UA Little Rock Cybersecurity Professor Inducted into Arkansas Academy of Computing
A UA Little Rock professor has been honored for his contributions to the field of cybersecurity with induction into the prestigious Arkansas Academy of Computing, an organization dedicated to recognizing the state’s leading figures in technology and computing innovation.
Dr. Philip Huff, associate professor of cybersecurity, is one of the 2024 class of five individuals who was inducted into the academy by President David Douglas, an emeritus professor of the Sam W. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.
“I am deeply honored to be a member of the Arkansas Academy of Computing,” Huff said. “This esteemed group celebrates Arkansas’s rich legacy of technological innovation and works diligently to create opportunities for future generations. Their efforts to enhance the quality of life in the Natural State closely align with our mission at UA Little Rock, and I am excited to contribute to their impactful work.”
The Arkansas Academy of Computing is a nonprofit organization established in 2006 that is dedicated to advancing computing in Arkansas through recognition of significant contributors to the state’s computing industry, scholarship support for students in Arkansas college computing programs, advocacy for computing and IT education at all levels, promotion of professionalism in the computing field, and collaboration with diverse partners to achieve the academy’s goals.
Huff has a master’s degree in computer science from James Madison University and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Arkansas. Before joining UA Little Rock, where he also serves as director of cybersecurity research for the Emerging Analytics Center, he has a 15-year history of working in the electric industry managing cybersecurity operations. Huff also co-founded the cybersecurity AI startup, Bastazo, Inc., and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
This recognition highlights Huff’s significant impact on cybersecurity education and research, further solidifying UA Little Rock’s reputation as a leader in technology education. Huff has been instrumental in starting UA Little Rock’s cybersecurity certificate and bachelor’s degree programs. He also helped secure tens of millions of dollars in grants to establish cybersecurity summer camps for junior high and high school students, establish graduate certificate programs for high school teachers to learn how to teach cybersecurity and computer science courses, and to advance innovative solutions to improve the security of our nation’s critical infrastructure.
Huff will also be interviewed as part of the Arkansas Academy of Computing’s History Project, which seeks to preserve the stories and artifacts associated with the founding of the computing business in Arkansas.
