Reinforced research on data security and privacy

- Often it looks like security contradicts usability. That is, the more secure it is, the less usable it is. To improve the situation we research on human centered security and privacy by design approaches, says Melanie Volkamer.
Melanie’s research has to a great extent involved cryptology and web security. Together with her research group in Darmstadt she developed tools and education material to support lay users both in the private as well as in the business context (see e.g. nophish.org). Her doctoral dissertation was on the security evaluation of electronic voting, which is an area she also plans to develop further in Sweden.
- I’ve been in contact before with Swedish authorities regarding electronic voting due to Council of Europe activities. Now I intend to resume the contacts to support them in finding adequate solutions for referendums in Sweden.
Thanks to Professor Simone Fischer Hübner, among others, Computer Science at Karlstad University is well known in Europe and she was one reason that Melanie chose Karlstad.
- Besides knowing Simone and other researchers in Computer Science, I considered the research profiles in security and privacy to be ideal for me, says Melanie. Soon, doctoral students linked to the Project Privacy & Us be here and I will co-supervise one of them.
Privacy & Us is a project and an international PhD network with a focus on user-friendly privacy protecting tools. The project is financed by the EU framework programme Horizon 2020 and the Marie Curie initiatives and the first EU project coordinated by Karlstad University.
- Recruiting Melanie means that we can continue expanding our frontline research on privacy and security, specifically in the area of usable security and privacy, says Simone Fischer Hübner, professor of Computer Science at Karlstad University.
Computer Science at Karlstad University is internationally renowned for its excellence in security and privacy, network communication, distributing systems and software engineering. Previously, four professors led the research environment, two in the security and privacy area, and two on network communication and distributing systems. Melanie will strengthen the security and privacy environment.
- Melanie is an internationally reputed expert in the area of usable security and privacy as well as e-voting. We are very happy that Melanie enhances our research at Karlstad University. She will be an excellent partner of both Swedish industry and the public sector in her field, says Simone Fischer Hübner