Anindya Sen

Anindya Sen is currently the Acting Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute (CPI) at the University of Waterloo. He assumed this role in January 2024 while the previous Executive Director, N. Asokan, is on sabbatical. Sen has been a faculty member in the Department of Economics at the University since 1999 and has served as the Associate Director of CPI prior to his current position.14

Academic Background and Research Interests

Sen's academic focus includes advanced machine learning models applied to various policy issues, such as:

• The impact of government interventions on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The economics surrounding data markets and privacy.
• Societal trends in trust and misinformation related to public policy.13

He is also the Director of the Graduate Diploma in Computational Data Analytics for the Social Sciences & Humanities, highlighting his commitment to integrating computational methods with social science research.1

Contributions and Vision

In his role as Acting Executive Director, Sen aims to enhance collaboration between academia and industry, particularly in addressing cybersecurity challenges. He emphasizes building awareness of impactful research conducted by CPI members and developing educational initiatives related to cybersecurity and privacy.13 His leadership is expected to position CPI as a key player in influencing policy discussions at both provincial and federal levels.1

Sen has been recognized for his teaching excellence, receiving the University Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2014, which underscores his dedication to education and mentorship.1

Engagement with Current Issues

Recently, Sen has participated in discussions regarding Canada's digital future, focusing on how cybersecurity intersects with public policy amid rapid technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. His insights are crucial as Canada navigates complex cybersecurity challenges while fostering innovation.23