The following 8 students from the RMU National Cyber League (NCL) Team received performance medals from the National Cyber League (NCL) Fall 2025 season competitions held August to November 2025).
Larry Luther (Diamond)
Connor Quinn (Diamond)
Jesse Marks (Platinum)
Peyton Lutchkus (Gold)
Grant Carvender (Gold)
Chloe Dzuba (Gold)
Will Rebello (Silver)
Jorge Pinzon (Bronze)
Dr. Ping Wang served as the RMU NCL faculty coach.
Congratulations, team!
Joshua Cunningham (RMU ’25), a graduate of the Ph.D. in Information Systems and Communications program, has been named to the Knox News 40 Under 40 Class of 2025.
Josh is an IT Project Manager leading the United States’ largest multiprogram science and technology lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). He notably led the project for ORNL’s first on-site quantum computer. In addition this cutting-edge IT work, Josh also has a diverse work history ranging from wildland firefigher to DJ and Iditarod reporter in Alaska. Read more about Josh and this award here.
We are excited to see Josh’s leadership and contributions recognized. Congrats, Josh!
Congratulations to Jorge Pinzon and Kelson Bowman on being selected as the 2025 scholarship recipients for Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the international honor society for the computing and information disciplines. This is a prestigious honor with competition from applicants at universities across the country.
The UPE Scholarship Challenge: Annually, the Executive Council of Upsilon Pi Epsilon evaluates submissions from our most promising undergraduate and graduate students, nationwide. The application process is rigorous: candidates must present a clear vision for their long-term professional plans, showcase their impactful contributions to their UPE chapters, and document their college-level activities. Successful applicants will have also secured a key recommendation from their UPE faculty adviser and provided all official transcripts.
Please join us in congratulating Kelson and Jorge!
For more information on the Honor Society and the annual scholarship opportunity, click here: Upsilon Pi Epsilon
The International Conference on Data-Processing and Networking
(ICDPN-2025) was held from November 7th – 8th. During the conference, the FUSION Awards 2025 celebrated trailblazers, thinkers, researchers, and change-makers who exemplify excellence in academia, industry, and innovation. This prestigious international platform recognizes collaborative brilliance, where ideas meet execution, research drives real-world impact, and cross-sector synergy accelerates global progress.
Dr. Parul Yadav, who won the International Educator of the Year Award, was recognized for her global educational leadership and cross-border impact. “I am delighted and humbled…the experience was truly enriching. The sessions offered valuable insights into emerging research, innovation, and collaborations happening across the globe. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and engage with experts and educators from different countries”, said Dr. Yadav.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Yadav on her most recent accomplishment.
For more information on the awards and selection criteria, please click here to visit their website: 2025 ICDPN Fusion Awards
IGI Global Scientific Publishing recently announced the winners of its second annual “Reviewer of the Year Award.” This honor is proudly supported by the publisher’s Open Access Journal Program.
To be considered for a nomination, an IGI Global editorial board member had to have actively provided quality, timely peer reviews throughout the previous year (2024).
The award selection process measured performance based on a rigorous set of criteria: the volume of completed reviews, the quality of those reviews, and the timeliness with which they were completed. All of this performance data is meticulously tracked and documented through the publisher’s proprietary system, the eEditorial Discovery System (eED).
Awards were presented to a top editorial review board member and a top associate editor from each of the publisher’s three major disciplinary groups:
This award acknowledges the critical, behind-the-scenes work that sustains the integrity and quality of published research. The winner of the Scientific, Technical, & Medical (STM) category is RMU’s very own Dr. Stephen Mancini.
Dr. Stephen Mancini is considered an expert in leadership, cybersecurity, and understanding the challenges of cybercrime. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Liberty University and a master’s degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He holds various certifications in information systems and project management, and has spent the past 30 years as a leader in cybersecurity and cybercrime for the DHS Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency and the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance.
Dr. Mancini is a distinguished educator and subject-matter expert in cybercrime, cybersecurity, and cyber policy. He has taught at the National Defense University and is currently a faculty member at RMU. He has trained global representatives on these critical issues. Beyond his academic work, Dr. Mancini has authored publications on cyber topics, co-hosts the radio program “Italian Impact Weekly,” and is the Director of the highly acclaimed documentary, “Fedelta. Soldier. Prisoner.”
Congratulations to Dr. Parul Yadav!
The “Woman in Research Excellence – Global Woman of Science Award” is an ElevateX Award given at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Networking (ICAIN). Dr. Parul Yadav received this award at ICAIN 2025, held in Dubai this October, for her contributions to research and innovation. The award celebrates women’s achievements in research, focusing on merit-based evaluation of innovation, impact, and leadership, especially in AI and related fields.
The ICAIN conference brings together scientists, researchers, and industry experts to discuss advancements in computing and networking. The ICAIN 2025 event was organized by BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, in association with the Universal Innovators and the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad.
Congratulations again to Dr. Parul Yadav!
Dr. Jamie Pinchot received the Ben Bauman Award for Excellence at the International Association for Computer Information Systems (IACIS) 2025 Conference in Clearwater, FL, on October 3, 2025. (conference link here)
The Ben Bauman Award for Excellence honors faculty members who have demonstrated significant contributions and dedication to the field of information systems, including service to their university and community.
Dr. Pinchot was recognized during the ceremony as a distinguished academic who has taught at the university level for over 20 years with a teaching portfolio that spans undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses. Her scholarly research has focused on the areas of information privacy and security, mobile technologies, social media and online human behavior, and human-centered design in software development. Further, she has chaired 15 doctoral dissertation committees and served on an additional 33 dissertation committees during her tenure at RMU. Dr. Pinchot has also served RMU as Director of the Ph.D. in Information Systems and Communications and currently serves as Department Head for the Computer and Information Systems department, where she oversees 5 undergraduate programs, 6 Master’s degree programs, and the Ph.D. program. She has also served as Co-PI on two NSF grants and has been RMU’s representative for the National Center for Women & Technology (NCWIT). Dr. Pinchot’s full bio can be found here.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Pinchot on this award, honoring her impressive record of service as a teacher, scholar, and administrator in the field of information systems.
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We are recruiting students to participate in the 2025-26 RMU team for CCDC (Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition).
See more information at https://maccdc.org/ and https://www.nationalccdc.org/
If you are interested in participating in this cyber competition, please contact the team faculty coach Dr. Nader Kesserwan by email at kesserwan@rmu.edu no later than this Thursday, September 18 , and attach a brief 1-2 page resume including any technical background and cyber competition experience for consideration. Team size is limited.
The Massey Center is launching the AI in Action Hackathon: Solutions for Small Business Success! Students from RMU and other universities will team up with local businesses and industry leaders to build real-world, AI-powered solutions. the deadline is September 22!
Friday, September 26th – Virtual Launch Day
Saturday, October 18th – Pitch Day at Field Day Co-working space in Lawrenceville
This initiative invites students of all academic backgrounds and schools to develop AI-enabled solutions for 4 founders in the region. Adopting a human-centered approach, teams meet with founders and mentors during the innovation process. The Grand Prize is $1000 for the winning team, with additional recognition categories.
Special thanks to visionary, Data Science Major William Fullerton, in partnership with Duquesne student, Benjamin Irwin, and Faculty Champion and Massey Center Advisory Board Member, Dr. Albena Ivanova, for your energy and big thinking!
Content provided by The Massey Center.
To register, visit: https://apicspgh.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=76&ts=1757623402
The Computer Information Systems (CIS) Department in the School of Data Intelligence and Technology has received another grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy Program (DoD CSA). This grant, titled “Comprehensive Mentoring for DoD Cyber Talent Development,” aims to recruit eligible RMU and transfer students to develop cyber talent for the DoD cyber workforce and enhance the national pipeline for qualified cyber professionals.
For the 2025-26 academic year, this grant will support two selected DoD CSA student scholars and the research of the Principal Investigator on cybersecurity education and mentoring. Each DoD CSA student scholar will receive comprehensive support, including full tuition and fees, a living stipend, a laptop computer, and a textbook allowance. Scholars are also eligible to take up to the maximum number of credits allowed per semester at RMU. Additionally, the DoD CSA students will have paid summer internships and will be placed in professional cybersecurity positions within DoD agencies.
This marks the fourth time RMU has received the DoD CSA grant, demonstrating the university’s ongoing success in maintaining its designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (NCAE-CDE) by NSA/DHS. This designation must remain in good standing to qualify for this competitive grant.
Dr. Ping Wang (CIS) serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for this grant project, which is set to run from September 2025 to December 2026, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year with new funding. R&GA appreciates the support provided by Julianne Michalenko (Director, Office of Scholar Development) for this grant application. The grant is valued at $165,554 for the 2025-2026+ academic year.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Wang!
CIS @ RMU 