Samer Al-Khateeb presents research on social cyber forensics

2017 Oct 20

Samer Al-Khateeb, a University of Arkansas at Little Rock computer and information sciences doctoral student from Little Rock, AR, attended several renowned international conferences this summer to present his research on how social cyber forensics can be used to track how online deviant groups use social media to spread propaganda and misinformation.

Al-Khateeb has been working as a research and teaching assistant to Dr. Nitin Agarwal, the UA Little Rock Jerry L. Maulden-Entergy endowed chair and a professor of information science, since 2013 as part of Agarwal's research group, UA Little Rock Collaboratorium of Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies(COSMOS).

"Samer started working with me in 2013 on U.S. Department of Defense funded projects to investigate how violent, extremist groups, terrorist organizations, state and non-state actors use social media technologies to manipulate public discourse, weaponize narratives, disseminate propaganda, and recruit and radicalize," Agarwal said. "His work on these projects is extremely critical and timely. His research cuts across the disciplinary silos and pushes the fringes of our understanding of emergent behaviors, decentralized and unorganized organizations."

Al-Khateeb, who also holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in applied science from UA Little Rock, is expected to graduate with his Ph.D. at the end of the semester and has plans to work at a university as a professor and researcher.

He has signed a contract with Springer to write a book on social cyber forensics. His research areas include social network analysis, deviant behavioral modeling, deviant cyber flash mobs, cyber propaganda campaigns, social cyber forensics, social computing, data mining in social media, and the detection of bots.

He most recently won awards at the 2017 UA Little Rock Engineering and Information Technology Open House, including the Excellence in Research Award, second place in the Most Innovative Award, and second place in the Societal Impact Award.