Who are you and where do you come from?
I am Asokan. I joined the department after almost 14 years at Nokia Research Center where I was heading the security research group.
I was born in Sri Lanka and am a Canadian citizen.
What will you be working with at the department?
My mission is to build up a research program in security and privacy and help strengthen the teaching in the same areas.
Why did you end up at the Department of Compuer Science
at the University of Helsinki?
I was interested in moving to the academia for a while now. I had an unrelated e-mail exchange with Sasu in July and that led to an informal visit when I learned that there is a possibility of an opening at the department. Some time between the summer and early autumn, things fell into place rather quickly and I started in mid September.
What do you know about the department and what do you
expect from it?
I taught a seminar course at the department about a decade ago when I was new in Finland. I did not have close contact after that. But I was generally familiar with the strengths of the department.
What do you do when you're not working?
I have two kids. In the spare time left after work and kids, I try not to get too much out of shape. I like to read and sometimes fancy myself as a history buff. When I grow up, I want to be a writer.
Is there something everyone should know about you?
Yes, I am called by my last name even in informal and friendly settings. So don't hesitate to call me "Asokan" and you don't need to put a title before that.