Richard Forno, assistant director of UMBC’s Center for Cybersecurity and a principal lecturer in the department of computer science and electrical engineering, has been appointed an honorary international professor in the School of Science and Engineering at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH), one of Mexico’s oldest universities.
Forno joins a select group of academics who have been named honorary international professors at UAEH. The recipients, some of whom have received some of the highest honors in their fields, are chosen for their overall academic and professional contributions.
The investiture ceremony coincided with the university’s two-week-long international book fair, held in late August and organized this year around the theme of cybersecurity. Over two days, Forno delivered five talks, met students and faculty, and spoke with university leaders about areas of possible collaboration between UMBC and UAEH.
Countries around the world share the challenge of maintaining cybersecurity in an interconnected and ever-evolving digital landscape. In his main lecture, Forno emphasized the importance of education and interdisciplinary collaboration to combat cybersecurity threats.
Forno says the formal investiture ceremony, held in one of Hidalgo’s oldest structures, was a particularly meaningful event for him. “It was a humbling personal experience and certainly a professional honor that I will not soon forget,” he says.
