Blogs (5) >>
Fri 28 Feb 2025 14:41 - 15:00 at Meeting Rooms 310-311 - Cybersecurity Chair(s): Jingwen Wang

The gender gap in cybersecurity remains a persistent and concerning issue. Despite efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity, women remain significantly underrepresented in cybersecurity roles. One of the primary factors contributing to the gender gap in cybersecurity is the lack of female representation and encouragement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Stereotypes and societal biases often dissuade girls and young women from pursuing careers in these fields, leading to a smaller pool of women candidates entering the cybersecurity workforce. In this work, we present Anonymized, a CTF-based cybersecurity program for Italian upper-secondary schoolgirls. Our program utilizes a gamified hybrid learning environment, combining theoretical online lectures with interactive team activities in the form of competitive games. Although each team autonomously tackles the game challenges, participants may adopt prosocial behavior, including collaborative peer interactions and mentoring. This collaborative approach enhances problem-solving skills and fosters a culture of mutual support. Here, we outline the technical details of our approach, including the technologies involved and the data collected during Anonymized. Our analysis, comprising both quantitative and qualitative findings and demonstrates three key outcomes: (i) the successful engagement of participants; (ii) the facilitation of the learning process through the introduction of entry-level CTF challenges, and; (iii) a remarkable shift in participants inclination towards pursuing STEM studies at the university.

Fri 28 Feb

Displayed time zone: Eastern Time (US & Canada) change

13:45 - 15:00
CybersecurityPapers at Meeting Rooms 310-311
Chair(s): Jingwen Wang Elizabethtown College
13:45
18m
Talk
Enhancing Cybersecurity Education using Scoring Engines: A Practical Approach to Hands-On Learning and FeedbackGlobal
Papers
Christopher Morales-Gonzalez University of Massachusetts Lowell, Mathew Harper University of Massachusetts Lowell, Pranathi Rayavaram University of Massachusetts Lowell, Sashank Narain University of Massachusetts Lowell, Xinwen Fu University of Massachusetts Lowell
14:03
18m
Talk
Improving the Representation of Undergraduate Women in Cybersecurity: A Literature Review
Papers
Ena Selma-Housein Columbia University, Brian Plancher Barnard College, Columbia University
14:22
18m
Talk
SENSAI: Large Language Models as Applied Cybersecurity Tutors
Papers
Connor Nelson Arizona State University, Adam Doupé Arizona State University, Yan Shoshitaishvili Arizona State University
14:41
18m
Talk
Tackling the Gender Gap in Cybersecurity EducationK12
Papers
Gabriele Costa IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Silvia De Francisci IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Margherita Renieri IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Serenella Valiani IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca