UNLV Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Information Officer Kivanc Oner was a panelist on the “Developing the Workforce in the New Era of Cybersecurity” panel on Oct. 5 at the 2023 Cybersecurity Conference at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).

Attendees learned how higher education institutions can overcome challenges that affect the IT workforce and cybersecurity education in Nevada. Some ideas included microcredentials and internships to make the transition to full-time positions smoother for students. For his part, Oner explained how UNLV prepares its students for cybersecurity careers.

Oner was joined by Anne Milkovich, chief information officer for the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), and Sasi Pillay, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at UNR, for the panel discussion that was moderated by Scotty Strachan from NSHE.

Organized by the UNR Cybersecurity Center, the conference is in its fourth year and brought industry, government, and academia together to discuss how to protect data and tackle growing cybersecurity challenges.

UNLV Chief Information Security Officer Vito Rocco attended the panel discussion and other sessions. The conference also included an industry showcase, capture the flag cybersecurity game, and a display of student cybersecurity project posters.

The panel discussion is one way for UNLV to get involved with Cybersecurity Awareness Month. During October, the university is hosting a high security score challenge and other activities to promote good cybersecurity habits among the campus community.

Taking steps to protect information is something everyone can do. Campus cybersecurity experts say students, faculty, and staff should do these five things to help reduce risks and better protect themselves and the university against hackers:

• Use strong passwords and password managers
• Turn on multifactor authentication
• Watch for phishing, social media, and AI scams
• Update software
• Share tips with family and friends