Send email Copy Email Address

director's page

"We are committed to scientific excellence and cutting-edge research, and are aiming to develop CISPA into one of the leading cybersecurity research centers in the world."

Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael Backes
Founding Director & CEO

Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael Backes | Founding Director & CEO | © Tobias Ebelshäuser

©Tobias Ebelshäuser

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

When the president of the Helmholtz Association contacted me in December 2016 to jointly explore the foundation of a new Helmholtz Center for Information Security, I was both overwhelmed and flattered. Several weeks needed to pass until I started to understand the true dimension of what was being envisioned here: building up a world-class research center with truly comprehensive base funding for more than 500 researchers, committed to scientific excellence and cutting-edge research, and dedicated to targeting the grand Cybersecurity challenges that we face in our age of digitalization. I learned that the foundation of a new Helmholtz Center is an exceptionally rare, far-reaching decision taken with the objective of assuming a global lead in a research topic that is of sovereign importance. I was thrilled by the ability to build up such a center, and I felt that it was a journey, of which I for sure wanted to be part of.

We are currently focusing on attracting some of the best national and international researchers to the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. We know that we cannot compete with the long-standing traditions and renowned reputations of the top American and European universities. Yet we believe that we can offer an inspiring working place that is defined by our commitment to excellence and our blue-sky ambitions. We provide comprehensive sustained resources that enable freedom of research and the ability to tackle some of the grand, long-term Cybersecurity research challenges. I am convinced that this situation offers unique opportunities for outstanding researchers at all stages of their career, and I will do everything in my power to evolve CISPA into one of the leading Cybersecurity research centers in the world.

I sincerely hope that this website conveys the spirit that animates this new research center. Most of all, I hope that you will soon have the opportunity to visit us here in the beautiful state of Saarland, right in the heart of Europe to renew old acquaintances or to create new ones. We are looking forward to welcoming you here.

Best wishes,
Michael Backes -
Founding Director and CEO of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security

AT A GLANCE

Michael Backes is the founding director and CEO of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security.

In his research, Prof. Backes focuses primarily on trustworthy methods for machine learning, on novel approaches for protecting personal data, and on universal solutions for software and system security. His research results have shaped these scientific fields internationally, as is evidenced by over 300 peer-reviewed and highly cited publications in renowned international journals and conference proceedings.

His research has earned him internationally renowned scientific awards and honors, in particular the ERC Synergy Grant, which is Europe's most highly endowed EU group research award, the Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize, an ERC Starting Grant, the Caspar Bowden Privacy Award, the IEEE and ACM Fellowship, as well as various Career Awards and Best Paper Awards.

His research results have regularly been translated into highly innovative applications that have brought him widespread attention beyond the scientific community. In particular, Prof. Backes was the first German to receive the MIT TR35 Award, which recognized him as one of the top 35 researchers and innovators in the world under the age of 35 (across disciplines) whose “accomplishments are poised to have a dramatic impact on the world as we know it”.

Michael Backes is regularly listed in rankings as one of Germany's most important IT personalities. He holds an honorary doctorate from the Université de Lorraine and is both honorary citizen and future ambassador of the city of St. Ingbert.

More information

CONTACT 

© Stephanie Bremerich

Bettina Balthasar

Director's Office

 +49 681 87083 2459
Placeholder

Olga Kill

Director's Office

 +49 681 87083 2014

Nabila Wagner

Personal Assistant to the Director

 +49 681 87083 2044

AWARDS & HONORS

 

SCIENTIFIC AWARDS

2023: ACM Fellow for contributions to information security and privacy

2019: Karl Heinz Beckurts Price

2018:  IEEE Fellow

2018: Honorary Doctorate, Université de Lorraine

2017: NSA Cybersecurity Research Award

2017: IEEE Golden Core Award

2017: CNIL-INRIA Privacy Award

2014: ERC Synergy Grant

2014: IEEE Outstanding Community Service Award

2011: IEEE Outstanding Community Service Award

2009: ERC Starting Grant

 

2008: IBM Faculty Award

2007: Fellow of the German Max Planck Society

2005: IBM Outstanding Achievement Award for Linking Formal Verification and Cryptography

2005: IBM Research Division Award for contributions to Web Services Security

2004: Microsoft Award for outstanding research in privacy enhancing technologies

2004: IBM Outstanding Achievement Award for contributions to Enterprise Privacy Architectures

2002: VDI Diploma Thesis Award

2001: Scholarship of the DFG graduate studies program ”Quality Guarantees for Computer Systems”

HONORS BEYOND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

2023: Honorary Citizen and Future Ambassador of the city of St. Ingbert

2019: Medal of Honor, Saarland Division of Engineers

2015: Member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)

2015: Teaching Award of the State of Saarland

2014: Named one of Germany’s Digital Minds by Federal Minister Wanka

2014: CS Teaching Award of Saarland University

2009: MIT TR35 (35 most outstanding researchers / innovators under the age of 35 worldwide)

2010 - 2014: Top-40-under-40 of German researchers, ranking of Capital

2009: CS Teaching Award of Saarland University

2007: CS Teaching Award of Saarland University

 

SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES (SELECTION)

TECHNICAL PROGRAM (PC) CHAIR

2018: ACM Computer and Communication Security Conference (CCS)

2016: IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy (EuroS&P)

2014: IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (S&P)

2013: IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (S&P)

2011: IEEE Computer Security Foundations Symposium (CSF)

2010: IEEE Computer Security Foundations Symposium (CSF)

2009: European Symposium on Research in Computer Security (ESORICS)

2006: Information Security Conference (ISC)

 

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER

2015 - present
IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy (EuroS&P, chair)

2013 – present
IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (S&P)

2010 – present
IEEE Computer Security Foundations Symposium (CSF)

2009 – present
European Symposium on Research in Computer Security (ESORICS)

2003 – 2008
ACM Workshop on Formal Methods in Systems Engineering (FMSE)

 

EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

2016 – present
CACM’s Research Highlights

2014 – present
Foundations and Trends in Security and Privacy, Editorial Board

2012 – 2013
Journal of Computer Security, Editor

2007 – 2012
International Journal of Information Security, Editorial Board

IN THE MEDIA

MEDIA RELATIONS

If you need a photo for your coverage of the CISPA or CISPA CEO Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael Backes, please have a look at our Media Relations Page. Portrait photos are available for download. 

go To Media Relations