Williams Beaumont and Hunter ForsytheTwo students from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Computer Science competed against hundreds in the cybersecurity division of the Summer Open and brought home first place. 

The team was composed of UAB students Hunter Forsythe of Hoover and Williams Beaumont of Homewood and University of Alabama student Mallory Hamilton. Forsythe and Beaumont are both students in UAB’s nationally top-ranked Master of Science in Cybersecurity program and members of the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program, funded by the National Science Foundation. Hamilton is an undergraduate cybersecurity student at the University of Alabama.

“The Department of Computer Science offers unique graduate programs that emphasize hands-on, experiential learning and equip students with state-of-the-art knowledge and skills in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and software development,” said Yuliang Zheng, Ph.D., chair of the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Computer Science. “I congratulate Hunter and Williams on their remarkable achievements in such highly competitive cybersecurity contests.” 

Developing solutions for real-world cyber risks 

The students were tasked with designing a security dashboard that allows companies to test the cybersecurity knowledge of their employees and provide appropriate training when they did not meet the required standards. The focus of the assignment was to present a prototype and describe its integration. 

The design process allowed them to find creative ways to differentiate themselves during the pitch of the system.

The students created a website tracking the training status of employees and displaying it for managers. They also created phishing scam test emails and emails with links to training documents for employees. Once the training was complete, the system allowed employees to mark the training as complete and the managers to view the registered data.

“This was an exciting experience,” Beaumont said. “It challenged us to come up with a solution to an unknown problem, and I learned how to effectively present my ideas to others, as this competition had a large focus on communication with the judges.” 

Building skills for real-world impact 

The students credited their success to the faculty and staff at UAB, noting that the skills they gained in the Computer Science department prepared them to demonstrate their value to future employers.

“I am so thankful for the supporting faculty and staff at UAB who helped prepare my team and me for this competition, as well as my wonderful teammates,” Forsythe said.

“Hunter and I prepared by working together in our classes and in a previous hackathon, which gave us a strong foundation for teamwork and communication,” Beaumont said. “Winning both hackathons we competed in isn’t just a fluke. I am thankful to UAB for the opportunity to be part of the SFS program and to my teammates for helping me compete in this event.”

Their success reflects their dedication, the strength of UAB’s cybersecurity curriculum and the resources provided through the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program.

“The success of our SFS fellows in this hackathon is a testament to their technical capabilities in the critical area of cybersecurity,” said Ragib Hasan, Ph.D., professor of computer science and director of the UAB Center for Cybersecurity. “UAB’s CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program is designed to create a qualified cybersecurity workforce for our nation. I am proud of Hunter and Williams’ continued success in these competitions.”