Assistant Professor, Florida International University
Dr. M. Hadi Amini is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Florida International University. He is the director of Sustainability, Optimization, and Learning for InterDependent networks laboratory (www.solidlab.network). His research interests include distributed optimization and federated learning (FL) algorithms, optimal transport, and cyber-physical network security and resilience. Application domains include smart cities, energy systems, transportation electrification, and healthcare. Together with his Ph.D. students, has received the best paper award on federated learning for IoT devices from CSCI’19 and a best journal paper award on topological data analysis for network resilience from SN Operation Research Forum. He has multiple active research projects on both theory and application of federated learning, including his ongoing work on developing novel algorithms that integrate optimal transport for more efficient FL algorithms. With current/previous funding from the Florida Department of Health, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, NSF, Air Force Research Lab, and U.S. Department of Transportation, he and his students are developing efficient privacy-preserving FL algorithms for real-world applications, including healthcare, homeland security, critical infrastructure resilience, and cybersecurity, ultimately leading to improving quality of life for our citizens by translating theoretical and foundational knowledge into practical tools that are tailored for each of these application domains. He actively recruits and mentors a diverse group of students, including three students supported by CAHSI working on FL-related topics. He serves as the Guest Editor for a special issue on Security and Privacy in Federated Learning as a part of the Journal of Surveillance, Security, and Safety.