2023–24 Robert J. Kegerreis Distinguished Professor of Teaching

Junjie Zhang, associate professor of computer science

Junjie Zhang, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and director of the cybersecurity program at Wright State University, received the 2023-24 Robert J. Kegerreis Distinguished Professor of Teaching Award.

While the award recognizes Zhang’s value, he enjoys equally, if not more so, impressive accolades from his students, not only in their praise but also through their success after graduation.

Since joining Wright State in 2012, Zhang has developed and expertly led Wright State’s cybersecurity programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Zhang, who became cyber security director in 2022, oversees the curriculum and the university’s NSA CAE-CD designation. He has served on search committees to bring on board new faculty to support the cybersecurity program.

“The excellence of Dr. Zhang’s teaching is evident by the students selecting him as the 2022 Excellence in Teaching of College of Engineering and Computer Science award while excelling in all areas of teaching, research and service,” said Darryl Ahner, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Dr. Zhang’s dedication to teaching is reflected in his exceptional students’ course evaluations and extremely high course enrollment.”

Students flock to his classes because he offers exciting lectures and challenging assignments that provide cutting-edge experience in cybersecurity. His courses feature active interactions with students and intriguing examples rooted in practical cybersecurity threats. He addresses students’ concerns and regularly offers one-to-one meetings to all cybersecurity students.

Zhang helps students hone their problem-solving skills through honors, capstone and independent study projects, master theses and doctoral dissertations.

His student graduates have shown impressive and promising starts. Two Ph.D. graduates immediately secured tenure-track assistant professorships and a master’s student won the department’s 2022-23 Top Cyber Student Award.

Zhang maintains a steady stream of highly qualified students by actively recruiting at departmental events and in outreach activities with other local colleges and universities, the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education and local defense contractors.

Zhang earned his Ph.D. in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his master’s degree in systems engineering and bachelor’s in computer science from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China.

Zhang is devoted to ensuring the cyber security program’s success and that students receive the highest quality educational experience.