Shakthi Vel
Shakthi Vel

Graduate Student

I graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Cybersecurity at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Over the years, I’ve worked on diverse projects alongside talented peers, gaining both technical expertise and collaborative experience.

My primary interests lie in red teaming and offensive security—taking systems apart to understand how they work, uncovering vulnerabilities, and using that knowledge to strengthen defenses. I’m passionate about exploring the intersection of curiosity and security, always driven to push boundaries and learn what lies beneath the surface.

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Experience

  1. HR Data Analyst

    Prodapt

    Responsibilities include:

    • Analyze current and past employee data
    • Look at employee performance and identify trends
    • Prepare reports on the above information and communicate the insights of these reports to the HR supervisor
    • Suggest improvements based on the above information
  2. AI-Powered Social Engineering Detection

    • Leading the development of AI agent workflows to automate the analysis and interpretation of security threats in electronic messages.
    • Building and optimizing Python APIs (FastAPI) to deliver real-time security assessments to browser and email plugins.
    • Engineering prompt strategies to improve AI accuracy in identifying phishing tactics, working towards a 90% success rate for actionable user advice.
    • Technologies: Python, FastAPI, AWS, LLM/Prompt Engineering, Agno
  3. Nova AI — Local AI Assistant Framework

    • Built a local LLM-powered CLI assistant that converts natural language prompts into structured JSON actions for execution.
    • Integrated Ollama as the inference backend with a regex fallback for offline reliability.
    • Designed a modular skill system for extendable capabilities (e.g., file management, analysis).
    • Added safety gating for destructive actions and planned voice/UI extensions
  4. Threat Intelligence Dashboard

    Developing a Threat Intelligence Dashboard that aggregates, analyzes, and visualizes cybersecurity data from multiple trusted sources. The system integrates APIs from VirusTotal and Google OSV to collect real-time information on malware, indicators of compromise (IOCs), and known software vulnerabilities.

    GitHub Repo
  5. Data Analytics Project on Stock Market

    Built an interactive dashboard analyzing over 10 years of stock data from 30 major U.S. companies, sourced from Kaggle. Implemented a data pipeline in Python (pandas, NumPy) to clean and process thousands of records, then visualized trends using Matplotlib/Plotly. Key features include filtering by company, timeframe, and metrics such as volatility and growth. The dashboard enables side-by-side performance comparison and highlights anomalous patterns across market cycles. Structured for scalability with modular scripts and clear project organization.

    GitHub Repo
  6. BC Hackathon

    Developed a web application in a 24-hour hackathon aimed at helping residents assess their fire-hazard safety readiness. As a complete beginner to web development at the time, I worked with my team to design a simple yet functional interface where users could input household data (e.g., fire alarms, escape routes, extinguisher availability). The app assigned a readiness score and generated a detailed safety report based on weighted criteria.

    GitHub Repo

Education

  1. Masters in Cybersecurity

    Simon Fraser University
    Covers the fundamentals in various parts of cybersecurity. Hands on experience through projects with industry leading mentors, and a competitive coop rewuirement for graduation.
  2. BSc Computer Science

    University of British Columbia

    Some important courses include:

    • Software Engineering
    • Introduction to Data Analytics
    • Machine Learning
    • Image Processing and Applications
  3. High School

    FAIPS-DPS Kuwait
    One of the most prestiguous high school in the country. I managed to get multiple education based awards, and got around 90% in my graduation year (12th grade).
Skills & Hobbies
Technical Skills
Python
Java
Linux
Unity
Hobbies
Gaming
Anime
Photography
Hacking
Awards & Certifications
Certificate of Distinction in Canadian Computing Contest
University of Waterloo ∙ March 2021
I was among the top 25% of contestants internationally. This accomplishment highlights my problem-solving abilities, computational thinking, and programming skills recognized by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing in Waterloo.
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CyberSecurity Risk Management
UBC ∙ August 2023
This course has given me a comprehensive understanding of identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity risks. This course equipped me with practical skills in threat analysis, risk assessment methodologies, and implementing strategies to protect organizational assets and data.
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Foundation of Machine Learning and Interaction
BITS Pilani ∙ January 2023
Through this course, I have developed a strong understanding of core machine learning concepts and their applications in human-computer interaction. This course enhanced my skills in designing intelligent systems and analyzing user interactions to create adaptive and effective solutions.
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Google Cybersecurity Course
Google ∙ August 2025
I completed a 200 hours mastercourse created by google on various concepts in cybersecurity and industry knowledge as well. Th course had many videos, quizzes and labs on topics like Data Security and Privacy, IDS/IPS, tools commonly used in the cybersecurity industry including Linux and SIEM tools.
Ethical Hacking and Cyber Security Masterclass
Udemy ∙ May 2021
I have acquired hands-on experience in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and cybersecurity best practices. This training enhanced my ability to identify and mitigate security threats, emphasizing ethical hacking techniques to safeguard digital systems.
See certificate