Author Archives: Dr. Jamie Pinchot

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About Dr. Jamie Pinchot

Professor of Computer and Information Systems at Robert Morris University

2025 TRISS Scholarship Recipients from RMU

Front row (L to R): Darrin Fentress, Isabella Totino, Kelson Bowman Back row (L to R): Jonathan Eggie, Sean Miller, Ryan Himrod, Jadon Siuzdak

This year, nine RMU Cybersecurity students were selected to receive scholarship awards from the Three Rivers Information Security Symposium (TRISS), the second largest technology conference in the Pittsburgh region.

To be considered, students were required to be enrolled full‑time in cybersecurity or a related IT program and to submit a transcript (3.0 GPA or higher), letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. A total of 18 scholarships were awarded between all TRISS applicants, and we are proud to report that 9 of those scholarships were awarded to RMU students. All 9 recipients are members of Top Secret Colonials.

Scholarship recipients:

Kelson Bowman
Jonathan Eggie
Darrin Fentress
Ryan Himrod
Bryce Matthews
Sean Miller
Rebecca Ralph
Jadon Siuzdak
Isabella Totino

NCFTA Cybersecurity Workshop

On February 4, 2026, twenty-one RMU students got to travel to the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA) headquarters in Pittsburgh for a cybersecurity workshop. Students got to hear a presentation from FBI Special Agent Aaron Hays, and a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) panel featuring John O’Rourke from PPG and Dr. Jim Mahony from RMU. Dr. Jamie Pinchot accompanied the students for the trip and served as the panel moderator.

Students also had a chance to tour the facility, including the Malware Analysis lab and participate in a cybersecurity capture-the-flag exercise led by Emily Kerry, Intelligence Analyst (RMU ’24). Special thanks to Phill Miller, RMU CIO, for setting up this experience for the students. RMU hopes to make this an annual event.

Work Study Position Available for the CIS Department

The CIS Department is seeking a Student Assistant work study position. The job includes assisting CIS staff with office-related tasks, serving as a receptionist to greet and assist guests to Wheatley Center, data entry, and creation of blog posts, flyers, and other documents for the department.

Candidates must be eligible for the Federal Work Study program (you can check with the Financial Aid office to find out if you are eligible) and must be available to work weekdays between the hours of 9am to 4pm. The work schedule will range from 12-20 hours per week and will be negotiated upon hire.

Great candidates will have the following:

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word. Experience in Microsoft Excel, Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or WordPress is a plus.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new skills.
  • Reliability and punctuality.

If you are interested in working for the department, please apply!

More information and the link to apply online can be found here:

https://careers.pageuppeople.com/856/ci/en-us/job/498434

Hacking4Humanity 2026: Challenging AI Injustice, Building Ethical Futures

Hacking4Humanity (H4H) is a tech and policy hackathon that offers students a new way to engage with real-world social problems that can be improved with novel technical and policy solutions. This year’s theme is Challenging AI Injustice, Building Ethical Futures.

H4H 2026 kicks off on Zoom on Friday, February 6 and culminates in an in-person competition consisting of student presentations of their tech and policy solutions onFriday, February 20. The hackathon is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from any college or university in the Pittsburgh area, and students can register to participate as individuals or teams.

Hacking4Humanity is a tech and policy hackathon, so students from all disciplinary backgrounds can participate! In addition to the theory-, skills-, and relationship-building opportunities that this event provides, winners of the in-person competition will be awarded cash prizes ($1,000 for first place in each track) and will have the opportunity to meet and work with students from across the region, as well as network with academic and industry professionals. Register now!

Cyber Security for Student Success (CS3) Club

Cyber Security for Student Success (CS3) has been established as a club at Robert Morris University. The purpose of the club is to create a community around peer-to-peer cybersecurity learning opportunities like workshops and competitions. The club is dedicated to empowering members through hands-on learning, professional development, and community outreach. CS3 meets every Monday and Thursday from 4:00pm – 6:00pm in Wheatley 120, so please stop by!

Join CS3 on February 2nd and February 5th from 4:00pm – 6:00pm for their first two labs: “Shodan – Exploiting Exposed Endpoints” and “Tenable Nessus – An Introduction to Vulnerability Scanning”.

National Cyber League Awards for Fall 2025

RMU Fall 2025 National Cyber League Team Members and Coach

The following 8 students from the RMU National Cyber League (NCL) Team received performance medals from the National Cyber League (NCL) Fall 2025 season competitions held August to November 2025).

Larry Luther (Diamond)
Connor Quinn (Diamond)
Jesse Marks (Platinum)
Peyton Lutchkus (Gold)
Grant Carvender (Gold)
Chloe Dzuba (Gold)
Will Rebello (Silver)
Jorge Pinzon (Bronze)

Dr. Ping Wang served as the RMU NCL faculty coach.

Congratulations, team!

Joshua Cunningham (’25) Named to Knox News 40 Under 40

Joshua Cunningham (RMU ’25), a graduate of the Ph.D. in Information Systems and Communications program, has been named to the Knox News 40 Under 40 Class of 2025.

Josh is an IT Project Manager leading the United States’ largest multiprogram science and technology lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). He notably led the project for ORNL’s first on-site quantum computer. In addition this cutting-edge IT work, Josh also has a diverse work history ranging from wildland firefigher to DJ and Iditarod reporter in Alaska. Read more about Josh and this award here.

We are excited to see Josh’s leadership and contributions recognized. Congrats, Josh!

RMU Grad Students Present at INSuRE Showcase

(L to R) Dr. Ping Wang, Chloe Dzuba, and Peyton Lutchkus

RMU MS Cybersecurity students Peyton Lutchkus and Chloe Dzuba presented posters on their cybersecurity team projects at the national INSuRE (Information Security Research and Education) cybersecurity showcase event held at the Rayburn House Office building in Washington DC on December 3, 2025. Their projects and presentations were supervised by Dr. Ping Wang. 

Congratulations, Peyton and Chloe!

Red Chair Pittsburgh’s Annual Event Held at UPMC Event Center on October 23, 2025

The annual Red Chair Pittsburgh Annual Event was held at the UPMC Events Center on October 23, 2025. This year’s theme was New Horizons: Empowering Women, Shaping What’s Next.

Welcome remarks were given by RMU’s Provost, Dr. Joe Zimmer. This was followed by a keynote given by Kathleen Lovett, VP & CIO of Supply Chain at VSP Vision. This empowering keynote address was followed by a moderated panel discussion that included a panel of inspiring speakers, including the keynote speaker and four others:

  • Brenasia Ward-Caldwell, CISSP, Senior Solutions Engineer at Microsoft
  • Dr. Karen Paullet, Professor of CIS at RMU
  • Jenn Sydeski, Health Tech & Life Sciences Innovator and Strategist
  • Laura Freedman, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management at Raymond James

The panel was moderated by the talented:

  • Meesha Gerhart, Founder & CEO, RedTree Web Design
Panel Speakers at Red Chair Pittsburgh 2025 (L to R): Jenn Sydeski, Laura Freedman, Brenasia Ward-Caldwell, Dr. Karen Paullet, Kathleen Lovett, and Meesha Gerhart

A number of RMU students were able to attend, network, and become part of this incredible community supporting women in tech.

FLEAP Fair on October 22

Interested in studying abroad while earning academic credit? Visit the FLEAP Fair on Wednesday, October 22nd to explore exciting international opportunities!

The CIS Department is offering two 3-credit courses in Spring 2026 as Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program (FLEAP) experiences:

  • INFS 3100: Global Perspectives of Information Security
  • CYBS 4360: Emerging Topics in Cybersecurity

Students will complete coursework in the Spring semester at RMU and then finish the class on an international trip in May 2026, led by the faculty. Past students have studied in destinations like Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and Norway. This year’s adventure takes you to Germany and Belgium!

Come by the FLEAP Fair to learn more and start planning your global experience! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Dr. Paullet at paullet@rmu.edu or Dr. Pinchot at pinchot@rmu.edu.

FLEAP Fair
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Wheatley Lobby:  11:00 AM – 1:00 PM