The University of Maine at Augusta is scheduled to host the Maine Chapter of the Fulbright Association’s Forum on Global Cybersecurity from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at UMA’s Farber Forum in Jewett Hall, 46 University Drive in Augusta.

This event will also be available to watch remotely. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required as space is limited for in-person attendance.

There can be no doubt that concern for privacy and security of cyberspace systems against unauthorized access to data is of paramount concern, not only within the U.S., but also throughout the world. The university has teamed up with the Maine Chapter of the Fulbright Association to present an event that focuses on this timely topic, according to a news release from Brent Wooten at the university.

This event is also made possible in part by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State., the University of Maine at Augusta, and the Maine Chapter of the Fulbright Association.

A panel of scholars in this field will examine the most serious threats to cyber security globally, what cyberattacks people can anticipate for the mid-term elections in the U.S., what risk management and mitigation of information technology assets entail, and effective breach response plans.

The panelists will include:

1. Henry Felch, DCS, UMA professor of cybersecurity and computer information systems. Welch has more than 20 years industry and teaching experience in Cybersecurity and Computer Information Systems, completing his doctorate in computer science with a focus in network security. He is serving as UMA professor of cybersecurity & CIS; director of UMA’s Maine Cyber Range, established in 2019 to support cyber education and workforce development; and director of the Maine Cyber Center, established in 2018 as the designated Center for Cyber Education responsible for providing cyber defense education support and resources to any institution within the University of Maine System.

2. Dawn Ego, assistant professor of cybersecurity. Ego has more than 15 years of industry experience in cyber forensics in support of the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and over five years teaching experience. She is serving as UMA assistant professor of cybersecurity. Her focus is on digital forensics, to include computer forensics, mobile forensics, and the use of digital media for investigative purposes, testifying and report writing. She is completing her doctorate in Technology with a focus in data science.

3. Pierre Laot, cybersecurity engineer/system administrator. Laot earned an international Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from France in 2016, spending the last year of that degree in an exchange program with UMA. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity at UMA, with a cyber analyst focus. During his time as a student at UMA, he founded the Cyber Moose Team, a group of students who participate in cybersecurity competitions. As a student, he had been working as the cybersecurity engineer/system administrator for the Maine Cyber Range at UMA, before becoming a full-time employee in 2019. He is completing his Master of Science degree in cybersecurity at UMA.

Brenda McAleer, the panel moderator, is serving as the associate provost of UMA and dean of the College of Professional Studies. She is also a professor of business administration.

The Maine Chapter of the Fulbright Association aims to promote continued opportunities for life-long learning, collaborative networking, service, and programming that celebrate international educational and cultural exchanges.

Participants can register at uma.edu/cyberpanel. For more information, visit uma.edu.

 

Check out other upcoming area events!

Comments are not available on this story.