Nicholas Barendt

Nicholas Barendt serves as Assistant Vice President of Research for Technology and Ecosystem Growth at Case Western Reserve University, and is Executive Director of the Institute for Smart, Secure and Connected Systems (ISSACS) and Co-Executive Director of the IoT Collaborative. He holds dual appointments as Adjunct Senior Instructor in both the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Department of Computer and Data Sciences within the Case School of Engineering.

Dr. Barendt earned his BSEE (1995) and MSEE (1998) from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to his academic career, he gained extensive industry experience developing products in robotics, industrial automation, test and measurement, and Internet of Things technologies across both Fortune 1000 companies and startups.

His research focuses on Internet of Things systems with particular expertise in MQTT protocol security, embedded systems, and cloud computing integration. As Executive Director of ISSACS, he leads strategic initiatives across multiple technological domains including visualization, virtual and augmented reality, software design, sensing, robotics, networks, communication, modeling and simulation, embedded systems, data management, analytics, and cybersecurity.

His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on practical IoT implementation and security, with particular emphasis on educational approaches to teaching IoT systems and MQTT protocol security. His work bridges academic research with industry applications, particularly in manufacturing and healthcare sectors.

As an educator, Dr. Barendt created and teaches EECS377 - Introduction to Connected Devices, a technical elective designed to prepare students for constructing and maintaining IoT devices and systems. His teaching approach emphasizes hands-on, systems-level understanding of IoT technologies.

Dr. Barendt actively fosters IoT collaborations across the university and with external partners, building connections between technical disciplines and behavioral, social, legal, ethical and business domains to ensure IoT solutions meet societal needs. His work with the IoT Collaborative represents a joint initiative between Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University.