Chidi Agbo

Dr. Chidi Agbo

Assistant Professor
(308) 865-8386
DSCH 351
Department of Cyber Systems
Research focus areas: Research on advancing the cybersecurity, resilience, and safety of industrial control systems in critical sectors such as energy, power grids, nuclear plants, water treatment, healthcare, and agro-food industries. It involves formal modeling, cybersecurity risk assessments, threat analysis and detection, and automatic system restoration in response to cyberattacks.

Areas of Expertise

  • AI
  • Computer Science
  • Cyber Security
  • Data Analytics
  • Information Networking

Bio:

Chidi Agbo’s professional experience comes from being a cybersecurity investigator at ExxonMobil in Budapest, Hungary. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science with a specialization in Cybersecurity from Boise State University. His research focuses on formal modeling, safety, security, and resilience engineering for industrial control systems across interdisciplinary domains, such as energy systems, power grids, nuclear power plants, water treatment and sewage facilities, hospitals, aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, smart grids, and smart cities. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Chidi’s peer-reviewed research articles have been published in several notable conferences, including those focused on dependable and secure computing, pervasive intelligence, cloud and big data computing, cyber science, and system reliability and safety. He has presented at international conferences in Hungary, Japan, Italy, and the United States and won first prize for the best paper at the IEEE International Conference on Dependable Systems Applications (DSA) held in Japan. At the Idaho Regional Future City Competition, Chidi was an IEE judge for the best application of IoT technologies for addressing climate challenges and the judge for the Idaho Robotics Competition.

Education:

Ph.D., Computer Science, Boise State University 

M.S., Business Information, Corvinus University of Budapest in Hungary 

B.S., Computer Science, Ebonyi State University in Nigeria

What is your teaching style like?

My teaching philosophy focuses on creating an inclusive and interactive environment where students feel valued and respected. I adopt a hands-on learning approach to boost students' problem-solving skills. By incorporating real-world projects in my teaching, I aim to connect theoretical concepts with practical applications, preparing students for real industry challenges and opportunities.

Why did you go into teaching?

My decision to pursue a career in teaching comes from a deep passion for sharing knowledge and helping others grow. I love inspiring and motivating students, and I’m dedicated to creating an environment where they can explore ideas and apply what they learn in practical ways. For me, teaching is not just about passing on information; it’s about making learning engaging and supportive so students can build the skills and confidence they need to succeed. This commitment to making a positive impact is what drives me in my teaching journey.