Dr. Mahmoud El Khodr
PhD, MSc, MICT, BSc.
Senior Lecturer ICT
School of Engineering and Technology
- m.elkhodr@cqu.edu.au
- ORCID: 0000-0001-9904-7551
- 0293245085
-
Sydney
10 - 2.05
My Networks
About Me
Dr Mahmoud Elkhodr is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and Technology at Central Queensland University, Sydney Campus. His work bridges cybersecurity research, Internet of Things systems, and the design of AI-enhanced pedagogical frameworks for higher education, with an overarching commitment to research that fosters healthier, safer, and more equitable communities. He is the architect of the SAGE (Structured AI-Guided Education) Framework, a structured approach to AI orchestration in systems analysis and cybersecurity education that positions generative AI as an augmentative tool aligned with rigorous professional judgement. The SAGE Framework has informed practice and scholarly engagement across international contexts, including adoption by leading research-intensive institutions.
Dr Elkhodr's research profile, characterised by an h-index exceeding 20 and over 2000 citations, reflects sustained contributions to IoT security, blockchain-enabled trust architectures, and the development of intelligent connected systems. His technical research has advanced privacy and security for networked environments through frameworks including the Internet of Things Management Platform (IoT-MP) and semantic obfuscation techniques for privacy-preserving data disclosure. A thread running across this work is the application of digital and social determinants of health as a lens for understanding how networked technologies affect human wellbeing, community safety, and access to critical services. His current research activity spans autonomous penetration testing approaches, blockchain-enabled IoT security architectures, and empirical studies examining AI literacy and responsible AI adoption in higher education.
Dr Elkhodr authored book, Next-Generation Smart Cities: The Integration of AI, Blockchain, IoT and Emergent Networks (Taylor and Francis, 2026), alongside edited volumes and peer-reviewed publications across IEEE venues and Springer journals, reflects the breadth of his scholarly contribution to digital infrastructure, health informatics, and cybersecurity policy.
Dr Elkhodr is a recognised public commentator on cybersecurity and digital privacy. When the Australian Government released the COVIDSafe contact tracing application, his technical analysis was cited by the Chief Scientist of Australia and shaped national public discourse on adoption, trust, and privacy safeguards. He continues to translate complex cybersecurity issues for broader audiences through contributions to outlets including The Conversation, The Spinoff, Aljazeera, and ABC platforms.
He serves the IEEE NSW Section as Nominations Chairman and Education Secretary, and has supported professional discourse in emerging technologies through the establishment and leadership of IEEE technical workshops and academic symposia, including the SAGE 2026 International Symposium.
Dr Elkhodr welcomes applications from prospective research students interested in cybersecurity, IoT, AI-enhanced systems, digital health, and related areas. Candidates are encouraged to reach out directly and to nominate Dr Elkhodr as their proposed supervisor in their research proposal.
General
Background
Dr Elkhodr completed his PhD at Western Sydney University in 2016, following a Master of Research and a Master of Information and Communication Technologies from the same institution, and a Bachelor of Science with First Division Honours from The Open University, United Kingdom. His doctoral and postdoctoral work established a research trajectory oriented towards the security, privacy, and societal implications of networked technologies, with a particular interest in how digital systems can be designed to advance human life and support healthier, safer communities.
His career has spanned three continents, including professional and academic engagements across Australia, Lebanon, and Ghana, affording him a grounded understanding of diverse technological, institutional, and social contexts. He is fluent in Arabic, French, and English, and brings to his research and teaching a culturally informed perspective shaped by sustained engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This cross-cultural foundation informs both his pedagogical practice and his commitment to research that is accessible, inclusive, and oriented towards broad societal benefit.
Universities Studied At
Western Sydney University- PhD (2012-2016)
Western Sydney University- Master of Research (2010-2011)
Western Sydney University- Master of Information and Communication Technologies (2009-2010)
The Open University UK- Bachelor of Science (2nd class/first division Honors)- 2006
Universities Worked At
Central Queensland University; Current
Victoria University- 2015- 2018
Western Sydney University; 2009- 2017
Awards
- The International Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2012
- The Australian Postgraduate Award 2012
- High Achieving graduate (WSU) 2011
Media Citations
- Australia is under sustained cyber attack, warns the government. What’s going on, and what should businesses do?
- Giving your details to restaurants and cafes: your rights, their obligations and privacy concerns
- Why New Zealand's COVID-19 Tracer app won't help open a 'travel bubble' with Australia anytime soon
- Fears overseas visitors and expats may be deterred from COVIDSafe
- Privacy boffins call for legislated protections from coronavirus tracker app
- COVID-19 contact tracing: The tricky balance between privacy and relief efforts
- CQUni Lecturer says COVIDSafe needs work
- New Zealand’s COVID-19 Tracer app won’t help open a ‘travel bubble’ with Australia anytime soon
- COVIDSafe tracking app reviewed: the government delivers on data security, but other issues remain
- The government’s coronavirus mobile app is a solid effort, but it could do even better
- Studying a uni course online? Here are 4 tips to get yourself tech ready
- COVID-19 death toll estimated to reach 3,900 by next Friday, according to AI modelling
Previous teaching
- Information Security Management
- Cyber Security Management
- Capstone project Network Security
- Professional Communication
- Web site development
Professional Experience
IT Manager BR Money and Travel (Australia 2010-2014)
IT Manager MTN (Ghana-Kumassi 2007-2009)
IT Manager MEA (Lebanon-2006)
Professional Memberships
IEEE NSW Section Nomination Chairman (2019-2020)
WSU Senate Research Committee Member (2015-2016)
IEEE UWS Chapter founder and Chairman (2012-2014)
Professional Interests
Dr Elkhodr's professional and research interests are situated at the intersection of cybersecurity, emerging networked technologies, and the application of artificial intelligence in educational and civic contexts. His technical interests encompass IoT security and privacy architectures, blockchain-enabled trust mechanisms for decentralised systems, autonomous penetration testing, and smart city infrastructure. A thread running across this work is the application of social and digital determinants of health as a lens for understanding how networked systems mediate access to services, shape community safety, and produce differential outcomes across populations, reflecting an overarching commitment to research that advances human life and fosters healthier, more equitable communities.
A significant dimension of his professional interest concerns the responsible integration of generative AI in higher education, particularly in relation to assessment integrity, AI literacy, and the design of structured pedagogical frameworks that cultivate professional judgement. He welcomes collaboration across industry, academia, and policy on questions at the intersection of digital security, AI governance, and equitable access to safe digital environments. He is particularly interested in partnerships that engage culturally and linguistically diverse communities and translate research into meaningful public benefit.
Key Achievements
The IPRS Scholarship
Industry Reports
Dr Elkhodr has provided cybersecurity consultancy to a number of organisations across Sydney, advising on security architecture, risk assessment, and digital privacy. Prior to his full-time academic appointment, he held IT management roles at BR Money and Travel (Australia, 2010–2014), MTN (Ghana, 2007–2009), and MEA (Lebanon, 2006), where he delivered complex infrastructure projects across international operational contexts.
Editor
Authored Book
Elkhodr, M. (2026). Next-Generation Smart Cities: The Integration of AI, Blockchain, IoT and Emergent Networks. Taylor and Francis / CRC Press.
Edited Books
Elkhodr, M., and Gide, E. (Eds.). (2026). Generative Artificial Intelligence Empowered Learning: A New Frontier in Educational Technology. Routledge / Taylor and Francis.
Elkhodr, M. (Ed.). (2019). Enabling Technologies and Architectures for Next-Generation Networking Capabilities. IGI Global.
Elkhodr, M., Hassan, Q. F., and Desai, S. (Eds.). (2017). Networks of the Future: Architectures, Technologies, and Implementations. CRC Press / Taylor and Francis.
Journal Special Issues and Topic Collections
Elkhodr, M. (Ed.). "Next-Generation Healthcare: Leveraging AI, IoT, Blockchain, and Other Emerging Technologies for Advanced Health ICT Integration." Collection, Discover Health Systems (Springer Nature).
Elkhodr, M., and Farid, F. (Guest Eds.). "Realising Digital Futures Through Green AI, Cybersecurity and Sustainable Societies." Special Issue, Sustainability (MDPI). Submissions closed December 2025.
Elkhodr, M., and Gide, E. (Topic Eds.). "AI-Driven Smart Elderly Care: Innovations and Solutions." MDPI Multidisciplinary Topic across AI, Geriatrics, Journal of Ageing and Longevity, and Healthcare. Manuscript submission deadline: 30 June 2027.
Consultancy Work
I have worked in a number of short term roles as a consultant for several companies across Sydney mainly providing Cyber Security consultancy.
Recent Research Projects
Destination Australia Scholarship, Commencing 2022
Grant: Scholarship (Category 3: Industry and Other)
Funding Schemes: Destination Australia Scholarship - Commonwealth/CQU Funded, Commencing 2022
Total Funding: N/A
Research Supervision
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 4609 Information Systems
- 0801 Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
- 0803 Computer Software
- 1005 Communications Technologies
Current Capacity
Current Supervision
Research Interests
Cybersecurity and privacy - System and network security
Communications Technologies - Computer Communications Networks
Internet of things,
IoT,
HCI,
Security and Privacy,
Health informatic
