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Assistant Professor (Tenure Eligible)
Cyber Operations
College of Information Science (2025 - present)
College of Applied Science and Technology (2023 - 2025)
University of Arizona
1103 E. 2nd St., Rm 306
Tucson, AZ 85721
Email: ryanstraight@arizona.edu
Web: ryanstraight.com
ORCID: 0000-0002-6251-5662
Chronology of Education
M.S. in Cybersecurity (May 2023) University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Culminating experience was group capstone, not thesis or seminar paper.
Ph.D. in Instructional Technology (May 2015) Ohio University, Athens, OH
Dissertation: An Exploratory Study of Augmented Reality and Mobile Games Examining Ingress Player Motivation and Potential Educational Value
Dissertation advisor: Dr. Teresa Franklin
M.Ed. in Cultural Studies in Education (May 2009) Ohio University, Athens, OH
Seminar Paper: Religion and Public Education, A Review of the Literature
Seminar paper advisor: Dr. Najee E. Muhammad
B.S.Ed. in Integrated Language Arts (December 2005) Ohio University, Athens, OH
Major: Secondary English Education (7th - 12th grades American and British Literature)
Minors: English Literature and Philosophy
Chronology of Employment
Coordinator and Advisor, MS Cyber Operations and Associated Certificates (2026-present)
Cyber Operations, College of Information Science, University of Arizona
Assistant Professor (Tenure track) (2025-ongoing)
Cyber Operations, College of Information Science, University of Arizona
Assistant Professor (Tenure track) (2023-2025)
Applied Computing & Cyber Operations, College of Applied Science & Technology, University of Arizona
Additional Appointments
Affiliated Faculty, Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing, University of Arizona (2023-present)
Director (2021-present)
MA{VR}X (Extended Reality) Laboratory, College of Applied Science & Technology / College of Information Science, University of Arizona
Associate Professor of Practice (2022-2023)
Applied Computing & Cyber Operations, College of Applied Science & Technology, University of Arizona
Assistant Professor of Practice (2021-2022)
Applied Computing & Cyber Operations, College of Applied Science & Technology, University of Arizona
Assistant Professor (Career track) (2019-2021)
Applied Computing, College of Applied Science & Technology, University of Arizona
Assistant Professor (Career track) & Co-Program Director (2017-2021)
Educational Technology, College of Applied Science & Technology, University of Arizona
Senior Lecturer (2015-2017)
Educational Technology, University of Arizona, College of Applied Science & Technology
Honors and Awards
Award: Outstanding Innovator Award (2022) College of Applied Science and Technology, University of Arizona
Award: Best In Track Award (2019) “The New Professor: How I Podcasted My Way Into Students’ Lives (And How You Can, Too)” OLC Innovate 2019
Award: Effective Practice Award (2018) “#SquadGoalsNetwork – Remixing the Personal Learning Network.” Angela Gunder, Jessica L. Knott, Ryan Straight, Clark Shah-Nelson, Keegan Long-Wheeler, Benjamin Scragg, John Stewart. The University of Arizona, Michigan State University, The University of Maryland, The University of Oklahoma, Arizona State University. OLC Accelerate 2018
Honor: Invited Honors Professor (Spring semesters, 2018-2021). Honors College, University of Arizona.
Honor: UA Distance Faculty Fellow (2017-2020). Inaugural cohort, University of Arizona. (Program suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19)
Publications/Creative Activity
Refereed Journal Articles
Straight, R. (2026). Grey areas and egress: Artifact-based collaborative learning in cybersecurity ethics. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments, 10(2).
Straight, R. (2026). Teaching within the assemblage: A reflexive inquiry into posthuman cybersecurity pedagogy. In P. Jandrić (Ed.),
CHAPTERS in education. Springer Nature.
https://doi.org/10.1007/60490_2026_13
Straight, R., & Escamilla, A. (2026). Semantic
Technologies for
Cybersecurity Education Competencies:
JSON-LD Implementation of
Distributed Learning Analytics.
Cybersecurity Pedagogy and Practice Journal,
5(1), 79–103.
https://doi.org/10.62273/scrc1853
Straight, R., & Herron, J. (2026). Distributed
Agency in
AI-Enhanced Cybersecurity Education:
A Posthuman Instructional Design Framework.
Journal of the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education,
13(1).
https://doi.org/10.53735/cisse.v13i1.229
Straight, R. (2025). Beyond the blockchain: A comparative analysis of educator and non-educator perspectives on Web3 in educational contexts.
The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology,
25(1), 32–50.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6XEMG
Straight, R., Lowery, J., Poehlman, D., & Yowika, W. (2025). Reshaping cybersecurity ethics education: Evaluating a posthumanist pedagogy using human/
AI co-generated case studies.
Cybersecurity Pedagogy and Practice Journal,
4(1), 24–34.
https://doi.org/10.62273/DTJD9647
Straight, R. (2024). Beyond human-centric models in cybersecurity education: A pilot posthuman analysis of the
NICE workforce framework for cybersecurity.
Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice,
2024(1).
https://doi.org/10.62915/2472-2707.1210
Straight, R. (2024). Doing postphenomenology in cybersecurity education: A methodological invitation.
Cybersecurity Pedagogy and Practice Journal,
3(1), 64–72.
https://doi.org/10.62273/TWSH7587
Refereed Conference Proceedings
Straight, R. (2026). Systematic
AI-Human Collaboration for
Worldbuilding in
Cybersecurity Education:
A Practice-Based Framework.
Proceedings of EdMedia + Innovate Learning 2026.
https://www.learntechlib.org/p/2129766/
Straight, R., Wagner, P., Alharthi, D., & Honomichl, R. (2026).
WIP:
Clinic-In-A-Box:
AI-powered stakeholder simulation for cybersecurity education.
Proceedings of the 56th IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference.
https://fie-conference.org/2026
Wagner, P., Straight, R., Alharthi, D., & Honomichl, R. (2026). Integrating AI into cyber operations education: Design and validation of a CyberAI undergraduate program. INTED2026: Proceedings of the 18th International Technology, Education and Development Conference.
Straight, R., & Escamilla, A. (2025). Semantic
Technologies for
Cybersecurity Education Competencies:
JSON-LD Implementation of
Distributed Learning Analytics.
2025 Proceedings of the ISCAP Conference,
v11 n6443, 1–20.
https://iscap.us/proceedings/2025/pdf/6443.pdf
Straight, R., & Herron, J. (2025). Distributed Agency in AI-Enhanced Cybersecurity Education: A Posthuman Instructional Design Framework. Proceedings of the 29th Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education, 29.
Straight, R. (2024). Decentering the human: A posthuman approach to cybersecurity education.
Proceedings of the 4th (2024) IEEE Cyber Awareness and Research Symposium (CARS), 1–6.
https://doi.org/10.1109/CARS61786.2024.10778862
Straight, R. (2024). Reconceptualizing cybersecurity tools as educational actors in the posthuman era.
EDULEARN24: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 9822–9828.
https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2024.2365
Straight, R., Lowery, J., Poehlman, D., & Yowika, W. (2024). Preparing posthumanist perspectives on
AI-human collaboration in developing cyber ethics curricula.
2024 Proceedings of the ISCAP Conference,
10, 6144.
https://iscap.us/proceedings/2024/pdf/6144.pdf
Straight, R., Alharthi, D., & Honomichl, R. (2023). Bridging complexity and distance: Designing an online
MS program in cyber and information operations.
ICERI2024: Proceedings of the 16th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation, 9093–9101.
https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2023.2318
Straight, R., & Yowika, W. (2023). From parasocial to posthuman: (Virtual) pedagogical agents, parasocial phenomena, and the future of immersive learning. Proceedings of EdMedia + Innovate Learning 2023.
Straight, R. (2016). Emergent mentorship and learning communities of practice among players of augmented reality video games. Proceedings of E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education.
Smith, J., & Straight, R. (2011). The development and delivery of custom mobile apps for K-12 learning: Viable options for educators. Proceedings of the Society of Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2011, 3102–3107.
Smith, J., Straight, R., & Franklin, T. (2011). Student occupational expectations: A web 2.5 geolocative study. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education 2011, 2522–2526.
Straight, R. (2011). Commercial off-the-shelf video games as computer-assisted language learning environments. Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2011, 1982–1986.
Refereed Presentations
Straight, R., Gunder, A., & Herron, J. (2026). Instructional design with AI as co-learner: Posthumanism in action. UPCEA Digital Teaching & Learning Conference.
Straight, R. (2025). True teamwork: Building human-AI partnerships for tomorrow’s cyber challenges. NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference.
Straight, R. (2024). InnovateGPT: Let’s build an AI! OLC Innovate.
Straight, R. (2023). The state of online learning in
Web3: How educators understand and implement
Ed3, blockchain, and metaversal technologies.
OLC Innovate.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/E8SZT
Straight, R. (2022). Karu: Introducing the metaversal library for the future of immersive learning.
2022 OLC Innovate.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3A9CS
Straight, R. (2022). Who says you
R not a coder? Building data-driven, open source, static course content for accessibility and interactivity with
R.
OLC Accelerate.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4R89Q
Straight, R., Barberry, J., Bernstein, D., & Peck, M. (2022).
Web3 and education: An optimistic primer on online learning’s blockchain-based future.
2022 OLC Accelerate.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8HSRX
Saldana, D., Straight, R., & Wittman, R. (2021). Teams-work makes the dream work: Using Microsoft Teams to build community in fully online programs. 2021 OLC Innovate.
Straight, R. (2021). Technological mediation: A postphenomenology primer for instructors, designers, and more. 2021 OLC Accelerate.
Rettler-Pagel, T., & Straight, R. (2019). Owning your success: Battling the impostor phenomenon in higher education. 2019 OLC Accelerate.
Straight, R. (2019). The new professor: How I podcasted my way into students’ lives (and how you can, too). 2019 OLC Innovate.
Gunder, A., Knott, J., & Straight, R. (2018). #SquadGoalsNetwork - remixing the personal learning network. 2018 OLC Accelerate.
Shah-Nelson, C., Gunder, A., Stewart, J., Romanoski, M., Knott, J., Scragg, B., & Straight, R. (2018). With a little help from my friends: The power of the PLN. 2018 OLC Accelerate.
Straight, R., Gunder, A., Stewart, J., King de Ramirez, C., Thompson, K., & Pizzo, J. (2018). And we’re live! A rough guide on academic podcasting. 2018 OLC Accelerate.
Straight, R. (2017). Slacking off in class: Cloud-based team collaboration in online higher education programs. 2017 Online Learning Consortium Innovate.
Straight, R. (2016). Slack and the online classroom. 2016 University of Arizona IT Summit.
Invited Presentations
Straight, R. (2025). AI as co-learner: Posthuman approaches to graduate education. MSU Denver GRADTALK.
Schunn, C., & Straight, R. (2024). Student motivation in the age of AI: A discussion on creating assessments that matter. Online Learning Consortium.
Straight, R., & Gunder, A. (2024). Pondering a posthuman pedagogy: Redefining ’learner’ in the AI era. Evidence in Motion 2024 Faculty Symposium.
Straight, R., & Gunder, A. (2024). Pondering a posthuman pedagogy: Redefining ’learner’ in the AI era. 2024 OLC Innovate.
Straight, R., & Gunder, A. (2024). Posthuman learners: The student-AI hybrid. Transforming the Teaching & Learning Environment.
Straight, R. (2023). The inescapable technological mediation of online learning.
Transforming the Teaching & Learning Environment.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/T86DB
Straight, R. (2022). A philosophy of technology and education in the metaverse.
Ed3 Unconference.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/JCE6B
Straight, R. (2022). Cybersecurity, education, and technological mediation.
Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS).
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/D28S3
Straight, R. (2022). Simulations, immersion, and gamification.
Digital Literacy & AI Webinar Series.
https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/54DF3
Straight, R. (2021). Introduction to the XRpedia. 23rd Virtual Worlds Forum.
Straight, R. (2019). The games peoples play. OLC Collaborate, Maui 2019.
Straight, R. (2017). Innovation in educational technology. TENWEST Festival - Social Impact Summit.
Textbooks
Straight, R. (2025).
Cyber Dimensions: Immersive Case Studies Across Digital Domains (1st ed.). Kendall Hunt.
https://he.kendallhunt.com/product/cyber-dimensions-immersive-case-studies-across-digital-domains
Service and Outreach
Local/State Outreach
Judge: Local science fairs (2023-present)
Instructor: GenCyber (Generation Cybersecurity) camp for middle schoolers (2025)
National/International Outreach
Program Committee: Colloquium for Information Systems Security (CISSE) Symposium, 2025.
Session chair: Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals (ISCAP), Teaching Cases, 2024.
Reviewer: CHAPTERS (Springer), 2025-present.
Reviewer: Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals (ISCAP) & Cybersecurity Pedagogy and Practice Journal (CPPJ), 2024-present.
Reviewer: Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research, and Practice (2023-present)
Associate Editor: Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (Springer Nature), 2020-2024.
Reviewer: Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (Springer Nature) (2020-present)
Reviewer: Educational Sciences (MDPI) (2025-present)
Reviewer: Social Sciences (MDPI) (2026-present)
Reviewer: Frontiers in Education Conference (IEEE) (2026-present)
Reviewer: Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals (ISCAP) Conference (2026)
Peer Reviewer: NSA/NCyTE Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-R/CO) designation reviews (2026-present)
Member: NICE K-12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Planning Committee (2026)
Departmental Committee(s)
Contributor: NSA Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) Redesignation Process (2017-present)
Member: Hiring Committees (3), Cyber, Intel, & Information Operations Department, College of Applied Science and Technology (2023-2025)
College Committee(s)
Member: Curriculum and Instruction, College of Information Science (2026-present)
Member: Graduate Awards Committee, College of Applied Science and Technology (2025)
Member: Technology Committee, College of Applied Science and Technology (2023-2025)
Member: Undergraduate Research Development Committee (2022-2025)
Member: Hiring Committees (2), College of Applied Science and Technology (2023-2025)
University Committee(s)
Member: Graduate Council (2022-2025)
Other Committees (Internal or External)
Member: University of Arizona Global Campus AI Institutional Steering Committee Working Group (2024-ongoing)
Member: College of Information Science Dean Search Committee (2025)
Awarded Grants and Contracts
Wagner, P. (PI), Honomichl, R. (Co-PI), Straight, R. (Co-PI), Xu, S. (Co-PI), Xu, L. (Co-PI). CyberAI Curriculum Mapping and CLARK Development, 4.17% Credit, National Security Agency (Towson University), 2025, $75,193 ($53,709 (D) and $21,484 (I)).
SemiXperience: Extended Reality Semiconductor Manufacturing Education Platform (Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing). Co-Investigator (20% credit, 12% summer FTE). Arizona Commerce Authority (CHIPS Act). Total: $35,000,000; $4,500,000 project budget ($1,500,000 to University of Arizona; $300,000 personal credit). 2023-25. Status: Active.
Teaching Experience
University of Arizona, 2014 - ongoing
Honors: Special Topics in the Social Sciences (Undergraduate)
Cyber Operations: Cyber Ethics (Undergraduate)
Cyber Operations: Cyber Law, Ethics, & Policy (Graduate)
Applied Computing: Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (Undergraduate)
Applied Computing: Statistics in the Information Age (Undergraduate)
Applied Computing: Introduction to Game Design (Undergraduate)
Applied Computing: Introduction to Game Development (Undergraduate)
Educational Technology: Interpreting & Presenting Digitally (Undergraduate)
Educational Technology: Integrating Technology into the Curriculum (Undergraduate)
Educational Technology: Learning Technologies in the Digital Age (Undergraduate)
Educational Technology: Learning Theory of Instructional Design (Graduate)
Educational Technology: Multimedia Applications in Education (Graduate)
Educational Technology: Introduction to Interface Design (Graduate)
Educational Technology: Educational Gaming and Simulations (Graduate)
Graduate Student Committees
Reviewer, dissertation (Minor Chair) & comprehensive exam committees: Adina Gardner. Nursing: Neurobiology.
Chair, MS Thesis: Aaron Escamilla. Information Science. (Defended 2026)
Co-Chair, MS Thesis: Veronika Kyles. Cyber Operations. (In progress)