Dr. Tonia San Nicolas-Rocca, a recognized scholar and educator in the areas of information security and health information systems, will be joining the San José State University School of Library and Information Science (SJSU SLIS) in Fall 2013. 

At the SJSU information school, San Nicolas-Rocca will continue her research involving the development, implementation, and effectiveness of information security training and awareness programs, as well as the secure use of mobile technologies in organizations. She also plans to continue her research in the design, development, and use of patient-centered e-health systems to improve patient understanding and compliance in a range of healthcare settings.

Her recent teaching experience includes courses in information security, information networking, and information systems management at Colorado State University – Pueblo. She also taught undergraduate and graduate courses for the Department of Information and Decision Sciences at California State University San Bernardino for eight years, including courses in information management, information networking and security, database management, systems analysis and design, and web development. She is an experienced online educator, who has taught online courses and converted face-to-face courses to an online delivery model.

Additionally, San Nicolas-Rocca has more than six years of industry experience in the analysis, design, implementation, and strategic use of wide area networking systems and security within multinational organizations. 

This fall, San Nicolas-Rocca will teach a new Cybersecurity course offered to SJSU SLIS graduate students enrolled in the School’s fully online Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program. The course will cover cybersecurity issues and the problems associated with securing information resources within organizations, roles in cybersecurity work, and legal and regulatory compliance.

San Nicolas-Rocca will also be part of the new San José State University interdisciplinary initiative in cybersecurity. She will work with colleagues in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Management Information Science, and Psychology (Human Factors) to develop curriculum and conduct research. 

San José State University is home to the Silicon Valley Center for Cybersecurity, is a partner in the NSF-funded national Center for Science and Technology for Research in Ubiquitous Secure Technology (TRUST) at UC Berkeley, and hosted the national symposium on Curriculum Development in Security and Information Assurance (CDSIA), as well as the Edward Oates Security in the Cyber Age Symposium.

In addition, SJSU President Mohammad H. Qayoumi was recently appointed to the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC). Qayoumi will also serve as chair of the HSAAC’s new subcommittee on cybersecurity.

San Nicolas-Rocca holds a doctoral degree in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University in California, and a Master of Business Administration from California State University San Bernardino.

San Nicolas-Rocca has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Information Systems at Colorado State University – Pueblo since 2010.  Her appointment with SJSU SLIS will begin in August 2013.