Homa Alemzadeh, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Virginia. She specializes in the dependability and security of cyber-physical systems, with a focus on safety-critical applications such as medical devices, surgical robotics, and autonomous systems. Her research aims to develop data-driven and model-based techniques to enhance system resilience through fault detection, diagnosis, and mitigation. Dr. Alemzadeh earned her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On last Tuesday, she shared insights on “Intelligent Cognitive Assistant Systems for Safety Training and Assurance.”
Dr. Alemzadeh’s presentation highlighted a joint research project focused on improving safety and cybersecurity in emergency medical services using advanced technology. She introduced an “Intelligent Cognitive Assistant” system that helps first responders by combining drones for search and delivery with smart tools that support decision-making in real time. Her team is testing how reliable and secure this system is by creating realistic emergency scenarios, using techniques to uncover weaknesses and make the system stronger. This work brings together experts from different fields to build safer, smarter technology for use in high-pressure medical situations, and it supports the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Central Virginia Node’s mission to drive innovation where AI, smart cities, and cybersecurity meet.
