A cyber academic who also builds the tools.
Professor Adam Scott Wandt is a tenured cyber academic and practicing attorney who bridges the gap between public policy and operational technology. He serves as Co-Chair of the New York City Bar Association Digital Technologies Task Force's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, navigating the complex intersection of AI, technology, cybersecurity, and law. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors and as an Instructor for the Association of Inspectors General, Professor Wandt is an active developer who has spearheaded the creation of over a dozen specialized digital forensic and intelligence software platforms.
Prof. Wandt at the Association of Inspectors General conference
Current Appointments
- Tenured Associate Professor of Public Policy — John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNYSeptember 2023 – Present
- Deputy Chair for Technology — Department of Public Management, John Jay CollegeSeptember 2018 – Present
- Deputy Director — Master of Public Administration in Inspection and Oversight, John Jay CollegeNovember 2024 – Present
- Board of Directors — Association of Inspectors GeneralJanuary 2024 – Present
- Instructor — Association of Inspectors GeneralFebruary 2012 – Present · CIG, CIGI & CIGC certification programs
- Co-Chair— New York City Bar Association Digital Technologies Task Force's Subcommittee on CybersecurityMar 2023 – Present
- Graduate Faculty — MPA-PPA; MPA-IO; MS Digital Forensics & Cyber Security
The short version
Adam Scott Wandt is a tenured Associate Professor of Public Policy and Deputy Chair for Technology in the Department of Public Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, one of the nation's premier institutions for criminal justice education and research. He is the Deputy Director of the Master of Public Administration program in Inspection and Oversight and serves on the graduate faculty for the MPA and MS in Digital Forensics & Cyber Security programs, where his work bridges academic scholarship and operational applications in law enforcement, national security, and public policy.
A practicing Attorney and Counselor-at-Law admitted in New York State, Wandt serves as Co-Chair of the New York City Bar Association Digital Technologies Task Force's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and is a former Co-Chair of the NYC Bar Committee on Technology, Cyber, and Privacy Law. This dual grounding in law and technology positions him at the center of critical policy debates surrounding AI governance, digital privacy, and cybersecurity regulation.
His research and consulting expertise encompasses technology law and policy, information security, investigative and surveillance technologies, AI applications for law enforcement, OSINT, cryptocurrency, darknet markets, IoT, social engineering, and UCR crime data. He has over two decades of experience developing custom investigative, forensic, educational, and data management solutions for federal, state, and local government agencies. His peer-reviewed scholarship has been published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, the European Journal of Criminology, the Ohio State Law Journal, Science & Justice, the International Journal of Evidence and Proof, and the Journal of Cyber Policy. His research partnerships include work with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Interpol, the United Nations, and law enforcement and educational institutions worldwide.
As a co-principal investigator, Wandt secured over $5.6 million in federal research funding, including a three-year, $600,000 NIJ grant to study fentanyl sales on the dark web and approximately $5,000,000 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for law enforcement cyber training and advanced forensic tools. He has also developed investigative software in partnership with the FBI and the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance, including the CP30 anti-child-predator program, Scrounger OSINT platform, and Wire-light financial forensics system.
A frequently sought commentator on technology, cybersecurity, and digital policy, Wandt has been interviewed and quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, NPR, Bloomberg, 60 Minutes, Time, Newsweek, Wired, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, and Fox News. His ability to translate complex technical and legal issues for broad audiences has made him a trusted voice on emerging threats and policy challenges at the intersection of technology, law, and public safety.
Education
Committees & Service
- Co-Chair — New York City Bar Association Digital Technologies Task Force's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity (Mar 2023–Present)
- Co-Chair — NYC Bar Committee on Technology, Cyber Law & Privacy (2022–2025)
- Member — NYC Bar Committee on Technology, Cyber Law & Privacy (2021–Present)
- Member — NY County Lawyers Association Committee on Technology & Law (2020–2023)
- Researcher — Center for Cybercrime Studies, John Jay College (2023–2026)
Selected Honors
- John Jay College Distinguished Faculty Service to Students Award2020
- John Jay College Distinguished Teaching Award2014
- Ribaudo Award for Academic Excellence2010
- New York State Senate Proclamation of Recognition & Distinction2002
Professional Affiliations
- New York City Bar Association
- Association of Inspectors General
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
- American Society for Criminology
- American Society for Public Administration