Chen Zhong

Chen Zhong is an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity in the Information and Technology Management Department at the University of Tampa. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Nanjing University (2011) and a Ph.D. in Information Sciences and Technology from Pennsylvania State University (2016), advised by Peng Liu and John Yen.

Her research focuses on cybersecurity (intrusion detection, incident response), applied AI in cybersecurity, explainable AI, data analytics (cyber analytics, NLP), and cybersecurity education. She has published over 30 papers in venues like IEEE Systems Journal and IEEE CogSIMA, exploring topics ranging from AI-driven threat detection to gamification in security education.

Her recent work highlights trends in integrating generative AI with cybersecurity defense, enhancing human-AI collaboration through explainability, and improving cybersecurity education via inclusive gamification strategies. Notable contributions include frameworks for transparent AI in auditing and models analyzing attacker persuasion techniques in smishing attacks.

• Awards: 2021 RISE Award, 2019 Teaching Award, multiple scholarships and travel grants
• Professional Activities: Technical program committee member for IEEE CogSIMA and WiCys conferences
• Teaching: Courses include Network Security, Cloud Systems Security, and Incident Response Management
• Affiliations: Center for Cybersecurity at University of Tampa