Dr. John L. Sands

Dr. John L. Sands

Professor of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence

Over 37 years of dedicated service at Moraine Valley Community College, recognized as a national leader in cybersecurity education and AI integration with a proven track record of securing significant federal funding.

0 Years of Service
0 Million in Federal Funding
0 Faculty Trained

Education

Ph.D., School of Education

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

2008

M.A., Human Performance and Training – Adult Education

Governors State University, University Park, Illinois

2001

B.A., Communications

Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois

1992

Professional Experience

Executive Director, National AI Training Initiative

2023–Present

  • Strategic Leadership: Spearhead the strategic planning and implementation of a national professional development framework designed to elevate AI literacy among community college faculty.
  • Curriculum & Content Management: Oversee the full lifecycle of course development, from curriculum design to promotional strategies and content distribution, ensuring materials remain relevant in the rapidly evolving "Age of AI."
  • Workforce Readiness: Drive initiatives that leverage AI to enhance teaching methodologies, directly enabling the next generation of students with the working knowledge required for the modern workforce.
  • Team Development: Recruit, onboard, and train high-performance instructional staff to deliver cutting-edge AI education.
  • Impact & Evaluation: Manage project evaluation and continuous improvement protocols, ensuring national impact and broad dissemination of best practices in AI education.

Department Chair/Professor, Computer Integrated Technologies

Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois (1996-Present)

  • Lead and manage all aspects of the Information Technology Department
  • Coordinate curriculum development, class scheduling, and faculty assignments
  • Oversee departmental budget and facilities
  • Develop and implement academic programs including Information Security Specialist AAS
  • Establish articulation agreements with four-year institutions
  • Design and implement faculty development initiatives
  • Serve as high school outreach and articulation coordinator
  • Implement distance learning programs and 24x7 remote access labs
  • Manage hiring and professional development of department faculty

Associate Professor, Information Technology Program

Moraine Valley Community College (1992-1996)

  • Led development of Information Technology AAS program
  • Designed laboratories and classrooms for new programs
  • Served as department student internship coordinator
  • Coordinated marketing materials and website development
  • Implemented the college's first Blackboard courses
  • Developed Computer Maintenance Certificate Program
  • Developed Novell Network Administrator Certificate Program

Owner/Operator

Advanced Technical Training Center, Oak Forest, Illinois (1985-1988)

  • Operated private technical training center
  • Developed curriculum and delivered technical training

Technical Writer and Classroom Instructor

General Electric Corporation, Braidwood, Illinois (1983-1984)

  • Developed technical documentation
  • Delivered technical training to staff

Industry Certifications

CISSP

Certified Information System Security Professional

CCNP

Certified Cisco Network Professional

CCAI

Cisco Certified Academy Instructor

MCNE

Master Certified Novell Engineer

MCSE

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

CompTIA

A+, N+, Security+

Awards & Recognition

2024 ACCT National Faculty Member Award

Prestigious Association of Community College Trustees award recognizing outstanding contributions to student success.

2020 AACC Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction

Honored by the American Association of Community Colleges for excellence in teaching and innovation.

2019 Professor of the Year

Named Professor of the Year at Moraine Valley Community College for exceptional dedication to learning.

Career Highlights

U.S. House Committee on Science, Space & Technology: February 7, 2018 - Testimony of John L. Sands, Professor at Moraine Valley Community College and Principal Investigator/Director of the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA) an NSF/ATE Center.

Federal Funding Excellence: Dr. Sands has demonstrated exceptional capability in securing federal funding, obtaining over $37 million from prestigious organizations including NSF, NSA, NIST, and the Department of Labor.

Academic Leadership: Professor and Department Chair of Computer Integrated Technologies at Moraine Valley Community College, serving for over 37 years and building one of the nation's most respected cybersecurity programs.

National Recognition: Recognized as a national leader in cybersecurity education and the implications of artificial intelligence (AI), influencing educational standards and practices across the US.

Research & Grant Leadership

Current Grant Activities

National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCyTE)

Co-Principal Investigator (2021-2026)

National Science Foundation, $7,499,995

Leading initiatives to advance cybersecurity education nationally

RAMPS NIST – Cyber Illinois Workforce Development

Principal Investigator (2024-2026)

National Institute of Standards and Technology, $199,982

Past Grant Leadership

K12 CAE Feasibility Study

Principal Investigator (2020-2023)

National Security Agency, $82,807

Educational Pathways National Center EPNC

Principal Investigator (2020-2022)

National Security Agency, $387,195

CAE Midwest Hub

Principal Investigator (2020-2022)

National Security Agency, $350,000

The Role of Community Colleges in Cybersecurity Education

Principal Investigator (2019-2023)

National Science Foundation, $404,976

The Internet of Things Coordination Network

Co-Principal Investigator (2018-2022)

National Science Foundation, $600,000

Community College Accelerated CyberCorps Pilot Program

Co-Principal Investigator (2018-2022)

National Science Foundation, $791,964

Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA)

Principal Investigator (2015-2020)

National Science Foundation, $1,533,071

CSSIA Resource Center

Principal Investigator (2010-2014)

National Science Foundation, $2,203,651

Professional Service

Expert Testimony: House Committee on Science, Space and Technology (February 15, 2023) - Testimony on expanding apprenticeships in America

External Evaluator: University of Boise Information Technology Program

National Leadership Roles:

  • NSA Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Education, Midwest Hub Director
  • Curriculum Developer and Test Writer for Cisco Academy Program
  • National Review of Cybersecurity Skill Standards
  • National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center, Co-Principal Investigator

Leadership Roles

CSSIA Founder

Founded the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance, a hub for cybersecurity education and research.

NCyTE Center Co-PI

Co-Principal Investigator for the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center, advancing workforce development nationally.

EEPNC Founder and PI

Educational Pathways National Center - Leading pathways development for cybersecurity education.

3CS Co-Founder

Co-founded the Community College Cybersecurity Symposium (3CS), attracting over 500 participants annually.

Education Initiatives

AI Faculty Development Program

Promoting ethical use of AI in the teaching and learning process.

Goals:

  • Increase AI literacy among community college faculty across all disciplines
  • Increase the utilization of AI to improve teaching and learning
  • Prepare today's students with AI practical skills for the future workforce
  • Implement AI resistance techniques in learning and assessment to limit the inappropriate and destructive unethical and misuse of AI by students

Director of the National Faculty Development Academy

Provide faculty development for community college, university and K12 faculty over the last 20 years. Trained over 5000 faculty in over 45 states and Puerto Rico.

Virtual Teaching Environments

Pioneered the development of virtual teaching environments used nationwide, revolutionizing cybersecurity education delivery and accessibility.

K-12 Pathways

Created comprehensive pathways connecting K-12 cybersecurity education with university programs.

Curriculum Development

Developed innovative curriculum resources adopted nationwide, enhancing education quality across institutions.

Publications & Presentations

Implications of Artificial Intelligence on Community College Education

Online Course, 2025

The Impact of AI on the Current and Future Cybersecurity Workforce

A study by the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center (NCYTE), 2024

EPNC Cybersecurity Careers Toolkit Book

2022

NCAE CSUSB: HIGH SCHOOL STUDY

NSA: H98230-20-1-0292 Subaward: SA20137, 2020

WORKFORCE STUDY: Community College Cybersecurity Graduates

2019

Nation review and update of the Cyber Security Skill Standards for the National Science Foundation

2005

Computer Technology Certification Series

Center for Occupational Research and Development, 1999

Introduction to the Internet

NCATC, 1998

Professional Affiliations

  • Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)
  • American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
  • National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)
  • National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Community (CAE-CD)
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