August 26, 2024 | Emilia Chiscop-Head, PhD
Why did you apply for the ME in Cybersecurity at Duke? What career goals did you come to Duke with?
When I applied for the ME in Cybersecurity, I was a member of the Boeing Global Privacy Office, a group in the Boeing Law Department. We’re comprised of lawyers and security professionals. I’m a lawyer, and I didn’t have a security background. Often, when I met with internal clients, I would interrupt them and ask them to explain things like I was a ten-year-old (and if that didn’t work like I was a five-year-old). I wanted to be able to converse with my clients intelligently and confidently, so I decided to pursue a degree in cybersecurity. Luckily, I had full support from Boeing. My long-term goal is to be a Chief Privacy Officer, and I think this degree will help me achieve that goal.
What was your area of interest in the Duke ME in Cyber Program?
With my background, the classes I enjoyed the most were the “non-techy” ones, such as The Human Element of Cybersecurity and the Public Policy classes. However, Introduction to Cybersecurity Perspectives and Cybersecurity Risk Management “pushed” me the most, and I think I learned the most from those two. They provided the foundation that I was looking for to better understand cybersecurity, and they helped me achieve my objective of communicating confidently with my internal clients.
How did you find your current job? What is your primary role in the company?
I’m the Senior Privacy and Data Protection Leader for The Boeing Company. In this role, I manage Boeing’s Privacy-by-Design division and enable various business segments and functions by building privacy upfront and by design.
How has your degree helped you prepare for the role? I’m more confident when speaking with our IT and Information Security professionals. Whenever the business wants to implement new projects or activities, I must ensure that the proposed use complies with the applicable law. As part of that responsibility, I ensure that the appropriate controls are in place before the projects “go live.” This degree has improved my knowledge of protecting personal information ten-fold.
Can you name 2-3 of the most important skills you gained during the ME program?
The most important skills I gained during the ME program are perseverance and improved technical acumen. Full disclosure – during my first semester in the program, I had a “freak out” moment when I got one of my first quizzes back, and I failed miserably. I told myself that I didn’t know what it took to do this (mind you, I’ve passed the bar, so I know about difficult exams, but the technical aspects of this program seemed more daunting than the bar). Nevertheless, I buckled down and set up several one-on-ones with my professor. He helped me through the challenging topics, and I realized that if I persevere and ask for help, I’ll be successful. I also gained technical acumen related to data protection and other areas of cybersecurity, which has helped me immensely when assisting our internal clients with new activities or projects.
Where did you do your internship? In what way did the internship experience prepare you to be where you are now?
Being an online student working full-time, I did a two-year project with my current employer. I could apply things I learned in the classroom directly to the project, which helped our organization.
What advice do you have for other cyber students on having a good internship and job experience?
Don’t be afraid to use and share what you learn in the classroom during your internship or job. Ask questions and be inquisitive! Don’t ever forget that the education and experience you gain at Duke make you a pivotal asset to organizations.