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Research@Reinhardt's

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Basic research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing
                                 Wernher von Braun

Read a bit on my research philosophy, i.e. where I see research in information technology fit into the bigger picture.

I head the Secure Ambient Computing Laboratory (SACL), that form part of the Centre for Information Security Studies (CISS) in the Faculty of Engineering at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The naming should tell you that our research has to do with information security.  I believe that computing devices are increasingly being experienced by users as ambient devices, i.e. devices that are around us and assist us to lead better and more productive lives.  Computing devices such as cellular telephones and PDAs are quickly becoming commonplace with users using them without even realizing that they use a lot of computing power. 

My research areas are shaped by the belief that we can only have truly ambient computing if (a) appropriate hardware and software is created, (b) the user experience is a seamless as possible and (c) the user trusts the computing devices and software created.  The information security focus comes to the fore strongly in (b) through topics such availability and utility, and in (c)  through topics involving privacy, integrity and confidentiality.

Solo research has little appeal to me, therefore I am highly indebted to members of my research group. Read more about the different member's research activities here.

Research means that you don't know, but that you are willing to find out
                                    Charles F Kettering

From time-to-time students ask me for help to start off with research. These pages contain some links that could help you get going.

I expect of my students to use proper tools for documentation purposes.  I still believe that LaTeX is much more appropriate for research writing than most other tools.  Find here some LaTeX stuff (or pointers thereto) that I regularly use.  In particular I provide some help for those that has not been introduced to the art of proper typesetting yet.