Tech Professor Named 2020 Cybersecurity Person of the Year

Tennessee Tech’s Computer Science Professor Ambareen Siraj has been named the 2020 Cybersecurity Person of the Year by Cybersecurity Ventures.

Siraj’s work for women in the cybersecurity world lead to the distinction. Siraj created Women In Cybersecurity, a non-profit organization that promotes diversity and brings women together within the profession. Siraj also founded Tech’s Cybersecurity Education, Research and Outreach Center.

In a press release from Cybersecurity Ventures, Founder Steve Morgan said Siraj’s work has played an instrumental role for the cyber community.

“WiCyS was established in 2012 and it has blossomed into one of the most important organizations in our industry due in large part to Dr. Siraj’s guidance and spirit,” said Morgan. “Dr. Siraj is selfless and never wants to take credit for anything, but she deserves to be recognized for giving us WiCyS.”

The 2020 Women In Cybersecurity conference was cancelled due to COVID, but Siraj still conducted a successful virtual event.

In October of 2020, Siraj was named the recipient of the Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity and Inclusion by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.

Siraj is also a member of the Tennessee Cybersecurity Advisory Council Workforce Development working group. The professor joined Tech in 2006 and has brought in over $7 million of grant funding to the College of Engineering.