Ana Fernández Vilas holds a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering (2002) and is a Full Professor at the Universidade de Vigo and a member of the atlanTTic research centre. Her research focuses on cooperative decision-making and AI in distributed environments (cloud, fog, edge and mist), addressing privacy, security and sustainability. In the last decade, she has participated in six nationally funded research projects, three as principal investigator. She launched a quantum networking research line, led QURSA (2022–2025) on software-defined networking for Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), and contributed to pilots integrating QKD and post-quantum cryptography into 5G networks. She has also worked on ethics in machine learning and combating sexism in digital media. She has led EU higher education cooperation initiatives, including AuditUM, transferring internal audit technologies to Moroccan universities, and GreenTech, supporting the training of 152 students and teachers through EU–Western Balkans mobility. She has contributed to training 15 PhD researchers, including six funded through competitive national or EU calls. In 2018, she launched the joint MSc in Cybersecurity at the universities of Vigo and A Coruña, which she continues to coordinate as General Head of Studies. She leads the R Cable Chair in Cybersecurity and is an active member of the Galician cybersecurity hub, promoting young talent, knowledge transfer and cybersecurity awareness among businesses and society.