October 04, 2018

Learn more about cybersecurity next week at SIU

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A workshop for community college and high school students next week at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will focus on cybersecurity – one of the hottest career fields in information technology.

The School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies is hosting the sixth annual “SIU Cybersecurity Day” on Oct. 13. The workshop runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. While the event is directed toward high school and community college students, the public is also invited.

Lunch and a T-shirt will be available for students only. The event is free but pre-registration is required and information is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/M9KBQRB.

Media Advisory

Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the SIU Cybersecurity Day at SIU Carbondale on Oct. 13. Go to Room 111 in the Applied Sciences and Arts Building C. For more information, contact Tom Imboden, Information Systems and Applied Technologies associate professor, at 618/694-1297 or by email at timboden@siu.edu.

Workshop topics include defending power grids and social media privacy

The workshops will feature two speakers discussing their careers:

  • Matthew Nicklin, a cybersecurity specialist with Southern Illinois Power Cooperative at the Lake of Egypt will discuss “Do you have what it takes to defend the power grid?” Nicklin earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems technologies from SIU Carbondale.
  • Tom Harness, the owner of Harness Digital Marketing in Carterville, will present “Social Media: What does privacy look like today?” Harness is a two-degree SIU Carbondale alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in educational administration.

Opportunity to learn about SIU’s cybersecurity program

The workshop will be beneficial to participants regardless of whether they have any previous cybersecurity experience, said Tom Imboden, an associate professor in ISAT.

There will be an opportunity to compete in a mock event with the “Security Dawgs,” a registered student organization that has advanced to Midwest regional competition in eight of the last 11 years. The Security Dawgs will provide hands on instruction and demonstrations of tools and skills, and there will be an afternoon mock mini-cyber defense competition.

The John A. Logan College “Logan Defenders” are also assisting with the event.