Zahra Ghodsi

Hometown: Hamedan, Iran

What inspired you to get into engineering?

One of my hobbies in high school was doing simple projects with printed circuit boards and electronic components that I would solder on to make tiny devices. I decided to pick engineering in college to learn more about how such devices work, and I've been excited about building new systems ever since.

What are your research interests?

My research interests are at the intersection of machine learning, applied cryptography, and hardware. I am passionate about building secure systems for emerging intelligent devices and applications. Making practical systems requires addressing a variety of challenges at the protocol, algorithm, and hardware level which in many scenarios, should be designed together.

What drew you to Purdue ECE?

Purdue ECE is the perfect place for me to conduct interdisciplinary research because of its diverse and excellent faculty, doing groundbreaking work in a wide range of fields. The students at Purdue are also outstanding, and overall, I have found the community to be very open and welcoming.

What classes do you teach?

I can teach classes on machine learning and computer security, and I am excited about developing new courses on trustworthy machine learning.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I am quite fond of long walks and have enjoyed the trails around Wabash River! I also like reading, particularly fiction. I'm currently reading some short stories: Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges, and a collection by Ursula Le Guin.