Trinity Hosts Event Bringing Together Connecticut Women in Cybersecurity

With 62 percent of organizations feeling understaffed in terms of cybersecurity professionals, there is room to grow the workforce, and  Trinity’s Ewa Syta is working on attracting more women to the field.

For the second straight year, Syta, associate professor of computer science, spearheaded a Connecticut Women in Cybersecurity event. The daylong gathering enabled college students to learn from professionals in academia, industry, and government about the field that protects critical systems and sensitive information from digital attacks.

“This event serves as a beacon of empowerment, striving to amplify the presence and contribution of women within the dynamic realm of cybersecurity,” said Syta. Women currently hold 25 percent of cybersecurity jobs globally, but that number is growing, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, and women are predicted to hold 30 percent of those jobs by 2025, and 35 percent by 2031.

Speakers at the forum included cybersecurity experts from Hybrid Pathways, Fortinet, CrowdStrike and the U.S. Navy. Additional support was provided by Trinity’s Library Information Technology Services and Center for Career & Life Design.

“From enlightening talks on cybersecurity trends and challenges to engaging career advice sessions, every moment was filled with learning and inspiration,” Syta said. “Each speaker brought their expertise and a unique perspective, shedding light on technical and career aspects of cybersecurity in an engaging and super fun way.”

The initiative is a collaborative effort between Trinity College—spearheaded by Syta, alongside Vice President for Library and Information Technology Services Kristen Eshleman, Director of Information Security John Inghilterra, and Associate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Stephanie Cox—and CT State Community College, under the leadership of Anna Syta.

Among the symposium sessions for students from Trinity and CT State Community College were technical topics, career and resume advice, and networking.