About the Center for Security Studies

Douglas Harrison

Vice President and Dean, School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology

240-684-2400
douglas.harrison@umgc.edu

Douglas Harrison, PhD, is vice president and dean of the School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology at University of Maryland Global Campus. As dean, he is responsible for the vision and delivery of workforce-relevant cyber and IT education through the university’s open-access model for adult and military students. He also leads UMGC’s strategic initiative to strengthen the security of the online teaching and learning environment and secure the university’s intellectual property on the internet.

Harrison consults nationally on matters of academic integrity, authentic teaching and learning, and faculty performance assessment. Prior to joining UMGC, Harrison held administrative and faculty appointments at Trinity Washington University, where he led a transformation of the first-year curriculum in the university’s historic women’s college; James Madison University, where he oversaw career development initiatives for faculty; and Florida Gulf Coast University, where he was faculty senate president and a member of the Board of Trustees.

His work in higher education has been recognized with the National Education Association's Award for Excellence in the Academy and the John W. Kluge Fellowship at the Library of Congress. Dr. Harrison received a bachelor's degree from the Pierre Laclede Honors College at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and master's and doctoral degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.

Lawrence Awuah

Associate Professor, Graduate Cybersecurity Technology Program, The Graduate School

lawrence.awuah@faculty.umgc.edu

Lawrence Awuah is an associate professor in the cybersecurity technology graduate program at University of Maryland Global Campus. Awuah brings deep industry and academic experiences in networking, digital forensics, penetration testing, risk management, cloud security and other systems, having implemented and managed these systems in organizations such as Electronic Data Systems, AOL, Hama, and Verizon.

Awuah earned a doctoral degree in information technology with a specialization in information systems and security from Capella University, and a master's degree in computer engineering from George Mason University. His expertise and research interests include artificial intelligence and machine learning as it applies to cybersecurity, including pattern recognition, anomaly detection, predictive analytics, user behavior analytics, the Internet of Things, blockchain technology, and technology acceptance.

Awuah also holds industry certifications, including CISSP, CISM, and CISA, as well as Information Technology Infrastructure Library, Juniper Networks Certified Internet Specialist, and Cisco Certified Network Associate.

S. K. Bhaskar

Vice Dean, Computer Information Systems and Technology, The Undergraduate School

240-684-2840
s.bhaskar@umgc.edu       

S. K. Bhaskar joined UMGC in 1998 after serving as senior programmer and analyst at SRA Technologies Inc. He holds an MS from the School of Automation, Indian Institute of Science, in Bangalore, India, and earned his PhD in computer science from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Bruce deGrazia

Professor, Cybersecurity Management and Policy

bruce.degrazia@umgc.edu

Bruce deGrazia is the Program Chair for Cybersecurity Management and Policy at UMGC. Before joining the university, deGrazia held positions at the US Environmental Protection Agency, Cummins Engine Company, and United Technologies Corporation. He served in the Navy as an officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps and was Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Quality in the Clinton Administration. A graduate of DePaul University with a degree in History, deGrazia received a master's in archaeology from the University of London and then returned to DePaul for a degree in International Law. He holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology from UMGC.

Nick Duchon

Collegiate Professor

Jennifer Hull

Administrative Coordinator, Center for Security Studies

Valorie Jackson King

Program Director and Professor, Cybersecurity Management and Policy

valorie.king@umgc.edu

Valorie J. King currently serves as the program chair for the cybersecurity management and policy program in the Undergraduate School. Her professional experience includes executive management consulting, IT strategy, and policy development for federal organizations, as well as systems and software engineering in the defense and intelligence industries.

King's areas of expertise include cybersecurity education and training; cybersecurity management, policy, and governance; risk management; and the Internet of Things (IoT), including the quantized self, embedded medical devices, and wearable computing. Her current professional focus is on providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to lead and manage tomorrow's cybersecurity programs, products, and services in businesses and governments within local, regional, national and international contexts. To accomplish this, King leads a world-class faculty of cyber scholar-practitioners who engage in the design, management, delivery, and assessment of curriculum.

King earned a Master of Science in information technology and a Chief Information Officer certificate from UMGC. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in organization and management (IT management specialization) in 2008 and a post-baccalaureate certificate in healthcare administration in 2010, both from Capella University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in computer sciences from University of Maryland, College Park. She is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and holds the CISSP, CISA, CISM, CRISC, PMP, and PSEM certifications.

Patrick J. O'Guinn, Sr.

Program Director, Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation

Patrick J. O'Guinn, Sr. is the program director of digital forensics and cyber investigation at UMGC. He taught for 23 years at Howard Community College, where he developed courses in criminal justice and computer forensics and was named Outstanding Professor of the Year. At Howard Community College, he created and directed the digital forensics program and retired as Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice and Digital Forensics.

O’Guinn emphasizes skill development and problem solving labs to prepare students for digital forensics and cyber investigation careers. His extensive background in digital forensics, litigation, and law enforcement complements the UMGC scholar-practitioner learning mission. He is a Maryland trial lawyer experienced in civil and criminal litigation, intellectual property matters, and negotiating effective Master Services Agreements for software engineers.

He earned a JD at University of California's Hastings College of the Law, an MPA from Golden Gate University, and a BS in administration of justice from San Jose State University.

O'Guinn is an inspirational book author, frequent keynote speaker, training consultant, and mentor.

His areas of expertise include digital forensics and cyber investigation training, SME course development, inspiring leadership performance in cybersecurity professionals, developing transformative thinking, and practical writing processes.

Loyce Pailen

Professor, Cybersecurity Management and Policy

loyce.pailen@faculty.umgc.edu

Loyce Pailen has extensive work experience in information technology and cyber security in both the public and private sectors. Pailen teaches courses in the areas of cyber security technology and cyber security management and policy. Among many volunteer efforts and affiliations, Pailen currently has a CISSP and is on the board of directors for the ISC2 National Capital Region Chapter. Pailen received her master's degree and doctorate from University of Maryland Global Campus. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society.

Manish Patel

Collegiate Professor

Manish Patel earned a master's degree from Mercer University and a bachelor's degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Patel has more than 20 years of teaching experience with UMGC. In addition to teaching, he has worked in the industry for more than 18 years and holds several industry certifications including A+, Network+, Microsoft 365 Enterprise Administrator Expert, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect, and MCSE.

James Robertson

Program Chair, Computer Science and Software Development and Security
Collegiate Professor

240-684-2840
james.robertson@umgc.edu

James Robertson joined University of Maryland Global Campus in 2001 after serving as a principal consultant at Oracle. He earned an MS in electro-optical engineering from the University of Dayton and an EdD in instructional technology from Towson University. He teaches courses in programming, databases, computer graphics, and image and signal processing at UMGC. He also presents papers and participates in technical discussions at conferences across the United States.

Jesse Varsalone

Collegiate Associate Professor
Coach and Captain of the UMGC Cyber Competition Team

jesse.varsalone@umgc.edu

Jesse Varsalone earned his Master's degree from the University of South Florida, and his bachelor's degree from George Mason University. In addition to teaching for UMGC, he has also taught at the Defense Cyber Investigations Training Academy (DCITA) and holds a number of certifications in the information technology field, including A+, Net+, iNet+, Server+, Linux+, CTT+, CISSP, MSCE, CCNA, and CCNA Security.