CIOTH STAR Wins Prestigious ISC2 EMEA Rising Star Professional Award

University of Greater Manchester researcher and former postgraduate student recognised for growing impact in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital resilience

Manchester, United Kingdom The Centre of Intelligence of Things, CIoTh, at the University of Greater Manchester has celebrated Austin Orumwense, CC, following his recognition as the Europe, Middle East and Africa recipient of the ISC2 Rising Star Professional Award in the 2026 ISC2 Global Achievement Awards.

ISC2 officially announced Orumwense as the EMEA Rising Star Professional Award recipient, recognising him as an emerging cybersecurity professional who has already made a significant impact early in his career. He currently works as a Security Operations Specialist and SOC Team Captain at Novacoast. (ISC2)

The Rising Star Professional Award is one of ISC2’s major global professional honours and recognises emerging practitioners on the basis of impact, innovation and dedication to advancing the cybersecurity profession. (ISC2)

Orumwense’s connection with the University of Greater Manchester developed through his postgraduate studies. He graduated with an MSc with Distinction in Cloud and Network Security from the former University of Bolton, now the University of Greater Manchester. He has continued his academic engagement with the institution and is associated with the Centre of Intelligence of Things, where his research activities focus particularly on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. (LinkedIn)

His growing research portfolio demonstrates the intersection between academic research and practical cybersecurity. He has contributed to research addressing Advanced Persistent Threats in cloud environments, including work examining emerging cloud security threats and methods for detecting sophisticated attacks. (Amazon Web Services, Inc.)

Orumwense has also contributed to interdisciplinary artificial intelligence research at CIoTh. He is a coauthor of the IEEE published paper “Emotionally Adaptive AI Companions for Supporting Routine Management in Autistic Adolescents,” alongside Professor Celestine Iwendi and other researchers. The work explores how emotionally responsive artificial intelligence can support routine management and emotional regulation among autistic adolescents. (ub-ir.bolton.ac.uk)

His interest in engineering and technology predates his recent cybersecurity work. An earlier project on the design and construction of an RF editable LED display board was published on Afribary and has attracted thousands of views, reflecting sustained interest in his engineering research. (Afribary Enterprise)

Reacting to the award, Professor Celestine Iwendi, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Head of the Centre of Intelligence of Things at the University of Greater Manchester, described Orumwense’s recognition as an encouraging example of what can be achieved when academic preparation, mentorship, research and professional practice are brought together.

“We are extremely pleased to see Austin receive this important international recognition. Having worked closely with him through his academic and research development, it is rewarding to see his commitment to cybersecurity, innovation and professional excellence being recognised at the EMEA level. Austin represents the type of emerging professional we want to encourage: technically capable, research driven, socially conscious and committed to using technology to make a meaningful difference. The entire Centre of Intelligence of Things is proud of his achievement, and we congratulate him warmly on this well deserved award.”

Professor Iwendi added that the recognition reinforces CIoTh’s commitment to developing researchers and professionals whose work bridges artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and real world societal challenges.

For Orumwense, the ISC2 recognition represents another milestone in a career increasingly combining security operations, research, innovation and community engagement. His work illustrates the growing importance of developing cybersecurity professionals who can respond not only to today’s digital threats but also to the rapidly evolving security implications of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies.

CIoTh congratulates Austin Orumwense, CC, on this outstanding international achievement and wishes him continued success and greater impact in the global cybersecurity community.

ISC2 2026 Global Achievement Awards announcement

Important correction: the official ISC2 announcement confirms that Austin’s award is the 2026 ISC2 Global Achievement Award, EMEA Rising Star Professional Award, not the 2024 award. (ISC2)