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Pioneering change for women in cybersecurity through lifelong learning and leadership
October 31, 2024
One promise you hold forever can have an enormous impact on a life. This holds true for Dr. Samah Mansour, cybersecurity graduate program director and assistant professor in the College of Computing at GVSU. When she left Egypt with her husband to move to the United States, Mansour promised her father she’d obtain her doctorate degree. She fulfilled that promise when she graduated from the University of Louisville with a Ph.D. in Higher Education with a concentration in Instructional Technology and Development in 2006. Mansour described that day as “surreal and overwhelming,” as her father watched her receive her Ph.D. and met his grandson for the first time. This promise fueled her commitment to lifelong learning, ultimately guiding her into a career in cybersecurity years later.
Dr. Mansour has persevered through many challenges. Her first Ph.D. wasn’t in cybersecurity, but her drive for knowledge led her back to school seven years later to pursue a second Ph.D. in Computer Science, with a focus on Cybersecurity, at the University of Louisville. Her passion for cybersecurity was sparked when she joined her husband, Dr. Mostafa El-Said, at GVSU, recalling both his inspiring work there and the supportive mentorship of her professor Dr. Choi Nowak. “I saw the work she was doing, and that sparked my interest because of how passionate she was about her work and how she cared for her students,” Mansour said. This motivation drove her to become an Affiliate Professor with the School of Computer Science and Information Systems (prior to the recent college reorganization and school name change) in 2008. Balancing the societal pressures of working full-time, motherhood, and family, she felt compelled to prove herself, eventually earning her second master’s and doctoral degrees.
In 2021, after completing her second doctoral degree, she transitioned into a tenure-track position within the College of Computing. Here, she has focused her cybersecurity expertise on supporting and empowering women in the field. Dr. Mansour founded the WiCyS She Secures student chapter at GVSU, a community dedicated to advancing women in cybersecurity. Key elements of this chapter include K-12 outreach and connecting students with industry. Mansour has taken several chapter members to cybersecurity events, providing them with invaluable exposure and networking opportunities. Among her accomplishments at GVSU, she recently led updates to the cybersecurity degrees, supported a team in proposing a new degree in software engineering, and is a leader in the College of Computing’s strategic planning process. Passionate about expanding opportunities for women in cybersecurity, she actively works to inspire women, from kindergarten through adulthood, to consider cybersecurity careers. This month she was appointed the Grand Rapids WiCyS Affiliate Coordinator, where she will support women interested in changing careers or advancing in cybersecurity.
Dr. Mansour’s ultimate career goal is to see gender balance in cybersecurity classrooms and to leave a lasting impact on women in the field. “When my name is attached to something, I give it my best because I know my name will live on,” she says. As she meets with students and community members, she instills in them her personal mantra: “Believe in yourself. Love and enjoy what you do. When you do that, your confidence will grow, and you’ll find that what you have isn’t a job—it’s a hobby.”
To learn more about Dr. Mansour’s work, read her biography here.
Article written by Shelby Harrison.