Professors Host Cybersecurity Camp

Professors Host Cybersecurity Camp

By Dan Silvia, Communications Manager

Bellevue University, led by Professors Douglas Rausch and Ron Woerner, hosted the Silicon Prairie Gencyber camp, July 18-22. The first three days of the camp were spent on the Bellevue University campus, while the final two were at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

The camp attracted 20 students who were exposed to the roots of computer hardware and software and how to operate in that arena. As part of the camp, each student received a Raspberry Pi, a small computer that can assist with learning how to program.

“We talked about binary numbers, the most basic hardware, operating systems – Windows and Linux,” Rausch explained.

Understanding how computers work at those basic levels can help students learn how to close down cyberattacks.

Woerner and Rausch hopes the camp inspires students to consider a career in cybersecurity. The pair makes a point to let students know about the main career opportunities are available in the field.  They also want to make sure students use their new-found skills in the right way.

“We make a big deal about ethics,” Rausch said. “It’s a tool. I can give you a hammer and you can build a house or smash a window.”

Sebastian Hanus, a camp participant from Fremont, Nebraska, enjoyed the event.

“I have some previous experience, so there was some review, but I learned some new programming as well,” he said. “I’m pretty sure I want to something in engineering and most likely in software. I’ve done programming in the past, but nothing quite like this.”