Cyber Academic Group Administration 

CAG Chair

Dr. Cynthia Irvine is a distinguished professor of computer science and information sciences at the Naval Postgraduate School. Dr. Irvine works in the areas of cyber operations, trustworthy system design and implementation, network & distributed system security, security requirements engineering, and cybersecurity education. As the chair of the Cyber Academic Group, Dr. Irvine leads the NPS' interdisciplinary education and research programs in cyber operations.

Her full faculty profile is available here.

Liaison Officer, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command / U.S. TENTH Fleet

Dr. Timothy Shives is a Department of Navy (DON) civil servant in the Cyber Excepted Services (CES) with Fleet Cyber Command/10th Fleet (FCC/C10F) serving as the Cyberspace Liaison Officer (LNO) to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Prior to joining FCC/C10F, Dr. Shives served as a Department of Defense (DOD) civil servant in the competitive services (GS) at the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) for seven years in the grades of GS-13 to GS-15. Dr. Shives also served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps in both the active duty and reserve components for over twenty years. Dr. Shives began his military career as an attack helicopter pilot flying the AH-1W “Super Cobra,” but was then assigned to a multitude of other occupational specialties in the fields of financial management, information technology management, project management, acquisition management, and data management.

Dr. Shives holds the following degrees: a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) postgraduate degree in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, a Master of Science (MS) in Information Technology Management (ITM) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Arts (MA) in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Information Warfare Chair and the Senior Intelligence Officer

CAPT Mike Owen grew up in central Virginia and graduated with distinction from Virginia Tech in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.  He also holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Old Dominion University and a Master of Arts in Government from Regent University. He is a Joint Qualified Officer and a qualified Joint Targeting Officer.

CAPT Owen began his career as a submarine officer with at-sea assignments in USS MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL and USS NORFOLK and as the Submarine Special Projects Officer on the COMUSNAVEUR staff in London, England.  Following his re-designation to Naval Intelligence in 2005, his Intelligence assignments have included the Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence as the Head of the Intelligence Quick Reaction Team, SIO on USS KEARSARGE (LHD-3), Fleet Intelligence Officer at COMSUBLANT, N2 at Naval Special Warfare Group Four, Director of Intelligence for COMSUBLANT and JFMCC-STRAT, and Director of Operations and Training for Naval Information Warfighting Development Center.  Additionally, CAPT Owen deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2008 as the Deputy J2 for Task Force Ramadi as part of a team from the JFCOM Joint Enabling Capabilities Command (JECC).  
 

Deputy Commandant for Information (DCI) Chair, NWSI

Dr. Chris Paul is the inaugural LtCol Kevin Shea Deputy Commandant for Information Chair at Naval Postgraduate School.  Prior to joining the NPS faculty in 2023, Paul worked at the RAND corporation for more than 20 years. During his time at RAND he provided research support related to operations in the information environment, information warfare, the information joint/warfighting function, counterpropaganda, cyber operations, and related policy to a range of Department of Defense and U.S. Government offices, organizations, and commands. His work has influenced defense doctrine and policy in the United States and internationally. Paul completed his Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.