Gary Ackerman

Director, Center for Advanced Red Teaming at University at Albany, SUNY

Gary Ackerman is a prominent academic and researcher currently serving as the Associate Dean for Research and Laboratory Development at the University at Albany, SUNY. He has held this position since August 2019, where he is responsible for enhancing the research portfolio of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity. His role includes assisting faculty in securing research funding and developing new research laboratories and partnerships.1 2

Academic Background

Ackerman has a diverse educational background:

PhD in War Studies from King's College London
MA in International Relations from Yale University
BA and BA (Hons) in Law and International Relations, as well as a BS in Mathematics, from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.1 4

Research Focus

His research primarily revolves around terrorism, particularly understanding how adversaries make tactical, operational, and strategic decisions. This includes studying motivations for using unconventional weapons such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) arms. He has authored numerous publications on these topics and has been involved in various high-profile government-sponsored research projects related to counterterrorism.1 6

Professional Experience

Before his current role at SUNY Albany, Ackerman served in several significant positions:

Director of the Center for Advanced Red Teaming at SUNY Albany
Director of Special Projects Division at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)
Research Director at START, where he managed extensive research initiatives funded by the Department of Homeland Security.2 3 5

In addition to his administrative roles, Ackerman has been an active contributor to discussions on contemporary threats, including existential risks posed by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in terrorist contexts. His recent work includes co-authoring a paper that garnered attention for its exploration of these themes.5 6

Overall, Gary Ackerman's extensive expertise in emergency preparedness and counterterrorism positions him as a key figure in academic and policy discussions surrounding national security.