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
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.
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”.
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.
(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.
The CIS Department has organized a workshop for RMU students at the National Cyber Forensics & Training Alliance (NCFTA) in Pittsburgh. The workshop will focus on areas of interest to cybersecurity students, but all computing students are welcome to attend. However, the event will be limited to the first 20 students. Transportation to/from the event and a light lunch will be provided by the CIS department.
Cyber Workshop for RMU @ National Cyber Forensics & Training Alliance (NCFTA)
Location: 2000 Technology Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Event Date: Wednesday, February 4th 2025
Event Time: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Agenda: 8:15 am Bus from Campus to NCFTA 9:00 am FBI Briefing on Current Events (unclassified) and Career Info Aaron Hays, FBI Special Agent 9:45 am Industry CISO Panel John O'Rourke, Chief Information Security Officer, PPG Jim Mahony, Chief Information Security Officer, RMU 10:30 am Hands-On Cybersecurity Capture-the-Flag Exercise 11:30 am NCFTA Facility Tour including Malware Lab 12:00 am Lunch with: Emily Kerry, Intelligence Analyst at NCFTA; RMU Class of 2024 1:00 pm Bus returns to Campus
Sign-up Below
If you are interested in attending this event, please fill out the application below and submit to indicate your interest.
You will be notified in January if you have been selected to attend the event (limited to the first 20 students), and asked to confirm your attendance at that time. (If you have class on Wednesdays, you will need to miss class to attend this event on February 4th. You will have time to discuss with your professor(s) to ensure that this will be OK before confirming your attendance.)
The Three Rivers Information Security Symposium (TRISS) is an annual, single-day event featuring multiple presentation tracks. It serves as a vital meeting ground for Pittsburgh’s leading IT and security professionals, enabling them to exchange knowledge and foster collaborative partnerships.
This symposium is an entirely volunteer-driven effort, dedicated to raising awareness, encouraging cooperation, and strengthening expertise within the regional information security sector.
TRISS is proudly sponsored and organized by a coalition of influential local organizations, such as:
RMU’s Top Secret Colonials(TSC)
Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)
Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
Infragard Pittsburgh Members Alliance (IPMA)
Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
Furthermore, the symposium shows its commitment to the future of the field by offering a robust education and scholarship program.
RMU students and faculty at TRISS 2025
The conference attracts key experts and executives from major Pittsburgh institutions, including U.S. Steel, PNC, PPG, Wesco, UPMC, and others. A commitment to quality is upheld through a merit-based speaker selection process, guaranteeing a diverse and unbiased program.
This year, 30 students from RMU were in attendance! The symposium provided them with a truly great learning and networking opportunity, allowing them to immerse themselves in the latest industry trends, cutting-edge research, and practical defense strategies presented by leading security professionals.
TRISS 2025 was a fantastic success, underscoring the vital connection between local industry groups and the next generation of cybersecurity talent. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!
As an Associate Cybersecurity Engineer within Bayer’s Medical Device Cybersecurity group, you play a crucial role in securing Bayer Radiology medical devices and software against potential cyber threats. Your responsibilities include reviewing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, assessing their likelihood of exploitation, and evaluating potential impacts on the safety and effectiveness of Bayer Radiology medical devices. You will also design and develop solutions to mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with Bayer Radiology medical devices, software, and IT products. This position operates on a global scale, ensuring the security of Bayer’s medical devices worldwide.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
Fulfill requirements defined by others;
Support the development of one design element at a time within a selected discipline;
Learn about the product and clinical applications;
Gain a guided understanding of direct interfaces (inputs/outputs) within relevant processes;
Participate in cybersecurity design reviews;
Receive clearly defined objectives and instructions from a more experienced lead engineer, cybersecurity engineer, or supervisor;
Accurately follow directions;
Communicate work activities effectively;
Contact and gather information from suppliers;
Communicate work activities effectively.
The primary location for this role is Indianola, PA (Pittsburgh, PA area).
Please join us for a speaker series presentation sponsored by the Top Secret Colonials. The presentation will be given by Lucas Franklin and will be focused on Advanced Persistent Threats.
Date: October 15th
Time: 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Place: Wheatley Atrium
Lucas Franklin will be sharing insights from a notable cyber incident he encountered involving suspected Russian advanced persistent threats (APTs) during his tenure at #1 Cochran. Prior to pursuing a graduate degree, Lucas served as the head of cybersecurity at #1 Cochran, where he led efforts to safeguard the organization’s digital infrastructure.
Lucas Franklin earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from IUP in 2022. Shortly after, he joined the IT department at #1 Cochran, where he rapidly took on key responsibilities including overseeing major acquisitions, leading technical training initiatives, and managing cybersecurity operations. In 2024, he departed the company to pursue a Master’s in Cybersecurity at WGU.
RMU is proud to recognize the graduate and doctoral students who presented research at the 2025 International Association for Computer Information Systems (IACIS) Conference in Clearwater, FL in October.
PhD students (L to R): Shadrack Oriaro, Evan Kinney, Amy Kulikowski
Evan Kinney (1st year PhD ISC student) presented Precision Check: A Critical Look at the Reliability of AI Detection Tools, co-authored with Tyler Stewart (1st year PhD student), Dr. Karen Paullet, and Dr. Jamie Pinchot.
Amy Kulikowski (1st year PhD ISC student) presented Protecting the United States Defense Industrial Base against Advanced Persistent Threat Attacks.
Dr. Sushma Mishra and Shadrack Oriaro
Shadrack Oriaro (3rd year PhD ISC student) presented Improving Cybersecurity through Explainable Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Literature Review, co-authored with Dr. Sushma Mishra.
Peyton Lutchkus (BS/MS Cybersecurity student) and Charley Tyrrell (BS Psychology student) presented Behind the Screen: Pyschological Motivations and Mental Health Issues in Cybercriminal Behavior.
Reese Martin and Chloe Dzuba
Reese Martin (MS Cyber Investigations & Intelligence student) presented Facing Your Digital Footprint on College Campuses, co-authored with Dr. Sushma Mishra.
Chloe Dzuba (BS/MS Cybersecurity student) presented Artificial intelligence in Social Engineering: A Literature Review through the Lens of Routine Activity Theory.
CIS @ RMU 