CNS Researchers Named Finalists for Research Impact Award at the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards™

Three researchers from CNS have been named finalists for the Research Impact Award at the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards™, hosted by the Institute for Security and Technology (IST). The Research Impact Award recognizes scholarly work that has led to conclusions, discoveries, tools, or approaches that have made a substantial contribution to domestic or international cyber policy.

CNS researchers, Wenyi (Morty) Zhang, Nadia Heninger, and Aaron Schulman were selected as finalists for their groundbreaking research exposing critical vulnerabilities in GEO satellite communication links. Their work revealed previously unknown weaknesses in widely deployed satellite systems, with significant implications for national security, global communications resilience, and cyber policy decision-making.

The winners will be announced and celebrated at a gala event on February 5, 2026, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.