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Annual Newsletter • 2011-2012
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Innovating in Rwanda New Executive Program The Director's Welcome Global Updates and Upcoming Events and more
Newsmakers: Scholarship Recipients | Page 8 | Graduation 2011 | Page 10 | Education News | Page 12 1
contents:
2011-2012
cover story:
Entrepreneurial: Stories on Alumni Start-ups 6-7
features: Newsmakers 8-9 Graduation 2011 10-11 Education News 12-13
more: Message from the Director 3 Close-knit 4 Global Updates 5 Upcoming Events 6 Department News 14 Keeping in Touch 15
credits:
Director: Dena Haritos Tsamitis. Editor: Ann Lyon Ritchie. Cover Design: Christa Jones. Contributing Writer: Rachel Wilkin. Photographers: Ken Andreyo, Glenn Brookes, and Larry Rippel.
Joining Us: Class of 2013 This year, the INI welcomed the twentythird class in Pittsburgh, the fourth class of the bicoastal programs and the sixth class in Japan. For the first time, five students from the U.S. Navy began pursuing the Master of Information Technology Strategy.
Pittsburgh Programs
79 students enrolled from the countries of China, France, India, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States:
M.S. in Information Networking (MSIN) M.S. in Information Security Technology Management (MSISTM) Master of Information Technology Strategy (MITS)
Bicoastal Programs
36 students enrolled from the countries of Albania, China, Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States: M.S. in Information Technology– Mobility (MSIT-MOB)
M.S. in Information Technology– Information Security (MSIT-IS) M.S. in Information Technology– Software Management (MSIT-SM)
Dual Degree Program 7 students enrolled from China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States: M.S. in Information Technology– Information Security (MSIT-IS) from CMU and the Master of Applied Informatics from University of Hyogo
Message From The Director Hello, everyone. I have some exciting news from the past year. You may already know a bit about it if you follow the buzz of our online community. In this issue of our annual newsletter, I invite you to explore the details further. A major development underway is our much-anticipated executive program in information assurance (ExecMSIA), which combines a cohort-based model with high quality distributed education. Offering two concentrations, one in cyber forensics and one in resilience management, the INI will welcome its first class made up of working professionals in fall 2012. Our traditional Pittsburgh and bicoastal programs have been going strong. At graduation we honored our last class of graduates from our programs in Greece and Portugal. The first dual degree master’s candidates began studying in Kobe last spring in partnership with the University of Hyogo. Also, in the fall, five students from the U.S. Navy set up offices in Pittsburgh to pursue a Master of Information Technology Strategy, a new multidisciplinary program between CIT, SCS and H&SS, which is offered by the INI.
New programs, page 5
Class of 2011, page 10-11
The INI hosted several educational events, including the Women & the Economy Forum and the annual Information Assurance Capacity Building Program. As always, our student organizations have continued to get together for professional development workshops, volunteering and social events. All this activity is neatly recapped online through posts, photo albums and video. Make sure you’ve joined our social media groups listed on the back cover. I encourage you all to stay in touch.
GOINI, page 4
EWF, page 8-9
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clo s e- kn i t
Students Ignite There are 101 ways INI students exercise their social skills offline. From seminars and community outreach projects, to clubs and student government, they refuel themselves through a variety of creative and inspiring outlets where they can re-engage with each other and life outside of the classroom. On the tour. Campus tours led by CMU students during open house in the spring and orientation in the fall offer a behind-the-scenes look at the university's history and its notable architecture.
See video from GOINI's picnic. .
Good form! Led by the club Graduate Organization@INI (GOINI), bowling nights and other outings are a popular way for students to unwind together.
You go, girl. Members of Women@INI (WINI) honor graduating students and recognize the rising class at a spring reception.
A glimpse of success. The bicoastal students benefit from the chance to tour the corporate headquarters of technology's game-changers, such as Facebook and Google. Reaching out. The students find creative ways to give back to the local community, such as by teaching online safety through the INI's MySecureCyberspace initiative and by talking about engineering careers with school children.
Join WINI and GOINI on Facebook. 4
Engaging. The INI hosts guests, such as Theodora Titonis, CEO of TTi Technologies, and the Women & the Economy Forum panelists who spoke on women's influence on business.
Words with friends. CMU welcomes many leaders to speak to the campus community, and these included President Barack Obama and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg in 2011. Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
glob a l u pd a t e s
Did you know? CMU is a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and a Center of Academic Excellence in Research as designated by the National Security Agency
Welcome, Navy It's not unusual for CMU to attract collaboration with the nation's military, and recently the U.S. Navy joined in to work toward specialized graduate studies. As a result, the INI welcomed five students from the Navy in fall 2011 for the Master of Information Technology Strategy (MITS). The program is a cooperative endeavor of the College of Engineering, School of Computer Science and Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Through this multidisciplinary program, the Navy's students study the emerging environment of threats caused by cyber operations, the opportunities for enhanced information analysis and exploitation, and the development and management of innovative information technology systems. The MITS program is a four-semester, full-time, on-campus program.
New Executive Program The INI is adding to its offerings the Executive Master of Science in Information Assurance (ExecMSIA), designed for current and aspiring information technology executives seeking to propel their careers. A unique aspect of the ExecMSIA is a structure that combines online sessions from remote locations with periodic sessions with a cohort on campus. Over the course of the 20-month program, the students will spend a total of 24 days at CMU. CMU has been designated by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and a Center of Academic Excellence in Research. Through this expertise, the INI with its partner, the CERT Program at the Software Enginering Institute, is exceptionally qualified to offer two areas of concentration for the ExecMSIA students: Cyber Forensics and Incident Response (CyFIR) and Resilience Management. CyFIR equips the next generation of technical executives with the knowledge, skills sets and experiences to successfully plan for and manage the inevitabilities of cyber-attack. Resilience
Management brings the concepts of security risk management and business continuity into a convergent framework for professionals in leadership roles. Through the ExecMSIA, working professionals can increase their knowledge, refine management expertise and connect with a cohort. The graduates will be prepared to play a leadership role in the field of information assurance.
New Design for Kobe Program In April 2011, students began the Kobe MSIT-IS program with a new option of pursuing a dual degree. In addition to the Kobe MSIT-IS, the dual degree students can earn a Master of Applied Informatics from the University of Hyogo. The devastating Tohuku earthquake and tsunami occurred just weeks before the start of the program. Remarkably, all of the incoming students commenced with the program on time, despite many fears nationwide and the destruction within the Tohuku region, which lies well north of Hyogo Prefecture. The INI was thankful to see alumni in the country reporting their safety through social media as well.
CMU to Teach in Rwanda CMU is the first major higher education institution in the U.S. to offer graduate engineering degree programs in the East African country of Rwanda. CMU will establish and operate an academic program in Kigali, initially offering a graduate program in information technology. The program follows the curriculum of the INI's MSIT programs, which several Rwandan students completed in 2010 as the university explored efforts within the country. In addition to the academic program, CMU-Rwanda will collaborate with the Government of Rwanda to develop an innovation incubator, advanced practical training programs, executive education programs and a mobility research center. See www.cmu.edu/rwanda for information. 5
en tr ep r e n e u r i a l : storie s on a lumn i s ta rt -ups
Guiding Growth
Hooman Radfar, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Clearspring A good business leader really draws people in, and it’s been said that Hooman Radfar (MS14) has that certain something. In 2004 during a down economy, he co-founded Clearspring, the start-up that provides the AddThis platform for online content-sharing and data analytics. By 2007, he and partner Austin Fath (MS14) were listed in BusinessWeek as top young tech entrepreneurs. Attracting great people has become one of Radfar’s goals especially as his company seeks to increase its 90-person staff in a competitive hiring market. 2011 was a time of growth as Clearspring saw its AddThis platform top 1.2 billion unique users reached monthly and their revenue on track to triple. In the fall, the company made a strategic acquisition, bringing in data modeling company XGraph. Headquartered in Northern Virginia, Radfar's company has been hiring in every department, from engineering to marketing and sales.
With more than a bit of business experience under his belt, Radfar said he now looks for the spirit of a self-starter in job candidates. “Considering our start-up culture, I seek people who have an intrinsic drive to succeed. They want the finished product to be something more than just okay,” he said, adding that he wanted his organization to be “full of those types of people.”
Radfar always knew he wanted to start his own business, but when he came to CMU in 2002 to pursue his master’s degree in information networking, the university’s culture fanned the flames. His classmates at the INI talked excitedly about new technology and the start-up dream. He also has credited CMU faculty mentors such as Drs. Frank Demmier, Dave Farber, Pradeep Khosla and Dave Lamont for advising him as his business idea began to solidify. At the INI, Dr. Dena
Hear Radfar's speech at Graduation. Haritos Tsamitis uncovered some seed funding through The Technology Collaborative (formerly Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse) and Pennsylvania Cyber Security Commercialization Initiative.
Unlike a CEO who's infatuated with his own idea, Radfar has always encouraged feedback from people who offer it. “You learn to welcome any and all criticism, whether it’s positive or negative, it’s just feedback,” he said. “When you're going down a path, you always have the opportunity to change direction or turn back and retrace your steps. By taking valuable advice you can help to avoid failures.” Radfar also has stressed this open-mindedness in the work environment that he has helped to shape at Clearspring, where communication and collaboration are two important skills for the employees to cultivate.
“Every person at Clearspring has the opportunity to affect change through even the briefest conversation, and they have.” he said. “With the individuals you meet, no matter what those people’s goals are, you try to help them achieve those goals. You keep doing that and it creates a very positive culture.”
So far, his approach to employees and corporate culture has proven successful. Investors and job hunters continue to be attracted to Radfar and his company’s growth. Clearspring recently attracted $20 million in additional venture capital investment from leading investors IVP and NEA. See the related articles in this newsletter: "The 2011 Diploma Ceremony," pg. 10 and "INI Alumni Leadership Council," pg. 15.
Upcoming Events Spring Carnival: April 19-21, 2012 Carnival is a CMU tradition like no other! Homecoming: October 4-7, 2012 Be a part of CMU’s Cèilidh Weekend, a celebration for the entire CMU family. Network Nights: Check online for regional dates Look for upcoming networking events for alumni, employers and students. Network Nights bring professionals together at an evening reception. http://alumni.cmu.edu 6
Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
e n tr ep r e n e u r i a l : s torie s on a lumn i s ta rt -ups
Starting Up
Moses Merchant Port Indigo
Sometimes, there is nothing more inspiring than the discovery that there will soon be a new member in the family. This proved very true for INI alumnus Moses Merchant (MS01). At the announcement in January 2010 that he and his wife Taz were expecting their third daughter, Merchant was yanked out of autopilot and the brainstorming began. Instead of continuing his focus on the IT services company he co-founded in the mid-1990s, Thaumaturgix ("Putting Words into Practice," pg. 13), Merchant found an opportunity to begin his third start-up company. Throughout his thinking process, he soon came across a problem of mobile subscribers not realizing the full potential of their devices, especially in emerging economies around the globe.
With an estimated 472 million smartphones sold worldwide in 2011, and an estimated 982 million predicted to be sold in 2015, the mobile market is large and expanding. In order to assist users with properly using their mobile phones and realizing their full Internet capabilities, Port Indigo, Merchant’s first start-up to focus on a market outside of the U.S., was born in the fall of 2010—along with his third daughter, Zeya.
However, this venture has been a challenge. “Having an idea (and noble aspirations) is not enough,” Merchant said. “The key lies in the planning and execution.”
After his initial idea arose, one of Merchant’s first steps was to find an outsourced development team that he trusted to work with him to design the technical architecture and create a proof-of-concept for the product. A lot of his time also went to determining the appropriate corporate structures, devel-
oping the brand strategy, and getting legal, financial planning and tax guidance, as well as finding the right partners for these areas.
Merchant describes his many years of experience with startups as exhilarating and tiring at the same time. “I like to tell people that one of the biggest lessons I learned at CMU was to function on minimum sleep,” Merchant teased. “But perhaps most importantly, as an entrepreneur your drive and passion has to be infectious enough to motivate the rest of the team working with you.” In terms of Port Indigo, whatever Merchant has done seems to be working. In the past year the company has developed a unique technology for the mobile generation. For mobile users, better mobile browsing is possible through enhanced navigational features, such as reduced keystrokes. For mobile network operators, average revenue per user will increase due to the new services offered and better browsing experience. And for content providers, opportunities to reach new audiences will be opened up by Port Indigo controlling content delivered to end-users. India is the first target market, with the product launching in the first half of 2012. From there the company hopes to learn, refine and, with a bit of luck, spread its wings to other markets.
“We continue to bring up both the babies,” Merchant stated. “Zeya with my team at home, and Port Indigo with my new team across three countries.”
Are you on our list? Join us for regional INI alumni gatherings Alumni met up in New York City for lunch in June, and others in the Bay Area came together in October for a happy hour. Some events are impromptu, so send your latest contact information to ini-alumni@cmu.edu to keep in the know! Pictured: Rupsha Chaudhuri (MS18), Dr. Haritos Tsamitis, INI staff member Jessica Becker, and New York alumni with Moses Merchant, the INI director and staff.
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n ew s ma k e r s: sc h ola rs h ip re c ipie n ts
Scholars Find Support at the INI
Executive Women's Forum Scholarships
The INI and Alta Associates' Executive Women's Forum (EWF) on Information Security, Risk Management and Privacy have awarded CMU students Dolly Karaba (MS23) and Jonida Cali (MS23) with fellowships to pursue their graduate studies. Karaba is receiving the EWF-INI Fellowship, an educational award providing full tuition and a mentor to support her studies in the university's bi-coastal Master of Science in Information Technology-Information Security (MSIT-IS) Program, which is conducted at CMU's Pittsburgh and Silicon Valley campuses. Karaba, who is studying cyber forensics and privacy, said the award will help her continue to broaden her technology skills. "The INI program is helping me gain wonderful experience in areas of technology that will help me in a very competitive global marketplace," said Karaba of Kerugoya, Kenya.
Pictured above: Scholarship recipients Dolly Karaba, left, and Jonida Cali, right.
Cali, who was born in Tirana, Albania, and grew up in Athens, Greece, is the inaugural recipient of the EWF-INI Tara Darbyshire Fellowship, which provides research assistance to a first-year graduate student specializing in information security research.
"Joining CMU is a great opportunity for further professional and personal development. Being part of the CMU and EWF community will definitely expose me to all the diverse aspects of technology, society and cultures," Cali said. The Archer Foundation, which connects youth and women with opportunities to achieve their educational goals, provided $40,000 for Cali's fellowship and the INI provided matching support. Tara Darbyshire is a founding member of EWF and co-founder of the Archer Foundation. EWF is a prominent community of more than 750 of the nation's most influential female executives within the information security, privacy, and risk management industries. The EWF community is a home base for women to grow their professional skills, build important networks and gather industry business intelligence. Dialogue that begins at the national conference continues throughout the year during regional meetings, meet and greet events, peer mentoring, outreach and scholarship programs, and individual thriving networks. "The EWF is proud to provide scholarships that will foster the next generation of thought leaders. The continuing program that we have established with the INI is one of the most rewarding contributions that we have made to our industry," said Joyce Brocaglia, founder of the EWF and CEO of Alta Associates. "This fellowship and our partnership with EWF foster important networking and recruitment opportunities in the critical areas of information networking and security where talented professionals are very much needed," said Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis, director of the INI and director of education, training and outreach for CyLab.
Earning Support
Industry partners, such as Boeing, Cisco Systems and Lockheed Martin, consistently seek to sponsor students at the INI. Also, one INI student currently participates in the Information Assurance Scholarship Program with federal funding from the Department of Defense. In 2010-2011, Lockheed Martin funded several students through its Cyber Security Assistanceship, a program that seeks to grow the nation's workforce of cyber professionals. The following INI students were recognized through the Lockheed Martin program: Vamsee Kandimalla (MS21), Gen Kazama (MS21), Arik Misler (MS21), Travis Safford (MS22), Bryan Thiry (MS21), Daniel Votipka (MS22) and Rich Yueh (MS21).
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Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
n ew s m a k e r s: i n n ov a tin g in rwa n da
Making Waves: Software Development in East Africa In 2008, Alain Kajangwe (MS20) traveled from the East African country of Rwanda with a handful of other students. Three years later, as CMU prepares to offer its first master's program in Kigali, Kajangwe has returned to his home country to kindle his innovative spirit. Kajangwe joined Pivot Access Ltd, which is a relatively new company with 15 employees, many of whom are software developers. Pivot Access has been working to innovate the payment methods of products and services for Rwanda by providing web-based and mobile-based payment options. Its star product, E-Sale, allows people to resell pre-paid electricity to the general public over the Internet and mobile devices. “In developed countries there are things that everyone takes for granted: one of them is an efficient and proven payment mechanism, being able to pay for goods and services over the Internet, or over the phone,” Kajangwe said. “But here, a lot of innovation is stopped in its tracks because a crucial part of the puzzle is missing.” In order to provide this essential missing puzzle piece, Kajangwe and his colleagues, including fellow INI alumna Paula Helene Saphir (MS20), have been working with banks in Rwanda. Pivot Access has already built mobile banking solutions for three local banks, and all programs thus far have been positively received. Saphir says her employer has a reputation for developing great software that is bringing change to the community, which is what led her to the position. "The spirit of innovation, doing things well, and competitiveness attracted me more than anything," she said. "I enjoy the challenge that every new project brings." A main focus of the company is to create banking software apps that help integrate various third-party applications to core banking systems. Kajangwe and the rest of the team at Pivot Access are also working on assisting online merchants and mobile merchants that would like to accept payments from their web and mobile applications. In terms of the immediate future, Pivot Access plans to continue to provide an online bridge between mobile operators' payment services and the banks. They also have a long-term goal of utilizing their gateways for the payment of more products and services, like the payment of television bills, for example. Who knew that Kajangwe’s decision to attend the INI when CMU's Rwanda partnership was beginning would eventually lead him to enhance everyday payment methods in his country? He said that his time at CMU prepared him for the professional world and offered words of wisdom for prospective students currently considering the program. “My advice would be: 'Be ready to be challenged.' The INI programs, as with all CMU programs, are definitely not a walk in the park,” Kajangwe stated. “But the rewards in terms of professional enlightenment, are immense.”
Above, the students from Rwanda stand together with the director of the INI at the Silicon Valley campus in 2010. From left to right: Patrick Maniraho, Florence Kajangwe (wife), Jean-Baptiste Minani, Mushabe Benjamin Kags, Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis, Alain Kajangwe, Paula Helen Saphir, and Innocent Habiyaremye.
Inspire Innovation through the INI-EWF Fellow Fund Through the INI and Alta Associates’ Executive Women’s Forum, you can support the next generation of women executives in information security, risk management and privacy. The INI-EWF Fellow Fund was initiated by an INI alumna who was inspired to continue to build the community of support she experienced at CMU. You can help by making a donation toward tuition, books, living expenses and supplies for scholars. Consider providing internship and job opportunities or joining the INI or EWF in hosting lectures, workshops, seminars and events. See pg. 15. 9
gr adua t i o n 2 0 1 1
The 2011 Diploma Ceremony Will the Master's Candidates Please Stand?
On Sunday, May 15, the INI's soon-to-be graduates, their families, faculty and staff all gathered at Rodef Shalom on Fifth Avenue in Oakland for the 2011 INI diploma ceremony. The class of 2011 (MS21) was comprised of 113 graduates from 22 different nations. In addition to the twenty-first class of Pittsburgh grads, the ceremony honored the fifth class from Japan, the third class from Portugal, and the eighth and final class from Greece. INI Director Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis took to the podium to lead the ceremony. Throughout its proceedings she spoke of warm memories over the past years and the promising futures that lie ahead. “These graduates will always remain a part of the INI, as they grow to become the leaders and innovators in industry, government and academia.”
...be the change you want to see in the world.
This year’s graduates also had the pleasure of receiving words of advice from INI alumnus Hooman Radfar, co-founder and executive chairman of Clearspring. (See Guiding Growth, pg. 6.) Radfar spoke about the challenges and economic downturn that he had to overcome, how CMU armed him to follow his dream, and how important it is to embrace change. He closed with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi. “If there’s only one thing you remember out of this whole speech, it’s as follows: be the change you want to see in the world,” Radfar stated. The remainder of the ceremony included the presentation of diplomas by faculty advisors Drs. Rajeev Gandhi and Nicolas Christin. Dr. Haritos Tsamitis then sent the graduates off with parting words. “We hope that you have had a wonderful experience, and remember no matter where you move on to, you always have a home at the INI.”
“These graduates will always remain a part of the INI, as they grow to become the leaders and innovators in industry,
See more photos in the online gallery
government, and academia.” Top to bottom: Hooman Radfar was honored as the guest speaker. Graduates Andrew Hendela, Thomas Hobson and Jassim Mohammad Aljuraidan wore big smiles before the ceremony. Vicky Theodoreli raised a glass at the reception following the ceremony.
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Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
g r adua t i o n 2 0 1 1
The 2011 Student Awards
We Applaud You On Your Accomplishments For the first time ever, this year’s Pradeep K. Khosla Leadership Award, presented in honor of our dean, was awarded to two students: Ryan Shaw and Hanan Hibshi. This award is given to those students who balance scholarship and leadership impressively. Nominated by Dr. Bill Nace in the College of Engineering, Shaw’s academic skills combined with his ability to step up into a team captain role during projects earned him this award. Nominated by Dr. Lorrie Cranor in the College of Engineering, Hibshi’s passion and motivation have made her a mentor for her classmates and thus deserving the recognition of this award. This year’s Outstanding Student Services Awards were presented to Teaching Assistant Anuja Gogate and Research Assistant Dinesh Isranis for their exemplary performances in their positions. Gogate was nominated by Dr. Jeff Eppinger, for the extra effort she put forth as a TA for the Web Application Development Course at the School of Computer Science in the spring of 2011. Isranis was nominated by Dr. Adrian Perrig in the College of Engineering for his valuable contribution to the Perspectives Firefox Extension. The Scholarship for Service (SFS) scholars were also recognized. Six graduates were sponsored by the National Science Foundation through the SFS program, which provides a full scholarship and a stipend to highly qualified students in exchange for a commitment to seek federal employment after graduation. These graduates will apply their information security education to serve the nation. Presentation of awards, at left: Students pose with their professors, including Dr. Eppinger with Anuja Gogate, and Dr. Perrig with Dinesh Isranis. Dean Khosla and Dr. Haritos Tsamitis pose with Ryan Shaw, Hanan Hibshi, and the previous leadership award recipient Tyelisa Shields (MS20).
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educat i o n n e w s
Resilience—Assuring It For Business The INI's new executive master’s program at the INI offers a concentration in resilience management. It’s no coincidence that the CERT Program at CMU works extensively on the topic. CERT’s Rich Caralli will instruct ExecMSIA students who choose to concentrate in this area. What exactly does this area of study encompass? Caralli provides a good explanation in the following excerpt from “How Resilient Is My Organization?” – an interview by Julia Allen, senior researcher at CERT. Rich Caralli on resilience management: “I think that we learned through many years of research into security and security management that the ultimate goal of what we do as security professionals is really resilience. It's the end-game. We've seen that attitude change in the last 10 years where a lot of the work that we did in security was for security sake, to stop something, to prevent something, when in actuality what we were trying to do is to enable something bigger, like the mission of the organization.” "And so we now view security at CERT, and the activities associated with security and the discipline, as a means to resilience. Part of that is because the complexity of the operating environment that we work in means that we can no longer be lured into thinking that we can prevent all threats and vulnerabilities from becoming risks. So we must take a multidisciplinary approach that also limits impact. We have to look at it, in fact, from both a protection and a sustainability standpoint.” “So at the end of the day, a threat or vulnerability only really matters if it can disrupt something important to the organization or important to us. So when we get to the concept of resilience, as opposed to just security, it broadens the organization's target, and it helps to focus all of these individual efforts that every organization performs in security and continuity and improving operations.” “So I think that the 'resilience' term actually characterizes what CERT has been about all along, which is giving organizations the ability to control their destiny and to carry out their mission in the face of a very ever changing risk environment.” The conversation continues with details on the Resilience Management Model: Listen to the CERT podcast.
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"...in actuality what we were trying to do is to enable something bigger, like the mission of the organization."
Security As Strategy
The ExecMSIA
When the new executive master’s program launches in fall 2012, information security will take precedence for the current and aspiring information technology professionals who will make up its first cohort. No longer regarded as add-on services or supplemental tools, the security of an organization’s information infrastructure has become an essential component to a business's overarching strategy. And so, information assurance is taking its place in the executive circle. The INI’s interdisciplinary approach to the ExecMSIA is well-suited for the preparation that is needed at the helm of an organization's IT strategy. The program's guidance will derive from two instructors who teach and conduct research in the CERT Program at the Software Engineering Institute, a federally funded research and development center at CMU. Rich Caralli is technical manager for the CERT Organizational Resiliency Team. Caralli has over 25 years of experience in information technology, particularly systems analysis and information systems audit and security, in Fortune 1000 companies covering banking and finance, steel production, light manufacturing and energy industries. His research interest lies in the exploration and development of process-oriented approaches to security management. Rich Nolan is technical manager of forensics at the CERT Program. Nolan directs the Digital Intelligence and Investigation Directorate group, where they investigate a digital crime scene by analyzing network traffic, providing operational support to government agencies, and assisting in incident response. These experts bring deep knowledge and hands-on experiences into the classroom to launch this exciting program.
Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
educat i o n n e w s
Putting Words into Practice
Pros Tap Students for Silicon Valley Practicums
When presented with a challenge, INI students tend to prove they can rise and surpass all expectations. This is why just three years after the establishment of student practicums, more companies have begun to take notice. The practicums for the INI's bicoastal MSIT programs require students to work in groups of three or four for a professional client. The practicum requirement has proven itself to be a win-win; providing students with real-world experience, and companies with talented individuals who help them solve certain problems and to possibly consider for full-time employment in the future. “Company sponsors come and pitch their idea—generally an interesting problem that they don’t want to do inside the company,” Wendy Fong, Senior Strategic Programs Manager at Silicon Valley stated. Wendy works to introduce companies to opportunities on campus, match students to companies, and collaborates with the INI and Silicon Valley faculty to supervise the practicums. The student teams act as consultants for their selected company. Students work and negotiate with their company to determine what they will accomplish in the 20 hours a week, one-semester time slot that the practicums are allotted. A faculty member acts as a mentor to each team, and teams give two progress reports, approximately five to eight minutes each, and a main presentation at the end of the semester, both to the company and on campus. The eight practicums that took place in fall 2011 were in collaboration with Ericsson, Google, Panasonic and Sprint, as well as three start-up companies such as Thaumaturgix. (See "Starting Up," pg. 7.) For example, a team of students for Google were tasked with getting top iPhone apps to run on HTML 5, on the Chrome browser without having to change the code. Because of this development, anyone coming out with a new device will now automatically be able to run the top games and applications. A team also worked on a project for Sprint that analyzed users' behavior and preferences so that they may better target ads and services.
The Ericsson team tracked and monitored health and well-being through wearable sensors, and then uploaded this information to a website. The data collected can help determine if a person is active enough or burning fat, and can also be beneficial for the elderly in cases of emergency. For Panasonic, a team worked to put an Xbox Kinect into a car in order to track movement of the eyeballs and mouth to figure out if the driver is talking, angry, or falling asleep. In addition to adding these experiences to their resumes, students may use them as a sort of preview into a company. “Companies regularly look to hire students that they work with,” Wendy said. Further benefits of the practicums include an impressive real-word experience to use as a resume builder, and valuable presentation skills that may aid students in the future. “ Lots of students want to do start-up companies and they only get five minutes to pitch to venture capital,” Wendy says. “The practicums provide them with great presenting experience.” Student practicums have gained an impressive amount of momentum over the past few years, providing companies with amazing advancement opportunities and students with a competitive edge in the job market. The secret is out: INI students are capable of accomplishing incredible things.
2011 Capacity Building Program
Ninth edition attracts an array of colleges
The INI and CyLab held the ninth edition of the Information Assurance Capacity Building Program (IACBP) in July 2011, through funding from the National Science Foundation. The intense two-week workshop hosts faculty from minorityserving institutions who work under the guidance of CMU faculty to develop and enrich cybersecurity curricula. Seven first-time participants attended from the institutions of Alabama State University, American Military University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Kentucky State University, Mercy College, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, and Tuskegee University. Also, last year's cohort returned to report on their activities. Looking forward, new programs in information assurance education are expected to emerge from the participants at their home institutions. 13
dep ar tm e n t n e w s
Faculty Updates
Dr. David Brumley, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, won a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)—the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on young scientists. Dr. Nicolas Christin, associate director of the INI and a senior systems scientist at the INI and CyLab, co-authored a report on illegal online pharmacies that flood the Web to sell dangerous unauthorized prescriptions. The report was published in the Proceedings of the 20th USENIX Security Symposium (USENIX Security'11) and is available online at http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/nicolasc/publications/ LMC-USENIXSec11.pdf.
Dr. Adrian Perrig received the Benjamin Richard Teare Teaching Award for his role in disseminating cybersecurity knowledge to the broader community. The award is presented to a faculty member in CIT for excellence in engineering education. Dr. Ragunathan "Raj" Rajkumar, the George Westinghouse Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Robotics, was named among the 2012 Fellows of the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE), an honor that is recognized by the technical community as an important career achievement.
Staff Spotlight
Gabriel Somlo, Director of Computing Services
The CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS) led by Dr. Lorrie Faith Cranor, associate professor of computer science and engineering and public policy and faculty advisor of Women@INI, released "Why Johnny Can't Opt Out," a technical report showing that Internet users have difficulty using common "opt-out" tools that are intended to help them protect their privacy and prevent advertisers from tracking them online. The report is available online at http://www. cylab.cmu.edu/research/techreports/2011/tr_cylab11017. html. Dr. Rajeev Gandhi, INI faculty and senior systems engineer, electrical and computer engineering, is the chief technology officer at YinzCam, a CMU spin-off providing apps that send sports fans mobile content in real time. YinzCam boasts over two million downloads, and counting. Dr. Virgil Gligor, co-director of CyLab and professor of electrical and computer engineering received the Outstanding Innovation Award for computer privacy and security expertise at the 2011 annual meeting of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) in Chicago. A team led by Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis, director of the INI and director of education, training and outreach at CyLab, developed BeSeen, a game that engages kids who are beginning to use social networks in the topic of online safety. The free mobile app was created with the non-profit Web Wise Kids and in collaboration with The Wireless Foundation and Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids and Family. The app is available on Apple’s App Store and Android Market. Dr. Alex Hills, a distinguished service professor of engineering and public policy and electrical and computer engineering, published Wi-Fi and the Bad Boys of Radio, a book about the creation of Wireless Andrew, the network that would become the forerunner to today's ubiquitous Wi-Fi. The book is available at www.dralexhills.com.
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care to all things IT.
Gabriel Somlo, Ph.D., a selfproclaimed ‘computer geek’ who has worked for universities his entire career, proved he was the perfect candidate for managing computing at the INI. Since fall 2010, he has provided personal
Two of his largest projects after coming aboard included switching the network infrastructure to CMU’s central IT and installing Andrew Printing. He also worked on various projects such as housing servers used for special projects and researching an over-arching system in order to tie together the areas of admissions, enrollment and alumni relations. He also takes INI courses in order to both refresh his memory and better understand students' computer needs. He is open to having students stop by with questions; he promises to either fix the problem or send you where you need to be. Before finding a home at CMU, he completed his doctorate at Colorado State University in computer science. He was a network architect at Colorado State before traveling east to work for CMU’s Computing Services in August 2005. Five years later, Dr. Somlo moved his office a few blocks down the road to the INI. “There’s not a lot of hierarchy among staff, and that’s why people like working here” he said. “It makes for a great collaborative work environment.” However, perhaps what Somlo finds most impressive about the INI is the amount of personal attention given to each individual student to assure their futures are bright. “That doesn’t happen everywhere,” he said. “I have a huge amount of respect for that.”
Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu
k eep i n g i n t o u c h
INI Alumni Leadership Council The purpose of the INI Alumni Leadership Council is to contribute as a group of valued advisors and passionate advocates of the INI's mission to offer the world’s leading graduate programs in the field. Council members contribute insight and guidance on achieving the strategic goals set by the INI leadership. The three areas of the INI where the council has worked since its first meeting in April 2011 include recruitment, alumni communications, and industry relations. The INI Pro Webinar series is a recent project taken on by the council that all alumni, current students and staff are welcome to tune in for. The first webinar was an INI update held on May 25th, 2011 and led by the director of the INI, Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis, and chair of the council, Marullus Williams. The second webinar was held on September 28th, 2011 and featured Dr. Alex Hills, one of the INI's founding directors, speaking about his new book Wi-Fi and the Bad Boys of Radio. The council hopes to hold more webinars this spring. In order to tackle distinct areas, subcommittees are currently in the preliminary stages for the INI Alumni Leadership Council. Possible future subcommittees include a webinar group, a group to focus on the annual meeting, which is held during Carnival weekend, and a group on CMU relations in order to improve the INI's awareness both inside and outside of the university. Alumni can contact the INI to learn more about the council. The 2011-2012 INI Alumni Leadership Council is made up of the following members (*newly appointed): Marullus Williams, chair, MSIN (MS06) George Chamcham, MSIN (MS22)* Roman Danyliw, MSIN (MS11) Innocent Habiyaremye, Pgh-SV MSIT (MS20)
Giving Watch the Inspire Innovation video. Your gifts can expand the reach of our programs, advance our facilities and provide funding for talented students. It's your choice. You can direct your investment to be applied toward the INI Scholarship Fund, INI-EWF Fellow Fund, Carnegie Institute of Technology or Carnegie Mellon University. How to Make a Gift: Online, using the secure form at www.cmu.edu/give Over the phone, at (412) 268-2021 Through the mail, by sending a check or money order made payable to Carnegie Mellon University, and noting "Annual Gift" along with your designation to a specific fund if you desire on the memo line, to: Carnegie Mellon University PO Box 371525 Pittsburgh, PA 15251-7525
Wear Your Plaid On Your Sleeve! Become a Loyal Scot today and join your fellow students and alumni to be recognized for your CMU pride. Joining the Loyal Scot family means you’ll always stay connected to our heritage, informed of university news and activities, and in touch with your peers. Most importantly, you’ll be recognized for your dedication, passion and continued commitment to CMU. www.cmu.edu/loyalscot
Matt Kaar, MSISTM (MS16) Marachel Knight, MSIN (MS06)* Katerina Lamprou, MSIN-Athens (MS14) Aditi Pendharkar, MSIN (MS19) Hooman Radfar, MSIN (MS14) Jesse Schell, MSIN (MS03) Ishdeep Singh, MSIN (MS15)* Dr. Michael Souryal, MSIN (MS02) Robin Zhang, MSIN (MS08)* 15
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About Our Organization The Information Networking Institute (INI) was established by CMU in 1989 as the nation’s first research and education center devoted to information networking. As an integral department of the College of Engineering (CIT) and a collaboration of the School of Computer Science, the Tepper School of Business and the Heinz College, the INI’s professional graduate degree programs represent an exceptional fusion of technologies, economics and policies of secure communication networks and systems. The INI also promotes safe and responsible online behavior to citizens at all levels and extends educational and training programs to the broad audience of people using information networking as part of their daily lives. The INI has over 1,200 alumni who occupy leadership positions at companies in various sectors. Please send contact information, updates or professional accomplishments to ini-alumni@cmu.edu.
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www.ini.cmu.edu
Information Networking Institute ~ www.ini.cmu.edu