Georgetown to help Washington D.C. examine transit cyber security

Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies is collaborating with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to consider innovative techniques to tackle the issue of cybersecurity in the transit network. WMATA will provide fellowships for Georgetown academics on the applied intelligence, cybersecurity risk management and technology management masters programmes to address real-world cybersecurity problems. The fellowships will take on two students a term to offer them practitioner experience, while WMATA will receive potential solutions from the next generation of cyber experts.

WMATA extends academic partnerships to examine cyber-security threats

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Posted: 25 August 2020 | Sam Mehmet (Intelligent Transport)

The partnership aims to help students progress in their fields and be able to address real-world cyber-security and transit challenges that WMATA is facing today.

Beginning later in 2020, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) (Metro) has extended its partnerships to include Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies in its efforts to seek innovative ways to examine and solve some of the most complex cyber-security issues facing critical transit infrastructure today.

“Metro is eager to partner with Georgetown – to enhance our commitment to regional partnerships and the delivery of safe and reliable services through the development of the next generation of cyber-security professionals,” said Metro’s Senior Director of Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Kyle Malo.

Through these fellowships, Metro will be joining academia with real-world cyber challenges, hoping to develop the next generation of cyber experts while also enhancing its own security position. Throughout the year, the fellowships will accept two students per semester and projects will be customised based on what the students learn in their programme of study either in the Master’s in Applied Intelligence programme, Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management programme, or the Master’s in Technology Management programme at SCS.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to implement the knowledge gained during my Master’s at Georgetown University within a world-class cyber-security transportation agency,” said Christine Solis, one of the first fellows to begin the programme this autumn, and a student in the Master’s in Applied Intelligence programme. “The cyber-security fellowship at Metro will provide me practitioner experience that will prepare me for my professional journey.”