News

It’s safe to say that cyber security is one of today’s most dynamic and rapidly changing professional sectors, the instruction of which is equally robust and subject to perpetual evolution. Norwich University’s College of Graduate & Continuing Studies (CGCS) is fortunate to have a cadre of superb instructors for its online Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security (BSCS) degree completion program. Recently, BSCS student Anthony Laforte singled out one instructor who had a significant impact on his experience with the program, as well as his development as a cybersecurity professional: Adam Duby.

A captain in the U.S. Army who serves as a Cyber Defense Engineer at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, Duby is a Norwich alumnus (B.S. Computer Engineering ’08) who went on to earn his Master of Science in Computer Science from Nova Southeastern University in Florida and eventually, to complete the Army’s Telecommunication Systems Engineering program through the Cyber Leader College. Despite the heavy workload and responsibilities of his Army career, Duby regularly dedicates time and energy to mentoring up-and-coming cyber security professionals. 

“Adam has been teaching in the BSCS program since its inception in 2015,” said Henry Collier, academic program manager for Cyber Security. “He’s one of my principal instructors for the foundational language programming courses, and also teaches courses on malware forensics and defensive information warfare.” Collier noted that, in addition to teaching, Duby also played a role in developing courses for the program.

When Anthony Laforte reached out to Collier, it was to describe the tremendous impact Duby has had on him. “Throughout my experience not only at Norwich, but throughout my academic career,” Laforte said, “[Adam] has been the single best teacher I have had.” Laforte went on to say, “I was dreading both of the programming classes (C++ & Assembly) because it has never been a strong area for me. Adam was able to break the concepts down into manageable chunks that I could digest. If there was something that I couldn’t grasp, he was more than willing to set up a call or WebEx to work things out.”

In addition to providing an impactful learning experience in the programming classes, Duby has had a broader positive effect on Laforte’s academic progress and professional pursuits. “He has inspired me to continue my pursuit of reversing malware with his malware forensics class,” said Laforte. “I have taken the necessary steps with my career that I wish to reflect that achievement by attaining SANS GIAC Reverse Engineering certification, which will give me even more skills.”

Laforte’s comments about Duby resonated with the faculty and staff of CGCS and Norwich. “What Anthony described is exactly the kind of learning experience we hope to provide to our online students,” said Mark Parker, Chair of the College’s Division of Continuing Studies. “This is precisely the reason why we’re so fortunate to have instructors like Adam [Duby], who have both academic and professional credentials and experience in their disciplines. In keeping with Norwich’s values, we want our instructors to not only teach effectively, but also inspire our students—as Adam clearly did Anthony.”

Norwich is grateful to Anthony Laforte for sharing his experience, and to Adam Duby for effectively imparting his knowledge and expertise on students in the online Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security program.

As technology continues to grow and change at an unprecedented rate, so too does the scope of effective cyber security training. At Norwich University, students benefit from a nearly 200-year legacy of leadership and cutting edge instruction that provides valuable hands-on experience applicable to real world cyber threats. Designated a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Norwich University is proud to assist students in developing the competencies necessary to build and defend both private and national cyber-based systems; this is accomplished by means of a rigorous cyber security curriculum that is constantly evolving to keep pace with best practices and latest trends in information security. The ever-changing world of cyber security waits for no one. At Norwich University, we not only prepare students to respond to change—we empower them to lead innovation for the future.