Cyber in the Americas: Building Global Cybersecurity Research Partnerships

As cybersecurity challenges increasingly transcend national borders, St. John’s University is advancing global engagement through Cyber in the Americas, an international cybersecurity research collaboration that brings together students, faculty, researchers, and partners from across the Americas. 

The initiative connects St. John’s University with collaborators at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH); Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas), Brazil; and Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, creating opportunities for cross-border research, innovation, and educational exchange. Through collaborative technical projects and cross-cultural engagement, participants explore topics including mobile application security, emergency communications, artificial intelligence, secure software development, cyber resilience, and cybersecurity workforce development. The initiative supports research at multiple levels, creating opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, and international partners to contribute to meaningful scholarship, innovation, and applied cybersecurity solutions.

By working across institutions, countries, and languages, participants gain experience addressing cybersecurity challenges that extend beyond geographic boundaries. As technology becomes increasingly interconnected and cyber threat actors operate through global networks that can affect organizations across multiple countries and sectors, the ability to collaborate on technical solutions to shared challenges has become more important than ever. Cyber in the Americas reflects a broader commitment among participating faculty and institutions to advance cybersecurity research, education, international engagement, and multilingual collaboration. 

Through connections spanning St. John’s University’s Queens, NY, campus and Rome, Italy, location, as well as partnerships throughout the Americas, the initiative is helping build a growing international network for cybersecurity research and innovation. 

Key collaborators include Elías Leonardo García Urquía, Ph.D., of UNAH; Carlos Moreira, D.B.A., Guilherme Macedo, Evandro Marcelino Martins, Luiza Stradiotto; Fernando Kintschner, and Prof. Isaías de Queiroz Ramos of Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas), Brazil; and Servio Palacios, Ph.D., of Tecnológico de Monterrey. 

Research associated with the partnership has been presented at academic conferences hosted by Oxford University and Cambridge University, demonstrating the value of international collaboration in addressing complex cybersecurity challenges. Research projects are designed around real-world cybersecurity issues affecting governments, industry, critical infrastructure, and communities throughout the region.

The New York component of the initiative is led by Suzanna Schmeelk, D.P.S., Ed.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science and Cyber Security at St. John’s University, whose work focuses on cybersecurity education, cyber resilience, applied cybersecurity research, workforce development, and international collaboration. Further recognizing her leadership in the field, Dr. Schmeelk will present at “Advancing America’s Cyber Legacy: Fulbright Specialists and the Future of Global Cybersecurity,” a Fulbright specialist program alumni convening scheduled for this fall in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. 

The event will bring together cybersecurity leaders, educators, researchers, policymakers, and Fulbright specialists to explore how international partnerships and global perspectives can strengthen cybersecurity capacity, workforce development, resilience, and innovation throughout the Americas. 

As Cyber in the Americas continues to grow, the program reflects a shared commitment to advancing cybersecurity knowledge, strengthening international research partnerships, and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to help solve the complex technical challenges of an increasingly interconnected world. 

In an era where technology, infrastructure, and information systems are connected across borders, cybersecurity incidents and threat actors are global in nature, making international collaboration, research, and technical innovation essential to building a more secure digital future. Cyber in the Americas invites students, researchers, and institutions to work together in advancing cybersecurity knowledge and developing solutions to challenges that increasingly affect societies across the globe.

The growth of Cyber in the Americas has benefited from connections established through St. John’s University’s Global Studies program, coordinated by Zoe Petropoulou, Ph.D., Associate Professor of French in the Department of Languages and Literatures, and Ian M. August, Adjunct Professor in the Division of Mass Communication, as well as support from The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, including Geoffrey N. Dick, Ph.D. 

The collaboration also builds upon international partnerships fostered through Fulbright and US Department of State-supported activities involving Dr. Elías Leonardo García Urquía, Dr. Suzanna Schmeelk, and Fulbright alumnus Dr. Servio Palacios, further strengthening research, educational exchange, and cybersecurity collaboration across the Americas.

Further readings:

• https://fulbright.org/2026/04/08/cyber-in-the-americas-building-graduate-cyber-security-research-for-shared-security/