Claflin To Host SC Department of Education Cyber Security Symposium

“Next Steps for Cyber Security in South Carolina” is a one-day cyber security symposium scheduled for Thursday, February 16,  9 a.m.  -  4 p.m. in the Iowa Room of the James S. Thomas Science Center at Claflin University. 

Special guests include Tom Scott, executive director of SC Cyber and Tony Dillon, education associate, South Carolina Department of Education.

The opening session begins at 9:30 a.m. with Lt. Britt Dove of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division’s (SLED) Computer Crime Center discussing his agency’s role in cyber security.  Chris Bomar will discuss “The Impact of Cyber Forensics on the State of South Carolina.” Bomar is a special Investigator for the S.C. Attorney General’s Office.

At 10 a.m., Dr. Cheryl Swanier and Dr. Barbara Speziale will present “The Role of Colleges and Universities with Cyber Security Initiatives.”  Dr. Swanier is chair for the Claflin’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences and the Henry N. and Alice Carson Tisdale Endowed Professor. She is also an associate professor of computer science.  Speziale is an associate dean of undergraduate studies director of Creative Inquiry Office.  She is also director of Clemson’s Watt Family Innovations Center.  

The 10:30 a.m. session will feature information on Gen Cyber Camps from Bill Littleton, a cyber forensics specialist with Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR).  Colonel Dave Coldren of the SC National Guard will give an “Overview of Student Competitions Available for Middle Schools and High Schools.” 

The morning session’s final presentation at 11 a.m. will be “An Overview of Curriculum Resources Available for Middle Schools and High Schools” by Chuck Brooks, vice president for Government Relations and Marketing for Sutherland Securities presents.

 At 12:30 p.m., Dr. Nikunja Swain and Shaun Moorer will conduct a tour of the Cyber Security Lab at South Carolina State. Swain is chair of the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science at SC State. Moorer is a network administrator as SCSU.

Robert Crenshaw will speak at 1:30 p.m. on “The Importance of Apprenticeships.” Crenshaw is executive director of Apprenticeship Carolina.

A panel discussion at 2 p.m., “Apprenticeships in South Carolina,” will be moderated by Lonnie Emaard, executive director of IT – oLogy.

The panelist will be Girish Seshagiri, chief technology officer and vice president of ISHPI Information Technology;  Glenn Starkman, chief operations officer and co-founder of Soteria Security; and Dr. Leigh Armistead, president of Peregrine Technical Solutions.

The symposium’s final presentation at 3 p.m., “Meeting the Threat Report,” will offer recommendations for how to assess and resolve cyber security problems.

For more information, contact Anthony Dillon, SC Department of

Education, at 803-734-7168 or email tdillon@ed.sc.gov.