Michael Hicks
Michael Hicks is the Cecilia Fitler Moore Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity. He is a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and an Amazon Scholar, distinctions that recognize his sustained and influential contributions to computer science research.
Prior to joining Penn, Professor Hicks served as a Senior Principal Scientist at Amazon Web Services and held long-standing faculty appointments at the University of Maryland, including in the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. His career reflects a rare combination of academic leadership and industry experience, positioning him to guide cybersecurity research that is both theoretically grounded and practically relevant.
Professor Hicks’s research focuses on improving the security, reliability, and availability of software systems through advances in programming languages and software engineering. His work encompasses secure language design, software testing and analysis, fuzzing and property-based testing, and novel approaches to cybersecurity inspired by public health models that emphasize prevention, robustness, and systemic resilience. As Director of the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity, he brings a research-driven and interdisciplinary vision that prioritizes rigor, collaboration, and long-term impact. His leadership is shaped by a commitment to building strong research communities, fostering mentorship, and advancing cybersecurity as a foundational pillar of modern computing.