Johnathan Yerby

Dr. Johnathan Yerby serves as Associate Professor of Computer Science and Cybersecurity at Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Director of the Center for Cyber Outreach, Research, and Education (CORE). Since joining in 2021, he leads the cybersecurity program, teaches undergraduate/graduate courses, and advances cybersecurity education through national-standard initiatives including Mercer's NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designation.

His academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from Georgia State University
• MMIS from Georgia College & State University
• MBA from Georgia College & State University
• B.S. in Information Technology from Macon State College

Research spans cybersecurity, cyber forensics, privacy, and cybersecurity awareness, emphasizing educational applications through innovative methods like steganography exercises and virtualized honeypots. His work critically examines digital presence challenges, particularly how deliberately confusing language in privacy policies impacts user understanding and security behaviors.

Publication trends reveal consistent integration of cybersecurity concepts with instructional technology, evolving from foundational privacy studies toward practical threat-hunting tools. Recent works focus on real-world applications including forensic cloud analysis, malware detection, and awareness training methodologies that bridge academic research with industry needs.

As CORE Director, Dr. Yerby oversees cybersecurity outreach, research, and education initiatives while serving as Mercer's NSA CAE point of contact. He cultivates partnerships within the CAE community to expand student opportunities and uphold national cybersecurity education standards through collaborative innovation.