Welcome to my humble webpage. My Brain is Open ~ Paul Erdos.
I am Faithful Chiagoziem ONWUEGBUCHE, a third-year PhD Candidate in Machine Learning and Blockchain Technology at the SFI Center for Research Training in Machine Learning (ML-Labs), University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland. Additionally, I am affiliated with the SFI Research Centre for Software (LERO) and the Security, Privacy, Adaptation & Requirements Engineering (SPARE) group. My supervisors are Associate Prof. Liliana Pasquale and Dr Anca Delia Jurcut.
My research interest is in the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, focusing on their applications in finance and cybersecurity. My goal is to build AI systems capable of securing our critical infrastructure, detecting financial fraud and increasing financial inclusion mostly in developing countries. My PhD research is on Machine Learning based Techniques for Adaptive Intrusion Detection of Ransomware Attacks.
Professionally, I have relevant work experience as a data scientist, machine learning researcher and lecturer. Recently, I interned at Mastercard Ireland Foundry Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence R&D Team. During this period, I developed an AI model to detect fraudulent transactions within the Bitcoin cryptocurrency network. Also, I was awarded the SFI-NSF research grant, and was a visiting research scholar at the AWARE-AI Lab, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). We co-authored a paper on using Large Language models to identify psychological vulnerabilities exploited in phishing emails.
Previously, I obtained two master’s degrees: Financial Technology (FinTech) with Distinction from the University of Stirling, UK, and Financial Mathematics from the Pan African University, Kenya, as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar and African Union Scholar, respectively. My undergraduate degree was in BSc Mathematics and Statistics from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, where I graduated with First Class Honours and was the Overall Best Graduating Student.
In addition to academic and professional achievements, I naturally use my position and resources to positively impact lives. I conduct mentorship sessions for younger scientists, deliver talks at workshops, and lead community development initiatives. In my spare time and besides coding, I enjoy singing, playing the guitar (still learning), writing poetry, jogging/exercising, and exploring the wonders of nature.
PhD in Machine Learning and Blockchain Technology, 2025
SFI Center for Research Training in Machine Learning (ML-LABS), University College Dublin, Ireland.
MSc in Financial Technology (FinTech) (Distinction), 2020
University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom.
MSc in Financial Mathematics (Research Masters), 2019
Pan African University, Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI), Kenya.
B.Sc.Ed. in Mathematics & Statistics (First Class Honours), 2014
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Nigeria.
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Research Area(s): Machine Learning, Cyber Security (Malware Detection), FinTech.
Research Area(s): Quantitative Risk Analytics, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Financial Modelling.
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This paper proposed a three-stage feature selection method that effectively reduces the dimensionality of the data and considers the varying importance of the different feature groups in the classification of ransomware families.
I welcome the opportunity to connect with you. If you would like to discuss potential collaborations, job opportunities, or if you would like me to share my CV, please don’t hesitate to reach out.