Established for the purpose of raising awareness and promoting good security practices in all aspects of computing, UMBC's Cyber Defense Team (aka CyberDawgs) is the university's renowned collegiate cyber defense team. The CyberDawgs participate in numerous annual cyber defense competitions where they have achieved national recognition, including DOE CyberForce in Illinois, ISTS in New York, and MACCDC hosted at home in Maryland. In addition to team competitions, members also participate in various individual and collaborative Capture the Flag (CTF) events, and host their own DawgCTF and Cyber Defense Exercise (CDE) each Spring/Fall semester, respectively.  In this hour-long presentation, the team's captain will provide an overview of the CyberDawgs, their competitive journey, and the unique opportunities available to students interested in cybersecurity at UMBC. The captain will address some Frequently Asked Questions, covering topics such as selection criteria, team commitment, balancing extracurricular activities, and preparation for tryouts. Attendees will also learn about the social aspects of being part of the CyberDawgs, including participation in local hacker trivia nights, student conference tickets, dinners, hiking trips, and social gatherings.  The team strives to create a well-rounded experience that goes beyond the realm of competitions, fostering camaraderie and lifelong friendships.

Kei-Won-Tia von Wrex (keiwontia@umbc.edu) is the captain and an honorary board member of UMBC's Cyber Defense Team (aka the CyberDawgs). Under the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, Kei-Won-Tia is seeking dual undergraduate degrees in computer science and psychology, with a social welfare minor and a focus on cybersecurity. In addition, she is a Returning Women Scholar and CWIT Associate Scholar, with honored membership in WiCyS, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Theta Kappa, and Omicron Delta Kappa. Kei-Won-Tia is also a researching member of the Cyber Defense Lab. She expects to graduate magna cum laude in December, 2023.

Host: Alan T. Sherman, sherman@umbc.edu, Support for this event was provided in part by the National Science Foundation under SFS grant DGE-1753681.  The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1pm. All meetings are open to the public.  Biweekly CDL meetings will resume in fall 2023.