Yansi Keim

Faculty Expertise and Achievement

Dr. Yansi Keim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Security and Digital Forensics at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her research and teaching focus lies at the intersection of digital and mobile forensics, cyber competitions, cybersecurity higher education and cyber defense. Dr. Keim has published in peer-reviewed venues including the International Journal of Information Technology, Electronics MDPI Journal, International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, Cyber Times International Journal of Technology & Management and International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Her work is grounded in the NIST National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Framework and informed by constructivist and behaviorist learning theories, with the goal of advancing workforce readiness and ethical cyber-investigation practices.
As a co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Keim led the first Midwest-wide study examining knowledge and skill retention among senior cybersecurity students exposed to a hybrid model that combined traditional instruction with CTF-based experiential learning in digital forensics. In parallel with her academic work, she has directed vulnerability management and digital forensics initiatives in both industry and government settings. Dr. Keim is a Certified Ethical Hacker (CeH), an active CTF player, and an active member of professional organizations such as Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), West Virginia’s AIDE Conference, Breaking Barriers Women in Cybersecurity (BBWIC), and The Diana Initiative. She is a frequent speaker at major conferences including NIST NICE, Women in Security and Privacy (WISP), and Day of Shecurity. 

Research Interests

Cyber Competitions, Quantitative Methodologies to assess Gamification, Theories of Learning, Digital Forensics, Mobile Forensics

Research Websites

• Google Scholar
• Professional/Research Website

Teaching Interests and Areas

• BFOR 305 – Cyber Defense
• BFOR 412 – Cyber Incident Response and Penetration Testing

Professional Service

• WiCyS
• BBWIC
• The Diana Initiative
• RSA
• CERIAS

Connect: LinkedIn