Kathy He
Title(s):
Professor of Practice
Office
Coover2520 Osborn Dr
Ames, IA 500111046
Office
3134 Coover
2520 Osborn Dr
Ames, IA 50011-1046
Information
Education
I hold a M.S. in Computer Science and a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering with a strong foundation in cybersecurity and cloud and network security. My academic training is complemented by extensive hands-on experience in multiple industries and government agencies.
Interest Areas
My interest is AI security, including securing AI and machine learning systems and using AI to enhance cybersecurity capabilities including model security, data protection and AI-driven threat detection in regulated environments.
Spring 2026 New Faculty Spotlight:
Joins Iowa State from:
I join Iowa State from industry, where I worked as a security engineer supporting U.S. federal government agencies. My work involved securing cloud and network systems in compliance-driven and high-risk environments.
What makes you most excited to join the Cyclone Engineering community here at Iowa State?
I’m excited by Iowa State’s emphasis on applied engineering and real-world impact. The collaborative culture aligns well with my goal of bridging industry cybersecurity experience with academic learning.
Describe a moment that makes you particularly proud of your career path in educating tomorrow’s engineers.
I’m proud of mentoring students and early-career engineers who successfully transitioned into cybersecurity roles. Seeing them apply secure design principles in real-world environments is especially rewarding.
How do you hope your teaching and/or research discoveries impact the world?
I hope my work contributes to the secure and responsible adoption of AI technologies by preparing engineers who understand both innovation and risk.
What kind of classroom and teaching experience do you look forward to creating at Iowa State?
I aim to create a hands-on, inclusive classroom centered on real-world case studies and applied labs. My goal is to help students connect theory to practice while developing strong security intuition.