Dr. Trent Dawson has been selected as the next Director of the Governors Cyber Academy at Dakota State University.

The Governors Cyber Academy is a program dedicated to expanding awareness of and access to cyber education for South Dakota for K-12 students. High school juniors and seniors can earn up to 30 transferable college credits in computer and cyber science through the Academy.

Dawson, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in the College of Education, has a background in marketing, instructional design and technology, computer science education.

In 2019, as a doctoral student at Louisiana State University, Dawson contributed to the launch of an inaugural computer science teaching methods course within a federally funded program supporting Louisiana’s K-12 computer science education efforts. 

Dr. Rebecca Hoey, provost and senior vice president for academic & student affairs, says that Daswson’s experience will help the Governors Cyber Academy continue to flourish by strengthening dual credit offerings in computer science, cybersecurity, and AI.

Until June, Dr. Cody Welu will continue serving as Interim Director of Governors Cyber Academy.