2025 Weiser Fellows

Maksim Iavich
Weiser Professional Development Fellow, Winter 2025

Maksim Iavich is professor and head of the cyber security department at Caucasus University (CU). He leads the information technologies BA, IT management MA, and cyber security programs. Professor Iavich is also a director at the Cyber Security Center, CST (CU). He is CEO & President at the Scientific Cyber Security Association (SCSA) and was acknowledged in 2018 as Georgia’s best young scientist in the field of technology. He also works as a cybersecurity consultant in organizations in Georgia and internationally. Professor Iavich received numerous scientific awards in the field of cyber security and is the author of many scientific papers which cover topics like cyber security, cryptography, post-quantum cryptography, 5G security, mathematical models, and simulations. He is visiting U-M in January 2025 to work on his research project, “Post-quantum Digital Signature Cryptographic System Using Verkle Trees,” with Mingyan Liu, associate dean for academic affairs, College of Engineering and professor of engineering.

Darko Spasevski
Weiser Professional Development Fellow, Winter 2025

Darko Spasevski is a professor, legal consultant, and civic activist. He has been a member of the Law Faculty "Iustininus Primus" at "Ss. Cyril and Methodius University" in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia since 2008, focusing mainly on business law. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses on business law, bankruptcy law, and e-commerce law.

In addition to his academic role, Professor Spasevski has substantial practical experience. He was involved in drafting the new Law on Companies (2023) and actively contributed to the drafting of the Macedonian Civil Code concerning trade agreements. Professor Spasevski has served as a consultant and local legal expert for firms like White and Case and Wilmer and Hale on cases presented at various international forums. He is also actively involved in the civic sector, serving as the Secretary General of the Institute for Strategic Research and Education, collaborating with various donors such as the EU Delegation in Skopje, the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, and others. He is visiting U-M in February 2025 to work on his research project, “Analysis of the Chosen,” which aims to answer whether there exists a superior legal form of organization for social entrepreneurship, with John Branch, clinical associate professor of business administration.