Wednesday, March 4, 2015

From the PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL - Susan K. Cerovsky named director of University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity

Photo Special to the News Journal
From staff reports, Pensacola News Journal 11:29 a.m. CST March 3, 2015

The University of West Florida has named retired Navy Captain Susan K. Cerovsky as director of the Center for Cybersecurity, effective March 16, 2015. Cerovsky joins UWF after nearly 30 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy. As director of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, Cerovsky will develop and enhance multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities and regional and national industry partnerships. She will ensure that UWF is a preferred partner in Cybersecurity research, workforce education and professional training across Northwest Florida and the Central Gulf Coast region. She most recently held the title of commanding officer of the Center for Information Dominance (CID) at Corry Station in Pensacola.

Cerovsky served as the president and CEO for Intelligence, cyber, cryptology, information warfare and information technology technical training for the U.S. Navy Information Dominance Corps and associated communities.

 She has collaborated with agencies such as the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to create cybersecurity and cyberwarfare solutions. For additional information about the Center for Cybersecurity, visit www.uwf.edu/cybersecurity.

More detailed report from UWF NEWS:

The University of West Florida announces retired Navy Capt. Susan K. Cerovsky as Director of the Center for Cybersecurity, effective March 16, 2015. Cerovsky joins UWF after nearly 30 years as an officer in the United States Navy, and most recently held the title of commanding officer of the Center for Information Dominance (CID) at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida.

As director of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, Cerovsky will develop and enhance multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs, research activities and regional and national industry partnerships. She will ensure that UWF is a preferred partner in Cybersecurity research, workforce education and professional training across Northwest Florida and the Central Gulf Coast region.

“I am honored to join UWF and to have this opportunity to help prepare the next generation of leaders who will protect the U.S. against cyber attacks,” Cerovsky said. “Defending the United States against such attacks requires highly trained specialists who can design secure computing systems, wire secure computer code and create new tools to protect, detect and recover from malicious acts. The need is now, and the stakes are high.”

As commanding officer for the CID, Cerovsky served as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Intelligence, cyber, cryptology, information warfare and information technology technical training for the U.S. Navy Information Dominance Corps and associated communities. She commanded a multi-million dollar global enterprise with more than 1,300 worldwide assigned personnel directly supporting 25,000 students annually across 22 geographically dispersed training sites and more than 232 cumulative courses. Under Cerovsky’s leadership, CID was awarded the training excellence and retention awards for operation excellence, readiness and efficiency for maintaining superior mission levels across the board.

Cerovsky has collaborated with agencies such as the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to create cybersecurity and cyberwarfare solutions. These efforts sustained and improved relationships between the agencies and Department of Navy staff. Additionally, she developed strategic communication programs to increase transparency by offering interviews to technical magazines and newspapers, and being the keynote speaker at many events. Cerovsky has earned numerous military awards and decorations and is published in a variety of publications and professional papers concerning cybersecurity and cyberwarfare.

Cerovsky earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of South Alabama and a master’s degree in information technology management with a concentration on innovation, artificial intelligence, integrated databases, cyber defensive and offensive operations from Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.

“I am delighted to have filled an important position with an important individual,” said Dr. Martha Saunders, UWF provost and executive vice president. “Sue Cerovsky brings experience and connections to our Center for Cybersecurity. I’m expecting big things from her.”

The UWF Center for Cybersecurity provides a hub for research on Cybersecurity and opportunities for students to move into high-demand career fields through collaborative partnerships. The Center was funded and made possible by an IT Performance Grant provided through the Florida Legislature. For additional information about the Center for Cybersecurity, visit www.uwf.edu/cybersecurity.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can someone point me to where she is "published in a variety of publications and professional papers concerning cybersecurity and cyberwarfare?"

I can't find anything she has written.

LCDRLDO/6440 said...

Who is the current President and CEO at CID?

OPNAV N2N6 AO said...

Cerovsky has collaborated with agencies such as the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to create cybersecurity and cyberwarfare solutions.

I'd be curious to see what those solutions are/were. I see a little Brian Williams action in here. What is 'collaboration' and what are 'solutions'?

seanheritage said...

This has me thinking about retirement in general. I believe that Metcalfe's Law applies to assessing the value of our personal networks. As we progress in our career, the value/outcomes we are able create/deliver is/are largely dependent upon the strength of our network. Those of us who choose to stay in a field related to our military profession after retirement are largely hired/compensated based upon the assessed value of our network. Makes me wonder why some choose to purposely fracture their network as they depart the pattern.

Anonymous said...

It is a testament that our sailors are so well trained. (OK, I'm trollen)

Al Kinney said...

@ Sean - Your insights to post-retirement trajectories and fractured networks are spot on.

Al

Anonymous said...

All I can think of is Capt Bligh from Mutiny on the bounty.

Anonymous said...

Equating ‘choosing a different path’ to ‘fracturing your network’ is really a rather naive view.

It is a blessing not to be so consumed with compensation that you cannot pursue other interests.

Ideally, life is not about having to be a one trick pony. Balance and diversity are wonderful luxuries and should be admired rather than criticized.

I can only assume that your comments are more envy than sincere.

Soon to retire 1810 said...

We all choose different paths, don't we? What is the point you are trying to make? That she didn't become a contractor supporting the IDC? We are seeing our higher thinking retirees go into corporations like banks, government research like FFRDCs, and state government as CIOs. Choose you path - expect haters' wrath. Your new slogan.

Jim said...

Anon @0633: I didn't read Sean's comments the same way you did.

I read his comments as a reflection about people fracturing networks when departing and the potential harm to their post-retirement careers when they do "choose to stay in a field related to [their] military profession." It was not about fracturing relationships due to choosing a different path, a phrase and connection that don't appear in Sean's comments.

I think his point correctly states just the opposite of how you interpreted it, but he can correct me if I perhaps misunderstood his intent.

seanheritage said...

There is always risk in caring enough to share our names with our opinions, a risk that I wish more would take...thanks for asking for clarification. I have many flaws, but I don't believe envy to be one of them. My point is that many of us dedicate the majority of our adult lives committed to something much bigger than ourselves, and while doing so we build meaningful relationships with people we truly care about. My observation is that as we begin to focus more on our transition than our teammates, some forget that the primary reason they enjoyed any degree of success is the people with whom they served. In doing so, some begin treating once valued teammates as if they were of little worth. Personally, I too aspire to creating different experiences upon my retirement, and yes, Sue has an exceptional opportunity and could deliver some amazing outcomes as an extension of the team with whom she once served. As the time for transition nears, I imagine many things change, but what shouldn't change is the value we place on those with whom we serve, the teammates we have grown to love (yes, I meant the L word). We all leave the service at some point. How we leave and the legacy that lives beyond our tenure is a choice. Though most do, I wish all of us made it more about "WE" and less about "ME."