InfoSec Seminar – September 2025
The Information Systems Security and Assurance Management (ISSAM) Department in Mihalcheon School of Management proudly invites you to the monthly InfoSec Seminar. The seminar series is open to anyone who is interested in security research and technologies, not only to Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) members.
Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/crw-knkp-zbp
Speaker
Dr. Martin Higgins
Assistant Professor, MISSM/MISAM
Concordia University of Edmonton
Dr. Martin Henry Higgins is an Assistant Professor in the Master of Information Systems Assurance Management (MISAM) program at Concordia University of Edmonton. Originally from the UK, Dr. Higgins brings an interdisciplinary background spanning cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and finance. Prior to joining CUE, Dr Higgins worked as a Research Scientist at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, where he focused on securing critical infrastructure and operational technology systems. Dr. Higgins was also Postdoctoral Research Fellow (and part time lecturer) at the University of Oxford and earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering, specializing in Cybersecurity for Power Systems, from Imperial College London.
Talk Description
From IT to OT: Defending Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats
As operational technology (OT) systems become increasingly connected to IT networks, the attack surface for critical infrastructure continues to expand. This talk explores the unique challenges of securing OT environments, from legacy systems and availability priorities to emerging threats targeting industrial control systems. Attendees will gain insights into real-world risks, lessons from past incidents, and practical strategies to bridge the IT–OT security gap and build resilience against evolving cyber threats.
Contact. If you have any questions regarding the seminar series, please contact Shawn Thompson or Eslam G. AbdAllah, MISSM, Mihalcheon School of Management at shawn.thompson@concordia.ab.ca, eslam.abdallah@concordia.ab.ca