Cindy Hood received a B.S. degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987, an M.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1990, and a Ph.D. degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1997.

Cindy is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She leads the Network Systems Lab in research on network and systems management. She is currently involved in interdisciplinary projects funded by the National Science Foundation on wireless network interference and agent-based monitoring, diagnosis, and control.

She works with teachers to integrate computing into the K-12 curriculum. She has developed a series of innovative hands-on exercises using simple, familiar props as metaphors for complex computing concepts. She is also a member of the National Center for Women & IT (NCWIT) Academic Alliance.