Chen Hajaj

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Chen Hajaj

Chen Hajaj

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Ariel University

$1.2M+
Research Grants
4
Patents
6
Conferences Chaired
50+
Publications
17
Current Students
20
Alumni

I am an Associate Professor and Head of the Data Science Track at Ariel University — working at the intersection of AI theory and real-world impact. I also serve as Head of the Faculty Review Board and NVIDIA University Ambassador.

Research Translating AI into systems with measurable real-world impact — encrypted traffic analysis, medical decision support, and intelligent recommendation at scale.
Partnerships Close collaborations with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, bridging academic research and industry deployment.
Mentorship Supervising 17 current students and 20 alumni across PhD and MSc programs, fostering the next generation of AI researchers.

News

Apr 2026
One paper accepted at IEEE ICC 2026 in Glasgow: Uncovering Microservice Faults (Udi Aharon et al.). 🎉
Mar 2026
Paper accepted at AAMAS 2026: Cleaner Adversarial CAPTCHAs: Intelligent Targets and Precise Noise for Usable Security (Meir Litman & Chen Hajaj). 🔐
Jan 2026
New paper published in Computer Networks: Real-Time Network Security: Integrating ANN and Dynamic Graph-Based Clustering — doi:10.1016/j.comnet.2026.112016. 📡
Jan 2026
Two papers presented at IEEE CCNC 2026 in Las Vegas: QoE Prediction for Call of Duty and Cloudy with a Chance of Anomalies (Dynamic GNN for cloud anomaly detection). 🎮🌩️
Sep 2025
New paper in IEEE Access: Leveraging OSINT for Advanced Proactive Cybersecurity: Strategies and Solutions — doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3603868. 🕵️

Leadership & Impact

Senior Faculty & Administrative Leadership

NVIDIA University Ambassador (2024–present) — Leading GPU computing and AI education initiatives at Ariel University.

Head of Faculty Review Board (2021–present) — Directing research quality and ethical standards across the Faculty of Engineering.

Head of Data Science Track (2021–present) — Overseeing curriculum development, student programs, and industry partnerships.

Director, Data Science & AI Research Center (2019–2024) — Founded and directed a research center that secured over $1.2M in competitive funding, produced 4 patents, and established national collaborations with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Innovation.

Ariel University · 2018–present

Postdoctoral Research

Developed machine learning algorithms for cybersecurity and network traffic analysis. Served on the Postdoc Association Committee, contributing to research policy and mentoring programs.

Vanderbilt University · 2016–2018

Ph.D. in Computer Science

Specialized in game theory and mechanism design, developing theoretical models and algorithms for strategic decision-making in competitive and cooperative environments.

Bar-Ilan University · 2010–2016

Research Focus

Cybersecurity & Network Analysis

Classifying encrypted traffic, detecting anomalies, and building ML-based intrusion detection systems without breaking encryption.

Encrypted TrafficAnomaly DetectionNetwork ML

Medical Data Science

Applying machine learning to clinical data for ICU nutrition optimization, patient outcome prediction, and medical decision support.

Clinical AIICUHealthcare

eCommerce & Recommender Systems

Designing intelligent recommendation engines, pricing strategies, and incentive-aware models that improve user experience and revenue.

Recommender SystemsGame TheoryPersonalization

Design Spaces

Exploring human factors and cognitive dimensions in interface design, virtual environments, and constructivist learning systems.

HCIVR/ARLearning

Human Behavior Analysis

Modeling strategic and social behavior using computational tools — from multi-agent simulations to sentiment and emotion analysis.

Multi-AgentSentimentMechanism Design

Join Our Lab

We welcome motivated graduate students passionate about advancing AI research. Our lab offers a collaborative environment, access to cutting-edge projects, strong industry connections, and a track record of high-impact publications.

Collaborative Environment Industry Partnerships Top-tier Publications International Exposure