York College’s Dr. Tamara Schwartz Receives National Homeland Security Award for Most Innovative Campaign to Improve Security
York College of Pennsylvania Associate Professor Dr. Tamara Schwartz has been honored with the Most Innovative Campaign to Improve Security award, a national-level Homeland Security recognition celebrating groundbreaking efforts to strengthen public awareness and preparedness for emerging security threats.
The award, from an independent group called the Government Technology and Services Coalition, recognizes federal, state, local, and private-sector campaigns that meaningfully increase public understanding of threats requiring broad national partnership, from cybersecurity and infrastructure protection to disaster preparedness, human trafficking prevention, and supply chain resilience.
Dr. Schwartz, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and nationally recognized expert in cognitive security, was selected for her work educating the public about the human side of cybersecurity. Her initiatives span York College’s innovative cybersecurity program and national outreach through professional briefings, media appearances, and her award-winning podcast Weapons of Mass Disruption.
Her research and work spotlights a growing threat: how information manipulates emotion, bias, and decision-making. Through hands-on learning and collaborations with groups ranging from U.S. Strategic Command to local libraries, Dr. Schwartz built a campaign that helps the public recognize and resist cognitive manipulation in the digital world.
Dr. Schwartz said receiving the national honor is deeply meaningful, especially as the field of cognitive security gains urgency.
“I am grateful for this recognition, and even more so for the growing national commitment to cognitive security,” Schwartz said. “As AI-enabled threats evolve, safeguarding the minds, decisions, and trust of the American public is essential to our homeland security. I’m honored to play a small part in this work.”
She added that the recognition also belongs to her students and community partners.
“York College has given me the freedom to build a human-centered cybersecurity program unlike anything else in the country,” Schwartz said. “Our students don’t just learn about threats; they practice understanding them, responding to them, and leading others through them. This award is a tribute to their curiosity, courage, and commitment to making the digital world safer.”
Dr. Molly Sauder, Dean of York College’s Graham School of Business, said the national honor reflects both Dr. Schwartz’s expertise and the impact she has on York College students.
“Dr. Schwartz is a visionary in her field, and this award affirms what we see every day on campus,” Sauder said. “She is preparing students to confront real-world cyber and information threats with both technical skill and human insight. Her leadership elevates our programs, creates extraordinary learning opportunities, and positions our students to enter the workforce as thoughtful, ethical, and innovative leaders. We couldn’t be more proud of her.”
Dr. Schwartz’s ongoing partnership with the Cognitive Security Institute, and her development of public-facing education programs, has already reached thousands across the country.
The criteria for this award emphasizes strengthening how prepared Americans are for various threats. That requires Americans at every level to become educated on physical and digital threats. Through her teaching, outreach, and thought leadership, Dr. Schwartz is helping ensure that Americans are informed, empowered, and ready to meet the complex security challenges of the information age.
