The strength of a nation’s security increasingly depends on robust, forward-thinking computer and network defenses. Few understand this better than Professor Manos Antonakakis, whose research has helped shape the future of digital defense.
This April, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents named him a Regents’ Innovator, recognizing his groundbreaking contributions and his commitment to bringing research into real-world application.
The appointment allows Antonakakis to step away from traditional academic responsibilities and focus on commercializing innovations. He is the first faculty member from the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to receive the distinction.
“From a professional point of view, this promotion indicates that our research has been tremendously successful,” he said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing team of students, support staff, and research collaborators.”
In 2014, Antonakakis launched an ambitious research initiative to develop defensive technologies that could detect and prevent cyber threats using advanced machine learning and data mining techniques—methods that analyze vast amounts of data to uncover hidden patterns, detect anomalies, and predict malicious activity.
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The appointment gives me the freedom to bring technology not only to the marketplace, but also directly to the service men and women who will utilize it to keep America and Americans safe.
Manos Antonakakis
As part of this effort, he co-founded the Center for Cyber Operations Enquiry and Unconventional Sensing (COEUS), which he now co-directs alongside ECE Professors Angelos Keromytis and Fabian Monrose.
Over the past decade, the vision has evolved into a powerful reality, supported by a dedicated team and external collaborators—including the U.S. Department of Defense, which has funded and now benefits from COEUS innovations.
“The appointment gives me the freedom to bring technology not only to the marketplace, but also directly to the service men and women who will utilize it to keep America and Americans safe,” he said.
He views the new title not just as recognition or an opportunity for commercialization, but as a responsibility to turn his research into measurable results.
“There is not a single metric that could ever be used to holistically measure the impact of research in the lab.” Antonakakis said. “You only see its value when others use it to solve problems that matter.”
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