SJSU Hosts Cybersecurity Camp for Local High School Students
What’s been happening at San Jose State University (SJSU) during the summer while most students have been on break? The week of July 22 to 26 proved to be an exciting time for local students from American High School, Archbishop Mitty High School, Cupertino High School, De Anza College, Evergreen Valley High School, Fremont High School, Independence High School, Lincoln High School, Notre Dame High School (San Jose), Piedmont Hills High School, Santa Teresa High School, Saratoga High School, The Rock Christian Academy (homeschool), and Valley Christian High School. These students had the opportunity to participate in a cybersecurity camp that was a collaboration between the College of Engineering, the College of Science, and the College of Information, Data and Society at SJSU, teams from California State University San Bernardino and Fresno State University, in a California state-funded Work Force Innovation Technology Hub (WITH) Cyber project, for which Dr. Melody Moh and Dr. Xiao Su are the Principle Investigator (PI)s at SJSU.
During the week-long event, attendees learned commands in Linux and were introduced to the components that make up cybersecurity and how to defend against applications from exploiting individuals, more commonly known as hacks. The high school students thought it was helpful not only to learn about defending against cybersecurity hacks but also to gain insights into various career paths in the industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity jobs such as Information Security Analyst have a growth potential of 32 percent over the next 8 years. Cybersecurity jobs have been in high demand because more and more industries are using technology to run their businesses, which makes them more vulnerable to external threats.
One student thought that getting a perspective on cybersecurity defense from a Supervisory Cybersecurity Advisor in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency/Department of Homeland Security (CISA/DHS), a representative from Google, and the CEO of a startup was invaluable as it demonstrated the need for this skillset in a real-world setting. Other students thought that learning about cybersecurity tips to keep themselves secure was a way to defend against the personal risks that many individuals face today.
Another student thought ahead about how to implement artificial intelligence into coding cybersecurity with the ability to analyze logs, predict threats, read source code, identify vulnerabilities, and even reduce the exploitation of weaknesses.
Overall, student attendees to the cybercamp thought it was a great way to introduce cybersecurity to young people, and some admitted that they didn’t know a lot about the subject prior to coming to camp, but that participation in the event definitely piqued their interest.
The rising seniors and junior students were made aware of the cybersecurity camp through teachers who thought they might benefit from attending. This was encouraged not only to make students aware of the opportunity but also of the potential in learning cybersecurity fundamentals and skills that enable them to safeguard their online presence and learn about career choices.
We’d like to give a big shout-out to organizers from SJSU including Dr. Tonia San Nicolas-Rocca, Dr. Kaikai Liu, Dr. Melody Moh, Dr. Xiao Su, and the student team consisting of Edison Fuh, Zach Hobbs, Ethan Issakhari, Grace Li, and Samir Rahman, and the CSU San Bernardino team for pulling the event together, dedicating their time to the cause, transferring knowledge to students and making it an experience to be remembered.
SJSU Computer Engineering student cricket player
Image (Image courtesy of MLC Photos)
Sanjay Krishnamurthi, a senior computer science major at San Jose State University, has taken the cricket world by storm. Playing for the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket, Krishnamurthi’s standout performance on Tuesday saw him score an astounding 79 runs off just 42 balls against the league’s top team, the Washington Freedom, and their star bowler, Saurabh Netravalkar. His impressive feat, which included six “sixes” and five boundaries, earned him player of the match honors and led his team to a crucial victory.
Krishnamurthi’s success on the cricket field is matched by his academic dedication at San Jose State, where he is set to graduate in 2025. With the Unicorns heading into a decisive qualifier match, Krishnamurthi’s exceptional skills and mature approach could be key to their championship aspirations.
To read more about Sanjay’s incredible journey in the Unicorns’ playoff run, check out the full article.
Disability Awareness Month
Image (Image courtesy of Spectrum News 1)
The National Institute of Health reports that scientists and engineers with disabilities face a higher unemployment rate in the U.S. unemployment rate in 2019. However, student Anna Nack is determined to change this statistic, using her personal story to promote disability inclusion within the engineering industry.
Anna grew up as an orphan in Armenia and was born with a rare genetic disorder, Nager syndrome, which affects her speech, hearing, and facial structure. Despite these challenges, Anna’s adoptive family supported her through numerous medical procedures, including receiving cochlear Baha implants. It works by using bones in your skull to send vibration into the inner ear, which significantly improved her ability to communicate.
“When she got those Baha hearing aids, it was a total game changer,” her father James Nack recalled. The implants provided Anna the opportunity to hear her mother’s voice for the first time, a moment that profoundly impacted her life and aspirations.
“The Rochester Institute of Technology was the only college that I applied for because I just knew in my heart that this is the one,” she said. She found a university that not only captured her interest but also embraced her differences, so it was an easy decision for her from the beginning.
Anna’s passion for biomedical engineering was driven by her own experiences with transformative medical technology and fuels her motivation to advocate for others. “Biomedical engineering because of how science and technology interlink one another and how it can really impact the lives of others,” she explained.
Anna has undergone between 11 to 15 surgeries to address various aspects of her condition. Her father, James, and her adoptive family expressed their unwavering love and support for her throughout the process. “When you saw the picture of her, we just fell in love,” he said.
Reflecting on her condition, Anna doesn’t see it as a difference but a uniqueness in the world. “This is something that makes you different, that makes you special,” she said. “And I would rather be, you know, different and special than, you know, a normal, average human being.”
Anna hopes her story will spark more diverse engineers to tackle technical challenges from unique perspectives. “This device literally changed my life in the most unique way,” she shared, emphasizing how a small piece of technology can alter someone’s life forever.
Her determination to advocate for disability inclusion in STEM fields is steadfast. Anna believes her experiences can lead to more success stories, showcasing the importance of diversity in engineering.
James acknowledges Anna’s profound motivation, stemming from her early life experiences and being aware of the opportunities available to her. “Coming from an orphanage [in] Armenia, where the other children had severe disabilities, and recognizing the opportunities that she has and what life can be and how people can reach their full potentials, I think motivates her to a degree that we can never really understand,” he said.
By sharing her journey, she hopes to inspire others to embrace their differences and pursue their dreams in STEM. Ultimately, contributing to a more inclusive, innovative future, and greater disability awareness in technology inventions moving forward.
What to know about the global technology outage – Featuring Prof Ahmed Banafa
A massive IT outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline, and media outlets off air in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world, and highlighted dependence on software from a handful of providers. Watch the full interview to see what Professor Banafa had to say about the outage.
Events on July 25
1984: During the Soyuz T-12 mission to the Salyut 7 space station, Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to perform a spacewalk
1946: Crossroads Baker was an underwater nuclear test. The bomb was detonated 90 feet underwater in the lagoon of Bikini Atoll. It was the first underwater nuclear explosion
1878: Louise Joy Brown was born, the world’s first IVF (test tube) baby
1976: NASA’s Viking 1 orbiter snaps the infamous “Face on Mars” picture.