Hamed Okhravi joins the NDSS steering committee, building on the Laboratory's longstanding leadership in the international cybersecurity research community.
Four researchers sit around a conference table, smiling for a photo.
From left to right, steering committee member Hamed Okhravi and program committee members Samuel Mergendahl, Derrick McKee, and Samuel Jero prepare for the 2027 NDSS Symposium. Photo: Glen Cooper / Lincoln Laboratory

MIT Lincoln Laboratory continues to play a leading role in the Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium, one of the world's premier conferences for cybersecurity research.

Hamed Okhravi, a senior technical staff member in the Secure Resilient Systems and Technology Group, has been appointed to the NDSS steering committee. In this role, he will work with fellow steering committee members to shape the symposium's long-term strategy and select future program chairs.

The appointment recognizes Okhravi's many years of leadership and service to the NDSS community, including his work as program chair and his help overseeing the rigorous peer-review process that selects the conference's technical program.

"It is a true honor to join the NDSS steering committee, and I look forward to working with the community to ensure the symposium continues to drive research that is not only technically rigorous but has meaningful real-world impact," says Okhravi.

Lincoln Laboratory's involvement in NDSS continues to extend beyond the steering committee. This year, Laboratory researchers Samuel Jero, Derrick McKee, and Samuel Mergendahl are serving on NDSS program committees, helping evaluate research across areas including systems security, trustworthy AI, the security of AI and machine learning systems, AI-enabled cyber defense, and other important cybersecurity topics.

The Laboratory has maintained an active leadership presence within NDSS for many years. Last year, Okhravi served as program chair, while other Laboratory researchers contributed as program committee members.

"Leadership roles at conferences like NDSS allow us to do more than publish our own research," says Roger Khazan, leader of the Secure Resilient Systems and Technology Group. "They allow us to help guide the broader research community toward emerging problems that matter most. By engaging with researchers from around the world, we can help accelerate the development of fundamental technologies that strengthen cybersecurity and address pressing cybersecurity challenges."