Professor Steven M. Bellovin Named Federal Trade Commission's Chief Technologist

"I’m really excited about becoming Chief Technologist of the Federal Trade Commission,” said Bellovin, who will advise the agency on evolving technology and policy issues. “The FTC, among its other roles, helps ensure that companies keep their promises about security and privacy, two areas that I’ve been working on for many years. I look forward to seeing how I can contribute."

Bellovin has taught computer science at Columbia since 2005. During more than 20 years at Bell Labs and AT&T Labs Research, he focused on network security firewalls, protocol failures, routing security, and cryptographic protocols. Bellovin is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. from Columbia University. On September 4, 2012, he will replace Edward W. Felten, who is returning to Princeton University and will consult for the FTC.

“The Federal Trade Commission has a history of having the best and brightest work here, and we are continuing that tradition of excellence with these appointments,” Leibowitz said, adding, “We are fortunate that we have had so many talented individuals at our agency, and incredibly lucky that we will continue to benefit from the tremendous expertise of former OPP Director Susan DeSanti and outgoing Chief Technologist Ed Felten in their new positions.”