George Mason University welcomes new cybersecurity research faculty 

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Matt Jablonski has been a researcher at George Mason for over a decade. This semester, he joined the faculty.  

A seasoned cybersecurity researcher, Jablonski earned his bachelor’s in computer science from Virginia Tech before pursuing a career in systems engineering that sparked his curiosity about securing information systems. He completed both his master’s and his doctorate degrees in information security and assurance part-time at George Mason over the course of twelve years while continuing to work full-time, most recently serving as Vice President of Security Research at B4Corp. 

Matt Jablonski
Matt Jablonski

Jablonski credits the support of his family for helping him accomplish his academic goals while working full-time.  

“Everybody kind of tackles it differently, but in my case, I definitely needed that strong support system,” he said.  

Now, Jablonski is finally wearing only one hat, as a research assistant professor in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering. That said, his role involves contributing research to a host of cybersecurity projects. His recruitment is part of an effort by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and expand academic programs across multiple institutions in Virginia. 

Jablonski is working on projects that continue to push the boundaries of cybersecurity. His research focuses on the intersection of formal methods and cyber-physical systems, particularly in areas like secure manufacturing, 5G systems, and connected vehicles.  

“I’m trying to understand some of the security problems associated with the interactions of future connected vehicles and talking to the infrastructure,” he said. 

He is also diving into electromagnetic pulse (EMP) security research, investigating how systems can be protected from the destructive effects of EMPs, which are capable of disabling electronics over large areas. 

In addition to his ongoing projects, Jablonski is looking ahead to security challenges related to such fields as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and quantum computing. 

“Understanding what it takes to secure these systems, that's an interesting question,” he said.  

Jablonski’s arrival at George Mason marks an exciting chapter for the university’s cybersecurity research efforts, as his experience in both academia and industry positions him well to pursue innovative and practical cybersecurity solutions.