Edlira Dushku

Describe your field of work and current role 
I am an Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity at Aalborg University in Copenhagen campus. My research focuses on devising cutting-edge security to safeguard critical infrastructure and sensitive data from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. My main research interests include Internet of Things (IoT) security, Trusted Computing, and Secure Distributed Systems.

What has your path been from starting at university until today?
I received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from University of Tirana, Albania, in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Then, I worked for six years in the private sector, mainly as a software architect and developer. In 2020, I received the PhD degree in Computer Science from Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, with a thesis on IoT security. After my PhD, I moved to Denmark to work as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Technical University of Denmark (DTU) for 2 years. In late 2022, I started my current position as an Assistant Professor in Aalborg University.

What can be done to strengthen applied STEM research & innovation in Denmark?

• Enhance Funding and Support: Increase funding for research projects that align with industry needs and foster collaborations between academia and industry. Support early-career researchers and provide them with resources, such as access to cutting-edge facilities and technology.
• Foster Research-Industry Partnerships: Establish stronger linkages between academia and industry to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology from research labs to the marketplace. This will accelerate the commercialization of research findings and fuel innovation in the Danish economy.
• Promote Interdisciplinarity: Encourage collaborations between researchers from diverse scientific disciplines to foster innovation and break down silos of knowledge. This will lead to the development of new, groundbreaking technologies and solutions.

What will you use your YATSI membership for? 
At YATSI, I will have the unique opportunity to engage with researchers from academia and industry, discuss common experiences, and get involved in cross-disciplinary forums. As a cybersecurity researcher at YATSI, I aim to contribute by creating awareness of the security and privacy threats in modern technologies used by young researcher and other YATSI members. As a woman in cybersecurity, I aim to encourage and guide women to be involved in cybersecurity and contribute to STEM fields nationally and internationally.

Who's the person behind the member?
I love volunteering. In the past, I have been volunteering as a software developer for different international NGOs in the context of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programmes. Now, as a cybersecurity researcher, I volunteer as a mentor for girls aiming to build a Cybersecurity career, either in Academia or Industry.