About Me

Mert D. Pesé is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and the Founding Director of the TigerSec Laboratory in the School of Computing at Clemson University. He earned two B.S. degrees and an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the Technical University of Munich in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively, and received his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2022. His research focuses on the security of autonomous and connected vehicles, trustworthy embodied AI, as well as advancing automotive data privacy. His work has been published in leading security, privacy, and robotics venues, including CCS, PETS, ICRA, ACSAC, and DSN. He is the recipient of Best Paper Awards at VehicleSec 2023 and SAE WCX 2025. Dr. Pesé has collaborated extensively with major automotive and technology companies, including General Motors, Ford, BMW, Audi, DENSO, and Harman. His research is supported by organizations such as NSF, U.S. Army, USDOT, NSA, DENSO, and BMW. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER award.