USM Student Earns Prestigious Research Opportunity in Cybersecurity
Fri,
03/15/2024 – 08:50am | By: Van Arnold
College of Southern Mississippi (USM) college student Canela Slade relished her time as
a math teacher on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but a enthusiasm for cybersecurity has
now coaxed her down a different job route.
And that route has led to Slade’s range for a prestigious investigate prospect
by way of the Countrywide Science Foundation at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
(NMT). The REU Emerging Issues in Cybersecurity is funded by the National Science Foundation Directorate for Computer and Data
Science and Engineering (CISE).
The plan features a 10-7 days summer months investigate practical experience at NMT hosted by the Section
of Computer system Science and Engineering. The program’s aims include offering college students
with encounter in reducing edge study in cybersecurity, broadening participation
in computing, and motivating pupils to pursue graduate reports in laptop or computer science.
Slade, who is on keep track of to get paid her undergraduate degree in December, was picked out to
attend the program from a huge pool of candidates nationwide. The application will be
held from May 26 by August 3.
“The instant I obtained my letter of acceptance elicited a profound perception of accomplishment
and gratitude,” she stated. “It was a minute of validation that ongoing education,
hard operate, and commitment can encourage upcoming academic options.”
The intensive software procedure incorporated a required advice and endorsement
from a existing or previous professor. Slade credits the mentorship supplied by Dr. Silvia
Preston, an teacher in USM’s Faculty of Computing Sciences and Laptop or computer Engineering,
for aiding to protected the coveted place.
Slade took just one of Preston’s programs in 2023 and is at the moment enrolled in a different.
Preston speaks really of Slade’s work ethic.
“Canela is organized, intelligent, and trustworthy. She is an effortlessly teachable man or woman,”
mentioned Preston. “Canela submits all of her assignments on time and her do the job is often
spotless. Her focus to specifics is fantastic. She is an remarkable pupil who goes
past what is essential of her. She does not goal for considerably less.”
Preston continued, “When I requested Canela why her investigate in cybersecurity is critical
to her, she said that it underpins the enhancement of new methods, systems,
and defense mechanisms that aid evolving electronic landscapes around the world. It is useful
to her to apply her awareness to harness studying in sensible ways. There is no doubt
in my head that she will be an exceptional researcher for the summer cybersecurity research
plan at New Mexico Tech.”
Slade, who phone calls the Gulf Coast space house, is a U.S. Army veteran who attained an undergraduate
diploma from the University of South Alabama in education and learning and overseas languages. She
taught 5th quality math in the Lengthy Beach front (Miss out on.) Community University District, earning Instructor of the
Yr in 2017-18. She taught 6th grade math in the Biloxi (Miss.) School District where by she gained VFW Teacher of
the Yr in 2021-22. All total, she expended nine years in the instructing career.
She described that numerous elements contributed to her selection to go after a diploma
in cybersecurity, with two standing out.
“One was primarily based on my legitimate curiosity immediately after publicity to a authentic-world breach in which
actual physical protection and community protection have been compromised,” she said. “Another component
was dependent on assist from all those closest to me – my loved ones, buddies, and previous learners.
I constantly encouraged my youthful mathematicians to search for possibilities in STEM, and they
in return challenged me to do more of that.”
During the summer time software at New Mexico Tech, students will achieve palms-on knowledge,
whilst mastering from field leaders and specialist researchers. Slade notes that she
is very enthusiastic to set theory-dependent knowledge she has acquired at USM to the test.
Her small-variety objectives contain completing her undergraduate degree at USM, when thoroughly
collaborating in University-centered businesses and specialist growth associations.
Prolonged-term, she programs to go after a Grasp of Science in cybersecurity and eventually
work towards a doctorate. Along the way, she hopes to turn into a licensed qualified
and protected marketplace-regarded certifications.
“Cybersecurity is a wide and dynamic field to enter which is amazing due to the fact there
are alternatives for every person,” stated Slade. “It is tricky to say what doorways will open up
for me and in which I will close up, but what ever that is, I will aspire to contribute
to the in general energy of the field and continue to endorse mentorships.”