Creating an unparalleled opportunity to enable SC&I Information Technology and Informatics students to increase their knowledge of cybersecurity by networking with experts in the field was the aim of the first SC&I RUCyberCon2024.

Hosted on April 11, 2024, by the SC&I Information Technology and Informatics major from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Rutgers’ Alexander Library, approximately 100 Rutgers students from IT & Informatics, Computer Science, and a variety of other Rutgers majors attended.

The event was organized by Gurdeep Kaur, Chief Information Security Officer, PSE&G; Niloufer Tamboly, Principal, Risk Management, Verizon and Lecturer in the IT & Informatics Program; Assistant Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science Le Anne Barclay-Platenburg; and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Information Technology and Informatics and Assistant Teaching Professor Warren Allen.

“There is no cybersecurity major or minor here at Rutgers even though there is a lot of student interest in the field, so we figured we would organize this event for students from IT & Informatics and beyond,” Allen said.  

Event highlights included:

• Keynote speaker Edward Amoroso, founder and CEO of Tag Infosphere, kicked off the event at 10 a.m.
• An alumni/student panel was held at 3:15 p.m.
• Rutgers Associate Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer Guy Albertini presented closing remarks at 4:00.

Speakers included:

• Rob Cuttito, specialized Tech Recruitment Leader at Verizon
• Casey Marquette, CEO and Founder of Covenant Technologies
• Mark Potosky, Deputy CISO and Director, Infosec Architecture, Campbell Soup Company
• Lance Ragland, Head of Cyber Threat Fusion Centers at Wels Fargo
• Joe Remy , Assistant Prosecutor, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office
• Alexander Schuchman, Chief Information Security Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Pankaj Verma, Cyber Security Lead, PSE&G

The RUSEC (Rutgers Student Security Club) hosted an IT & Informatics alumni panel:

• Liam Fleisher, IT Support Specialist II, Somerset County ITI’23  
• Christian Noel, Cloud Global Business Partner, Crowdstrike and Your Tech Connect ITI’15
• Suraj Verma, Senior Associate- Cybersecurity & Privacy, Grant Thornton LLP ITI’21

The speakers provided the students with an overview of the cybersecurity industry and how they can prepare themselves for this challenging but rewarding field.

“Students recognized that there are many roles in the field of cybersecurity, both technical and non-technical,” Barclay-Platenburg said. “Our students can pursue careers in IT risk management, which includes roles in IT audit, IT Risk, Information security, and data privacy.  For those with interest in the technical aspect of cybersecurity, they can prepare themselves by considering roles in an organization’s help desk. Obtaining security certifications like CompTIA will be advantageous to students, too. Membership to professional organizations is also key for networking, career opportunities, and keeping abreast in the advancements of this ever-changing field.”

Students who attended said they benefitted from the diversity of cybersecurity perspectives from different speakers, ranging from executives, technicians, and law enforcement officials.

Looking ahead to 2025, Allen said, “We plan to host it again next year and also have other cybersecurity-related events because there is clearly a demand for it.”

Learn more about the Information Technology and Informatics major and the Library and Information Science Department on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information website.

Photos: Tomas Russo