Cihan Aydiner

Title
Assistant Professor and Associate Chair
Email
Department
Dept of Emgy, Disaster & Global Security Studies
College
College of Arts & Sciences

Areas of Expertise

  • ​Homeland Security and Intelligence Studies
  • Counterterrorism and Security Governance
  • Strategic Planning and Decision-Making
  • Emerging Technologies in Security Education (AI, VR/AR)
  • Migration and Refugee Integration Policy
  • NATO and International Security Cooperation
Cihan Aydiner

Dr. Cihan Aydiner is an assistant professor and associate chair in the Department of Emergency, Disaster & Global Security Studies. He serves as program chair for the Master of Science in Security & Intelligence Studies and Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security, leading curriculum development and strategic initiatives to align graduate education with global security trends.

Dr. Aydiner earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Louisiana State University, where his research focused on migration, integration and security governance. His professional background includes over a decade of service in the Turkish Armed Forces and NATO exercises, specializing in counterterrorism operations, strategic planning and homeland security management.

His research and teaching interests span homeland security education, intelligence analysis, counterterrorism, immigration management and the integration of emerging technologies into security studies. Dr. Aydiner has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes on security policy, migration and resilience. He also directs the NATO Veterans Initiative Research Institute, fostering interdisciplinary research and practitioner engagement.

  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
  • M.A. - Master of Arts in Sociology, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
  • B.S. - Bachelor of Science in System Engineering, Turkish Military Academy
  • HLSC 490: Capstone
  • HLSD 495 – Homeland Security Capstone
  • HLSD 360 – Strategic Planning & Decision Making in Homeland Security
  • HLSD 415 – Immigration & Homeland Security
  • HLSD 405 – Emergent Topics in Homeland Security
  • SSES 401 – Research Methods in Security Domains
  • GSIS 510 – Strategic Intelligence: Diplomacy, Covert Operations and War
  • GSIS 505  – Homeland Security and Intelligence Integration

Selected Recent Awards & Recognitions

  • Immigration Policies in Homeland Security – 2025 Distinguished Research Project Award for COAS – WW. 
  • Principal Investigator, OPTIMIS: "Optimizing Human Performance in the Air Transportation Sector by Integrating Human Factors into Homeland Security Deterrence and Detection Procedures and Training: System Interfaces and Behavioral Screening at Security Checkpoint." 2024 ERAU Collaborative Grant with students and faculty from three main campuses (Funded $20,000).
  • Director. (2023). Exiled hopes [Documentary film]. Outstanding Excellence award in the Social Issues and Research category from the Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival and qualified for IMDb. 
  • Principal Investigator, “Fast-Track Integration Model for Highly Educated Immigrants.” 2023 ERAU Faculty Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST) Grant (Funded $12,766).
  • Project Country Coordinator, PI: Dr. Wesley Shrum "A Comparative Study of How Context Shapes Responses to COVID-19." Pandemic Fire and Locative Fear: An Eight-Country Study of Response to COVID-19. National Science Foundation (Funded $106,000).