Cumberlands Professor Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

Dr. Kenneth David Strang, adjunct professor at Cumberlands, embodies the spirit of a lifelong learner. With more than forty years of industry experience and a portfolio of advanced degrees, professional licensures, and published research, Dr. Strang continues to pursue knowledge with purpose. His work is driven by a desire to ask better questions, address global challenges, and improve communities through education and innovation.

Most recently, Dr. Strang was awarded a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to the Bahamas. There, he will help enhance academic programming and promote community safety by developing a sustainable cybersecurity micro-credential course.

A specialist in research methods, Dr. Strang has authored numerous peer-reviewed studies on cybercrime, big data, project management, and teaching-learning practices. His research led him to identify the Caribbean as a potential “soft spot” for cybercriminal activity due to the region’s well-known offshore financial investment operations. In response, he contacted a Caribbean university and offered to help address the concern, an offer they eagerly accepted.

Fulbright is a U.S. government-sponsored program that fosters international exchange and provides recipients with opportunities to pursue academic or professional goals while contributing to global understanding. Dr. Strang, encouraged by the U.S. Department of State, applied for the honor and is now the first faculty member from Cumberlands to receive this distinguished award.

His central aim with the Fulbright project is to collaborate with a local academic institution to develop and deliver an innovative “Cybersecurity for Decision Makers” micro-credential course while helping strengthen the region’s business program infrastructure. He hopes the course will equip local professionals with advanced knowledge and skills to implement adequate safety measures—promoting long-term resilience against cyber threats.

“My work on global terrorism, cybersecurity, big data analytics, and teaching-learning methods has already benefited universities, large companies like Microsoft and IBM, and several U.S. government agencies, including DHS,” said Dr. Strang. “These organizations keep my research accessible in their libraries. Expanding access on a more global scale, especially in regions vulnerable to attack, is a clear and exciting next step.”

Dr. Strang’s application was selected from among tens of thousands of submissions. “It is difficult to win a Fulbright Scholar Award,” he noted. “Being chosen tells me I’m doing something meaningful to help society—and receiving funding means I don’t have to bear the financial burden of this work alone.”