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Zeynep Sahin

PhD Student
zeyneps@vt.edu

Currently on Job Market? Yes

Year Started: 2021

Advisor(s): Dr. Anthony Vance

Committee Members: Dr. Viswanath Venkatesh, Dr. Jason B. Thatcher, and Dr. Michelle R. Lowry

Research Topics:

  • Cybersecurity workforce issues
  • Cybersecurity management
  • Cybersecurity governance at the board and executive levels

Research Methods: Grounded theory methodology, case studies, interviews, surveys, mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative), theory building, systematic literature review, QCA

Skills: Software & Tools: NVivo, R, SPSS, SAS JMP

Target Academic Discipline(s): Information Systems / Information Technology

Previous Education:

  • M.S. in IT Auditing and Cybersecurity, The Fox School of Business, Temple University, PA, USA
  • B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey

Publications:

  • Sahin, Z., and Vance, A. (2025). “What Do We Need to Know about the Chief Information Security Officer? A Literature Review and Research Agenda.” Computers & Security, 148, 104063, pp. 1-19.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2024.104063
  • Anthony Vance and Zeynep Sahin. “Why Do Employees Keep Ignoring Workplace Cybersecurity Rules?” The Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2023, https://wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-risks-employees-training-c7415183.
  • Lowry, M. R., Sahin, Z., and Vance, A. (2022). “Taking a Seat at the Table: The Quest for CISO Legitimacy.” ICIS 2022 Proceedings. 14.
  • Sahin, Z., Vance, A., and Thatcher, J. B. “’Security is a Noble Cause’: How Calling Drives Meaningfulness and Identity in the Cybersecurity Profession,” 2025 IFIP Working Group 8.11/11.13 Dewald Roode Information Security Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Lowry, M. R., Sahin, Z., and Vance, A. (2024). “Running Up That Hill: The Legitimacy of the Chief Information Security Officer,” 2nd International Workshop on Organizational Legitimacy, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  • Sahin, Z., Vance, A., and Thatcher, J. B. (2023). “The Problem of CISO Turnover: Toward a Theory of CISO Turnover,” Proceedings of 2023 IFIP 8.11/11.13 Dewald Roode Information Security Research Workshop, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Manuscripts Under Review:

  • Lowry, M.R., Sahin, Z., and Vance, A. “Chief” in Name Only: The Legitimation of the Chief Information Security Officer. Preparing for second round of review at MIS Quarterly.
  • Sahin, Z., Vance, A., and Thatcher, J. B. “Security is a Noble Cause”: How Calling Drives Meaningfulness and Identity in the Cybersecurity Profession. Under first round of review at MIS Quarterly.

Academic Service:

Reviewer: MIS Quarterly, European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Computers & Security, HICSS, IFIP 8.11/11.13 Dewald Roode Information Security Research Workshop.

Work Experience:

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Business Information Technology Department, Virginia Tech (Aug 2021–present)
  • Research Assistant, Management Information Systems Department, Temple University (Oct 2020–Aug 2021)
  • Internal Auditor, Informatics and Information Security Research Center of Turkey (TUBITAK-BILGEM), Kocaeli, Turkey (Apr 2015–Sep 2016)

Websites: