There are countless schools across the country that provide amazing resources for students wanting to pursue a degree in the cyber industry. Daisy is an upcoming senior at the University of Alabama Majoring in Criminal Justice and Minoring in both Cyber Criminology and Computer Technologies and Applications. This article focuses on the resources that the University of Alabama offers that have helped prepare students just like Daisy in feeling prepared for their future in this fast growing industry.
So Daisy, what have been your favorite cyber focused courses at UA?
“The University of Alabama has done an amazing job at offering students interesting computer science courses. I knew I wanted to focus on the law enforcement side of computer science, and thankfully, the University of Alabama offers Cyber Criminology as a minor. This minor has introduced me to my favorite classes such as cyber criminology, law enforcement in a digital age and the legal and ethical issues in computer science. Cyber Criminology is a class that I recommend to anyone that is interested in Cybersecurity or Cyber Criminology because it highlights the different types of illegal activity that can occur through the internet. The professors encourage students to ask questions about the topics and by learning something new and informative during every class, you never want to miss a day.”
What Cyber related Extracurriculars have you been involved in at UA?
“Get on Board Day is a day at the beginning of fall and spring semester where the University of Alabama provides the opportunity for students to learn about 600+ student organizations available to them at UA. It was here that I first learned about UA Women in CyberSecurity. This organization has exposed me to the different ways women can be represented in the CyberSecurity field. The club meets once a week and guest speakers usually attend and give great career advice and predictions for the industry. These guest speakers include Cybersecurity consultants and information security officers. UA Women in CyberSecurity also helps women network and feel represented in a male-dominated industry.”
What tools has UA provided to help your career in the cyber field?
“Just this year, UA announced that a Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity will be offered. This demonstrates the continuous efforts in creating more cyber courses and opportunities for the students of UA. The Joint Electronic Crimes Task Force (JECTF) at The University of Alabama is a task force started in 2014 by Dr. Diana Dolliver. “This state-of-the-art lab processes digital evidence seized in criminal investigations by local, state, and federal officials.” The JECTF conducts forensic examinations on seized mobile phones, hard drives for different operating systems including Windows and Macintosh, DVRs, gaming systems, and video recordings. In addition to the digital forensic work, the task force also offers an internship for students to conduct research on cyber crime and offers free training to law enforcement in the areas such as the dark net and cryptocurrency. For more information on UA’s task force or cybercrime education, visit https://cybercrime.as.ua.edu.”
