Speakers

Divya Bansal

Place of Birth : Chandigarh, India
Position : Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Cyber Security Research Centre, Punjab Engineering College (Deemed University), Chandigarh, India
Field of study : Cybersecurity & Digital Forensics, Information & Electronic Warfare, Cognitive Warfare, OSINT platforms for counter-terrorism and disinformation tracking, AI/ML-driven anomaly and fraud detection in telecom and cyber-physical networks, IoT sensor security and protocol analysis, dynamic and context-aware trust models for edge/fog computing, post-quantum-secure communications, and smart-city surveillance.

Prof. Divya Bansal is a prominent Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Cyber Security Research Centre at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. With over 25 years of experience, she is recognized as a leading scholar in cyber-physical conflict. Her work, which sits at the intersection of academia, government, and industry, has involved directing large-scale, multi-agency projects that have secured over ₹150 million in grants. She has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and mentored numerous PhD and M.Tech graduates. Dr. Bansal's research has led to the deployment of practical tools and frameworks, including dynamic-trust models and anomaly-detection engines, used by law enforcement and government agencies. Internationally, she has served as a visiting professor at Al-Azhar University in Cairo and has been an invited keynote speaker at various global forums. She has received multiple awards for her contributions to teaching and research, including the Media Lab Asia Young Faculty Research Award.

• PhD (InfoSec)
• M. Tech (Computer Science & Engineering)
• B. Tech (Computer Science & Engineering)

• Professor & Head, Cyber Security Research Centre (CSRC), Punjab Engineering College (PEC)
  • Founded and directs one of India's first university cyber-ranges.
  • Led national-security grants exceeding ₹150 million.
  • Supervised 11 PhDs and over 60 M.Tech theses.
  • Developed AI-driven telecom-fraud, OSINT, and CPS-security programs adopted by law-enforcement agencies.
• Academic Administrator, PEC
  • Served as Head of Placements, Dean of Alumni, Corporate & International Relations.
  • Raised alumni and corporate funding by 400% in one year.
  • Negotiated international MoUs to strengthen global partnerships.
• Additional Director (Honorary), Department of Information Technology, Chandigarh Administration
  • Architected city-wide e-governance and digital-forensics infrastructure.
• Visiting Professor & Researcher
  • Visiting Professor, Al-Azhar University, Cairo (2019–present).
  • Visiting Researcher, University of South Australia, Adelaide (2011–2012).
• Technical Consultant to Law-Enforcement & Judiciary and National-Security Agencies (ongoing, 2008–present)
  • Cyber-Threat Analytics & Cognitive Warfare: Designed machine-learning pipelines for radicalization detection and influence-operation mapping.
  • Telecom & IoT Security Frameworks: Authored high-impact studies on anomaly detection in cellular networks.
  • Operational Technology (OT) Hardening: Developed crisis-management and incident-response playbooks.
  • ICT Modernisation for Chandigarh Police: Served as a technical advisor on network design, SIEM integration, and evidence-storage standards.
  • Capacity Building for LEAs: Conceived and delivered an advanced Cyber-Crime Investigation & Digital Forensics curriculum, training over 700 police officers nationwide.