Akbar Siami Namin, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Akbar Siami Namin is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Texas Tech University. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Western Ontario in 2008, following an M.S. from Lakehead University at University of Western Ontario in 2004.

Dr. Siami Namin’s research spans multiple areas at the intersection of software engineering, security, and artificial intelligence. He leads the AVESTA (Advanced Empirical Software Testing and Analysis) research group, which focuses on empirical software engineering and program analysis. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly in software testing, human factors, sequence modeling, and security.

In Spring 2025, Dr. Siami Namin was honored with the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award, enabling him to serve as a visiting professor at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences in Austria. This recognition reflects his international stature in AI and cybersecurity research.

Research Interests

  • Natural Language Processing - Sequence modeling, text analysis, and language understanding
  • Software & Cyber Security - Security analysis, vulnerability detection, and secure software development
  • Machine Learning - Applications to software engineering and security
  • Program Analysis & Software Testing - Empirical methods, automated testing, and program verification
  • Modeling Human Factors - Human-computer interaction in software development and security
  • Sequence and Time Series Analysis - Temporal data modeling and analysis

Education

  • Ph.D., Computer Science - University of Western Ontario, 2008
  • M.S., Computer Science - Lakehead University at University of Western Ontario, 2004

Research Labs & Centers

  • AVESTA (Advanced Empirical Software Testing and Analysis) - Lab Director
    • Focus: Empirical software engineering, program analysis, and software testing methodologies
  • Center for the Science & Engineering of Cyber Security (CSECS) - Member
    • Focus: Privacy and software systems, cybersecurity research

Teaching

Dr. Siami Namin teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science, with particular emphasis on:

  • Software Verification and Validation
  • Software Testing and Quality Assurance
  • Program Analysis
  • Cybersecurity

He mentors graduate students in areas spanning software engineering, security, machine learning, and natural language processing. His teaching emphasizes reproducibility, rigorous methods, and modern software engineering practices.

Contact Information

Selected Achievements

  • Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award (Spring 2025) - Visiting Professor at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, Austria
  • Extensive publication record in top venues for software engineering, security, and NLP
  • Active mentorship of graduate students and contributions to curriculum development
  • Leadership in empirical software engineering research through AVESTA lab

Professional Affiliations

  • Department of Computer Science, Texas Tech University
  • Whitacre College of Engineering, Texas Tech University
  • Center for the Science & Engineering of Cyber Security (CSECS)

Last updated: January 2026