2024
PhD in Computer Science
Research focus: Cybersecurity and AI
Dissertation on intelligent methods for security analytics and privacy-aware systems.
About
Biography
Profile
Biography
Dr. Zakaria Sawadogo is a Lecturer and Researcher at the École Polytechnique de Ouagadougou (EPO), Burkina Faso, specializing in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Digital Transformation. His work sits at the crossroads of technology, public policy, and the major challenges of digital governance in Africa, and focuses on developing intelligent, secure digital systems that respond to real societal needs.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Gaston Berger University, Senegal, where his doctoral research explored machine learning techniques for the continuous evaluation and detection of Android malware. His work has advanced behavior-based malware detection, explainable AI for cybersecurity, and privacy-preserving intelligent systems.
Research
Cybersecurity, AI, privacy-preserving computing, and data-driven digital transformation.
Teaching
Computer science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and software engineering.
Service
Digital governance, Internet development, cybersecurity initiatives, and collaborations.
Selected Policy & Advisory Contributions
- Co-author, Digital Rights Manual for Beginners (DRIF 2025).
- Digital Rights Expert, African Internet Freedom Forum (2024).
- Contributor to national initiatives on digital rights, cybersecurity awareness, and digital governance in Burkina Faso.
- Contributed to AI research, policy, and digital development through Deep Learning Indaba and AI4D Africa.
- Facilitator of multi-stakeholder dialogues involving government, academia, civil society, and development partners.
Academic Path
2017
MSc in Computer Science
Data Science and Software Engineering
Advanced training in algorithms, distributed systems, and applied machine learning.
Professional Experience
2024 - Present
Lecturer & Researcher
École Polytechnique de Ouagadougou
Lead research on cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital trust. Develop policy-oriented research supporting digital transformation.
2024 - 2025
IT Consultant - Digital Rights & Inclusion
Enabel
Advised institutions on digital rights and personal data protection. Co-authored the Digital Rights Manual for Beginners.
2023 - 2023
Research Assistant
University of Greenwich
Conducted cybersecurity research and AI-enabled threat detection projects.
2018 - 2019
Junior Research Fellow
AI4D Africa
Conducted research on AI for Development and low-resource African languages.
Awards
Best Paper Award
Pan-African AI and Smart Systems (PA-AISS) Conference · 2025
Certificate of Outstanding Paper Award
ICACT 2022 — 24th International Conference on Advanced Communications Technology · 2022
PASET RSIF PhD Scholarship
Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) · 2020
National Scholarship
Government of Burkina Faso · 2014
Excellence Scholarship
Amici di Pietro Annigoni · 2013
Affiliation
École Polytechnique de Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Core Expertise
CybersecurityMachine LearningAndroid Malware AnalysisPrivacyData EngineeringDigital TransformationPythonNext.jsCloud Systems
Responsibilities
- Academic program design and teaching coordination
- Research supervision in cybersecurity and AI
- Industry and public-sector digital transformation advisory