Andrew D. Ker
Position
- University Lecturer in Computer Security, Oxford University Department of Computer Science, 2009-
- Tutorial Fellow in Computer Science, University College, Oxford, 2009-
- Royal Society University Research Fellow, 2003-2011
Background
- BA in Mathematics & Computer Science, University College, Oxford, 1994-1997
- DPhil in Computer Science, University College and Merton College, Oxford, 1997-2000
- Junior Research Fellow, University College, Oxford, 2000-2003
- Special Supernumerary Fellow, University College, Oxford, 2003-2009
Research
I work in information hiding, particularly steganography (hiding secret messages in digital media) and steganalysis (detecting that data has been hidden). My most recent work has been on the mathematical foundations of these disciplines and the "square root law of capacity". I am also interested in digital media forensics and, tangentially, digital watermarking. My first research, and doctoral thesis, was on the semantics of programming languages. There is another page containing my publications.
Graduate Supervision and Internships
I am willing to take on selected students for DPhil (PhD) study, but am not able to provide funding. Please see this page before approaching me for graduate study. I take a very limited number of students for MSc or undergraduate projects in the department of Computer Science, advertised internally in the usual way.
I am not accepting interns at this time.
Teaching
In Michaelmas Term (autumn) 2011 I will be giving a redesigned course on Computer Security. In the past I have lectures on Discrete Mathematics and Lambda Calculus and Types.
As the tutorial fellow at University College, I am responsible for all undergraduates in Computer Science and Maths & Computer Science; University College is particularly well-appointed with tutors in these subjects. I teach many of the first and second year Computer Science courses myself, along with some probability, statistics, and pure maths. If you are thinking of applying, I recommend reading the Computer Science Department and University College admissions pages.
Selected Professional Activities
- Associate Editor, International Journal of Digital Crime and Forensics.
- Area Editor, IET Information Security.
- Programme co-chair, 13th Information Hiding Conference IH 2012.
- Programme committee, IEEE International Conference on Multimedia and Expo ICME 2011.
- Programme committee, 13th ACM Workshop on Multimedia & Security MM&Sec11.
- Programme committee, SPIE/IS&T Electronic Imaging: Media Forensics and Security XIV 2012.
- Some past programme committees:
SPIE/IS&T Electronic Imaging: Media Watermarking, Security, and Forensics XII 2011; IEEE Workshop on Information Forensics and Security WIFS 2010; 9th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking IWDW 2010; 12th ACM Workshop on Multimedia & Security MM&Sec10; SPIE/IS&T Electronic Imaging: Media Forensics and Security XII 2010; 3rd International Conference on Imaging for Crime Detection and Preventation ICDP-09; 11th ACM Workshop on Multimedia & Security MM&Sec09; 8th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking IWDW 2009; SPIE/IS&T Electronic Imaging: Media Forensics and Security XI 2009; 7th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking IWDW 2008; International Conference on Forensics Applications and Techniques eForensics 2008; Data Hiding for Information and Multimedia Security, attached to IAS 2007.
- Was general chair & local arrangements, 10th ACM Workshop on Multimedia & Security MM&Sec08.
- Lecturer, International School on Foundations of Security Analysis and Design FOSAD 2008. (Slides of seminars part 1 part 2.)
- Invited Keynote, ISIS Special Meeting on Steganography & Steganalysis. (Slides of presentation.)
- Internal Seminar, Presentation Skills for undergraduate and graduate students
Other Interests
I am a musician, specifically a percussionist and a baritone. I still play percussion in the University Orchestras in Oxford. I am also involved in the administration of the Oxford University orchestras. Depending on how industrious they have been recently, you might find up-to-date information on the Oxford University Music Society web site.
Trivia
My surname is properly pronounced "car".