Lanier Watkins is a distinguished academic and leader in the field of cybersecurity, currently serving as the chair of the Engineering for Professionals Master’s programs in Computer Science and Cybersecurity at Johns Hopkins University. He also holds a secondary appointment as an associate research professor at the JHU Information Security Institute, where he contributes as the assistant technical director. With over ten years of industry experience at Ford Motor Company and AT&T, Lanier has developed innovative algorithms and frameworks aimed at defending critical infrastructure networks against evolving cyber threats. His research focuses on key areas such as network security, Internet of Things (IoT) security, vulnerability monitoring, malware analysis, and data analytics.In addition to his administrative and research roles, Lanier Watkins teaches several courses on Coursera, including "Introduction to AI for Cybersecurity" and "Advanced Malware and Network Anomaly Detection." His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Black Engineer of the Year’s Modern-Day Technology Leader Award. A senior member of the IEEE and a member of the Association for Computing Machinery, he has published extensively in top-tier journals and holds multiple patents related to cybersecurity technologies. His commitment to advancing knowledge in cybersecurity not only enhances academic discourse but also contributes significantly to practical applications in the field.