News
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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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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!
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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.
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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.
Happy holidays to all!
Research
Dr. Scholl Foundation Award to Loyola
The Center for Cybersecurity, led by Dr. Eric Chan-Tin and his interdisciplinary team of researchers Dr. Loretta Stalans (Criminal Justice & Criminology), Dr. Jeff Huntsinger (Psychology), Dr. Mohammed Abuhamad (Computer Science), Dr. Jason Cummings (Sociology), and Dr. Jennifer Forestal (Political Science), has received a $50,000 award from the Dr. Scholl Foundation to further look at the effectiveness of inoculation theory against misinformation on social media.