CARES Lab members participated in Aggieland Saturday    

At the Aggieland Saturday event, CARES Lab aimed to inspire, engage, and connect K-12 students with the scientific community, focusing on the critical intersection of marine engineering and cybersecurity. The lab members demonstrated real-time cyber-attack scenarios through a live simulation of an Industrial Control System (ICS), highlighting the vulnerability of such systems when under attack. Students witnessed how these attacks could disrupt an entire operational network, making it susceptible to further security breaches. This hands-on approach not only showcased the practical implications of cybersecurity in maritime but also underscored the urgent demand for professionals in this much-needed field. The event aimed to spark curiosity and motivate students to consider future careers in cybersecurity, emphasizing its importance in safeguarding the maritime domain.

This demonstration was funded by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) under the award 'Inspire the Next Generation: Funding for Fellows to Connect with K-12 Students in the Gulf of Mexico Region.' The grant supports current and former Early-Career Research (ECR) Fellows of the Gulf Research Program. Its aim is to inspire students to pursue STEM careers by showcasing real-life examples of scientists actively engaged in research and exposing students to the wide range of STEM career possibilities related to the Gulf of Mexico.

https://www.nationalacademies.org/