John Haverlack helps ACEP with robust and resilient research practices
John Haverlack is the information security lead for ACEP.
December 21, 2023
By Yuri Bult-Ito
John Haverlack joined in the fall as the information security lead on ACEP’s data collection and analysis team. He works closely with researchers and partners to understand and navigate cyber risk regulations, technical controls and resources. He also investigates cybersecurity practices that help ensure continuity, integrity and safety in small utility energy sector networks and infrastructures and promotes energy sector cybersecurity workforce development.
Haverlack has a broad background. Growing up on a farm in the Appalachian region of Virginia, he taught high school science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the state after earning his bachelor’s degree in physics from Virginia Tech.
Before joining ACEP, Haverlack provided a wide range of private and public sector information technology services to a variety of organizations for nearly 30 years, including working at two Silicon Valley companies in California, the UAF Alaska Satellite Facility and the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. His most recent focus while at CFOS involved the design, deployment and maintenance of cyberinfrastructure onboard the R/V Sikuliaq. In parallel to his Sikuliaq role, Haverlack consulted on IT and cybersecurity for the U.S. Academic Research Fleet.
“It's exciting to have such a deep technical thinker join ACEP's team,” ACEP’s data governance lead Vanessa Raymond said of Haverlack.
“John has a wealth of experiences to shape and refine ACEP's research cyber-infrastructure. He also brings his years of mentorship and experience as an educator to ACEP, sharing knowledge that supports all of ACEP's researchers, staff and technical team members to adopt robust and resilient research practices,” she said.
An opportunity to work with a strong team and community with new challenges brought Haverlack to ACEP. His interests in learning new skills, be they technical or tactile, go beyond work, however. Haverlack tries to understand the universe and our place in it and how to build anti-fragile cyberinfrastructure. On the tactile side, he enjoys road-tripping with his partner, woodworking, building an off-grid solar system for his house and baking sourdough bread.