2024 Alumni Award for Research and Scholarship
Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science), 2001
Master of Computer Science, 1991
Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo is a world-leading researcher in cybersecurity, cryptology and information security and the Director of UOW’s Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology (iC2). Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most prominent cryptographers, he has spent almost 30 years at the forefront of breakthroughs in the field, sought out by academia and the media alike for his expert insights.
Willy has been awarded over $200 million in government and industry research funding, including a remarkable 23 Australian Research Council (ARC) grants. He has contributed more than 700 high-impact publications to his field, with an h-index of 86 and over 27,000 citations. His work has solved long-term challenges previously thought impossible and been cited in 65 international patents lodged by high-profile entities including Microsoft, IBM, Samsung, Nokia and Panasonic.
He was awarded the 2020 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Global Strategy for his contribution to the University’s internationalisation and global strategy, and was named Australian Field leader in Computer Science and Cryptography in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Among many prestigious appointments honouring his contribution, Willy is an ARC Laureate Fellow, a member of the ARC College of Experts, and an elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Australian Computer Society and Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association. A prolific collaborator and devoted mentor, he is nurturing a new generation of outstanding researchers, paving the way for a safer and more secure digital future.
It is a privilege to present Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo for the Alumni Award for Research and Scholarship.