University of Memphis Center for Information Assurance course developer Francis Smith-Brown named Bronze recipient of 2026 Cybersecurity Excellence Award
August 10, 2026
Francis Smith-Brown, course developer at the University of Memphis Center for Information Assurance (CFIA) and creator of Sugar Bubbles™, was named a Community Choice winner and Bronze recipient in the 2026 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.
The Community Choice Award is determined by public vote, and her nomination received 1,500 votes. Smith-Brown was recognized for her work advancing cybersecurity education for children and communities through training programs, national outreach and her children's book, "Playing Safe in Cyberspace."
Smith-Brown helped lead the 2026 Cyber Ambassadors Tech Camp at the Herff College of Engineering in July.
“Cyber attacks are important for them to learn at a young age, even younger than high-school age, honestly,” Smith-Brown said. “Our world is pretty much digital at this point. So, everything that students learn and interact with now has some sort of digital interface.”