Newswise — Brooklyn, NY -- April 11, 2012 -- XiangDong Li has been named New York City College of Technology’s (City Tech’s) 2012 Scholar on Campus for his outstanding work in the emerging fields of informational security and quantum computing.

"Professor Li was chosen because of his hands-on expertise and scholarship in information security and applications of quantum physics in quantum computing," says Dean of Curriculum and Instruction Sonja Jackson, who oversees the selection committee. "In addition, his ongoing mentorship of students opens opportunities for them to participate in faculty-guided research, and motivates many to pursue graduate degrees."

Dr. Li, an associate professor in City Tech’s Department of Computer Systems Technology (CST), will deliver his Scholar on Campus lecture, titled “The Long Journey from Computer to Quantum Computer” on Monday, April 23, at 5 p.m., in the Atrium Amphitheater, 300 Jay Street (at Tillary), in Downtown Brooklyn. The free lecture is open to the College community and general public.

His talk, sponsored by City Tech’s Professional Development Advisory Council, will trace the development of computing technology from abacus to computer, and discuss the future of quantum computing.

Says Dr. Li of his selection, “I am happy that all of my hard work is being recognized. City Tech has more and more faculty involved in research, and I’m very glad to see this trend.”

Li, who began teaching at City Tech in 2002, was principal investigator on a 2004 National Science Foundation-supported project (collaborating with NYU-Polytechnic University), which developed the country’s first virtual laboratory for information assurance education and research.

In 2005, he helped to develop and became manager of the Department of Defense-supported Information Security Laboratory at City Tech, The City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) first such lab, which has been implemented as a CUNY model. It supports student research and offers courses in computer security, network security fundamentals and advanced security technologies.

A year later, Dr. Li was principal investigator and director of a four-year National Science Foundation-funded S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project at City Tech, which serves academically promising, economically disadvantaged CST students.

Dr. Li was also principal investigator of other two collaborative NSF awards in 2008 and 2009, respectively. In those projects, he worked with NYU-Poly on students’ research in a security virtual lab and with Pace University on Web security teaching and research modules. Those modules have been adapted in his security courses.

“I have a passion for helping minority students,” says Dr. Li, who for years has helped prepare them for participation in the national Cyber Security Awareness Week (CSAW) student competition. A City Tech student has won second place and another was twice a finalist. The two students were the only minority students on the winning lists.

Dr. Li is on the faculty of the CUNY Graduate Center, where for its PhD programs in computer science and physics he developed an interdisciplinary study course in classical and quantum computing, and leads a research group on quantum information. This fall, he will teach his new course, “Monitoring, Auditing, Intrusion Detection, Intrusion Prevention and Penetration Testing.”

With his extensive physics background, Dr. Li has been involved in many research fields: nuclear physics, quantum computing, information security, radio frequency identification (RFID) and sensor network technology. He has won numerous CUNY awards -- nine PSC-CUNY grants for research in computer simulation, quantum computing and sensor network, the President’s Service Award, Perspectives Award for Science/Technology Writing and four Certificates of Recognition for scholarly achievement.

Before joining City Tech, he worked for five years as an IT industry specialist. He earned his PhD from The CUNY Graduate Center, master’s degree from Brooklyn College, and a BS degree from China’s Wuhan University. Since 2006, he has been a visiting professor at Nanjing University in China. Dr. Li, who grew up in Beijing, now resides in Downtown Brooklyn.

Currently, he is collaborating with U.S. Navy Research and Development Center scientists, and was chosen to conduct research on quantum information at the center through the Office of Naval Research Summer Faculty Program in Washington, DC.

Dr. Li has published many scholarly articles in professional journals including Physics Review, and sits on the editorial board of the International Journal of Information and Computer Science.

He has presented research on quantum computing, RFID, sensor networks and biometrics at international conferences held by the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE- Defense, Security, and Sensing,), Cybernetics, Information Technologies, Systems, and Applications (CITSA), and the International Workshop on Advanced Image Technology (IWAIT), serving on the program committees of CITSA and IWAIT. He also has presented at the West Point Information Assurance Workshop and American Society for Engineering Education Conference.

New York City College of Technology (City Tech) of The City University of New York (CUNY) is the largest public college of technology in New York State. Located at 300 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, the College enrolls more than 16,000 students in 62 baccalaureate, associate and specialized certificate programs.