Spotlight: Tarik Cicic
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Meet Tarik Cicic, Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Resilient Networks and Applications. He's been part of SimulaMet since 2022 and is leading the important work of measuring the availability and performance of mobile networks in Norway.
His journey from a programming-fascinated teenager to a senior researcher in network resilience showcases a career driven by technological curiosity and real-world impact.
What is your educational background and how did you become interested in your field?
When I was a 13-year-old, I was an ardent reader of the popular science magazine Galaksija, in my home country, which at the time was still known as Yugoslavia. On the last page of the magazine, they started publishing short, introductory texts and code snippets on computers and programming. I remember how I stared at a piece of code written in the programming language “Basic” and could not understand how it worked (it took an integer as input and printed its prime factors as output). I was captivated and did not give up until I got it, which took time without access to an actual computer. My educational direction was thereby decided.
I joined the University of Oslo in 1994, at the time when the first big wave of internet communications and WWW splashed over the world. It was truly fascinating, with endless possibilities and many open questions, which inspired me to do my PhD there. After finishing my PhD, I worked in research as well as industry.
What are your current research projects or areas of focus in your field?
In CRNA we do multiple projects in the fields of IoT, 5G, security, privacy, and network management and operations. Like so many other research fields, data communications have noticed the transformative effect of recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence. With my background as a practitioner in network planning and operations, I am particularly interested in how AI can be applied to increase the operational stability of large IP networks. Right now, we are exploring the applications of Large Language Models in network configurations. We also study privacy aspects of IoT home deployments and the security of 5G stand-alone core deployments.
Can you share any success stories or case studies that demonstrate the practical implications of your work?
My team is running a nationwide infrastructure of stations measuring the availability and performance of mobile networks in Norway. We have amassed 10+ years of data and can show how these networks have developed from 3G via 4G to 5G. Since last year, we added monitoring of StarLink satellite-based broadband in Norway. Our systematic measurements revealed significant interruptions in connectivity, which is a useful input for everyone considering using StarLink in real-world applications in Norway.
What do you see as the biggest challenges or unsolved problems in your field today?
Our dependence on the internet is large and growing, however much of the basic technology that enables our critical services was designed without a single thought of security or privacy. As such, the internet can be and is misused to attack individuals, businesses, and even the democratic society. The threats come on many different levels, from technical “denial of service” to misleading public opinion through subtle media influence. There are many security additions and improvements in internet technology, and the privacy consciousness is fastening its grip in the field. However, we are working in an area of enormous scale and complexity, and new science, technology, and applications are proliferating. The open internet of the 90s still constitutes the foundation for our advanced services like digital IDs, medical record processing, and news media delivery. Can this model bear the weight of modern communications society, or do we need something profoundly new?
What advice would you give students or aspiring scientists looking to pursue a career in your field or ICT research more broadly?
Find relevant research problems! Whenever you are at a crossroads in your career, and have two or more choices on how to move forward, choose one that is the most relevant for society, and addresses real problems. This is not an easy choice but it will benefit you in the long run.