Milos Manic speaking in front of a room.
Milos Manic, a professor of computer science in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering and director of the VCU Cybersecurity Center. (Photo courtesy VCU Engineering)

Milos Manic named Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers fellow

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The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers has named Milos Manic, Ph.D., a professor of computer science in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering and director of the VCU Cybersecurity Center, an IEEE fellow.

VCU Engineering is fortunate to have Milos as a member of our faculty. He inspires his students and colleagues alike, said Barbara D. Boyan, Ph.D., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the College of Engineering. His research is innovative, and as COVID-19 has thrust us into the digital economy with a vengeance, his work will help us to navigate the many cyber challenges we will encounter, knowing that we will be safe. 

Manic received the honor for his contributions to machine-learning-based cybersecurity for critical infrastructures. He is an internationally recognized expert on data mining and machine learning applied to cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, energy security and resilient intelligent control. Manics numerous achievements in these areas include a smart power grid protection system that improves its own effectiveness as it watches (and learns from) would-be hackers.

Manic spearheads VCUs efforts in a $111 million, five-year public-private partnership led by the University of Texas at San Antonio to help the U.S. Department of Energy secure industrial infrastructure against cyberattacks. He also was instrumental in VCUs designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research, and as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

I am humbled by this recognition,” Manic said. IEEE requires that its fellows’ work have an exceptional impact on society. In my case, that impact area is cybersecurity, which is strategic for the nation. I am very proud of what we are accomplishing in this field. This recognition is another confirmation that VCU is on par with other leading research universities.” 

Manic, who holds several U.S. patents and is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, joined the VCU College of Engineering in 2014 and holds a dual appointment with the Idaho National Laboratory. 

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is the worlds largest technical professional organization, with more than 419,000 members. Elevation to fellow status is recognized globally as a prestigious honor and a major career achievement. Manic is VCUs fourth IEEE fellow.