We're hiring PhD students, interns for Fall 2025 cycle!

Hi there, thank you so much for your interest! Below, I have described some most likely avenues for joining my group.

General Note: I receive a high volume of emails daily and might not be able to reply to every message, but I read all these emails and I will be aware of your interest. If this is your first time reaching out, I encourage you to provide as much detail as possible. The more I understand about you and your interests, the more likely I can provide a prompt response.

My lab develops usable and accessible tools to manage privacy, security and governance for data-driven systems, with an emphasis on underserved and marginalized communities.

My lab is looking for highly-motivated PhD, Masters, and Undergraduate students who are interested in usable security and privacy, Blockchain, HCI, accessible computing.

The followings are some skills we're looking for:

Prospective Ph.D. Students, Interns

The official PhD application deadline for the Fall 2025 application cycle is Dec 15. You can learn more and apply through official programs at Penn State IST. Admissions are typically managed by a central committee, and I may not be on these committees every year. To ensure that your application has a better chance of reaching me, please mention my name in your statement of purpose. Additionally, after you submit your application, kindly send me a brief email (to tfs5747@psu.edu) to let me know.

If you’re interested in joining my lab, please refer to the following instructions for what to include in your email.

  • CV and transcript (GPA/Rank)
  • Position that you are interested in Prospective PhD, Prospective intern, or Current PSU student for research opportunity
  • Briefly mention your research interest, and experiences
  • Briefly mention what you believe sets you apart from your peers
  • Publications or under review works (if any)
  • Link of your personal website (if any)