Deborah K. Kariuki

Deborah K. Kariuki is a Clinical Professor and Director of the Computer Science Education program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She leads the Department of Education within the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Her roles include overseeing the MAE Graduate Program and directing UMBC's unique Master of Computer Science Education program, which has enrolled 30 students. She holds leadership positions as Maryland Computer Science Education President, MIT Inspire CS-AI Fellow, ISACA SheLeadsTech Ambassador, and co-lead of WiCyS Mid-Atlantic Affiliate.

Her research focuses on cybersecurity education, AI/ML integration in education, culturally responsive teaching, and computational thinking. She advocates for inclusive cybersecurity education and has secured grants, including a $100,000 award for computational thinking projects and a CyberCELL exploratory grant with Dr. Ngambeki (2023). Notable honors include the NCWIT Educator Award and BlackcomputeHer Sistah Award, recognizing her impact on underrepresented groups in computing.

Deborah previously worked as a software engineer for 16 years and now bridges industry experience with academia through initiatives like the Cybersecurity Curriculum Express Learning Library (CyberCELL). She actively mentors in cybersecurity and computer science education, emphasizing equity and accessibility in tech.