Austin Whisnant

Austin Whisnant is a Lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Politics and Strategy. She is also a Member of the Technical Staff in the CERT Program at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a unit of Carnegie Mellon University. Her work bridges cybersecurity research and public policy, with a focus on national security implications of technology.

Her research interests include cybersecurity, insider threat detection, network traffic analysis, risk modeling, artificial intelligence in security, and the development of data standards for threat intelligence sharing. She applies machine learning and simulation techniques to analyze large-scale network data and inform cybersecurity policy. Her recent work emphasizes the ethical and practical challenges of using AI in insider risk evaluation and the creation of standardized schemas like the Insider Incident Data Exchange Standard (IIDES) to improve collaboration across organizations.

The body of her recent publications reveals a strong trend in developing practical tools and frameworks for cybersecurity practitioners, particularly in the domains of network situational awareness, insider threat analytics, and secure data exchange. Her work combines technical depth with policy relevance, making it valuable for both operational security teams and decision-makers.

While no formal scientific awards are listed in the available materials, her contributions through white papers, technical reports, blog posts, and webcasts demonstrate sustained impact in the cybersecurity community.

Whisnant advises no known students, but she contributes significantly to research teams at SEI, particularly the CERT Network Situational Awareness (NetSA) team. She is also advancing her own education as a PhD candidate in Engineering and Public Policy at CMU’s College of Engineering, indicating ongoing scholarly development. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates engineering rigor with policy analysis, positioning her at the intersection of technology and governance.

She is actively involved in research labs and teams focused on mission assurance, insider threat mitigation, and cyber risk resilience. Her work with the CERT Program supports national-level cybersecurity initiatives, and her development of tools like SiLK-based profiling systems has influenced operational practices in network defense.