Terry Benzel, Managing Director of USC's Information Sciences Institute and a pioneering figure in cybersecurity research, is running for Vice President of the IEEE Computer Society, bringing a comprehensive vision for strengthening the organization's global reach and addressing emerging ethical challenges in technology.

Benzel, an IEEE Fellow recognized for her leadership in establishing the field of cybersecurity experimentation, has served on the IEEE Computer Society's Board of Governors for five years, giving her deep insight into the organization's operations and future needs.

"I've been involved in the IEEE Computer Society since the early 1980s, early in my career, and I've really found that it's a very important place for me and for our community," Benzel said in announcing her candidacy. "I believe at this point that I have a lot to bring to the Vice Presidency where we can oversee multiple boards."

Watch her video interview:

A Career Built on Innovation and Leadership

Benzel's journey with the IEEE Computer Society began at the Security and Privacy Conference in the 1980s, where she attended "right out of grad school" and met "some of the real leaders in the community of security and privacy." This early experience shaped her career trajectory and commitment to the organization.

With a Master's in Mathematics from Boston University and an Executive MBA from UCLA, Benzel has built an impressive career spanning government research, industry leadership, and academic excellence. As Managing Director at USC's Information Sciences Institute, she manages all aspects of operations including finance, contracting, purchasing, IT, administrative staff, and communications/marketing.

Her previous roles include serving as division vice president at Network Associates (McAfee), where she led an advanced research organization of 125 individuals, and she has twice testified before the US House of Representatives Committee on Science about the importance of investing in cybersecurity research and its infrastructure.

Addressing Critical Challenges

One of Benzel's primary campaign focuses is tackling ethical issues in academic publishing and conferences. Having served on the Integrity Committee, she has witnessed concerning trends in the research community that demand immediate attention.

"What we see is in conferences, in conference organizers and reviewers, we see something called a collusion ring, where there are different kinds of ways that people are practicing unethical approaches to getting more papers published," she explained. "And this is something that I really am focused on in the year if I become Vice President. The first thing we need are clear guidelines and processes for our conference organizers to understand what they should do when confronted with an ethical issue."

Vision for Global Collaboration

Benzel emphasizes the IEEE Computer Society's international character and the need for stronger global partnerships. After participating in the Global Chapter Summit for the first time, she gained crucial insights into the organization's worldwide membership.

"It's very important to keep in mind that the IEEE Computer Society is a global organization, and in fact many of our members are outside of the United States," she noted. "Key to IEEE Computer Society's success is going to be how we can leverage our different communities."

Her vision extends beyond traditional academic boundaries to include strategic collaboration between academia, industry, and government. She's particularly critical of superficial industry participation at conferences.

"In the past a conference might have an industry rep there who's only interested in recruiting, and they have a table to talk to the students," she observed. "No, I want the strategic folks, the strategic advisors in industry, to be sitting at the table with our researchers so that we can develop the map and the roadmap for the future of how we can tackle our problems."

Commitment to Mentorship and Inclusion

A passionate advocate for broadening participation in technology, Benzel has made mentorship a cornerstone of her career, driven by the recognition that the field's complexity can overwhelm newcomers.

"There are so many people and so much going on in the world today that it's very easy to get lost and so we establish mentorship programs both where I work at the University of Southern California and within the Computer Society to make sure that new people have an opportunity to work with somebody who can help mentor them," she explained. "If we don't, we're going to lose people along the way."

She particularly emphasizes the importance of connecting with young professionals: "What really excites me is I have the opportunity to work with our young professionals, to work with our students, to work with our global organizations, and to sort of hearken back to what it was like for me when I was that age and to help them find a path."

A Personal Mission

For Benzel, the IEEE Computer Society represents more than a professional organization—it's been her professional home for over four decades. "I am very passionate about the Computer Society because it became a home for me as a graduate student and so being a part of this for so many years and working with so many people really gives me a community and networking," she said. "I think in a sense the human side of the Computer Society means almost as much to me as anything else that we do."

Her commitment extends to ensuring the organization remains truly responsive to its members' needs, not just administratively efficient. "The last thing I want to hear is from a member who's trying to do something or wants something and they feel like they're not getting their questions answered," she emphasized. "The members are key and so we need to be responsive to them first off, and then we need to be responsive to the emerging technology trends that are out there."

Distinguished Recognition

Benzel's contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including IEEE Computer Society Golden Core Member status in 2022, the IEEE Security and Privacy Magazine AEIC Outstanding Service Award, and the US Department of Homeland Security Cyber is a Team Sport Award.

As the IEEE Computer Society looks toward the future, Benzel offers a combination of deep institutional knowledge, global perspective, and unwavering commitment to advancing technology for humanity's benefit. Her candidacy represents an opportunity for the organization to strengthen its ethical foundations while expanding its global impact and fostering the next generation of technology leaders.

The election results will determine who will help guide one of the world's most influential technology organizations through the rapidly evolving challenges of the digital age.

IEEE members can vote here.