In mid-April, West Virginia University students were given the opportunity to participate in an international, multi-agency cyber competition, Locked Shields. This out-of-classroom exercise enabled students to use the skills they’ve learned in everything from engineering to cybersecurity, media and law in one of the most complex, technical, live-fire challenges in the world.
The cyber defense exercise involved 33 West Virginia National Guardsmen, Defense Information Systems Agency employees, Illinois National Guardsmen and WVU students who partnered with Polish allies. More than 1,200 experts from nearly 30 nations participated in Locked Shields.
In addition to knowledge from their courses of study, WVU students brought experience and lessons learned from participation in past cyber exercises to the competition. But, they also learned a few new things.
“The other students and I were apprehensive going into the event because we had never met any of the guard members in person, but they welcomed us and made us feel like part of their team,” computer science major Heather Fetty said.
Read the rest from WVU Today.