#ShareTheMicInCyber Fellows in DC: A Recap

On September 14th and 15th in Washington, D.C., a few of our inaugural #ShareTheMicInCyber Fellows made the rounds to several agencies leading our nation's cybersecurity.

Fellows Michael Garcia, Dr. Safi Mojidi, and Thomas Rowland had an opportunity to meet with high-level officials and staff at the House Committee on Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency, and the White House's Office of the National Cyber Director over their two day visit. Google, one of the funders of this program, also hosted a lunch and learn with their privacy team at their offices. In addition to private meetings, our Fellows also participated in a publicly livestreamed roundtable discussion with CyberScoop reporter Tonya Riley on the future of cybersecurity.

During each of their visits, Fellows had the opportunity to share about their specific research topic, learn more about the current and future initiatives of each agency, and engage in conversation with officials about each others' work. Some of the Fellows' questions focused on specific initiatives directly impacting their individual research topics, clarifying how these offices engage with outside researchers like the #ShareTheMicInCyber Fellows, or how the offices envision their future role in cybersecurity governance. Officials also engaged directly with our Fellows, asking their own follow-up questions about their research and policy recommendations.

As we continued to meet individuals across these different offices, there were a two main takeaways that became evident. The first is that when it comes to diversifying cybersecurity, providing access is just as key as platforming diverse voices in cybersecurity. All of these visits would not have been possible without the #ShareTheMicInCyber network, which grew out of a social media movement to have open conversations about diversity and equity within the cybersecurity profession. Allies leveraged their time and professional networks to help Fellows in the door to get key decisionmakers to hear and engage with their work. Knowing where and how to tap into these networks are just as crucial to providing opportunities, like this fellowship, to elevate and empower those traditionally underrepresented in cybersecurity.

The second is that there will always be space for any research topic beyond what's trending in the news. The Fellows' meetings and conversations in Washington underscored that there is always appetite for information to inform decision-making, and there are often occasions where people don't know what research is possible until it's presented to them. Our Fellows worked on research topics of their choosing, informed by their own perspectives, and have each argued in their applications why their work is consequential in the future of cybersecurity. Our inaugural cohort investigated a range of topics, but they all tied back to cybersecurity and will be contributing to a rapidly-changing policy issue.

As our inaugural cohort begins shifting to publishing their work in the final months of 2023, we're looking forward to the opportunity to not only share their research with these offices, but with the larger cybersecurity community.