Brian Ngac

Brian Ngac is an instructional assistant professor and Dean's Teaching Fellow for the Information Systems & Operations Management (ISOM) Academic Unit at the Costello College of Business at George Mason University. He has been teaching in Higher Education since January 2018 and has been at George Mason since August 2012 (his freshmen year!). His teaching areas of responsibility are focused in the fields of information security management and business process improvement. Brian also started the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) which places Honors and high-performing students in both the Costello College of Business and School of Computing with real companies performing hands-on experience in real impactful projects. Since joining ISOM in 2019, Brian has brought in over $780K in Grants and Awards to support his Experiential Learning Program and Research efforts.  

In addition to his experience in academia, he has over a decade of experience in Application Security, Cyber Policy and Assessment, Process Improvement, RDT&E Program Management, Operations Management, & Training in the industry. Most of his work has been in support to the U.S. Federal Government and the corporation, but some of his cyber policy and assessment related work has been for international clients in the UAE as well. Brian started out at Parsons Corporation as a software engineering intern back in 2013, which has led him to roles within the company such as Deputy (to the VP) for the Space & Technology Group, as well as Deputy (to the VP) for Digital Engineering Programs. 

To keep up with the ever-changing fields of technology and cyber security, he holds memberships with PMI, [(ISC)2], ISACA, & EC-Council. Brian also participates in the development of questions on certification exams administered by [(ISC)2] – the organization best known for the CISSP credential. He is also very honored to be one of a select few in the world (#87) who holds the CISSP credential with all three concentrations (Architecture, Engineering, & Management). 

Research Interests

• Cyber Security Business & Management
• The Cyber Workforce
• Expert Crowdsourcing
• Experiential Learning

Education

• PhD in Information Technology (2024)
• MS in Applied Information Technology, Cyber Security (2017)
• BS in Applied Information Technology, Information Security (2016)

Certifications

• Certified Chief Information Security Officer (C|CISO) 
• Project Management Professional (PMP) 
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) 
• Certified Information Systems Security Architecture, Engineering, & Management Professional (CISSP-ISSAP, ISSEP, & ISSMP) 
• Certified in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT) 
• Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) 
• Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP) 
• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) 
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) 
• Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) 
• Microsoft Office Specialist: Master (MOS: Master) 

Publications

• Brian Khoa Ngac & Mihai Boicu. Considering Professional Diversity as a Factor in a Consensus Building Method for Expert Crowdsourcing of Curriculum Topics. 2024 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference. June 2024. 
• Brian K. Ngac & Nirup M. Menon. Doing Before Graduating: Experiential Learning with Part-time Internships & Grants. American Society for Engineering Education 2024 Annual Conference. June 2024. 
• Yasmin Nakhleh Jubran, Parsa Sadeghi, Kevin Melecio, Felipe Casabianca, & Brian K. Ngac. Enhancing Collaboration to Improve Cybersecurity Practices. ISACA Journal. Volume 2: The (R)Evolution of the Data Ecosystem. 20 March 2024. 
• Brian K. Ngac & Nirup M. Menon. Cyber Experiential Learning with Industry Participants & Real Projects. Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) 2023. Project Management Session. [12 August 2023] 
• Brian Khoa Ngac & Mihai Boicu. Consensus Building Method for Expert Crowdsourcing of Curriculum Topics. 2023 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference. June 2023. 
• Nirup Menon, Brian Khoa Ngac, & Fatou Diouf. The Value Relevance of an Official Press Release of a Security Breach and Complementarities between the Content Elements of the Release. Workshop on Information Security and Privacy (WISP) 2022. December 2022. 
• Brian K. Ngac & Mihai Boicu. Crowdsourcing Cyber Experts to Determine Relevant Topics During Cyber Curriculum Development Efforts. Innovations in Education & Teaching International. 59(2): April 2022, 1-11. DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2022.2063924 
• Brian Ngac. Virtual CISOs: Security Leader or Security Risk?. ISACA Journal. Volume 5: The Human Element of Security, pgs 22 – 27. September 2021. Featured as Top Story in the 10/4/2021 ISACA SmartBrief on Cybersecurity 
• Brian Ngac. Direct From the Practitioner: Crowdsourcing for Cybersecurity Curriculum. ISACA Journal. Volume 4: Do Algorithms Make the World Go Round?, pgs 1 – 5. August 2021. Featured Article in the 9/22/2021 ISACA Newsletter 
• Brian Ngac. Cyber Professionals can be the Best Cyber Teachers. ISSA International Journal. Volume 18, Issue 2, pgs 30 – 33. February 2020.  

Awards, Grants, and Recognition

Teaching 

• 2024 Dean’s Teaching Faculty Fellow Award from Ajay Vinzé (Dean, GMU’s College of Business) for exemplary contributions in teaching and leadership/engagement: Fellowship Cycle: 2024 – 2026 ($10K stipend) [29 April 2024] 
• 2024 CCI Impact Award Nominee from Jordan Mason (CCI NOVA Node Program Manager) for breakthrough cybersecurity research, innovation, or development of a creative means to improve cybersecurity workforce opportunities for our industry partners and students [15 April 2024] 
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development Cooperative Agreement Grant ($200,000 Federal Grant + $100,000 Industry Participant Contributions) from the United States Department of Commerce to strengthen and diversify the pipeline of students entering CS/IS education and workforce in the National Capital Region through partnerships with a university and industry. Award#: 70NANB24H035. Grant Duration: 1 April 2024 – 30 March 2026.  
• 2023 Scalable Pilot Programs for Experiential Learning Grant ($100,000 Grant Amount + $80.64K Industry Contributions) from CCI for Solving the Cyber Workforce & Skills Challenges through Experiential Learning II Proposal. Award#: HN-4Q23-021. Grant Duration: 1 June 2023 – 30 June 2024. PI: Brian K. Ngac; Co-PI: Nirup Menon 
• 2021-2022 Outstanding Contributions to Teaching Award Nominee from Pallab Sanyal (Area Chair, ISOM Unit) for significant contributions to teaching, pedagogical development, & assurance of learning [29 March 2023] 
• 2022 Scalable Pilot Programs for Experiential Learning Grant ($100,000) from CCI for Solving the Cyber Workforce & Skills Challenges through Experiential Learning Proposal. Award#: HN-4Q22-014. Grant Duration: 1 June 2022 – 30 September 2023. PI: Brian K. Ngac; Co-PI: Nirup Menon 
• Summer 2021 Commitment to Excellent Core Teaching Award Letter from Bethany Usher (Associate Provost, GMU Undergraduate Education) for MIS 330 student recognition as outstanding Writing Intensive in Major [18 Jan 2022] 
• Spring 2021 Commitment to Excellent Core Teaching Award Letter from Bethany Usher (Associate Provost, GMU Undergraduate Education) for MIS 330 student recognition as outstanding Writing Intensive in Major [18 Jan 2022] 
• 2022 George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award Nomination from the Stearns Center for Teaching & Learning in recognition as an outstanding faculty regarding educational contributions to enhancing student learning at the university [21 October 2021] 
• 2021 Outstanding Professor in Major (Information Systems & Operations Management) Award from Maury Peiperl (Dean, GMU’s School of Business) for student recognition of excellence in teaching [11 May 2021]  
• 2021 Dean’s Teaching Faculty Fellow Award from Maury Peiperl (Dean, GMU’s School of Business) for exemplary contributions in teaching and leadership/engagement: Fellowship Cycle: 2021 – 2024 ($15K stipend) [30 April 2021] 
• Fall 2020 Commitment to Excellent Core Teaching Award Letter from Bethany Usher (Associate Provost, GMU Undergraduate Education) for MIS 330 student recognition as outstanding Writing Intensive in Major [2 April 2021] 
• 2019-2020 Outstanding Contributions to Teaching Award Nominee from Nirup Menon (Area Chair, ISOM Unit) for significant contributions to teaching, pedagogical development, & assurance of learning [16 March 2021] 
• Fall 2019 Commitment to Excellent Core Teaching Award Letter from Bethany Usher (Associate Provost, GMU Undergraduate Education) for MIS 330 student recognition as outstanding Writing Intensive in Major [6 May 2020] 
• ​​​​​​​Spring 2019 Commitment to Excellent Core Teaching Award Letter from Bethany Usher (Associate Provost, GMU Undergraduate Education) for IT 493 student recognition as outstanding Capstone in Major [5 November 2019] 

Research 

• 2024 Cyber Acceleration, Translation, and Advanced Prototyping for University Linked Technology (CATAPULT) Grant ($50,000) for research effort titled: CATAPULTing Risk Management Framework (RMF) Compliance through Automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Large Language Models (LLM). Funded by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (with EngineeRD) [16 April 2024] 
• 2024 Summer Team Impact Project [STIP] ($58,590 | 8 Undergraduate Research Assistants (URAs). For research in Addressing the International Artificial Intelligence Cyber Question with US Cyber Command. Funded by the George Mason University’s Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President (with N. Menon) [12 December 2023] 
• Spring 2024 Federal Work Study Research Grant ($2,500 | 2 URAs). Office of the Provost [February 2024] 
• Spring 2024 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($3,600 | 2 URAs / CCI Scholars). CCI NoVa Node [5 January 2024] 
• 2023-2024 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($10,500 | 3 Undergraduate Research Assistants (URAs) / CCI Scholars). Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Northern Virginia (NoVa) Node [25 July 2023]. 
• Summer 2023 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($7,000 | 2 URAs / CCI Scholars). CCI NoVa Node [26 May 2023] 
• 2022-2023 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($15,075 | 6 URAs / CCI Scholars). CCI NoVa Node [19 August 2022] 
• Summer 2022 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($7,704 | 3 URAs / CCI Scholars). CCI NoVa Node [26 May 2022] 
• 2021-2022 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($5,992 | 2 URAs / CCI Scholars). For research in An Empirically Surfaced Taxonomy of the Chief Information Security Officer. CCI NoVa Node (with K. Mehta & N. Menon) [15 October 2021] 
• 2021-2022 Cybersecurity Research Grant ($5,992 | 2 URAs / CCI Scholars). For research in Post-Security Breach Press Release and its Effect on the Company’s Stock Price. CCI NoVa Node (with F. Diouf & N. Menon) [30 Sept. 2021] 
• ​​​​​​​2021 Doctoral Research Scholar Award ($7,319.25 | 9 Graduate Engineering Credits). George Mason University’s Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President [16 December 2020] 

Professional 

• 2024 Engineering & Technical Excellence Award from the Parsons Engineering Working Group for Skill, Dedication, Innovation, and Leadership [19 February 2024]  
• Parsons Standing Ovation Award from John Stasulli (Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Defense & Space Engineering Sector) for dedication and outstanding performance throughout the year [6 November 2023] 
• 2023 Security Professional of the Year Award Finalist from the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) International for continued dedication to the cyber security industry. [5 August 2023] 
• Parsons Standing Ovation Award from Kurt Tripp (Senior Vice President, Systems Engineering & Integration Directorate) for excellence in significantly improving systems, technical procedures, and administrative practices throughout the year [7 November 2022] 
• Parsons Crew Chief Award from Subordinate Team Members (Parsons Universal Modeling & Analysis [PUMA] Team) for excellence in Leadership, Team Building, Mentorship, and Team Dedication [2 September 2022] 
• Inducted into the Parsons Early Management Acceleration Program by Chuck Harrington (Chairman & CEO, Parsons Corporation) for performance excellence, leadership, & innovation [12 December 2018]  
• Parsons Diversity Core Values Coin from Mike Dewitz (Executive Vice President, Engineering & Technical Services Division) for excellent, unique, and impactful work on International Cooperation Programs [27 August 2018] 
• SAF/IA Recognition & Excellence Coin from Rich Saxon (Space Branch Chief, SAF/IAPC – U.S. Airforce) for above and beyond service to the division’s MILSATCOM mission of security through cooperation [2 June 2017] 
• Parsons Letter of Excellence & Appreciation from Biff Lyons (Executive Vice President, Security & Intelligence Division) for successful capture of the $245M IDIQ contract with the Naval Research Laboratory’s Information Technology Division, while being the Technical Lead for cyber security on the proposal team [3 June 2016] 
• SAF/IA Letter of Professionalism & Dedication from Heidi Grant (Deputy Under Secretary of the Airforce, International Affairs) for support in the US-ROK Technology Cooperation Sub-Committee [24 May 2016] 
• OSD/IC Letter of Recognition & Quality Support from Keith Webster (Director, International Cooperation – Office of the Secretary of Defense) for work in the US-ROK Technology Cooperation Sub-Committee [16 May 2016] 

Speaking Events and Conference Presentations

• Brian K. Ngac & Nirup M. Menon. Doing Before Graduating: Experiential Learning with Part-time Internships with Industry Participants. 34th Annual INCOSE International Symposium. [July 2024] 
• Moderator: Engineering Engagement Activities Technical Session, Engineering Technology Division. 2024 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference. [26 June 2024] 
• Brian K. Ngac & Nirup M. Menon. Doing Before Graduating: Cybersecurity Experiential Learning with Part-time Internships & Grants. 2024 Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Symposium. [16 April 2024] 
• Brian K. Ngac. Experiential Learning: Cyber Internships with Industry Participants & Real Projects. Innovations in Teaching & Learning (ITL) Conference. George Mason University, Vol 15 [6 October 2023]  
• Chair, Project Management Session: AMCIS 2023 in Panama City, Panama [12 August 2023] 
• Brian K. Ngac. Cyber Experiential Learning: Projects with Students & Industry Partners. Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) International Thought Leadership Web Conference [9 March 2023]  
• Brian K. Ngac. Recorded & Scalable Guest Lectures: A COVID-19 Inspired Model. ITL Conference. George Mason University, Vol 14 [30 September 2022]  
• Brian Ngac. Curriculum Development Using Expert Crowdsourcing for Requirements Determination. Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference. George Mason University, Vol 14 [30 September 2022]. 
• Brian Ngac. Improving Cyber Curriculum Through Crowdsourcing Domain Experts + Digital Engineering Potentials. 9th International Conference on Big Data Analysis and Data Mining, Invited [3-4 August 2022]. 
• Brian K. Ngac. (Panelist) Teaching Transformation Talks: How and Why Our Teaching is Evolving Showcase Session. ITL Conference. George Mason University, Vol 13: Fostering Inclusive Excellence [22 September 2021] 
• Brian K. Ngac. Course Coordination: Balancing Instructor Autonomy & Content Standardization Across Multiple Sections On-Demand Session. ITL Conference. George Mason University, Vol 13: Fostering Inclusive Excellence [20 September 2021]  
• Brian K. Ngac. Effective Hybrid Teaching = No Live Lectures & More Application-Based Activities: Makes the Students & My Throat Happier! On-Demand Session. ITL Conference at George Mason University, Vol 13: Fostering Inclusive Excellence [20 September 2021] 
• Brian Ngac. Collective Curriculum Development. Innovations in Teaching & Learning Conference. George Mason University, Vol 12: Teaching Towards the Future [22 September 2020]. 
• Moderator: Information Security & Business Continuity Challenges due to COVID-19 Webinar. Executive Development Program. George Mason University, School of Business [10 April 2020] 
• ​​​​​​​Moderator: Professional Quest: Technology in Business Panel. George Mason University [7 November 2019]