University News
Sri Lankan Cybersecurity Expert to Present Nov. 2 for WIU's Homeland Security Research Program
November 1, 2012
MACOMB, IL - - As part of Western Illinois University's Homeland Security Research Program's Lecture Series, Jayantha Fernando, a legal advisor for the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka, will deliver a talk about cybersecurity at noon Friday, Nov. 2 in Stipes Hall 121.
The Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) at Western is situated in the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA). According to HSRP Director and School of LEJA Associate Professor Dean Alexander, Fernando's presentation, which will provide some insight into his work at the ICTA, is the final lecture in the HSRP's fall series schedule. Alexander noted that ICTA is Sri Lanka's government agency that formulates and implements national information and communication technology (ICT) policy and strategy. During his trip to the U.S., Fernando is also speaking at Harvard and Stanford, and his lecture at WIU is open free to the public.
"Responsible for leading ICT legal and policy reforms in his country, Mr. Fernando is one of three leaders of his country's flagship e-Sri Lanka Development Project. The e-Sri Lanka Project uses ICT to develop the economy of Sri Lanka, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of the people," Alexander explained. "He was instrumental in driving key ICT policy and legal reform initiatives to harness ICT growth, most notably through the Electronic Transactions Act (2006), the Computer Crimes Act (2007) and many other laws, while ensuring conformity with international norms and best practices. While on fellowship, Mr. Fernando will explore cybersecurity and cybercrime concerns; legal issues related to establishing and using data centers and cloud computing services; and perspectives on Internet governance."
Fernando has been the program director and legal advisor for ICTA since 2003. He also serves as the co-chair for the Sri Lankan National Certification Authority Task Force (2011-present); as a member of Sri Lanka's National Broadband Consultative Committee (2010-present); as the board director of Sri Lanka CERT-CC (2008-present); as a board member for the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (2007-present); as the founder board director for LK Domain Registry (2004-present); as vice chair for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Government Advisory Committee (2008-10); as vice chair for the ICANN Nominating Committee (2005); and as a member of the Sri Lanka National ICT Steering Committee (to formulate ICT Road Map for Sri Lanka, 2001-02).
Fernando earned his LL.M. (master of laws) from the University of London in 2003.
For more information about the lecture and/or about the HSRP, contact Alexander at DC-Alexander@wiu.edu. Learn more about the School of Law Enforcement Justice Administration at www.wiu.edu/coehs/leja.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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