Anteneh Girma

Dr. Anteneh Girma is a Professor and Cybersecurity Program Director at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), leading the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences' Computer Science and Information Technology department. He has held academic roles at UDC since 2019, previously serving as Associate Professor and now full Professor, while concurrently holding adjunct positions at institutions like the University of Maryland and Montgomery College. Dr. Girma earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science/Cybersecurity from Howard University (Magna Cum Laud).

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science/Cybersecurity, Howard University

Research Interests:

• AI-driven cybersecurity solutions for IoT, cloud, and edge computing environments
• Machine learning for threat detection (e.g., malware, DDoS, insider threats)
• Cryptography and authentication mechanisms
• Cybersecurity policy and workforce development

Grants & Impact:

• National Science Foundation grant for cybersecurity workforce development
• Department of Defense-funded machine learning research
• NSA support for establishing UDC as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity

Awards & Leadership:

• 2024 Leadership Award from UDC’s School of Engineering
• Founder of UDC’s Cybersecurity Program (launching in Fall 2025)
• Best Research Paper Award (2015) and international cybersecurity recognitions

Teaching & Mentorship:

• Teaches advanced courses in cybersecurity governance, IoT security, and cryptography
• Mentors Ph.D. and M.S. students in cybersecurity research

Key Contributions:

• Developed hybrid models for DDoS detection in cloud environments
• Advocated for blockchain-based election security systems
• Published over 30 peer-reviewed articles on cybersecurity topics