The evolution of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI) at the University of Waterloo started under the leadership of an individual who strongly believed in the advancement of research in the areas of data security and privacy. In 2018, he was appointed the inaugural executive director of CPI and was at the forefront of the institute for about three and half years. During his tenure, he took the initial concept of CPI and expanded its eminence by steering the team to achieve the following pivotal establishments: the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC), the Chippie Cluster, and CPI’s Excellence Graduate Scholarship. Since joining Waterloo’s faculty in 2017, the University continues to top the list in North America for computer security and databases according to CSRankings. At the time of this CPI spotlight interview, he stated: “What distinguishes the University of Waterloo in security from other universities in Canada is that we educate future professors in cybersecurity and privacy… we have both the breadth, depth, and scientific excellence that nobody else has in the country.”
So, who is the person that kickstarted CPI’s legacy? His name is Florian Kerschbaum – German for “blossoming” and “cherry tree,” respectively. Like the cherry tree, CPI has flourished into something so unique (beautiful) and impactful. And it all began with the seed that is Dr. Kerschbaum - professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo.
Read the full story on CPI's website.
