WIT academic named first Fulbright-TechImpact Cybersecurity Scholar to go to Georgetown University

John Sheppard to conduct workon wearable tech

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John Sheppard, Fulbright

John Sheppard, a Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) academic, has been awarded the inaugural Fulbright TechImpact Cybersecurity Award at Georgetown University in Washington DC.

Sheppard will go to the US to conduct research into wearable technologies and associated ethical implications and will work with the Massive Data Institute at the McCourt School of Public Policy to study the Application of Cybersecurity Ethics Frameworks in Emerging Technologies.

Sheppard is a lecturer in the Department of Computing and Mathematics at WIT and is the course leader of the BSc (Hons) in Computer Forensics & Security, Ireland’s first and oldest undergraduate degree in the discipline.

The study will investigate how data is managed and handled on wearable technologies. It will look at aspects such as the levels of encryption and surveillance of data residing both on the device and in communications with other devices. The project will also examine the accuracy and the integrity of data on the device, the ownership of this data and the levels of access that third parties are given to such data.

While in Washington DC Sheppard will be based at the McCourt School of Public Policy, which focuses on teaching and research in the design, analysis, and implementation of smart policies in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, in the US and around the world. McCourt’s Massive Data Institute focuses on the secure and responsible use of data to answer public policy questions. It develops and supports efforts around the ethical use of data, including highlighting best practices for sharing data, managing concerns around privacy and discrimination, and making sure the of benefits of Big Data research for the most marginalised or vulnerable populations.

WIT has five previous recipients of the Fulbright scholars award including Dr Jimmy O’Brien-Moran, Prof John Nolan, Dr Thomas O’Toole, Dr Anne Graham and Dr Felicity Kelliher and one recipient of the Fulbright student award Ms Dayna Killian.

TechCentral Reporters

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