About

In the spring of 2007, Prof. Dimitrios Hatzinakos and Kostas Plataniotis, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, joined by Andrew Clement from the Faculty of Information, created a new initiative at the University of Toronto focusing on identity, privacy and security.

The Identity, Privacy and Security Initiative (IPSI) was established to carry out a pioneering, interdisciplinary program of research, education, outreach, industry collaboration and technology transfer with emphasis on technology, policy and science. IPSI has received generous financial support from University of Toronto's Academic Initiatives Fund.

As a direct result of this initiative, in the fall of 2007, the University launched two new interdisciplinary masters level Programs leading to either a Master of Engineering (M.Eng), or a Master of Information with concentration on Security (MI). Common seminars allow students from the participating faculties to work together in the classroom and through team assignments. Undergraduate initiatives, research programs and outreach activities are also in development.

The overall goal of IPSI is to develop new approaches to security that maintain the privacy, freedom and safety of the user and the broader community.

Objectives

• To advance the integration of the basic, social and engineering science research required to generate sustainable solutions to identity integrity, privacy and security.
• To assemble a cross-disciplinary community of researchers and community partners to create excellence in interdisciplinary research and education in the fields of identity, privacy and security technology, policy and science.
• To provide interdisciplinary high-level training through state of the art educational programs that bring together faculty and students from different disciplines to study and think together about identity, privacy and security and related technologies, policies and sciences.
• To facilitate the commercialization of technologies through effective technology transfer mechanisms and industrial partnerships.
• To work with policymakers and regulatory agencies to inform their judgment of identity, privacy and security realities with evidence-based considerations of the scientific, ethical, legal and social issues involved.

Research Areas

• Biometrics
• Cryptography
• Data Integrity
• Digital Identity
• Digital Rights Management
• Forensic Data Analysis
• Information Policy
• Privacy Enhancing Solutions
• Security Universal Access