Will Koch

Will Koch received his BS in computer engineering from University of Rhode Island where he developed interests in machine learning and cyber security. After graduation he worked as a software engineer for six years on the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter project before returning back to academia to receive his MS in machine learning from Stevens Institute of Technology. To focus on his growing interest in cyber security he came to Boston University for his PhD where he has been advised by Azer Bestavros.

He has published a number of papers in a wide area of cyber security including static and dynamic malware analysis, vulnerability analysis, cyber defense and attacks and mobile security. In 2017, Wil was introduced to first-person-view (FPV) drone racing and was immediately drawn to the sport for his love of flight, racing and engineering. This passion drove a shift in his research. He began working with Renato Mancuso, Richard West, and Azer Bestavros to fuse together machine learning and flight control leading to the development of the worlds first neural network flight control firmware, Neuroflight. As a leader and someone who encourages continued learning Wil has co-founded CT Hackerspace, Connecticut’s oldest and largest hackerspace and founded Boston Drone Racing, an FPV drone racing and hacking club.