Dr Fauzia Idrees Abro Director MSc Information Security and Director of Distance Learning Programme at Royal Holloway, University of London
D
r Fauzia Idrees Abro’s interest in
a platform to reach out to the wider community to
cybersecurity was sparked when she
extend cybersecurity education and skills.
chose a project on cellular mobile security using a scrambling technique
She says the most rewarding aspect of her role
while studying for her Bachelor of
is “being able to contribute to developing a force
Engineering (Electronics & Communications
of future cybersecurity experts to protect our
Engineering) degree at Pakistan’s Mehran University
increasingly vulnerable digital world.”
of Engineering and Technology. And similar considerations would be the dominant That was in 1995 and the project won her the
factor in any future role. Dr Abro says her main
Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
consideration in deciding to accept a role would be
Pakistan (IEEEP) Gold Medal. This at a time when, Dr
that it would be “in a world-recognised academic
Abro says, “cybersecurity was still evolving and not
institute where I can contribute to designing and
many people were sure about its future.”
delivering cyber education on par with the current market challenges.” She adds: “I would like to play a
Nonetheless, she pursued her passion, researching
role in preparing the cyber experts of the future who
different cybersecurity topics and undertaking formal
can protect our digital world from malicious attacks.”
education in Information Security: a master’s degree in cryptology and information security from Pakistan’s
These future cyber experts will face some new and
National University of Sciences and Technology and
significant challenges, Dr Abro says. “The most
a PhD in information security engineering from City,
significant cyber security development over the next
University of London.
two years will be the extended use of AI for offensive and defensive security. I think quantum computing
Her passion for cybersecurity grew while working
will also bring a paradigm shift in the current
in the military and with it grew another passion:
threat landscape.”
spreading cyber awareness and advocating about its importance. She says her current role as director of postgraduate degrees in cyber/information security at Royal Holloway, University of London, gives her
www.linkedin.com/in/fiabro
