Mohammad Zakaria Haider is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Analytics for Cyber Defense (ACyD) Lab at Florida International University, where his research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and the cybersecurity of cyber-physical systems. He is actively developing AI-enabled tools to analyze and strengthen power system resiliency, with his work supported by Department of Energy (DOE) awards, including the ArtIT and CAIPS initiatives. Zakaria’s academic research explores agentic AI, physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), and machine unlearning as a defense for federated learning models.  His research on securing cyber-physical systems and federated learning models has been published in premier academic journals and conferences, including ACM AsiaCCS,  IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing (TDSC), IEEE COMPSAC, and the IEEE PES General Meeting (PESGM). 

In 2025, Zakaria served as a Graduate PhD Intern at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado. During this time, he simulated distributed energy resource (DER) control algorithms using reinforcement learning and OpenDSS and performed critical distribution system state estimation. His research there also focused on using transfer learning to design model-extraction attacks in large-scale distribution-grid control systems.

Prior to his doctoral research, Zakaria built a successful career in the telecommunications industry. From 2016 to August 2023, he worked in progressive product management roles at Grameenphone in Dhaka. During his tenure, he drove significant data revenue campaigns, managed high-value IoT product portfolios, and spearheaded the launch of the Grameenphone Cloud Store, the first SaaS marketplace in Telenor Emerging Asia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

Zakaria has a foundational background in humanitarian robotics, having developed systems for visually impaired individuals and disaster rescue operations. His early work earned him a gold medal at the 4th IEEE RAS International Robot PRIDE Competition (2015) and 2nd Runner-up at the Humanitarian Robotics and Automation Technology Challenge in Stockholm, Sweden (2016). Additionally, he was selected for the Bangladesh Youth Delegation Team to India in 2016 on a special invitation from the President of India. A dedicated professional volunteer, he is the founding member of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Bangladesh Chapter and has held prominent leadership roles, including serving as Secretary of the IEEE Bangladesh Section and as a member of the RAS-SIGHT Global Committee.