Roy Balleste

Roy Balleste is a tenured Professor of Law and the Director of the Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library. He teaches cyberlaw and space law and has concentrated his scholarship on astronautical ethics, cybersecurity law, internet governance, space cybersecurity, and space law. Professor Balleste holds a PhD in Space Cybersecurity (Capitol Technology University); J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights (St. Thomas University); M.S. in Cybersecurity (Norwich University); LLM in Air and Space Law (McGill University); LLM in Intercultural Human Rights (St. Thomas University); and a JD (St. Thomas University). Balleste holds a certificate in cybersecurity (in policy and technology) from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Balleste also participates in the Chief Information Security Officer Graduate Certificate Program at the National Defense University, College of Information and Cyberspace. ). Balleste was the 2017 Nicolas Mateesco Matte Space Law Prize recipient at McGill University and the 2016 Jean Key Gates Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of South Florida School of Information.

 

Professor Balleste also serves as Director of International Initiatives at the Office of International and Graduate Programs. The international initiatives efforts within the Office of International and Graduate Programs aim to enhance the College of Law’s global engagement through various programs and initiatives designed to empower students and faculty to collaborate with the international community. Professor Balleste is a member of the International Institute of Space Law, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Association (the only National Honor Society for the computing and information disciplines). Balleste has participated in discussions at the United Nations on internet governance and space law matters. He is a core expert and editorial board member of the Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS).

 

Professor Balleste served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) as the Representative for North America (December 2013 - December 2015). In November 2017, Balleste participated at the United Nations High-level Forum on Space as a driver for sustainable socio-economic development. Balleste also participated in the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2007 and in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2010. In October of 2012, Balleste participated—at the invitation of the U.S. Air Force Research Institute—in the second cyber power conference at Maxwell’s Officer Training School. From 2006 to 2009, Professor Balleste was head of IT at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law and library director. From 2009 to May 2020, Balleste managed the law library and media department at St. Thomas University School of Law.

Curriculum Vitae