Recognition

John Gopali

John Gopali: From High School Setback to Cyber Success

By Schaefer Edwards Photos by Amy Hart There’s no way John Gopali could list out every single lesson he’s learned throughout his time as a cybersecurity student in UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics. But one stands out above the rest: no matter where you begin your journey from, it’s the work you put […]

Will Russo

Driven by Discovery: Will Russo’s Lasting Impact on UNC Charlotte

By Bryson Foster ’23 Photos by Amy Hart Will Russo has intertwined his passions of research and computer science, making an impact on UNC Charlotte that will be felt even after he graduates.  “I’m really happy to be at a university where I personally contributed to the growth and acceleration of my program. I won’t […]

Center of Excellence: UNC Charlotte cybersecurity program lauded by National Security Administration

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recently was redesignated by the U.S. National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for Cyber Research through 2030, reaffirming the University’s foundational cybersecurity leadership. One of only 93 universities in the U.S. to currently hold this designation, UNC Charlotte was a member of […]

CCI’s Manuel Pérez-Quiñones recognized nationally for service in CS education

The 2025 Special Interest Group Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) Award for Distinguished Service to the Computer Science Education Community has been awarded to UNC Charlotte’s Manuel Pérez-Quiñones, professor of software and information systems in the College of Computing and Informatics. Since its establishment in 1997, this award from the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) annually […]

Anum Hafiz

Anum Hafiz: Young Leader Sets Her Sights on Cybersecurity Success

Anum Hafiz is set on making an impact. Throughout her time at UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics, she’s constantly pushed herself to build her cybersecurity and leadership skills in tandem, hoping to one day make a mark on her field while leaving a legacy as a role model for women interested in technology […]

Avery Newkirk

Avery Newkirk: Building Family and Career with Niner Nation Behind Him

Avery Newkirk knows how to seize an opportunity. He’s made the most of all of the resources available to him at UNC Charlotte and its College of Computing and Informatics, doing all he can to set himself up for a successful start to his technology career. It’s the first step toward building the kind of […]

CCI's Bill Chu and UNC Charlotte Provost Jennifer Troyer

Quarter-Century Milestone: UNC Charlotte’s Cybersecurity Symposium Celebrates 25th Year

UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) hosted the annual Cybersecurity Symposium on Oct. 22-23 on the University’s campus, marking the event’s 25th anniversary. The annual gathering once again provided a forum for students, researchers and industry professionals to interact, sharing best practices and career advice while looking forward into the next quarter-century of […]

Dr. Bill Chu

Bill Chu and 25 Years Of UNC Charlotte Cybersecurity Excellence

It’s the year 2000. Dial-up internet reigns supreme. AOL has over 20 million customers. Cell phones don’t have cameras, let alone app stores. Most computers are bulky, desk-bound plastic rectangles. And if your company is forward-thinking enough to have a chief technology officer, chances are that person is still using a pager. Twenty-five years ago […]

Shirish Yasa

Shirish Yasa: Using Advanced Computing to Take the Fight to Cancer

When Shirish Yasa was a 10 year-old kid attending educational summer camps at UNC Charlotte, he walked through the beautiful campus each day dreaming about what it’d be like to be a student at his hometown university. “I was very familiar with the campus and I really liked walking around when I was doing those […]

UNC Charlotte Professor Manuel Pérez Quiñones elected to Computing Research Association Board of Directors

Manuel Pérez Quiñones, Professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems in the College of Computing and Informatics, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Computing Research Association, one of the nation’s most influential computing research and policy nonprofit organizations. An advocate for broadening participation in computing, Pérez Quiñones is excited […]