Kahraman Kostas, PhD
Computer Science Researcher specializing in IoT Security, Generalisable Machine Learning, and Network Forensics.
I hold a PhD in Computer Science from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Bridging the gap between theoretical ML models and real-world deployment, my research addresses a fundamental challenge in IoT security: the lack of generalisable models for device identification and intrusion detection.
Research & Impact
My doctoral thesis, “Behaviour-based Security with Machine Learning on IoT Networks,” (Supervisors: Dr. Mike Just & Dr. Michael Lones) systematically demonstrated how conventional feature representations hinder model generalisation.
To solve this, I developed novel frameworks—IoTDevID, GeMID, and IoTGeM—explicitly designed to remain robust across unseen devices and changing network conditions. This work has been published in top-tier venues including:
- IEEE Internet of Things Journal (Q1)
- Computer Networks (Q1)
- Internet of Things Journal -Elsevier- (Q1)
- IEEE Networking Letters (Q1)
Industry & Applied Experience
Huawei R&D (Edinburgh): During my PhD, I worked as a Researcher at the Huawei UK R&D Centre. I developed ML solutions for community detection and WiFi-based distance estimation, strengthening my ability to build industry-scale systems. Prior to this, my team won 1st place in the Huawei UK University Challenge (2021) for our work on indoor localisation, which we later published at the prestigious IEEE IPIN conference.
Large-Scale Technical Leadership (Current Role): Since September 2024, I have been serving as a National Education Expert at the Turkish Ministry of National Education. In this capacity, I act as the Technical Lead and Architect for the “Ulkem Yanımda” project.
I coordinated the technical infrastructure design and deployment of this international platform, which connects 100+ teachers with 2000+ students across 10+ countries. My role involves managing full-stack operations, data analytics, and cross-border coordination to ensure sustainable scalability.
Background
I hold an MSc in Computer Networks and Security (Distinction) from the University of Essex. My interdisciplinary background, including degrees in Computer Education (Marmara Univ.) and Literature, informs my keen interest in explainable AI and research communication.
Outside the lab, I am passionate about Turkish literature, etymology, classical poetry, hiking, and photography.