Background
Dr. Micah Sherr is the Callahan Family Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown, with research focused in network security and information privacy. After growing up in the suburbs of Boston, Dr. Sherr attended the University of Pennsylvania for his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Computer and Information Science. His thesis focused on high-performance anonymity through coordinate, or location-based, routing. In addition to his current research in network and communication privacy, Dr. Sherr also teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses in advanced programming and network security.
Involvement in Research
Professor Sherr’s current research project focuses on free communication between individuals without dependence on centralized infrastructure. This project aims to ensure open communication between people who may have unreliable infrastructure due to censorship, natural disasters, or other unprecedented events. Dr. Sherr and his team split the data they want to send and pass it through different servers to better conceal the information. His team utilizes both epidemic routing and geographic-based routing to hide this data. Epidemic routing allows messages to be passed from person to person by physical contact, whereas geographic based routing shares information by finding “middlemen” to move information closer to its final intended destination. Using these methods, along with encryption and secure system designs, Dr. Sherr’s team aims to provide a reliable and private means of communication for those who need it most.
Inspiration
Dr. Sherr believes that his position as professor and researcher is the “greatest occupation.” His inspiration comes from the “open eyed and eager” students he gets to work with in his research. In addition to teaching and working with these talented students, Professor Sherr finds aiding individuals who may need an increased sense of privacy within digital communication very rewarding. In a time when some areas or communities are attempting to limit free and open communication, Dr. Sherr strives to help individuals maintain their individual right to privacy. Finally, computer science and network security inspire Dr. Sherr because of their complex and strategic nature, which continually makes him think critically and find efficient solutions.
Reflection
After years conducting research, Professor Sherr’s biggest takeaway is the importance of learning from your mistakes and using those mistakes to improve your work. In addition, he believes that staying creative in your approach to research is necessary to stay motivated and to get the most out of your work. By remaining open minded and thinking outside of the box, new information can be found during research.
Advice for Students
Professor Sherr urges students, both within the Computer Science department and in other fields, to get to know their faculty on a personal level. He says that the Georgetown faculty truly cares about the growth and happiness of their students, and that students should not be apprehensive about getting to know them. Finally, he advises students to become familiar with the research of their professors and to get involved with research if possible during their time on the Hilltop.