ECCWS Biographies

Below are the ECCWS Biographies of the Conference and Programme Chairs, Key Note Speakers and Mini-Track Chairs.

Conference and Programme Chairs

Dr Thaddeus Eze is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security at the University of Chester. He is the founder and convener of the IEEE UK & Ireland YP Postgraduate STEM Research Symposium, Vice Chair, IEEE UK & Ireland Young Professionals, a technical committee member for a number of international conferences (e.g., ICAS, CYBERWORLDS, EMERGING etc.), and currently runs the Computer Science departmental research seminar series. His research interests include Trustworthy Autonomics, MANET and Cyber Security (specifically, Return Oriented Programming, Policing the Cyber Threat and Cyber Education) and he has a number of publications in these areas.

Dr Lee Speakman is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead for Cybersecurity at the University of Chester. Lee has worked in Defence since 1999. He has gained experience in Intelligence, Strategy, Electronic Warfare, Communications, and Networking.  He gained his PhD in MANETs from Niigata University, Japan, in 2009, and returned to Defence to work in Cyber and Information Security, and related areas.  He joined the University of Chester in 2015 as the Programme Leader to develop and deliver Cybersecurity courses.  His research interests are in software and system security.
Dr Cyril Onwubiko is the Secretary, IEEE UK & Ireland, Chair, IEEE UK & Ireland Blockchain Group, and Director, Cyber Security Intelligence at Research Series Limited, where he is responsible for directing strategy, IA governance and cyber security. Prior to Research Series, he had worked in the Financial Services, Telecommunication, Health sector and Government and Public services Sectors. He is a leading scholar in Cyber Situational Awareness (Cyber SA), Cyber Security, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Data Fusion & SOC; and interests in Blockchain and Machine Learning. He is the founder of the Centre for Multidisciplinary Research, Innovation & Collaboration (C-MRiC) https://www.c-mric.com. Detailed profile for Cyril can be found on https://www.c-mric.com/cyril

Keynote Speakers

Mini Track Chairs


Dr. Sangapu Venkata Appaji is working as a Professor, at KKR and KSR Institute of Technology and Sciences, Guntur, India. He completed his doctorate in Computer science and Engineering in the area of Cryptography and Network Security from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, INDIA. He has more than 10 years of teaching experience in Computer Science and engineering and Information Technology department for graduate and post graduate students. He supervised IOT, Security related projects for graduate and postgraduate students.

Dr. Shahzad Memon is working as a Professor, at department of Electronics, Faculty of Engineering and Technology at University of Sindh, Pakistan. He completed his

Doctorate PhD in Biometrics security from Brunel University, London, UK. He published his research in several national and international research journals. Dr.Memon attended and presented his research in national and international conferences organized in USA, UK and Europe. Dr. Memon supervised MS and PhD students in the field of Biometrics, Cyber Security and Privacy, Smarts systems security and Cyber Physical systems security. He also granted funding for research from Higher Education commission and ICT Research and Development, Ministry of Information Technology, Pakistan..


Dr Brett van Niekerk is a senior lecturer in computer science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He serves as chair for the International Federation of Information Processing Working Group on ICT in Peace and War, and the co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism. He has numerous years of information/cyber-security experience in both academia and industry, and has contributed to the ISO/IEC information security standards. In 2012 he graduated with his PhD focusing on information operations and critical infrastructure protection. He is also holds a MSC in electronic engineering and is CISM certified.

Dr Trishana Ramluckan is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Law and an Adjunct Lecturer in the Graduate School of Business at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is a member of the IFIP working group on ICT Uses in Peace and War, the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa and is an Academic Advocate for ISACA. In 2017 she graduated with a Doctor of Administration specialising in IT and Public Governance and in 2020 she was listed as in the Top 50 Women in Cybersecurity in Africa. Her current research areas include Cyber Law and Information Technology Governance.