new advanced courses. He is effective as a mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students, and has supervised numerous masters and doctoral students.

Dr. Dasgupta is trained in biologically motived artificial intelligence; his research has focused on computational models of natural immune systems. He quickly became one of the founders of the new field of artificial immune systems, and is considered the world’s leading researcher in the field. Applications of his work expanded his research into network and Internet security. Some of his groundbreaking research, such as digital immunity and negative authentication, landed his name in Computerworld magazine and listed among top computer scientists whose work significantly influenced others.

He has received grant awards of more than $7.5 million from such sources as the U.S. Navy, the Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency, the Department of Defense and the Office of Naval Research. In collaboration with Vanderbilt University and Sparta Corp., he managed the ACT Online project, which developed a multi-level, multi-track cyber security training program for information systems professionals and law enforcement officers. This program is now used nationally.

Dr. Dasgupta is the author of three books and more than 200 journal articles, book chapters and conference papers. He has received four Best Paper Awards at international conferences.

As founding director of the Center for Information Assurance, Dasgupta leads one of the University’s major outreach efforts, promoting information security education and training in the community. The Center is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE-IAE) by the DHS/NSA. In conjunction with several departments and colleges, he created a multidisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program in Information Assurance.

In 2008, Dasgupta was invited to join the advisory board of the Geospatial Data Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was instrumental in establishing formal ties with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to promote faculty research collaboration and student internships.