GenCyber Camp
participants work to assemble, program and test robots during one part of the 2017 camp
at SD Mines.
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
is hosting a free girls GenCyber
security camp this summer. The program is funded by the National Security Agency (NSA) GenCyber
Program, which pays tuition and registration fees for the participants.
The goal of the NSA’s GenCyber program is to inspire the next generation of
cyber workers, helping young people direct their talents toward cybersecurity
careers that are critical to national security.
The program also aims to increase diversity in the tech sector, an
industry where women are underrepresented. The GenCyber Girls Camp at SD
Mines seeks to inspire young women interested in careers in computer
programming, cybersecurity and robotics.
Information technology and cybersecurity has been identified as one of the
five industry sectors with the highest potential in South Dakota. The GenCyber
camp at SD Mines is in alignment with state and national interests and helps
build a strong workforce for economic development.
The SD Mines GenCyber Girls Camp features a collaboration with Black Hills Information Security
(BHIS), a company focused on customized testing of security systems.
Officials from BHIS will be involved in enhancing the curriculum alongside
professors in Mines’
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
“Our future security is dependent on empowering
young people to acquire and master these skills,” says SD Mines President Jim
Rankin. “We are proud to offer this camp at SD Mines and are excited to work
with the next generation of young women who are interested in careers in
cybersecurity,” he says. “We want to thank the NSA alongside our corporate
sponsors, BHIS and others, who are key in the success of this program.”
The SD Mines GenCyber Girls Camp takes place June 24-29, and is open to
girls entering grades 8-11 in the fall of 2018. The week-long camp is free to
accepted students, but the program does not cover the cost of travel.
Those interested in attending the GenCyber Girls Camp can find
more information here.