2025

Students, Seminar

Fall CS Seminar Series Concludes with Insightful Guest Speaker Session

The Department of Computer Science concluded its Fall Seminar Series on December 5 in the Simpson Living-Learning Center with an engaging event featuring faculty and student researchers. Lu Cheng, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Chicago, discussed uncertainty and creativity in foundation models. Maddie Juarez, an undergraduate student, and Manny Sandoval, a PhD student at Loyola University, followed with a presentation on adversarial strategies and countermeasures for cyberbullying detection. The event offered students valuable insight into current research and real-world applications in computer science.

Students, Competitions

2025 DoE CyberForce Competition

We had two teams (11 students) participate in the 2025 Department of Energy CyberForce competition. The goal of the competition is for each team to secure a simulated oil rig against a live team of attackers and keep the system operational and usable. Our first team ranked 15th and second team ranked 35th, out of a total of 93 teams (73 universities). Students participating are Daniel Gaevskiy (captain Team 1), Lynette Lim, Chloe Kilroy, Josh Honig, Keegan Gallagher, Jonathan Villanueva, Justin Lizardi (captain Team 2), Nathan Ferrell, Abulfazl Dashtee, Alexis Fenderson, and Nikola Karanikic

Students

National Cyber League Fall 2025 Season

Loyola University Chicago ranked 38th in the Central region for the Fall 2025 season of the National Cyber League. Over 50 students participated. In the Individual Game, the top 5 students were Joshua (2820 points, ranked 21/620), Nathan (2590 points, ranked 36/620), Justin (2345 points, ranked 261/7875), Daniel (2220 points, ranked 354/7875), and Khalidou (1990 points, ranked 560/7875). In the Team Game, the top team SkynetDevs (consisting of Michael, Eamon, Khalidou, Liam, Dhanya, and Grant) scored 1895 points and ranked 308/4214. Go Ramblers!

7968 x WiCyS, Students

7968 x WiCyS LUC Baby Breach CTF

A baby has been kidnapped—or at least, that was the mystery Loyola students were tasked with solving during the Baby Breach CTF, hosted on November 7 by 7968 and WiCyS LUC. The creative, cybersecurity-themed event challenged student teams to work through digital clues, exploit vulnerabilities, and analyze evidence to uncover who the kidnapper was. Participants collaborated in fast-paced problem-solving scenarios designed to build real cybersecurity skills, from cryptography to OSINT to digital forensics. The friendly competition brought together students of all experience levels, offering them an opportunity to test their technical abilities while having fun with an imaginative storyline. Congratulations to all the teams who participated and successfully cracked the case!Events like these highlight the strength of Loyola’s growing cybersecurity community and the enthusiasm students bring to hands-on learning.

Student Event

Grace Hopper Celebration: LUC Students Connect

A group of Loyola University Chicago students, including Lynette Lim and Blake Doan, represented the University at the 2025 Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC)—the world’s largest gathering of women and nonbinary technologists. The students also attended the 2025 BSides Chicago cybersecurity conference, giving them a valuable dual perspective on both the broad tech industry and the specialized field of security. At GHC, students participated in a wide range of technical talks, career development workshops, and panels featuring leaders from across computing, AI, software engineering, and industry research. They had the opportunity to meet recruiters from top tech companies, explore internship and career pathways, and connect with peers from universities around the country. The group also attended BSides Chicago, a community-driven cybersecurity conference known for its hands-on sessions, open conversations, and practitioner-led workshops.

Faculty Talk

Experts Highlight the Future of Research Software and Ethical AI at Loyola Event

Loyola University Chicago hosted two leading voices in research computing and cybersecurity on November 21 in the Simpson Living-Learning Center’s Multi-Purpose Room. The event, held from noon to 2 p.m., brought students, faculty, and staff together for in-depth discussions on the evolving roles of research software engineers and the growing challenges of secure and ethical crowdsourcing in an AI-driven world. Sandra Gesing, Executive Director of the US Research Software Engineer Association (US-RSE), spoke on the essential but often overlooked role of Research Software Engineers in modern research. Gesing highlighted national efforts to strengthen community support, mentorship, and career pathways for students interested in computational research. Dr. Weiping Pei, Assistant Professor at The University of Tulsa, discussed the security and ethical issues emerging in large-scale crowdsourcing. She outlined privacy risks in data collection, her team’s work on detecting GDPR compliance.

Student, Research Seminar

CS Department Hosts Second Fall Seminar Event at SLLC MPR

The Computer Science Department held its second Fall Seminar Series event on November 7 in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Simpson Living-Learning Center, drawing another strong turnout from students and faculty. Gozde Karatas Baydogmus, Visiting Researcher in the CS Department, opened the session with her talk “From Privacy to Forgetting.” She discussed her work in federated learning, robot learning, and machine unlearning—highlighting how intelligent systems can collaborate while safeguarding user privacy. Students were especially engaged in conversations about the real-world applications of her research. Following her, Michael Saban, CS PhD Student and Graduate Research Assistant in Health Informatics and Data Science, presented “The Path to Implementation of AI for Prehospital Stroke Triage.” His talk explored how AI and implementation science can come together to improve clinical decision support tools, sparking thoughtful questions about the future of AI in healthcare.

Faculty, Research

Toward Experiential Training Program for AI Security and Privacy Practitioners

Congratulations to Mohammed Abuhamad, Mujtaba Nazari, Loretta Stalans, and Eric Chan-Tin, who presented their paper, “Toward Experiential Training Program for AI Security and Privacy Practitioners,” at the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE) in November in Seattle. CISSE is the nation’s longest-running academic conference dedicated to advancing cybersecurity education and workforce development. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DGE-2335700.

Student, Faculty Seminar

Fall Seminar Series Kicks Off with Engaging Talks on AI and Robotics

The Department’s Fall Seminar Series kicked off last week with an engaging first session that introduced complex topics in artificial intelligence and robotics to both beginners and experienced students. The event began with a talk by Dan Mathews, Chief Architect and Strategist at Cisco, titled Re-Imagining Human Experience with Agentic AI. Mathews, who has over 25 years of experience in technology strategy and system design, discussed how agentic AI systems are reshaping the way humans interact with digital environments. Drawing from his background in developing large-scale AI architectures and his work in environmental technology, he shared insights on how AI can enhance creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in real-world applications. The second presentation featured Matthew Hyatt, a PhD student in Computer Science at Loyola University Chicago, who spoke on Robot Learning. Hyatt drew from his own research and hands-on work designing mechanical robot arms.

Research

Interdisciplinary Research Funded!

Loyola University Chicago has received a $50,000 interdisciplinary research award from the Dr. Scholl Foundation to investigate "Misinformation and Scams on Social Media". The team, consisting of Drs. Chan-Tin, Abuhamad, Stalans, Huntsinger, Forestal, Cummings, is interdisciplinary from Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Criminal Justice & Criminology, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology. This award will support students working on this research project.

Students

Ramblers @ UND Cyberhawks Finals

Three teams from Loyola University Chicago qualified for the UND Cyberhawks finals on Monday October 27. "LUC Ramblers" ranked in the top 20; the other teams "The Ramblers" and "LUCtose Intolerant" also did well. Well done to all students who participated: Lynette Lim, Nathan Ferrell, Chloe Kilroy, Lillie Burr, Daniel Gaevskiy, Justin Lizardi, Abulfazl Dashtee, Josh Honig, Ryan Ethier, Elizabeth Martinez-Torres, and Samad Aqueel. Go Ramblers!

Students

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

In celebration of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Loyola University Chicago’s Information Security Office (UISO) collaborated with the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Loyola student chapter and the Women in Computer Science (ACM-W) student chapter to host an engaging cybersecurity awareness seminar. The event brought together more than twenty students, faculty, and staff members to discuss how to stay safe online and recognize common digital threats. Attendees enjoyed an informative session covering practical tips for protecting personal data, identifying phishing attempts, and strengthening online security habits — all while sharing doughnuts and good conversation. The seminar highlighted Loyola’s ongoing commitment to fostering a secure digital environment and empowering students to take an active role in safeguarding their information. It also provided an opportunity for women in technology to connect, share experiences, and explore the growing career opportunities in cyberse

Talk

Dr. Nohpill Park Talks Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and AI

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Dr. Nohpill Park’s visit on Thursday, October 9. Dr. Park, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Oklahoma State University, presented an engaging talk on the intersection of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Park received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Texas A&M University and has conducted extensive research in dependable and high-performance blockchain-based crypto computing, NFT design, and big data analytics. His lecture explored how emerging technologies can enhance security, transparency, and efficiency in digital systems, sparking insightful discussions among students and faculty alike.

Students

WiCyS x WiCS Career Launchpad

The Career Launchpad event on October 16, hosted by the student chapters of Women in Cybersecurity and Women in Computer Science, was a success with over 50 student attendees and over 15 industry professionals (most of them alumni). Our students came out of the event gaining valuable experience in networking, what skills employers are looking for, and how to land their first internship and job.

Students, Talk

AI & Academia Panel

We had a great turnout on Tuesday, October 14, for the AI & Academia: Six Disciplines, One Question – What is AI Doing to Education? panel hosted by the Loyola AI Society and Honors Student Government. Faculty from across departments—including Dr. Julie Chamberlin, Dr. Leo Irakliotis, Dr. Gil Morejon, Dr. Meghan Iverson, and Dr. Virginia Strain—discussed how artificial intelligence is transforming teaching, research, and academic integrity. Dr. Irakliotis also reflected on related topics presented during Dr. Nohpill Park’s recent visit from Oklahoma State University, where Dr. Park discussed blockchain, cryptocurrency, and AI.

Students, Research

Loyola Students Share Research at Midwestern Criminal Justice Meeting

Trevor Rowe, BS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, and Lauren Flanagan, MS in Psychology presented their work titled "Does the Cranky Uncle Game Reduce Believability of Misinformation about Undocumented Citizens and Criminal Behavior?" at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association on September 2025. This is interdisciplinary work with Dr. Eric Chan-Tin, Dr. Loretta Stalans, Dr. Jeff Huntsinger, and Dr. Jennifer Forestal. The work is funded by a grant from the Dr. Scholl Foundation.

Students, Research

Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge

Congrats to the Ramblers team, consisting of Lynette Lim, Lucia Garr, Daniel Gaevskiy, and Josh Honig, for participating in the New York Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge! A huge shout-out to their coach and mentor, Jocelyn Murray from Argonne National Lab!

Students, Research

Meet the New WiCyS Student Chapter Board for AY2025–2026!

Here is our new Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) student chapter new board members for AY2025-2026. These outstanding students are ready to lead with innovation, empowerment, and collaboration—continuing our mission to support and advance women in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity.

Students, Scholarship

Loyola University Chicago Teams Earn Spots in UND CyberHawks Finals

Congrats to all three Loyola University Chicago student teams who qualified for the UND Cyberhawks finals. The students competing are Lynette Lim, Nathan Ferrell, Chloe Kilroy, Lillie Burr, Daniel Gaevskiy, Justin Lizardi, Abulfazl Dashtee, Josh Honig, Ryan Ethier, Elizabeth Martinez-Torres, and Samad Aqueel. Go Ramblers!

Students, Research

Motorola Solutions Foundation Cybersecurity Experiential Scholarship Awardees

Loyola University Chicago is thrilled to have received a $30,000 grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. Through this grant, six undergraduate students have been awarded the opportunity to participate in the Loyola Cybersecurity Experiential Program. The 2025 recipients are (from left to right): Emma Corpus, Isabella Alongi, Nika Primus, Joe Montroy, Alexis Fenderson (top), and Lillie Burr (bottom). These students represent the future of cybersecurity, and their participation in this program highlights Loyola’s commitment to preparing the next generation of leaders in the field. We are grateful to the Motorola Solutions Foundation for its generous support in advancing hands-on cybersecurity education.

Students, Research

Thank You for Joining Us at the Kate Smith Seminar

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for Professor Kate Smith’s visit from Northwestern University! On Friday, she gave an engaging seminar on her research in quantum computing, sparking thoughtful discussions among our students and faculty. We also appreciate all who joined us for lunch and stayed for the student meet-and-greet afterward—it was great to see such strong participation from our Loyola CS community. We’re grateful to Professor Smith for sharing her expertise and to everyone who helped make this event a success. Stay tuned for more upcoming opportunities to connect with guest speakers and explore cutting-edge areas of computer science!

Students, Research

Loyola Awarded $30K Motorola Grant for Cybersecurity Scholars

Loyola University Chicago is thrilled to have received a grant for $30,000 from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. Through the grant, we'll be able to support six undergraduate students to participate in a cybersecurity experiential program.

Students, Research

Ramblers Qualify for 2CDC Cyber Defense Finals

A team from Loyola University Chicago, consisting of Daniel Gaevskiy, Lynette Lim, Chloe Kilroy, Josh Honig, and Arya Aftab, participated in the 2CDC (Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition) qualifiers on July 29. This competition challenges students to protect and defend a simulated corporate network from real-world cyberattacks while balancing day-to-day business operations. The team has officially qualified for the finals, which will be held in Columbus, OH on August 15. Good luck to the team, and Go Ramblers!

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Students, Research

Congratulations to Josh Honig – Outstanding Cybersecurity Competition Results!

Congratulations to Josh Honig who placed 2nd at the IEEE Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference metaCTF and 1st at the AdobeCTF competitions this past June. Josh is a graduate student in the MS in Computer Science program with a concentration in Cybersecurity. He previously graduated from Loyola with his BS in Cybersecurity in May 2024 and is the co-founder of Loyola’s cybersecurity club, 7968. Competing against both professionals and students from across the country, Josh secured 2nd place, showcasing his advanced problem-solving and technical skills.The AdobeCTF is one of the most competitive capture-the-flag events hosted by industry, drawing international teams of top security researchers and students. Josh’s 1st place finish highlights not only his technical expertise but also his ability to think creatively under pressure in a highly competitive field. We are proud to celebrate Josh’s achievements and look forward to seeing his continued contributions to Loyola’s community.

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Students, Research

Cybersecurity Talks at IEEE Conference

Josh Honig, a graduate student in Cybersecurity, presented a peer-reviewed paper titled "Encrypted Network Traffic Analysis: To Website Fingerprinting and Beyond" and a peer-reviewed poster titled "On Website Fingerprinting Defenses and User Tolerances" at the IEEE Silicon Valley Cybersecurity Conference (SVCC) in June 2025. Other students involved in this research were Madeline Moran, Nathan Ferrell, Shreena Soni, and Sophia Homan, under the supervision of Dr. Eric Chan-Tin and Dr. Mohammed Abuhamad. This project is sponsored by the NCAE-C part of National Security Agency (NSA).

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Students

Celebrating Undergraduate Researchers at Loyola

A new photo released by Loyola University Chicago congratulates four exceptional students—Muhammad Javed, Jonah Goldberg-Finkelstein, Malec Tarabein, and Abigal Daman—for presenting their work as part of the 2025 Undergraduate Summer Research Experience (USRE). As part of the CAS USRE program, these first- and second-year students spent four weeks working closely with faculty mentors on hands-on research projects. Their work explored topics such as web privacy, using human behavior to help robots understand language, and generating both pristine and manipulated biological images to support computer-aided scientific research. The students were mentored by Drs. George Thiruvathukal, Daniel Moreira, and Eric Chan-Tin. The USRE program gives early undergraduate students the opportunity to dive into research in the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Participants are paired with faculty and guided through the research process from start to finish.

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Awards

1 Million in Linked NSF Grants to Support the BullyBlocker Project

The grant proposal Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Medium: Toward Well-being by Design in Social Media, led by Yas Silva (PI at Loyola University Chicago as Lead Site),  Deborah Hall (PI at Arizona State University) and Huan Liu (Co-PI at ASU), has received funding from the National Science Foundation under the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program. The new linked awards will provide near $1M across LUC ($500,001) and ASU ($499,988) to expand the team’s research toward creating safer and healthier social media experiences. Through the integration of computer science and psychology, this project seeks to better understand how problematic online behaviors can be identified and prevented and the connections between specific features of social media and well-being. Major components include developing models for the early detection of problematic online behaviors, designing social media features that prioritize users’ well-being (rather than attention).

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Award

Loyola Joins National $298K NSF Project to Expand AI Education

Loyola University Chicago is joining a new national effort to make artificial intelligence (AI) education more accessible—especially at schools with smaller computing programs. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $298,882 to the University of Wyoming for the project, with Loyola, the College of Charleston, and the Computing Research Association as key partners. The goal is to help more teachers bring AI into the classroom by offering support, sharing resources, and building a strong community of educators. Loyola’s Dr. George Thiruvathukal is a co-leader on the project, which will include virtual roundtables and an in-person workshop to discuss challenges and share ideas. The project is part of the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot, which helps schools with limited tech resources get access to powerful AI tools. Interested in AI or cybersecurity? This is a great example of how Loyola students and faculty are helping shape the future of tech education.

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Staff

National Acknowledgment of Loyola's CyberSecurity Program

Loyola University Chicago has been re-designated for another 5 years until 2030 as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. The validated program of study is the BS in Cybersecurity. This re-designation shows the strength of the cybersecurity program at Loyola and also opens doors for our students to participate in national cybersecurity competitions, Scholarship for Service, and the DoD Cyber Service Academy.

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Events

Loyola Hosts 12th Greater Chicago Area Systems Research Workshop

Loyola University participated in the 12th Greater Chicago Area Systems Research Workshop, a dynamic gathering that showcased cutting-edge research and innovation in computer science and systems research. This year’s event featured 89 posters presented by undergraduate and graduate students from Loyola and other institutions across the region. The workshop provided an engaging platform for students to share their work, receive feedback, and connect with leading researchers and peers in the field. Loyola's own Satyaki Sikdar delivered a featured presentation, further highlighting the university's growing impact and leadership in systems research. Thank you to all participants, presenters, and organizers who made this event a success. We look forward to continued collaboration and innovation in future workshops!

DETAILS

Students

Sarah Sumrall Accepted into Prestigious Cyberus MS Program

Congratulations to Sarah Sumrall, BS Cybersecurity Class of 2025, on her acceptance into the highly competitive Cyberus Master’s Program, where she will be pursuing the Internet of Things (IoT) track. This achievement marks an exciting next step in Sarah’s journey in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity. We’re proud to see Loyola students continuing to excel and make meaningful contributions to the tech world. Way to go, Sarah!

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Students

A Bright Night for Computer Science at Loyola!

The Loyola Computer Science Department proudly hosted this year’s Luminary event—and we’re excited to share that it was a glowing success. A big congratulations to all the students who attended and helped make the evening so special with your energy and presence. The event brought together students, faculty, and staff to celebrate innovation, connection, and the bright futures ahead. From inspiring conversations to shared moments of community, the night truly lived up to its name. We’d like to give a special thank you and congratulations to our amazing Department Admins, Victoria Bourne and Brielle Buford, for their crucial role in organizing and assisting with the event’s execution. We also extend our sincere gratitude to Department Chair George Thiruvathukal and the many professors who supported and participated in the evening. Stay tuned to the Department’s news page and the Loyola student Sakai announcement page for updates on future events like this one.

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Program

Congratulations, Arrianna! SharkFest 2025 U.S.

We’re thrilled to announce that one of our outstanding students, Arrianna Szymczak, has been selected as the Women in Tech Scholarship winner for SharkFest 2025 U.S.—the official Wireshark Developer and User Conference! She will be representing Loyola University Chicago at this prestigious event in Richmond, Virginia, from June 14–19, alongside top tech professionals from around the world. Join us in celebrating Arrianna as she dives into a week of learning, leadership, and innovation in the world of network analysis!

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Program

New MS in Cybersecurity degree program

A new MS in Cybersecurity degree program will be launched starting in Fall 2025. If you were a Loyola graduate, you might be eligible for the Returning Rambler scholarship. Please click to learn more and to apply.

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Awards

Dr. Yas Silva Receives 2025 Sujack Award for Research Excellence

Dr. Yas Silva received the 2025 Sujack Family Award for Faculty Research Excellence, the top research award given at Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences. The awards ceremony was held on April 24, 2025. The award statement mentioned that “Dr. Silva’s groundbreaking work in cyberbullying detection and prevention has made a significant impact in both academia and society. We recognize his leadership in the BullyBlocker Project, an innovative initiative that combines computational models with social science frameworks to analyze and mitigate cyberbullying on social networks.” Congratulations to Dr. Silva and the BullyBlocker team!

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Students

Chloe Kilroy and Tyler Rosario Honored for Research Impacting the Loyola Community

We are pleased to announce that Chloe Kilroy and Tyler Rosario have received the award for "Research Impacting the Loyola Community" at the Loyola University Chicago Graduate School Interdisciplinary Symposium, held on April 12, 2025, for their presentation, “Cyberbullying Networks: Analyzing Victim, Aggressor, and Defender Interactions on Instagram.” Their research was conducted as part of the BullyBlocker Project and was mentored by Professors Satyaki Sikdar and Yas Silva. This award honors graduate research that makes a significant and positive impact on the Loyola community through service, engagement, innovation, or scholarship. Chloe and Tyler’s work stood out for its rigor, relevance, and meaningful contributions to campus life and beyond. Please join us in congratulating Chloe and Tyler on this outstanding achievement!

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Students

Muhammad Khan Receives Loyola Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award

Congratulations to Muhammad Khan for being recognized with the Loyola Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award for 2025. Muhammad conducts his research under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel Moreira. This award celebrates exceptional academic inquiry and dedication to undergraduate research. Well done, Muhammad!

Students

Loyola University Chicago at WiCyS 2025

From April 2 to 5, 2025, several Loyola University Chicago students, along with their faculty advisor, attended the annual Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Conference in Texas. Representing Loyola were students Lucia Garr, Nika Primus, Anisa Ramos, Nancy Rojas, Fiona Nicdao, and Gulnaz Zholshy. The WiCyS Conference is a premier event dedicated to advancing the role of women in cybersecurity. It brings together students, educators, industry professionals, and government leaders to foster community, mentorship, and professional development. Through keynotes, technical sessions, workshops, and career networking opportunities, WiCyS empowers women to thrive in the cybersecurity field and helps close the gender gap in tech. Loyola is proud to support student participation in events like WiCyS that not only build skills and connections, but also promote a more inclusive and diverse future for cybersecurity.

Students

Loyola Students Showcase Research at Undergraduate Symposium

Loyola University Chicago students recently participated in the Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium. On April 5th, student presented original research across a wide range of disciplines. The annual event brings together students from across the region to share their work, connect with peers, and engage in academic dialogue. Loyola students presented projects in fields such as cybersecurity, public health, social justice, and environmental science. Their participation reflects the university’s strong commitment to undergraduate research and community engagement.

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Students

NCYTE Fellowship

Congratulations to Arrianna Szymczak, BS Cybersecurity ’24 and expected MS Computer Science ’25, on being selected for the highly competitive NCYTE Fellowship. This honor recognizes Arrianna’s academic excellence and passion for cybersecurity and education. Through the fellowship, Arrianna will have the opportunity to explore careers in education while gaining hands-on experience. She will participate in a classroom management and pedagogy workshop, complete an intensive cybersecurity bootcamp, and take on a teaching assignment to apply her skills in a real-world setting. This fellowship not only highlights Arrianna’s accomplishments but also supports her development as a future leader in cybersecurity education. Congratulations, Arrianna!

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Students

Cybersecurity Students Attend ChiCyberCon 2025

On March 28, 2025, a group of our Cybersecurity students attended ChiCyberCon, one of Chicago’s leading conferences focused on cybersecurity innovation, education, and networking. Students in attendance included Lynette Lim (BS Cybersecurity ’26), Lucia Garr (BS Cybersecurity ’25), Nika Primus (BS Cybersecurity ’27), Daniel Gaevskiy (BS Cybersecurity ’26), and Josh Honig (BS Cybersecurity ’24, MS Computer Science ’26). ChiCyberCon brings together students, professionals, and experts from across the region for a day of talks, workshops, and career-building opportunities. We're proud to see our students actively engaging with the cybersecurity community and gaining valuable experience beyond the classroom.

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News

CRA Leadership Academy

Dr. Eric Chan-Tin, Founding Director of the Loyola Center for Cybersecurity and Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science, was accepted to participate in the 2025 CRA Leadership Academy. The program consisted of exploring leadership opportunities, essential qualities and paths to leadership, inclusive leadership perspectives, navigating the leadership search process, building empathy and managing conflict, and 360-degree leadership and management.

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Talk

Talk from ORNL

Dr. Toby Nelson, Research Associate Professor of Clean Manufacturing and Advanced Materials at the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, gave a talk titled “Green Chemistry: From Biosourced and Bioinspired Organic Semiconductors to Mechanochemistry” to our students in March 2025. The talk was a joint event between the Departments of Computer Science and Chemistry. Dr. Nelson is also affiliated with the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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Students

Steminist WiCyS Event

On March 14, WiCyS Loyola hosted an incredible Steminist event, bringing together seven powerhouse women speakers from top organizations like Loyola University Chicago, Motorola Solutions, Northern Trust, and Northwestern University. The event was a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students to connect with inspiring role models who have shattered barriers in the STEM world. Our speakers shared personal career journeys, the challenges they've overcome, and the invaluable lessons they've learned along the way. From navigating the tech industry to leading innovation at global corporations, each speaker provided a unique perspective and offered practical advice to help students thrive in their own careers.

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Staff

Welcome the New Cybersecurity Office Assistant!

We are thrilled to introduce our newest team member, Brielle Buford, who has joined us as the Center for Cybersecurity Office Assistant! Brielle received a Bachelors from Depaul University in Animaton and Storyboarding in 2024 and joined the Department of Computer Science as an Office Assistant the following year. Brielle's interest in Bioinformatics and Animation has led her to joining us at Loyola University Center for Cybersecurity. She is also interested in Machine Learning-based Applications and Adversarial Machine Learning.

Students

WiCyS Events

The Loyola University Chicago Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) student chapter hosted two events on February 21 and February 24. On February 21 was the first General Body Meeting of Spring 2025 while the February 24 event was a collaboration event with LTA. For more information, please click on the link below to visit the Instagram page. There are more events to come in March, including an Advising session and a collab with 7968 on cybersecurity competitions.

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Competitions

February 2025 Cybersecurity Competitions

Our students participated in multiple national cybersecurity competitions in February. This includes the Department of Energy Command on February 22, where Bridget Gorman, Shane Tran, and Alexis Fenderson completed various tasks to simulate the daily work of an IT administrator. On February 15, a team from Loyola University Chicago (pictured) competed in the Illinois Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC). The team consisted of Josh Honig (captain), Nika Primus, Lynette Lim, Chloe Kilroy, Justin Lizardi, Nancy Rojas, Arrianna Szymczak, and Daniel Gaevskiy. Although the team did not qualify for the regionals, they did well scoring "middle of the pack". On the same day, another team was competing in the NCAE Cyber Games - that team consisted of Shane Tran, Sloan Luckie, Bridget Gorman, Kelly McCabe, Josh Carrasco, and Alexis Fenderson. On an unrelated note, on the same day in Doyle, we had another group of students and alumni planning a D&D game. Congrats to all students!

Conference

ChiBrrCon 2025

On February 13, 2025, a group of Loyola University Chicago students, including Lynette Lim, Nika Primus, and Lucia Garr, braved the cold weather and snow and attended ChiBrrCon 2025 in Chicago. They were able to connect with other WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity) members and the Chicago cybersecurity community. ChiBrrCon was founded to provided attendees with high quality training and an opportunity to network with peers. The conference is hosted and taught by cybersecurity and tech professionals in the Chicago-land area.

VISIT

Competition

Loyola Cybersecurity Competition 02/08

On February 8, 2025, the Loyola Center for Cybersecurity, in partnership with the Department of Computer Science, the 7968 cybersecurity competitions club, and the Loyola WiCyS student chapter, hosted the first ever in-person Loyola cybersecurity competition. Over 50 students signed up to participate in this whole day competition. A big shout out to Dan Harkness and the CyberFire team for hosting the puzzles!

Student News

Lummio Cybersecurity Scholarship

Congratulations to Nika Primus, a sophomore majoring in cybersecurity, for being awarded the Lummio Cybersecurity Scholarship. Reflecting on the award, Nika said: "The additional resources granted through this scholarship will allow me to continue building my professional and technical skills in Cybersecurity outside of the classroom"

Student News

WiCyS Luncheon on 01/29

Our students attended the WiCyS Chicago Luncheon on January 29. They had the opportunity to engage with other students and cybersecurity professionals.

Student news, Competitions

Loyola Phoenix News Story on Cybersecurity Competition

Our students were featured in the Loyola Phoenix! News story on the DoE Cyberforce competition from 2024.

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Student News

CyberRamblers Scholars in DC

Our CyberRamblers scholars attended DC this week for the annual in-person SFS job fair. Pictured from left to right: Lynette Lim, Daniel Gaevskiy, and Chloe Kilroy.