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Tech students, faculty participate in Women in Cybersecurity Conference
Tennessee Tech students and faculty are pictured at the 10th annual Women in Cybersecurity
(WiCyS) conference in Nashville, Tenn.
Tennessee Tech University’s computer science students and faculty have always been
proud supporters of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) – the global nonprofit organization
and annual conference founded in 2014 by Dr. Ambareen Siraj during her time as a Tech
professor and founding director of the university’s Cybersecurity Education, Research
and Outreach Center (CEROC).
That support was on full display recently when several Tech students and faculty served
as volunteers and presenters at the WiCyS 10th annual national conference held in
Nashville.
One such student was Lopamudra Praharaj, who joined Professor Maanak Gupta and fellow
Tech student Kshitiz Aryal for a discussion about generative AI and the future of
ChatGPT.
Both Tech and the WiCyS national conference offer supportive environments for women
to explore knowledge, interests and connections in the fields of computer science
and cybersecurity, she explained.
“Engaging in machine learning and cybersecurity classes have been incredibly enlightening,
fueling my enthusiasm to explore new concepts and technologies,” Praharaj said.
Tech student Lopamudra Praharaj presents at the WiCyS conference.
“One of the most valuable aspects of the conference is its promotion of diversity,”
she continued. “It highlights numerous successful women in the cybersecurity field,
showcasing inspiring journeys. Witnessing these stories can inspire many women to
pursue a successful path in cybersecurity.”
The power of sisterhood in cyberspace is what inspired Siraj, she said.
“The WiCyS conference was born out of a common sense to empower all diverse minds
at a time of critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals – a vision fueled by
a 2013 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant originally managed by Tennessee Tech
and, since then, nurtured by countless passionate souls,” Siraj wrote in the conference
program welcome.
Siraj notes that, in the decade since she led the foundation of WiCyS conference,
women’s representation in the cybersecurity field has more than doubled, from 11 percent
to 24.
Even after Siraj’s departure from the university to join NSF as a program director,
she continues to volunteer her personal time in the non-profit organization with a
global footprint for women working in the field of cybersecurity and expresses her
gratitude for the university’s participation in the annual conference.
“At the 10-year anniversary conference in Nashville recently, Tennessee Tech served
as the local host, and we are appreciative of the wonderful service of the student
volunteers and CEROC staff. Tennessee Tech will always be recognized as the ‘founding
institution’ of WiCyS,” she said.
For Praharaj, presenting at the conference was a valuable opportunity as a student.
“Being a speaker at this year’s WiCyS conference meant a lot to me, for sharing insights,
connecting with professionals and contributing to the advancement of cybersecurity.
It’s a field I’m deeply passionate about,” she said.
Another Tech student, Mimi Vertrees, presented a session titled "Flipping the Script:
Unleashing the Power of Flipper Zero in Cybersecurity." Vertrees demonstrated how
the all-in-one technological tool can be used successfully as an ethical hacking device,
helping everyone from students to business executives understand the impact of security
breaches and the tool’s use as an educational companion to help protect against them.
Tech student Mimi Vertrees speaks at the WiCyS conference.
Tech student Warren Proctor speaks at the WiCyS conference.
In a pragmatic session for first-time conference attendees, Tech student Warren Proctor
joined panelists from various backgrounds and interests to discuss how to get the
most out of the conference experience as a first timer.
“Going into this year’s WiCyS conference as a speaker this time around was a surreal
experience … I felt honored that I was even thought of and considered for this opportunity,”
said Proctor. “WiCyS was really a launching platform for me to find my community.”
Siraj said she hopes the next decade of WiCyS sees the continued impact, inclusion
and excellence of women in the field of cybersecurity and an annual global conference
that continues to allow participants to share knowledge, find career opportunities,
mentors, and role models as they build relationships, careers and networks together.
“Let us envision a near future where the persistent shortage of cybersecurity professionals
disappears, with women fearlessly at the forefront of this field,” she added in a
conference welcome statement.
As that future unfolds, it is sure to include Tennessee Tech University computer science
students and faculty.
