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FBI presents VCU College of Engineering professor with leadership award for work advocating cybersecurity and outreach programs

May 7, 2024

Milos Manic, Ph.D., computer science professor, (center) with Stanley M. Meador, special agent in charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office, (left) and Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering (right)
Milos Manic, Ph.D., computer science professor, (center) with Stanley M. Meador, special agent in charge of the FBI Richmond Field Office, (left) and Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc., the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering (right).

For dedication in advancing the field of artificial intelligence to protect the United States’ critical infrastructure from cyber attacks, Milos Manic, Ph.D., computer science professor at the VCU College of Engineering, was presented with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) by FBI Director Christopher Wray.

“Receiving this award is a great honor,” said Manic. “It symbolizes the College of Engineering’s growing relationship with the FBI and its mission to protect national security, as we are preparing the next generation of computer scientists to combat cyber threats.”

The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 56 field offices is chosen to receive this prestigious award.

Milos Manic, Ph.D. is presented the Richmond FBI 2023 Director's Community Leadership Award by FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Milos Manic, Ph.D. is presented the Richmond FBI 2023 Director's Community Leadership Award by FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Manic has been a long-standing partner of FBI Richmond, supporting and advocating the importance of cybersecurity as a growing field, which has impacted FBI investigative activities and outreach and recruitment programs. Most recently, he was instrumental in planning and hosting FBI Richmond’s 2023 Regional Cyber Collegiate Academy. Due in large part to Manic’s championing the program, over 200 students from four Richmond-area universities were able to attend the experiential cyber learning program, the first of its kind for the FBI, the next iteration of which is planned for fall 2024.

Wray recently hosted the 2023 DCLA winners in a special ceremony at FBI Headquarters, emphasizing the importance of community partnerships in keeping our shared communities safe. These partnerships — as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients — have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods.

The Department of Computer Science provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to perform real-world research as soon as they enroll. From designing algorithms to solving complex computing problems to working with cutting-edge AI technology, students gain understanding of many important computing topics. Browse videos and recent news from the Department of Computer Science to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.