Austin Ukpebor, Ph.D., is a distinguished technology and policy leader with over two decades of cross-industry expertise in healthcare, energy, finance, technology consulting, and academia. His professional journey encompasses a robust foundation in cybersecurity, machine learning, embedded systems, IoT, and health informatics. Currently, he works as a Cybersecurity Engineer at Blue Cross Blue Shield, MS, where he implements and supports secure, complex IT infrastructures and spearheads cybersecurity initiatives that deliver transformative digital solutions. Concurrently, as an adjunct professor at Jackson State University, MS, shaping the next generation of technologists. As a co-founder and Director of Policy Development and Technical, he drives policy formulation and research initiatives related to emerging health technologies, digital health data, and AI-driven health solutions.

In addition to his operational roles, Dr. Ukpebor is an accomplished researcher whose work focuses on developing machine learning predictive models for the early detection and prevention of severe illnesses, including strokes and mental health disorders. He has significantly contributed to the scientific community through his published research in renowned journals and pioneering projects, such as field-deployable IoT systems for animal behavior and environmental monitoring.

Dr. Ukpebor’s academic journey began with a B.Eng. in Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering (Nigeria), continued with an M.Sc. in Engineering, and was crowned with a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering both from the United States. Alongside his degrees, he has received extensive leadership and technical training in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, and South Africa. He holds multiple prestigious certifications, including CISSP, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, ITIL v3, CCNP, and several additional industry-recognized security certifications.

As the founder of CyberInsights Tech, he champions cyber awareness and mentors emerging professionals. He is a senior member of IEEE, serves as Vice Chair of the IEEE Young Professionals Mississippi Section, and holds active membership in the International Information System Security Certification Consortium ((ISC)²). Outside his professional commitments, Dr. Ukpebor enjoys exercising, traveling, listening to music, and staying informed on global events.