Welcome back to our Employee Spotlight series, the much-anticipated continuation of our journey into the extraordinary individuals that constitute the heart and soul of our organization. In this captivating series, we continue to cast a spotlight on the rich tapestry of skills, backgrounds, and fervor that propels our team to greatness. These interviews offer a deeper dive into the personal and professional odysseys of our staff members, unveiling the distinctive viewpoints and wisdom that render our workplace undeniably exceptional.
Narges Yousefnezhad is a postdoctoral researcher in computer science at Binare in Finland. Her research focuses on security for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. She has a PhD in computer science from Aalto University, and her work has been published in top academic conferences and journals.
• Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I am Narges Yousefnezhad, a Postdoctoral researcher at Binare. I have a solid background in the Internet of Things, Network Security, and Machine Learning. In 2022, I was granted a postdoc in the company (PoDoCo) grant from the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation to collaborate on a project on “Accurate and scalable firmware analysis platform for industrial IoT cybersecurity” with Binare Oy as a postdoc.
• What is your academic background? What did you study and where?
I did my PhD in Computer Science at Aalto University. The focus of my Ph.D. research was on identification, authorization, and access control in IoT platforms. I hold a master’s degree in information technology (IT) Engineering, a branch of Computer Science focusing on computer networks and security, from the Sharif University of Technology, Iran.
• How many languages do you speak?
Almost four: English (Advanced), Finnish (Intermediate), Arabic (Basic), Persian (Native)
• How did you come to join Binare? Was it a specific role you were seeking, or was it the company itself that attracted you?
After many years doing research in academia, I was interested in gaining experience in research and development in industry. The PoDoCo grant is a special type of grant that is specifically designed to facilitate such opportunities where young PhDs can continue their research as postdocs through a joint project with private companies. Through the PoDoCo matchmaking service, I started looking for companies that do research and develop products that are in line with my research interest (i.e., IoT security) and I found Binare very relevant. So, together with the help of the company, we wrote a grant proposal and I’m very happy that my grant proposal was accepted, and I joined Binare.
• How did you find out about Binare and what sparked your interest?
The company was amongst PoDoCo’s list of companies working on IoT security. I started looking for details of the company on the net and noticed that actually, they are very successful in vulnerability assessment and cybersecurity risk reduction. I believe that this collaboration is the best opportunity for me to adopt my expertise in the industry and learn more at the same time.
• Can you share your experience during the application and interview process at Binare?
The interview process was so smooth. I directly contacted Andrei, the CEO, and he interviewed me through an online meeting. We discussed the potential topics and feasibility of the PoDoCo project. Then he helped me write the research proposal and supported me during the application process.
• What steps do you take for continuous learning and self-improvement?
I take progressive steps towards achieving my goals and visualize my long-term plans. I am curious and always tend to learn new things, so I continuously try to develop new skills. Additionally, since I’m interested in research, particularly in the IoT area, I keep myself updated by reading related papers or reviewing journal articles/ conference papers.
About Binare:
Binare.io is a recent deep-tech cybersecurity spinoff from the University of Jyväskylä. Binare develops advanced automated solutions for (I)IoT cybersecurity. Binare’s flagship: IoT Firmware Analysis and Monitoring platform provides full automation and integration with both DevOps/SecOps pipelines to improve (I)IoT device security throughout its lifecycle.
Take a step towards the security of your IoT device today by trying our FREE Demo!
Link to our FREE Demo: https://demo.dashboard.binare.io/user/register.