Albena Asenova-Belal

Dr. Albena Asenova-Belal is a distinguished professional with an impressive 25-year career spanning electrical engineering, information technology, cybersecurity and education around the globe. Her academic journey includes a Master of Science in electrical engineering degree from the esteemed Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria and a Ph.D. in electrotechnology from the same university, where her doctoral thesis on "Technological Application of the Capacitive Electric Charge" led to a patent registration with the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and multiple publications.

Academic and Professional Journey

Asenova-Belal's career showcases her versatility and commitment to excellence:

International Experience

She served as a visiting assistant professor at Cairo University School of Engineering in Egypt, sharing her expertise in electrical engineering and collaborating with Egyptian educators.

U.S. Education and Career

After immigrating to the United States in 2009, she earned an associate of applied science in architecture and mechanical drafting from Gwinnett Technical College and a Master of Science in information technology with a concentration in information security from Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University). She also has an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification and a National Society of Leadership and Success member.

Cybersecurity Leadership

As the cybersecurity program director at Gwinnett Technical College, she developed curricula, maintained accreditations and managed as a point of contact for the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense accreditation and program certifications. She is also an active participant in the AI-ALOE Fellowship, focusing on integrating artificial intelligence into educational practices and enhancing learning outcomes in cybersecurity education. Under her leadership, the program was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense in June 2022.

AI-Enhanced Exam Development

Asenova-Belal serves as a subject matter expert in creating and revising cybersecurity exams, particularly for the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) subject standardized tests (DSST). Her work with Prometric involves developing exams used by colleges and universities to award college credit, utilizing AI-enhanced item writing techniques.

Expertise and Skills

Her core competencies include:

• Curriculum development and teaching excellence in cybersecurity and IT
• AI-enhanced exam development and item writing
• Program management and accreditation
• Leadership and mentorship, particularly for women in technology
• Project management and budget administration

Albena Asenova-Belal's multifaceted expertise, unwavering commitment to education, and significant contributions to technology and cybersecurity make her a highly respected and influential figure in her profession. Her remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring educators, engineers, IT professionals and innovators worldwide.

Teaching Philosophy

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one that is most adaptable to change." —Charles Darwin

Asenova-Belal believes change is something we can never skip. She also believes change is happening regardless of our desire or readiness.

As a successful teacher in higher education for more than twenty-five years, Asenova-Belal truly believes that adaptivity to change is one of the main skills of a successful teacher and student.

Her teaching philosophy is strongly evolving around change, as different students have different learning styles. Because of that she always changes her teaching style to align with each of her student’s learning abilities. She believes students are uniquely smart in different ways and finding the common ground with each student in her class is important to her. Teaching around the globe helped her learn a lot from her students, especially in technology, as they are “born” with it in a way, especially in recent years. And she always keeps an open mind to learn and teach her students how to be adaptable and successful professionals.

Asenova-Belal believes that because change is inevitable, only those who are adaptable to change will survive personally and professionally. 

• AI in education
• Cybersecurity
• Data science and machine learning

• Dineff P., A. Asenova. Modification of high-porous polyester non-woven filter materials in high-voltage 
  glow vacuum electrical discharge. International symposium of Electrical Apparatus and Technologies, SIELA 99, Plovdiv, 27-28.05.1999
• Dineff P., A. Asenova. Treatment of non-woven textile materials in oxygen-containing plasma and electrical discharges. International symposium of Electrical Apparatus and Technologies, SIELA 99, Plovdiv, 27-28.05.1999
• Dineff P., A. Asenova. Capillary- and ion-activity of porous filter mediums. International Conference of 
  undestroyed control. Deffectoscopia 99. Sozopol, 08-10.06.1999
• Dineff P., A. Asenova. Technological Effects in a Vacuum Capacitive Discharge at Low Frequency (NIS, 22-24.03 2003)
• Dineff P., A. Asenova. Plasma-chemical modification of geo-textile in high-voltage glow discharge (BAN, 15-17.09.2003)
• Asenova A., P. Dineff, M. Neznakomova. High voltage glow discharge in plasma-chemical surface 
  modification technology (Siela 2003. Plovdiv. Bulgaria)
• Asenova A., P. Dineff. High-voltage glow discharge in the plasma-chemical technology of high-porous 
  media (Siela 2003. Plovdiv. Bulgaria).
• Dineff, P., A. Asenova. Technological effects in a vacuum capacitive discharge. VI.
  International Conference on Applied Electromagnetism; ПЕС 2003. Nish, Serbia and Montenegro, June 01.-03, 2003. Proceedings of Full Papers, pp. 87-90

• WIT Club of the Year Award (nominated 2022 and winning 2023)
• Multiple nominations for the Women of the Year Awards in STEAM Education by the Women in Technology Association (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Gold Medals in the USA President's Volunteer Service Award (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Exceptional Service Award from the President of Gwinnett Tech and the Board of Directors (2022, 2023)
• Fearless Woman in Technology Award (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Employee of the Month at Gwinnett Technical College (March 2021)

• National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
• The National Society of Leadership and Success
• Upsilon Pi Epsilon
• Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
• National Technical Honor Society
• Meals-On-Wheels, Feed the Hungry, Habitat for Humanity
• Treasure officer at ADC Atlanta Community Association
• The Georgia Tutoring Association
• Vice president, GSMST Executive Engineering Booster Board – Gwinnett School of Mathmatics, Science and
  Technology
• Advisory board member – Computer Science Division, Gwinnett Technical College
• Advisory board member – Central Gwinnett High School
• Cybersecurity vice-chair at Instructional Faculty Consortium Committee (IFCC)
• Advisor for Women in Technology (WIT) and SkillsUSA clubs
• Active in mentoring students and promoting women in STEAM fields
• Judge and advisor for various technology competitions and organizations
• Gwinnett Flag Day member